What Do Democrats Want?

Rob Stutzman, a Republican political consultant, has been pointing out on Twitter that for all the Democratic demands that GOP legislators make a deal, the Democrats can't seem to agree on exactly what they're asking Republicans to do.

Fair point. Gov. Brown wants Republican legislators -- he needs at least four, two in the Assembly and two in the state senate -- to agree to put temporary tax increases on the ballot as soon as possible. The Democratic leadership in the state senate, however, doesn't want a vote until next year. And some leading unions want the temporary tax increases -- on sales, income and vehicles -- but don't want to have an election on them at all.

California's constitution, with its supermajorities and other fiscal rules, provides incentives for the minority party to hold out in support tax or other revenue increases. But the Democrats are making it easy for the holdouts right now.

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