CA legislators take junket instead of doing their job
posted at 9:34 am on September 26, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Unemployment in the state has hit 12.2%. The political class seems incapable of dealing with a budget gap larger than the entire annual budget of most other states. A water crisis has hit the most critical agricultural area, thanks to ill-conceived federal intervention, which means that revenues will drop and unemployment rise even further. Schools are teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. What should state legislators do in this crisis?
If you’re from California, the choice is easy — take a junket to Denmark and Spain!
A flock of state legislators is winging it to Denmark and Spain during the next 19 days to see how Europeans govern, further delaying long-promised action back home on California’s water-supply problems and help for cash-strapped schools.
Seven state senators are heading overseas this week, some having left Thursday, on a trip that includes stops in Copenhagen, Madrid, Bilbao and Barcelona. They plan to study Spain’s national water system and Scandinavian environmental programs, and to promote trade between California and Catalonia, according to a statement from the Senate Office of International Relations, which is organizing the trip.
Six other legislators are hoping to visit China and Korea to discuss business issues, but they are likely to wait until after the special session wraps up, aides said.
Actually, California legislators give a pretty good imitation of European governance already, which is why their budget is $26 billion in deficit and Californians spend more than 30% of their GDP on regulation. As tax activist Lew Uhler noted, they don’t need to go to Spain and Denmark to learn how to build dams or lay a pipe, either. It’s a handy excuse to take their spouses on a European vacation, mostly paid by their campaign committees, which means that they get to have a free three-week vacation while California melts down into collapse.
Who are the European and Asia Vacationers?
- Alan Lowenthal (D-Long Beach)
- Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles)
- Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills)
- Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield)
- Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord)
- Robert Huff (R-Diamond Bar)
- Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego)
- Louis Correa (D-Santa Ana) (Asia only)
- Leland Yee (D-San Francisco) (Asia only)
If these California legislators want to study European governance, California has many fine resources in its universities that can provide all of the information needed at the moment. If they want a taste of foreign lands, let me suggest the missions in California, the hamlet of Solvang, and Chinatown in San Francisco. If not completely authentic, it would at least keep their money in the state of California, where it is most needed, and perhaps save a job or two in this economy.
California deserves real legislators offering real solutions to a crisis, not Otter from Animal House.
Blowback
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Maybe they can take some of those delta smelt with them?
BallisticBob on September 26, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Maybe it’s the other way around.
Maybe they’re going abroad to teach these countries how to further eff up their own economies a la Kaleeforniya.
TXUS on September 26, 2009 at 9:43 AM
This must be what the Californicators want, or they wouldn’t have voted for them.
rmgraha on September 26, 2009 at 9:43 AM
There should be a couple of hundred unemployed protesters meeting them at the departure area at the airport.
Guardian on September 26, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Junket money would be better spent bringing politicans to California to learn how not to govern.
Small typo in post – “If they want a taste of Spain” should read “foreign lands” or similar. I originally thought the photo was of Solvang, little Denmark.
Drained Brain on September 26, 2009 at 9:44 AM
They aren’t fooling anyone.
They don’t even need to lie about it. Their district’s will re-elect them, save the R. He could be in trouble if this gets wide-spread coverage.
CA. is collapsing, I don’t know how much more evidence people need.
Pack your belongings and leave.
artist on September 26, 2009 at 9:45 AM
California legislators are now on double secret probation.
JetBoy on September 26, 2009 at 9:47 AM
…and they will all be re-elected.
thomasaur on September 26, 2009 at 9:47 AM
What comment could one even make that would have an effect on politicians such as these. Things like this will not change until the voters decide to throw enough of them into the unemployment line that the remaining politicians have a come-to-Jesus moment.
Only voting taxpayers could make a difference, but I fear that they may be outnumbered by voting non-taxpayers.
Yoop on September 26, 2009 at 9:47 AM
Couldn’t they just Google it?
ctmom on September 26, 2009 at 9:48 AM
+1
Caper29 on September 26, 2009 at 9:49 AM
When they get to China they can start taking offers for California.
Bishop on September 26, 2009 at 9:49 AM
$10 says the explanation will include something about it being too costly to cancel.
sherry on September 26, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Isn’t Spain a country where the green jobs revolution failed? Study hard, comrades!
Buy Danish on September 26, 2009 at 9:54 AM
$100 says all us taxpayers in the other 49 states will soon be bailing out Kaleeforniya…
And paying for these junkets to boot.
TXUS on September 26, 2009 at 9:55 AM
This must have taken the Mother of all rationalizations. Sorry for my language but politicians can’t suck enough.
Cindy Munford on September 26, 2009 at 9:55 AM
If these brain dead, self serving politicians don’t wake up quickly they’ll soon be facing voters carrying pitchforks and tar and feathers. Where do these idiots come from?
rplat on September 26, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Pottymouth! but remember:
POLITICS
poli- many
ticks- bloodsucking parasites
thomasaur on September 26, 2009 at 10:02 AM
Oh, so they are suppose to be like that?! They fooled me with that public servant crap they like to spread.
Cindy Munford on September 26, 2009 at 10:04 AM
Voters are idiots. Want proof,look at the Obama election.
These California party-hounds will pay no penalty, they’ll be re-elected. So buzz off, right?
Jeff from WI on September 26, 2009 at 10:04 AM
They could have saved some money and gone to EPCOT instead.
JetBoy on September 26, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Don’t ya love politicians? If they aren’t scamming the taxpayers, their scamming their campaign contributors.
If I were a constituent, I’d be calling to ask where the money is coming from give him h$ll is it wasn’t coming out of his own pocket. If he is using campaign funds, and I was a supporter, I’d tell him he’ll never get a dime from me again.
Dusty on September 26, 2009 at 10:10 AM
Spain unemployment is 20%. California unemployment is 12%. It is clear California is competitive and has problems with spain being more advanced.
seven on September 26, 2009 at 10:11 AM
A Berkeley graduate mentality comes to mind.
Schwarzenegger should call a special session and demand that everyone of these “gypsy travelers” return the taxpayer dollars used to finance this trip.
As a life-long Californian, I’m ashamed, and disgusted of every representative that participated.
Rovin on September 26, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Yeah, at least they wouldn’t have taken a beating in exchanging dollars for euros.
thomasaur on September 26, 2009 at 10:12 AM
That’s the type of gov’t spending going on in CA that caused the tax backlash. They just won’t give up the perks.
AnninCA on September 26, 2009 at 10:13 AM
Just more proof that the political class needs to be put out to pasture with a stop at the “water boarding station” on the way!
tim c on September 26, 2009 at 10:13 AM
There’s nothing good in, around, through or from California.It’s filled with Americas weirdos.
Jeff from WI on September 26, 2009 at 10:14 AM
Thanks. That was a case of incomplete editing. It was supposed to say “Spain, Denmark, and Asia”, but I forgot to go back and fix it. I liked your suggestion better, though, so I’ve updated the post.
Ed Morrissey on September 26, 2009 at 10:16 AM
One of our largest suppliers recently stopped honoring their warrantees. When we called to find out what was up, we were told all the senior staff were at a two week “retreat” in Las Vegas. Shortly afterward, they declared bankruptcy.
What bugs me most of all was that the sleezebags didn’t even have the common decency to LIE about the fact that they were using my money to throw themselves a huge party.
logis on September 26, 2009 at 10:19 AM
This is totally unacceptable! Let’s reel these folks in and replace them because they clearly are uncapable to do their jobs.
Remember to vote in 2010 and 2012 I see 9 whom need to be replaced immediately!
BigMike252 on September 26, 2009 at 10:23 AM
They ought to visit the birth place of the French Revolution and get an idea of the terror that those facing execution by the guillotine felt prior to the head chop.
larvcom on September 26, 2009 at 10:24 AM
Maybe they figure they better see the world while there is any money left in CA. (Or is the Federal Govt going to let them travel on MY dime via bailouts???)
Christian Conservative on September 26, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Yeah, that’s it we all wanted such governance, jeeze.
Going to Europe to study their brand of governance and water policies is like a person with difficulty walking consulting a one legged man.
Look, it was a B.S. excuse for a group vacation. My Congressman is pretty useless in general but at least he stayed close to home helping farmers get water pumps turned back on.
Some in Congress are OK people.
FireBlogger on September 26, 2009 at 10:25 AM
So, I guess visiting Honduras was out of the question?
Rovin on September 26, 2009 at 10:26 AM
We have a friend who is a good guy lobbyist in Sacto. We asked him once to tell us who the clean CA pols were; he hasn’t gotten back to us yet. My guess is they are loading up on the socialist countries to learn how to rule as opposed to governing – that takes skill and integrity.
InTheBellyoftheBeast on September 26, 2009 at 10:31 AM
They do this all the damn time. It’s a disgrace. And not just state, but city and county and agencies.
They go on these expensive junkets, staying at 5 star hotels and eating at 5 star restaurants on the taxpayer’s dime.
And they also use it as an award for political patronage. I remember one of the mayors of LA, doing a two week trip to europe, bringing along the head of the local SEIU and Johnny Cochran.
Blake on September 26, 2009 at 10:35 AM
It currently costs over a million dollars in tax dollars for each CA representative and over 2 million for each state senator. That’s just how rich the perks are here.
Ridiculous.
AnninCA on September 26, 2009 at 10:45 AM
You need to change this: Roy Ashburn (R-Bakersfield) to
Roy Ashburn (D-Bakersfield) because the GOP is trying to get rid of him after his siding with the Democrats on the budget. http://www.recallroy.com/
JeffinSac on September 26, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Much as I despise the politicians of my home state, I have to say they are no worse than the scum in D.C.
Yes, California is awful politically, but is there a single member of Congress who hasn’t acted just as stupidly?
I seem to recall a number of people defending the Senator who is going to the “climate change” conference in Copenhagen to “deliver his message.” Is he not using taxpayer money for his junket?
This waste, like so many other perks elected officials have grabbed for themselves, needs to be abolished. Same goes for the president; we need to paint “for official use only” on the sides of Air Force One.
MrScribbler on September 26, 2009 at 10:50 AM
Hey, they did manage to get AB962, another onerous piece of gun legislation, onto the governors desk however. This bill severely restricts ammunition sales in the state. CA residents; please call the governors office and voice your opposition to this bill.
Step 1: Call 916-445-2841 (Governor)
Step 2: Press 1 for English
Step 3: Press 2 to comment on a bill
Step 4: Listen for AB962 option
Step 5: Press 2 for Oppose (VETO)
swash_plate on September 26, 2009 at 10:51 AM
and Ashburn was the one of the turncoat Republican’s that voted with the Democrats in this year’s state budget debacle.
He’s a class act, he is.
Terry_Dyne on September 26, 2009 at 10:52 AM
When the pressure is on, I mean really on, and there’s no way out, what do we do?
ROAD TRIP!!!
Coronagold on September 26, 2009 at 10:57 AM
They also like to do a big road trip right before they leave office because it is the last time they can rip the taxpayers off and they must take advantage of it.
Blake on September 26, 2009 at 11:18 AM
More field trips for the criminally insane? Nice.
hillbillyjim on September 26, 2009 at 11:25 AM
It’s confirmed…These people are idiots. Everyone knows that Munich is holding the Oktoberfest now, so any junket that doesn’t include a stop there is simply irresponsible!
http://www.oktoberfest-tv.de/default.asp?PkId=388&LCID=1033
BierManVA on September 26, 2009 at 11:27 AM
Speaking of junkets, our leader (I work in higher ed) was busy toiling away at a conference in Europe at the time the furloughs and layoffs hit. This storm had been brewing for weeks, so he knew there was a shortfall and still went!
So we all had to wait a week for news on our little jobs.
PattyJ on September 26, 2009 at 11:29 AM
California. Enough said.
chemman on September 26, 2009 at 11:29 AM
Kalifornia is really quite deranged – this kind of behavior is completely acceptable there.
Anders on September 26, 2009 at 11:33 AM
Let,s not be to tough on these hard working people.after all it,s work to cut off water from farmers to save a 2 inch fish and very hard work to make sure every illegal has food stamps health care and free education.But the hardest work is to spend lots of money that you don,t have. (RIP the late great golden state)
thmcbb on September 26, 2009 at 11:42 AM
That’s OK. They are closing all state parks. That’ll pay for the junkets.
*unbelievably stupid*
AnninCA on September 26, 2009 at 11:43 AM
The farmers in California ought to protest by having a state-wide delta smelt fish fry. I’ll send some cole slaw.
jimmy2shoes on September 26, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Couple of big problems in California regarding elected officials.
—Any official that opposes the unions that are blowing up costs with gold pensions, insurance plans and disability plans is targeted by millions on their re-election bid.
—Districts exist primarily to re-elect, not to serve the people in those districts.
—When it comes to budgetary issues, even the local and county governments don’t understand the harm they create with excessive taxation on small businesses that drive them out of the state and lowering revenue to meet budgets that they can’t afford with them let alone without them.
—Cutting costs seems to be the only thing legislators seem to regard as illegal for the budget.
Opportunity Costs on September 26, 2009 at 12:10 PM
You Guys are RACISTSSSSSSSSSS.
BruceB on September 26, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Living in Ca is the most frustrating thing. The poiticians here think they are royalty and act like it. They play musical chairs because of term limits. They have the election process so locked up that no one new can ever break through. Trutanich was an anomaly. An ignorant and liberal population in the big city make this possible. We are in a fight to stop May 22 being the Harvey Milk Day in schools where homosexulity will be glorified and pushed. Harvey Milk! The legislature is trying to severly limit ammo sales and it’s already damn hard to get certain ammo. They know civil war is coming I guess…The problem with CA is Liberal Democrats and the the massisve ignorant entitlement wanting voting block who keeps these people in. I can’t wait until my husband, daughter and I can get out in about 10 years… My son will probbly leave too… he’ll be 27 then working and paying taxes.
CCRWM on September 26, 2009 at 12:42 PM
If you want to pack up and leave Kalifornia, please do not come to Montana if you want to bring your liberalness with you. We have enough right now. Our governor went to Germany and our senator is leading the fight for government run health care or go to jail.
Kissmygrits on September 26, 2009 at 12:50 PM
~530 US Tax Dollars given to FINLAND automaker to build a car priced ~ $100K!
Sick.
maverick muse on September 26, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Nobody in their right mind would invest a penny in kalifornia. My small business has gotten smaller, I’ve been forced to layoff employees and will be laying off more. 3/4s of the machine and sheet metal shops are gone. So even if I were motivated to fight for an order, design the machine, deal with employee issues, the regulations and taxes make it so unattractive I no longer want to. Not so bad for me but My people will be hurting. I blame 90% of it on the government and the politicians.
As an aside, at my university you can add up all the mechanical and electrical engineers and they are less than 1/3 of the environmental engineers being produces.
jukin on September 26, 2009 at 1:03 PM
My understanding is that he’s also running for State Board of Equalization. Be sure to let him know how you feel next time you step into the voting booth. I sure will!
classicaliberal on September 26, 2009 at 1:10 PM
I propose a trade: California trades Catalonia 3 million of our illegal aliens for a nice bottle of Catalonian red wine.
LASue on September 26, 2009 at 1:13 PM
It’s too bad Mike Duvall had to resign before the trip. He could have fabricated some great fantasy’s about doing it with a hot Danish blonde.
lowandslow on September 26, 2009 at 1:52 PM
Can we cancel their passports?
Left Coast Right Mind on September 26, 2009 at 2:01 PM
You guys have it all backwards.
Legislators should be encouraged to take junkets like this, at gunpoint if necessary.
There’s no way in Hell they can spend 0.1% as much on a multi-week junket as they can in five seconds of voting on the floor. If they tried, their American Express cards would melt.
The more time they spend away from the Legislature the happier I am. Let’s send the entire Congress on a ten-month round-the-world junket, buying a cruise ship, or a couple of 747s, if necessary — with the drop in disposable income, cruise ships ought to be cheap, and “wide-body” airliners definitely are. Sabotage the satcom dish, set up regular resupply of arugula and booze, and the rest of us can get on with our lives.
Regards,
Ric
warlocketx on September 26, 2009 at 2:02 PM
This must be what the Californicators want, or they wouldn’t have voted for them.
rmgraha on September 26, 2009 at 9:43 AM
Thanks a lot, you jerk, for the nice way you spell California.
TimothyJ on September 26, 2009 at 2:13 PM
I’m so proud of my state. The 10th largest economy in the world (down from number 7 but what the heck). We lead the way in so many things and our legislatures really set the pace for the rest of the country. I mean really, look at how far ahead of the game we were with the recession and not being able to pay our bills at the state level.
And talk about innovation? There again, California leads the way. Seriously, who else could come up with the cutting edge technique of paying your vendors with IOU’s.
The rest of the country can just eat their hearts out at California’s trend setting government!
tballard on September 26, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Nice scenery.
Jerricho68 on September 26, 2009 at 2:30 PM
I think this is the right forum for me to reveal what a CA legis insider ( I mean real real insider)told me a few yrs ago :
1. If one has a “diplomatic” passport, one can get into Switzerland WITHOUT one’s passport stamped by the Swiss authorities, all one has to do is make a verbal request on the spot
2. If the US customs would open the baggage of these
” diplomats” when they return from a trip to europe, they’d see so much currency that’ll make a mexican drug bust look like a kids piggybank savings
3. Always watch the media AFTER these “leaders” return from europe to see what they do and say to facilitate their local muslim orgs.
macncheez on September 26, 2009 at 4:20 PM
Otter? Otter wasn’t the doofus, it was Flounder.
misterpeasea on September 26, 2009 at 5:24 PM
No surprise at all, whatsoever, seeing that ultra liberal self-serving special-interests-only anti-gun lesbian Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) on that list.
The woman is as useless as teets on a bull.
SilverStar830 on September 26, 2009 at 8:41 PM
You can put Fran Pavley in that category too. Especially the lesbian part.
Andy in Agoura Hills on September 26, 2009 at 8:51 PM
Revoke their passports upon arrival in Europe. Then they can stay over there where they will be happy campers.
OR
Pay some cash strapped European immigration guy to find “contraband” in their pockets . . . .
OR
Citizen`s arrest upon return to California.
OR
Or just get a fund together and sue `em good!
Sherman1864 on September 26, 2009 at 10:32 PM
Did they take some criminally insane murderers with them and let hem loose at the fair? Or better yet, in their hotel, with the keys to their rooms?
Hey, I can dream can’t I?
infidel4life on September 27, 2009 at 2:56 AM
-
-
It was actually Bluto who became Senator Blutarski, though Otter did say, after the ROAD TRIP!, “You fk-ed up. You trusted us.”, so I guess either one works…
Empiricist on September 27, 2009 at 3:44 AM
I’m sorry for all of you who live in CA, but even sorrier for us in OH. We’re stuck with the likes of Dennis Kucinich.
elclynn on September 27, 2009 at 7:57 AM
Ed, We Californians voted these jerks in. We certainly do deserve them!
rcl on September 27, 2009 at 8:15 AM
ROAD TRIP!
RobCon on September 27, 2009 at 9:04 AM
I appreciate that the ad at the end of the post is for VacationsToGo.com – appropriate.
In all honesty, they have such a stranglehold on the jacked-uped-ness here, that our situation improves when they are not in session. When they gather, the only result is more mayhem.
juanito on September 27, 2009 at 11:57 PM
Gil Cedillo is known as ‘One Bill Gil’ in the LA area because he has unsuccessfully tried multiple times to get a bill passed that would allow, by any politically correct name, illegal aliens to obtain driver’s licenses.
Perhaps he should stay there. The Department of Motor Vehicles is understaffed because of budget cuts and couldn’t take a hit like that should he ‘Succeed.’
TimBuk3 on September 28, 2009 at 9:23 AM