The CA Senate does the right thing, now we wait for the Assembly

The California Senate approved the nomination of Bruce McPherson, a former member of that body, to replace Kevin Shelley as Secretary of State. There was no real debate nor should there have been any. McPherson is about as centrist as they come. He's a Republican from the very liberal area around Santa Cruz and is thought to have been one of the nicer guys n California politics (which isn't saying much, I admit, but its unusual to see Democrats saying such nice things about a Republican.)

"This is a solid appointment," said Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata, D-Oakland. "We all know Bruce and served with him and it's unnecessary to spend too much time praising him."

Both houses of the Legislature need to vote on this nomination, so now we wait on the Assembly. There are rumors that they will make things difficult, which would be a real shame. It is one thing to resist a nomination for which there are real concerns and complaints, but already the Assembly has shot down a Schwarzenegger nominee without legitimate cause, and to do it again would be to give up any pretense of actual deliberation up there at the Capitol.

They play a purely political game up there. Qualifications are meaningless, the needs of the state are ignored, its all about us vs. them and how do we score some damage on them. Arnold has bent over backwards to send them nominees who are non-controversial, highly-qualified people with strong bi-partisan support, and the Assembly just tosses them back. Or, threatens to toss them back. We still don't know how they'll act on the McPherson nomination. Let's hope that good sense prevails and they follow the lead of the Senate and move quickly to approve this olive-branch nomination from the Governor.