Tweet
The California legislature is still run by the special interest, unions, big corporations and donors.
"Legislation written by the retail industry to allow free liquor tastings at supermarkets is moving toward passage, despite the concerns of groups trying to limit alcohol abuse. Also sailing along is a bill written by the trucking industry that would let trucks carry larger loads, despite drivers' worries that the weight poses a safety risk."
Then you have this:
"Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-Pasadena, issued a statement Friday saying the supermarket liquor-tasting bill he is carrying for the California Retailers Association, AB 605, is in the public interest. Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Norwalk, who is carrying the California Trucking Association's bill, AB 1772, could not be reached last week.
The Mercury News reported in a two-part series last month that sponsored bills made up 39 percent of the proposed laws introduced in the Legislature in 2007-2008, the most recently completed session, and were far more likely to pass than bills that lacked outside sponsors.
The newspaper analysis included a review of every bill introduced in 2007 and 2008, inspection of state campaign finance reports, and interviews with dozens of legislators, staff members, lobbyists and outside experts. It found that bill sponsors are big contributors, giving $1.2 million in the last session to the campaigns of legislators who carried their bills."
The system is corrupt, period. May not be illegal, but it smells like week old dead fish.
Give government too much money and power, this is what you get. Allow them to introduce too many bills, this is what you get. Allow them to stay more than 30 days a year in the Capitol, this is what you get.
We need real reform. We need regime change in November.
More...
"Legislation written by the retail industry to allow free liquor tastings at supermarkets is moving toward passage, despite the concerns of groups trying to limit alcohol abuse. Also sailing along is a bill written by the trucking industry that would let trucks carry larger loads, despite drivers' worries that the weight poses a safety risk."
Then you have this:
"Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-Pasadena, issued a statement Friday saying the supermarket liquor-tasting bill he is carrying for the California Retailers Association, AB 605, is in the public interest. Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, D-Norwalk, who is carrying the California Trucking Association's bill, AB 1772, could not be reached last week.
The Mercury News reported in a two-part series last month that sponsored bills made up 39 percent of the proposed laws introduced in the Legislature in 2007-2008, the most recently completed session, and were far more likely to pass than bills that lacked outside sponsors.
The newspaper analysis included a review of every bill introduced in 2007 and 2008, inspection of state campaign finance reports, and interviews with dozens of legislators, staff members, lobbyists and outside experts. It found that bill sponsors are big contributors, giving $1.2 million in the last session to the campaigns of legislators who carried their bills."
The system is corrupt, period. May not be illegal, but it smells like week old dead fish.
Give government too much money and power, this is what you get. Allow them to introduce too many bills, this is what you get. Allow them to stay more than 30 days a year in the Capitol, this is what you get.
We need real reform. We need regime change in November.
More...