Senate US Election 2012: Down the ballot

Yes, Republicans are the solution. Especially those from Orange and San Diego counties.

 

It's not. But one party dominance isn't doing the state any favors.

 

Also legislators deserve to make more than $50,000, sorry. In a lot of CA that really isn't a lot of money.

Probably the two biggest reasons I wanted to vote this year was to vote for 34 and against 37. I felt both would be votes against ignorance... so it was a half victory I guess. But 34 is way more important.

Of course, CA doesn't actually execute people anymore. So at this stage it's more of a fiscal issue, although on moral principal the death penalty should still be illegal. Right now it defacto is but we still waste millions on it, and then the worst criminals wind up with the most private accommodations on death row. Bad all around.

 

Internet access = free porn

 

solojones: What base pay should they receive then?

 

Actually I heard on the news that they were getting ready to set a date for a guy who was on Death Row for killing a child. Judge put off setting a date originally because of this vote.

 

In NH the state legislators earn $100 a year

 

Hooray for slave labor?

I would say $70,000 a year would be about right.

Oh, interesting. It's been a while. But still, it's extremely rare. It's still wrong though.

 

I know, but they deserve a pay cut anyway.



solojones: $70,000 is reasonable enough. And for the record, the last execution here in California was in 2005 (there was one execution after Tookie Williams was put death, maybe a month or two later). I'm genuinely surprised 34 didn't pass (I voted no), but I hold no illusions that the death penalty is practically neutered out here. I don't have an inherent moral objection to it, but had 34 passed, I wouldn't have minded either.

 

Do they maintain regular jobs in addition to being legislators? Because that's not really possible in a state like California, for the most part.

 

Legislative salaries are a ridiculous thing to target. Besides the fact that cutting them would only be a symbolic spiteful gesture, I don't see the low six figures comparable to Congressional salaries as being unreasonable given the amount of work that goes into the job. State governments shouldn't be full of Wal-Mart employees.

 

Yeah, these are supposed to be highly qualified jobs. I don't want my representatives holding second jobs on the side. Maybe that works in a small state like NH, but it sure as hell doesn't in a state with as much legislation as CA. Paying them what a low level salesperson makes seems like the minimum. Just because you don't like that we're in debt doesn't mean we should just stop paying our representatives. That's childish.

To me 70k is a minimum austerity type salary, but I don't mind it where it is (around $110,000 or so I think).

 

Crap, Tunes, my island has barely 4 million people living in it and it's one of the poorest US possessions yet the average legislator earns roughly the same amount (or more) per year as one of yours. Not only that, they earn nearly $200 in per diems depending how far they live/have to travel to-from the capitol building where they "work" - and those per diems are tax free! And not only that, they're actually paid car allowances at roughly $1,000-$1,500 (also tax free) so they can pay/upkeep their vehicles. And we taxpayers provide all this so that they can work 6-8 months out of twelve and produce piss-poor if not completely crap legislation.

 

In most states they are also part-time jobs.

For example, Virginia's legislature meets for 2 sessions a year. First, there is the normal legislative session, which starts in January and lasts 45 days (odd years) or 60 days (even years) and then a reconvened session six weeks later that usually lasts a few days or so (to allow them to override vetoes or vote on changes proposed by the Governor). It specifically is not a full-time position, and they are paid accordingly. (State Senators get $18000/year and members of the House of Delegates get $17640/year).

 

I sure wish my legislature could be readjusted that way. At least that way we could have more competent people willing to work at proportionate pay instead of having to suffer barely literate idiots that cling to their seats at all costs earning ridiculous salaries and perks they'd get nowhere else in the private sector.

 

Yeah, what we need here in CA is Republicans doing what they are doing in congress.

 

Can I point out that this is a legislature that spent serious time considering banning mylar balloons? We need some moderate common sense at the state level with a bit of weight behind it. I don't particularly care if that comes from Democrats or from Republicans, but it's been lacking. This is part of why the state's budget issues just seem to be getting worse and worse, even though this has been something people have been pointing out for a decade now. Hypotheticals are what they are, but we've had the Democrats running the show basically since for decades (I think, being a pain finding the exact years), in terms of the legislature where the real power is. The financial death of the state falls pretty heavily on one group here, irrespective of what the other one might or might not do.

Edit: Also the people. They aren't helping. I'll grant that.

 

Democrats have controlled the California Legislature since 1970.

 

I wouldn't expect a serious movement for this idea anytime soon, but I have wondered if the time has come to split up California into 2 or 3 new states. There would always be (naturally) financial issues, union problems & party malfeasance, but I'd imagine that it could help to alleviate the gridlock.

 

Yeah, trust me, even metting only twice a year, my state's legislature is still populated by idiots who tend to drag their feet (Va also has repubilicans in Executive, Legislative and Judicial (we vote for our Attourney General - we currently have crazy pants Cuccienelli in there, who's running for Gov. next year) control).

 

Tunick,

That comes up every once in awhile, but it always gets defeated.

 

Washington, DC - Cyrus Habib made history this past Tuesday when he became the first Iranian American to be elected into state legislature. Representing the Democratic Party for Washington’s 48th District, Habib was elected on a platform that champions, among other issues, the affordability and accessibility of higher education.

Blind since the age of eight, and having survived three bouts with cancer, Habib’s election is only his most recent victory in a long line of battles he has fought.

 

lmao lowbacca is going to be gritting his teeth so hard at this post

 

It's news. Good news at that. First, he's a minority who got elected into office. Second, he is also blind. +2 for progress. This is significant. And it happened in these elections.

For the record, I did try to edit it after I saw your post, but the time had expired.