We Are All Feckless Legislators Now

Very bizarre and weird proposal by Don Perata in Sac'to today. He wants to put a nonbinding "Out of Iraq" resolution on the California state ballot for the Presidential primary on Feb. 5, 2008. Got a website and everything. Here's part of the press release:

BERKELEY - California would become the first state in the nation to call on President Bush to immediately withdraw all U.S. forces from Iraq under legislation unveiled today by Senate President pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland).

Frustrated by the Bush Administration's failure to end the war after more than four years, Perata announced plans to place an advisory measure on California's statewide ballot as part of next year's February 5th presidential primary.

"We've had nearly 3,300 Americans killed and spent more than $350 billion, with no end in sight," Perata said. "We've established a democratic government in Iraq, now it's up to the Iraqis to make it work. With the possible exception of George Bush, we all know it's time to go."

"We moved up California's Presidential Primary to make our vote matter. Let's take that same opportunity to tell the President where California stands on Iraq - and ask every presidential candidate to stand with us," Perata said. "If we convince other states to join us, we can make February 5th a national referendum to end this war."

Look, there are binding resolutions being discussed in the Congress right now. If Perata would like to support them and encourage others to do the same, all to the good. But waiting until Feburary 2008 to make a statement already passed by representatives in Congress a year earlier is useless.

I'm more interested in the question of why Perata would pull this silliness. Maybe the CDP wants to show it's doing something on Iraq to satisfy the Progressive Caucus. Maybe they know that there are nearly 100 Iraq resolutions ready to go to committee. Maybe they're trying to placate the base. I don't know.

How about the Legislature and the CDP vowing to cut fundraising efforts for any CA Congressional lawmaker not on board with binding language getting the US out of Iraq? That might ACTUALLY make a dime's worth of difference.