State political conventions are usually orgies of booze, food and good cheer, where steaks are eaten, scotch is sipped, backs are slapped, election outcomes are predetermined and very little actual work is done.
On rare occasions an actual battle pops up over the platform or a highly coveted party endorsement, which can result in delegates getting testy with one another, but the California Democratic Party convention last month in Sacramento flew completely off the rails. Things went bonkers — and the repercussions are still being felt.
Much of the reporting during the convention focused on the multiple profanity-laced outbursts from the dais, directed at President Donald Trump, the assembled protesters and anyone else on the outs with former CDP Chairman John Burton.
But after the convention closed, news coverage has centered around the accusation that California Democrat and “Berniecrat” favorite Kimberly Ellis was cheated out of the chairmanship by longtime party operative and Hillary Clinton supporter Eric Bauman in the state party’s race for chair.
Ellis’ team attributed her 62-vote loss to widespread voter fraud and concluded in a public statement that “the wrong individual is serving as chair.”
Mike Roth, incoming spokesman for the state Democratic Party, responded by saying that Ellis is providing “unsubstantiated allegations” and “no facts.”
This dispute is still being sorted out.
These two competing narratives will have an impact long after the steaks are digested — “Berniecrat”-style Democratic socialists represent almost half of the party’s delegates and support Senate Bill 562, which would establish a state-run health care system that covers all 40 million Californians — including millions of undocumented immigrants. This issue is now a litmus test issue for Democratic candidates running for office.
RoseAnn DeMoro, executive director of the California Nurses Association, told hundreds of activists outside the Capitol that they would put up primary election challengers against legislators if they voted against universal health care.
“They cannot be in denial anymore that this is a movement that can primary them,” DeMoro insisted.
In response, the crowd roared, “Vote them out!” In a direct reference to hesitant Democratic lawmakers.
As you would expect, when SB562 came up before the California Senate, it sailed through on a 23-14, largely party-line vote. Only one Democrat, Steve Glazer, D-Orlinda, voted against it, with three other Democrats abstaining.
If you’re not familiar with the details of SB562, then you have something in common with the legislators who voted for it, because it didn’t include any source of funding.
But who has time for counting when there’s cursing from the podium to do!?
According to estimates from a legislative analysis provided to the Senate Appropriations Committee on May 22, the proposal is expected to cost $400 billion per year, more than double the state budget. While half of it could be taken care of by existing taxes, $200 billion would have to be covered by new tax revenues.
Oh, and if you like your health care plan, be prepared to kiss it goodbye, because in addition to breaking the budget this bill would replace all private and public insurance policies, including Medicare.
California Gov. Jerry Brown hasn’t indicated what he plans on doing should this bill pass the Assembly and end up on his desk, but he is termed out of office and doesn’t have to worry about being “primaried,” so he can do whatever he wants.
All indications are that he wants the bullet train to be the focus of his legacy rather than being known as the governor who bankrupted the state chasing health care pipe dreams.
California will soon have a new governor, and 2018 front-runner and current Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom issued a joint public statement last July with DeMoro endorsing “Medicare for All” in the party platform.
Oh, and the author of the bill, Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Bell Gardens, is the front-runner in the race for California insurance commissioner.
If California Democrats hate the Russians as much as they claim, could they please stop governing like them?
John Phillips is a CNN political commentator and can be heard weekdays at 3 p.m. on “The Drive Home with Jillian Barberie and John Phillips” on KABC/AM 790.