No One Wants A Civics Lesson…
That’s right. There just aren’t that many people who are interested in getting a civics
lesson. Few people really want to understand what happens under the legislative dome, whether right here in California, let alone in DC.
We’re not just talking about whether more fees are slapped on your already high utility bill (although that does stink) – but we are talking about the government chipping away at our liberties to the point where we are going to wake up and find ourselves defenseless. And we mean that literally as well as figuratively.
Just this week, members of the State Senate – you know, those folks that work for you – ran roughshod over the Rules of the House, not to mention rules of common decency. For 
people who beat their chests with the need for fair-mindedness, justice and equality, they have little to spare for people who think differently than they do. Especially if you share in the foundational principles of our nation, and those pesky amendments that seek to protect EVERY ONE – the liberals, the conservatives, and those in-between.
Back to the civics lesson. No one wants to hear about the inner machinations of the Senate Appropriations Committee – that’s why GOC stands in the gap for you at the Capitol. The short of it is, though – and this is worth understanding – bills that have some sort of cost to the state or to taxpayers, are supposed to go to what is called the “Suspense File” – a special place that ultimately measures the costs of all fiscally related proposals. In the Assembly, anything that costs over $150,000 automatically goes to Suspense. At a later date, the committee decides what stays on (dies) and what gets off and sent for a vote before the full body.
The Senate, on the other hand, has a set of convoluted rules that makes the political sidestepping super easy because the variables are stinking boundless. Does it create a new program? Are the costs on-going or one time? Are the pressures of the potential costs known or anticipated? Huh? The reality is, these ambiguous rules are perfect for an abusive system. Easy to bypass and yet, easy to use when the powers that be want a good bill to end up dead.
Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee had so many anti-gun bills on the calendar that a “special order of business” was called. Each one costs money – and we’re not talking a little money – we’re talking big time dollars and huge expansions of Department of Justice bureaucracy. And, in spite of repeated calls for each bill to be sent to Suspense by 2nd Amendment stalwarts, Senators Jim Nielsen and Pat Bates, the ruling party passed each bill, sending them straight to the Senate Floor for a vote. 4 of the bills were gut-and-amends so we were looking at virtual “double-play dodge” of legislative procedure.
Clear as mud, eh?
GOC Executive Director Sam Paredes actually tweeted yesterday that he needed a shower to rid himself of all the anti-gun mud.
We get it that most folks just don’t want to be confused with details of “the process” – but if we completely check out and expect our rights that we have been told are guaranteed, we are going to wake up one day and realize that while we were sleeping, the left took a big hammer to the Constitution. We at GOC feel as if we are being hit with that hammer on a daily basis – but we are willing to take the blows because it’s the right thing to do. If you don’t want to take the hit, then help us stay strong enough to remain in the battle.
Join GOC. Be armed. Be informed.