CALIFORNIA SPECIAL ELECTION: Schwarzenegger's Loss is Not a Democratic Victory

Note to California Democratic Party:

Don't gloat. There ain't no free pass coming, so watch your ass.

Because if you don't actually come up with a less territorial fiscal spending plan, you'll be the ones getting bludgeoned next year.

California taxpayers just spent $50 million in tax revenue on a not-so-special election and an estimated $250 million in donations bickering over blatantly partisan ballot initiatives.

Sure, taxpayers saw right through Arnold Schwarzenegger and the California GOP's plan and they struck each of the propositions down.

For many prominent California Democrats, this was somehow seen as a victory. Warren Beatty, a possible Democratic opponent of Schwarzenegger in next year's gubenatorial race, was seen giving speeches. Other prominent California Dems were seen at special-interest group photo ops the night of the election, grandstanding and basking in Sacramento's long dirty shadow.

What the hell is there to celebrate, exactly, if you're a progressive politico?

The people of California - be they progressive, populist, socialist, conservative, fascist, or totalitarian - aren't looking to celebrate.

California's educational system is almost bankrupt, there's little or no money available for improvement projects or government services. Without a drastic change in how Sacramento does business, taxpayers will be the ones expected to take one for the team when that $600 billion deficit rolls into town.

Unless the Democratic leadership has some secret plan nobody knows about, then they'd better shut up and get to work.

The Democrat-controlled legislature needs to realize that even the most diehard Joe Sixpack supporters of the state party realize that the "keep spending til we've fixed everything" model doesn't work without the money to pay for it.

Now is the time to begin some seeking real bi-partisan solutions before political careers reach their conclusions.