GOP budget battle: Of course you realize, this means war!

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Like Jim Nintzel at the Tucson Weekly, I can't afford to subscribe to the Arizona Guardian, which is reporting that Gov. Jan Brewer is ready to unveil her own budget—and she's "preparing for war on the Legislature" with some kind of campaign blitz to persuade Republicans to support her. Brewer Ready to Release Budget, Rumble with Republicans?

The Arizona Daily Star, which apparently can afford a subscription to the Arizona Guardian now that it is no longer bleeding money on the Tucson Citizen (R.I.P.), provides some of the details.

Governor Jan Brewer, whose staff is comprised mostly of former lobbyists who served in J. Fifester III's administration, believes in government of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists, and for the lobbyists. So it should come as no surprise that the lobbying firm HighGround Inc. — run by Chuck Coughlin, a friend and unofficial adviser of Brewer — plans to carry out the campaign. Business lobbying blitz on budget is planned

According to the memo, starting Wednesday the governor and "business leaders" will announce support for the budget in press conferences across the state, which will coincide with editorial board meetings at local newspapers.

Tentatively starting Thursday are auto-dial phone calls to voters in the targeted districts — including three in Southern Arizona — "encouraging" them to "learn more about the budget and contact their legislators," according to the memo.

That will be followed by the launch of a Web site, e-mail blasts and newspaper and radio ads.

And phone blasts and postcard mailings are scheduled through mid-June.

The memo did not sit well with some Republicans at the Capitol.

"This means war," said Sen. Steve Pierce, R-Prescott, who opposes Brewer's tax idea. "If she wants to do this political thuggery, that's fine — we can do the same thing."

What is this? Everyone is quoting the Groucho Marx line from Duck Soup popularized in Bugs Bunny cartoons: "of course you realize (know), this means war!"

It would be more accurate to quote the classic line from the movie Cool Hand Luke: "What we've got here is failure to communicate."

Our Accidental Governor has failed to submit any budget plan of her own in some double super-secret strategy to get her way on her five point plan using the last minute pressures to "do something" before the July 1 deadline. This game of chicken represents an abject failure of leadership. Brewer should have been engaged in good faith negotiations with her Republican leadership to hammer out the details of a budget plan from day one in office. The GOP insane clown possee leadership is also guilty of an abject failure of leadership by their act of bad faith, i.e., refusing to consider any "revenue enhancements" requested by the Governor out of fealty to Grover Norquist and their "no new taxes pledge."

Our Accidental Governor's five point plan is entirely contingent upon voter approval of a billion dollar tax increase (unspecified) and convincing voters to rescind voter-approved protections for dedicated education and health care funds (the Voter Protection Act – Prop. 105) in a costly special election to be held at some indeterminate date this fall. This is your plan?

This risky plan is doomed to failure. Just look to our neighbor California's special election last week. Voter apathy resulted in an extremely low voter turnout, and those who did bother to vote rejected any tax increases and rejected removing voter-approved protections for dedicated edcuation and health care funds. Stalemate. And back into special session.

This is exactly what would happen with any special election in Arizona. Stalemate. And back into special session.

I don't see this GOP legislature giving any ground to the demands of our Accidental Governor. Especially when she has adopted a strategy of declaring war on her own party leadership by unleashing a lobbyist PR campaign against them. This is not how one wins friends and influences enemies — or negotiates in good faith. This will only harden opposition and exascerbate this stalemate.

If neither side is willing to compromise and negotiate in good faith, Arizona is headed for a train wreck on July 1.