Can anyone explain what the hell was given away by ...

[ColbertWatcher]

... by the obstructionist crap Maldonado pulled in Sacramento!?

And, if it includes changing the CA Constitution, is that even legal?

(Thank you in advance)

[tularetom]

1. He got them to drop a proposal for a 12 cent increase in the gas tax

adopt an "open"primary and no pay raises for legislators until a budget is passed.

Here's an article that spells it out pretty well:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cap20-2009feb20,0,5924451.column?track=rss

[ColbertWatcher]

2. Thank you, I had skimmed over that earlier.

I'm wondering about putting the "open primary" on the ballot.

Wouldn't that change the CA Constitution?

And if it is, that seems like another "Prop H8" set-up.

Changing the CA Constitution via ballot initiative (complete with misleading ads, etc).

[tularetom]

3. The open primary is a disaster that only deprives the voters of good candidates

of either party. But the whole process of constitutional amendment by ballot measure is a "reform" that was put in place by Gov. Hiram Johnson and the "Progressives" in the early 20th century. And the process has been perverted by extremists who have used it to cripple the very "progressives" who initiated it in the first place. (Although you'd get an argument from a lot of historians as to how "progressive" these earlier progressives really were).

[ColbertWatcher]

4. Anytime the GOP holds cooperation up with calls for "reform" ...

... I get suspicious.

And I agree with you about how

"... the process has been perverted by extremists who have used it to cripple the very "progressives" who initiated it in the first place."

[davidinalameda]

6. I won't miss any increase in gas tax

it's bad enough income taxes are going up

the poor and middle class get hit the hardest with tax increases

[roody]

7. Raises for them is outrageous. Freeze their wages.

[Think82]

5. Here you go:

http://www.examiner.com/x-2895-LA-Political-Satire-Examiner