Optics, People, Optics

This is a terrible, terrible idea.

With the end of the legislative session approaching, no budget in place and a $15.2-billion deficit hanging over their heads, the Assembly's Democrats on Friday unveiled their plans for the next week: a three-day vacation from the Capitol.

Their scheduled time away coincides with the Democratic National Convention in Denver, where 31 members of the Legislature are expected as delegates. But that has nothing to do with the decision not to hold sessions Tuesday through Thursday, a spokesman said.

"If we had work to do, we'd be here," said Steven Maviglio, a spokesman for Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles). "It's literally silly for some of them to sit around in Sacramento."

I know that and you know that, but ordinary people who aren't political junkies don't, and when they see the commercial run by the Yacht Party that says "When the budget crisis was at its height, California Democrats left town to party," they will be unsparing in their opinion. You never give your opponent ammunition like this. At a time when real people are suffering from the lack of services and prospective cuts, you can't leave to hit the cocktail circuit at the DNC if you're an elected representative in a time of crisis and you have something to say on the matter. I know this is a Big Five question at this point, but it looks awful.

Good on Sandre Swanson for cancelling his plans to attend, by the way. Karen Bass isn't going, either, but obviously she has work to do.

Get this, here's why the break is only three days:

Even though many will not be in Sacramento, Assembly members will still get paid more than $1,000 in tax-free living expenses for the next six days because they scheduled a Monday afternoon meeting on water bond legislation and other matters, Maviglio said. Under Assembly rules, they can collect their allowance as long as they don't go four days without a meeting.

I give up.