If you do, there are many reasons to dislike Carl Demaio.
San Diego’s first term lawmaker is his marrow magazine, bringing Donald Trump’s harmful politics and a personal approach to Sacramento. For Democrats, mere mention of his name has the same effect as nails were applied to the chalkboard.
My fellow Republicans don’t really like Demaio either.
The party leaders are far from fierce and successful in ensuring DeMaio is not elected last fall. They accused him of criminal misconduct. Allies spent millions of dollars to boost his GOP rivals.
The Republican enemy “cites his relentless self-promotion, his criticism of his party, and his tendency to take victory that he has little or no use to fund and promote his political brand,” Calmatters wrote in his harsh January profile.
But neither of them excuses the stupid, juvenile behavior of Congressional majority Democrats when Congress received a resolution to commemorate Pride Month last week.
Demaio, the first openly gay Republican in Congress, rose to his floor to express his objection. Typically, lawmakers have around five minutes to provide their speech without interruption.
Not this time.
DeMaio complained that the solution (covered by more than three dozen but led by Es) is far from outspoken recognition, supporting “a highly controversial extremist position” that was even opposed by members of the LGBQT+ community.
“This is not about affirming the LGBT community,” says Demaio. “It’s about using them as political pawns to separate us.”
You may agree or disagree with Demaio. You can accept resolution and its myriad clauses with all your heart. That’s next to the point.
Approximately 90 seconds after his remarks, Demaio was interrupted by Long Beach Democrat Josh Lowenthal, a member of the Congressional who primarily bed the debate.
And what was the pressing question that we probably couldn’t wait a little longer? Happy birthday to the Democrats from another rally.
Cheers and applause filled the room.
Demaio resumed but was suspended a little later. Lowenthal deadpans that he had forgotten. It was another democratic lawmaker’s birthday just a few days ago. More cheers and applause.
Demaio resumed and then suspended for the third time, allowing Louenthal to wish for a “very happy birthday” to the third Democrat, who had marked the opportunity the next day.
The response in the room suggests that the laughter mixed with more hoops and cheers, and that hazing by Lowenthal and fellow Democrats was so enjoyable and very cravery.
That wasn’t the case.
That was a trivial thing. That was stupid.
And it characterized the rog haughtiness of the supermajor party who were too used to bulldozing large Republicans in Sacramento.
Here we look at how California should be governed by a representative democracy, and we will note some things.
Demaio’s political peers may not be so engrossed in their freshman lawmakers. However, he was a clear favorite of San Diego voters, and he sent him to Congress with a margin of 57% to 43%. Their opinions and voices are worth listening.
The Democrats are California’s majority party and may enjoy a significant registration advantage. They hold 60 of the 80 seats in Congress and 30 of the 40 seats in the state Senate. But the state has nearly 6 million registered Republicans. California has no doubt that it supports the party, or at least supports its policies and broader philosophy, but chooses not to formally affiliated with the GOP.
They deserve to hear too.
Non-significant numbers of California residents feel overlooked, ignored and unrepresented by their hegemonic control over Democrats and Sacramento. Frustration creates the fruitless, wasteful 2021 Gov. Gavin Newsom (who tries to remind taxpayers that it costs more than $200 million), burning the enduring fantasy of a separating country state called Jefferson.
Bigger point: One party rule is not good for California.
“When you’re competing, you have to be like some toe,” said Sad Kooser, a San Diego political science professor who studied the differences between the two vibrant political parties.
“When you’re in good control, you don’t feel like you need to prove it to the voters,” Kousser continued. “You can write down certain areas of the state, you can ignore other party lawmakers because you don’t think the shoes are on the other foot.
“Nothing of that,” concluded Kousser. “It’s good for democracy.”
It’s been more than a decade since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger left his office and Republicans wielded meaningful influence in Sacramento. The last time the GOP controlled Congress was when Bill Clinton was in the White House. Gerald Ford was president when Republicans had a majority in the Senate.
That won’t change anytime soon.
In the meantime, Democrats don’t need to love their fellow lawmakers. They don’t even have to like them. But at least, Republicans who choose to serve in Sacramento should be treated with respect.
Their members are equally valuable.
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