They Don't Know Who They're Protesting

John Myers, the Capitol reporter for KQED public radio, recounts an exquisite scene from inside the Capitol on Monday, the first of a week's worth of protests by teachers and others who want to raise taxes to slow down cuts:

"in the early afternoon, none of the education advocates in a statehouse hallway recognized one of the key figures they would ostensibly be pressuring: Assembly GOP Leader Connie Conway. The Tulare legislator, after wrapping up a Q&A with reporters just off the Assembly floor, walked unnoticed into her third floor office."

Raising taxes requires a two-thirds vote of the legislature -- which means at least two votes from Assembly Republicans. But the protestors can't recognize the leading Assembly Republican?

Of course, in California, this is not surprising. Legislative leaders don't get much attention because, in the grand scheme of things, they aren't important. Fiscal decisions have already been made by voters. The legislators merely try to clean up the messes created by voters.

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