California's Speaker of the State Assembly Anthony Rendon (D-Paramount) does not speak for me.
He does not speak for all Californians.
He doesn't really care about the Latinos in the state of California, either, even though he claims to care.
If he really cared about "the Latinos", he would not be obsessed with one group of people.
He would enact policies which care for all Californians.
Rendon's discrimination against law-abiding Californians is more than legendary.
It's Napoleonic!
This man has styled himself as the last bastion of safety and security against the incoming Trump Administration. Yet he lives in a fantasy world, as he asserts that the California economy has improved (it hasn't) and that more California residents are safe and secure (they aren't), and that he honors the contributions and concerns of immigrants (he doesn't).
The truth is that Rendon does not care about immigrants, because he refuses to distinguish between those individuals who entered this country legally versus the illegal aliens how broke the law to invade the state of California.
The lawless hypocrisy is inescapable.
Shame on Anthony Rendon. He is not professional, he is not principled, and he is not prepared to be a leader for a state which has steadily gotten worse with every election cycle.
His inaugural speech for the new legislative session was amazing for its standout arrogance, ignorance, and fraud.
Members, thank you for putting your faith in me.
This is an honor I am proud to accept, and will work
diligently to earn.
diligently to earn.
For once, the Republicans did not join with the Democratic to grant unanimous support and consent to Speaker Rendon. Assembly Minority Leader Chad Mayes should have never seconded his appointment as Speaker of the State Assembly.
Honored guests, friends, and family—ordinarily, this is a
day when Speakers offer pleasantries and plans for the year ahead.
day when Speakers offer pleasantries and plans for the year ahead.
But this is no ordinary time.
For the California Democratic Confederate Kleptocracy, they know that their easy gravy train of stealing from taxpayers and creating more freeloading Democratic voters is coming to a close. Instead of shirking their empty liberal policies, they are doubling down on the moral and financial suicide ruining the Golden State.
And Speaker Rendon is proud of it.
And I would be remiss in my responsibility to this house, to
the people I represent, and to my conscience, if I did not acknowledge that.
the people I represent, and to my conscience, if I did not acknowledge that.
You are remiss to everyone who you are supposed to represent, which is everyone in the state of California. Particularly, Mr. Rendon, you are remiss in your responsibilities to the 4 million Californians who voted for
Members, 75 years ago this week, the United States was drawn
into the Second World War.
into the Second World War.
That war was an existential threat against this nation’s people
and its principles.
and its principles.
We have faced other threats these last 75 years: the Cold
War and nuclear proliferation, the turmoil of the 1960s, the betrayal of
Watergate, and now climate change.
War and nuclear proliferation, the turmoil of the 1960s, the betrayal of
Watergate, and now climate change.
Rendon is comparing the false and fomented hysteria about climate change with World War II?
This man is beyond delusional. He is pre-eminently corrupt and dangerous to the well-being of our state.
These past 75 years have also seen us make important
progress in civil rights, environmental protection, public health and social justice.
progress in civil rights, environmental protection, public health and social justice.
At this moment, I believe our nation is facing another major
existential threat – and a threat to the progress that we have attained.
existential threat – and a threat to the progress that we have attained.
"Social justice" is inherently unjust because he is qualifying it. That is outrageous. Justice is well-defined on its own, and cannot be tinkered or trifled with. What a shame that we have such a pre-eminently slight and biased leader in the state capital.
Is there any hope at this time for Californians, regardless of their background or their political affiliation?
Californians may accept the lawfulness of the November
election, but millions of us do not accept the sentiment delivered by this election.
election, but millions of us do not accept the sentiment delivered by this election.
And it is up to us to pass policies that would firewall
Californians—and what we believe—from the cynical, short sighted, and reactionary
agenda that is rising in the wake of the election.
Californians—and what we believe—from the cynical, short sighted, and reactionary
agenda that is rising in the wake of the election.
"Firewall Californians." He wants to intern all the Californians into a fantasy bubble of progressive utopianism. Not for me, thanks. Businesses, families, and retirees cannot get out of this state fast enough. If we want to see where liberty is flourishing, see how people vote with their feet.
And they do not want to plant their feet here.
White nationalists and anti-Semites have no business working
in the White House.
in the White House.
And they don't now–so shut up!
And the Justice Department of the United States has no
business working to dismantle the voting rights, civil rights, equal rights, and
reproductive rights of the American people.
business working to dismantle the voting rights, civil rights, equal rights, and
reproductive rights of the American people.
Who says they have been? Truly, Rendon is truly a pyromaniac in a field of strawmen.
In August of 1988, President Reagan apologized to
Japanese-Americans for their internment by saying “here we admit a wrong; here we
reaffirm our commitment to equal justice under the law.”
Japanese-Americans for their internment by saying “here we admit a wrong; here we
reaffirm our commitment to equal justice under the law.”
Yet rather than echoing that commitment to equal justice,
the next administration has talked about those internment camps as a justification for
offensive new policies.
the next administration has talked about those internment camps as a justification for
offensive new policies.
Wait a minute … didn't Rendon just say that he wanted to build a firewall around California? That sounds like internment to me! Janice Han of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors suggested a similar priority for the county.
In a speech she made in 1940, with an eye toward the looming
war, Eleanor Roosevelt
war, Eleanor Roosevelt
said this:
“We cannot tell from day to day what may come. This is no
ordinary time. No time for weighing anything except what we can do best for the
country as a whole. And that responsibility rests on each and every one of us, as individuals.”
ordinary time. No time for weighing anything except what we can do best for the
country as a whole. And that responsibility rests on each and every one of us, as individuals.”
That is the responsibility we each accepted when we swore to
support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of
California against all enemies—foreign AND domestic.
support and defend the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of
California against all enemies—foreign AND domestic.
For all Rendon's lofty talk about defending the Constitution, he is consistently determined to undermine the rule of law and ignore federal authority. This man has no respect for the supremacy clause
Californians should be wary of the national calls for unity
and healing.
and healing.
Unity must be separated from complicity.
And we must be defiant whenever justice, fairness, and
righteousness require.
righteousness require.
Californians do not need healing. We need to fight.
This state is a total mess. Drought, disease, debt, destruction are the norm in this once Golden State. In Rendon's own district, some of the worst-ranking cities in the COUNTRY are located, which include Bell as well as South Gate. What does he have to say about his poor representation? Shouldn't he focus more on making things better for his constituents?
We need to fight to protect our people and their rights.
We need to fight to protect our economy and its growth.
LOL!
The Assembly and Senate will work side by side to enshrine
into law existing protections for all Californians.
into law existing protections for all Californians.
His combative, defiant tone did not match with State Senate President Kevin De Leon's tone. De Leon is trying to play cool.
We will be saying loud and clear if you are a woman, your
rights are in force here in California.
rights are in force here in California.
If you need health care coverage, we will do all we can so
you can find it here in California.
you can find it here in California.
If you are Muslim or LGBT, or anyone whose rights and safety
are increasingly under fire, you are equal here in California.
are increasingly under fire, you are equal here in California.
And with HR 4, today we are saying if you are an immigrant
you are welcome here in California.
you are welcome here in California.
He is lying. He is rolling out the red carpet to illegal aliens, not to immigrants. He does not really care about immigrants, since he does not honor the rule of law, nor does he recognize the supremacy of the federal government.
In short, California will be saying, in the defiant words of
Winston Churchill:
Winston Churchill:
“Today we may say aloud before an awestruck world, we are
still masters of our fate, we are still captains of our souls.”
still masters of our fate, we are still captains of our souls.”
How interesting. Rendon references Churchill, the same world leader whose bust Obama removed from the White House. Funny.
Others speak of their identity.
But we too have an identity in California.
An identity of inclusion.
Lies. Inclusion is a bad word in California, one which justifies exclusion from reality.
And we will do whatever we can to protect that identity.
Of course, the potential threats from the new administration
are not the only struggle we face as Californians.
are not the only struggle we face as Californians.
There are home-grown challenges, as well.
He's right: they are home grown because the Democrats who run the House have created these problems.
A transportation system that is over-crowded and crumbling.
So why spend money pandering to illegal aliens?
Housing costs so high families can’t make ends meet,
employers can’t recruit, and cops and teachers can’t live where they work.
employers can’t recruit, and cops and teachers can’t live where they work.
Regulatory burdens have created this perversity. How about freeing up the economy and getting the California state government out of the way completely?
We tried to address these issues in the last session.
Uh … no you didn't!
We made some progress, but we did not succeed.
And that is a mark on what was otherwise a tremendous
session.
session.
Members, we have no choice but to solve the housing and transportation
crises in the term ahead of us.
crises in the term ahead of us.
These crises affect each and every one of our districts.
If we don’t step up and solve them, our economy will
decline. And the people we represent will suffer.
decline. And the people we represent will suffer.
California is already in decline, and it has only gotten worse.
This house has solved tough challenges before.
That’s why California’s in the strong economic shape we are.
LOL!
Members, we just said goodbye to the Assembly Class of 2010.
When they were sworn-in they faced having to close a 26
billion dollar budget deficit.
billion dollar budget deficit.
A deficit that would have been much lower were it not for
the first act taken by an inexperienced, celebrity Governor seven years before.
the first act taken by an inexperienced, celebrity Governor seven years before.
Thanks to smart decisions and tough choices by voters, the
Legislature, and an experienced Governor, we have turned the state around.
Legislature, and an experienced Governor, we have turned the state around.
We increased funding for public schools and community
colleges by more than 50% over the past five years.
colleges by more than 50% over the past five years.
And higher education funding is greater than it’s ever
been—though we must continue
been—though we must continue
to do more.
We have—as the Legislative Analyst projects—strong,
multi-billion-dollar structural balances into the future.
multi-billion-dollar structural balances into the future.
We have a debt ratio on track to drop below 5%, and a robust
Rainy Day Fund that takes us off the cycle of “boom and bust” budgeting.
Rainy Day Fund that takes us off the cycle of “boom and bust” budgeting.
And we have—as the LAO also notes—the ability to withstand a
recession like the 2001 downturn—without the need for service cuts or middle
class tax increases.
recession like the 2001 downturn—without the need for service cuts or middle
class tax increases.
While the budget has mainly been driven by Democrats since
voters restored that ability, there are areas where the Assembly has achieved
bipartisan success as well.
voters restored that ability, there are areas where the Assembly has achieved
bipartisan success as well.
Looking out at the faces before me, I am optimistic we can
do the same again.
do the same again.
Especially on housing and transportation, which have
historically been bipartisan issues.
historically been bipartisan issues.
Finally, I would like to note that today, we welcome new
members, returning members, and newly returning members.
members, returning members, and newly returning members.
Farmers and Teachers. Veterans and first responders.
Prosecutors and public defenders. Scientists and small business owners.
Prosecutors and public defenders. Scientists and small business owners.
All of us sent here to represent our districts. To make
laws. And—equally important—to perform the oversight that ensures laws are
carried out in the best interests of the people of California.
laws. And—equally important—to perform the oversight that ensures laws are
carried out in the best interests of the people of California.
It is increasingly apparent that those interests will not be
a concern for the next President—for the bullies, bigots, and billionaires he has
chosen for his cabinet—or for the majority in Congress that is already salivating at
the prospect of ending Medicare.
a concern for the next President—for the bullies, bigots, and billionaires he has
chosen for his cabinet—or for the majority in Congress that is already salivating at
the prospect of ending Medicare.
"Bullies, bigots, and billionaires" so accurately describes the Democratic Party power brokers in Sacramento, from Rendon himself to Tom Steyer.
It is up to us to look after the interests of the people of
California.
California.
God help us.
Whether you actively worked to oppose the next President, or
stayed silent hoping he would go away, it is now up to all of us to preserve
California and protect its people.
stayed silent hoping he would go away, it is now up to all of us to preserve
California and protect its people.
Members, this is no ordinary time.
And it will require an extraordinary effort from each of us.
We are here to do the people’s business.
And we can’t allow it to just be business as usual.
Final Reflection
Expect business as usual in Sacramento. More spending and pet projects for special interests. More race-baiting and pandering.
Hopefully, we can look forward to more Democratic lawmakers ending up in jail, which will erode their supermajority status very soon.