In an time of Obama and Internet-savvy politics, late California Senate president pro tem John Burton doesn't own a computer. He can remember fundraising "when you knocked on people's doors and asked them for a dollar for the Democrats." But at 76, Burton, a hotheaded liberal, defender of the indigent and disabled, and a superbly obscene and cantankerous bureaucratic sage, is about to become the creative boldness of the California Democratic Party. After two other leading contenders dropped referendum bids for government signer chair, the position was all but ceded to Burton, a University of San Francisco edict way of life graduate who served 26 years in the California Legislature and eight in Congress. If there are doubts about where Burton is headed, invite Chris Finnie.
The little-known activist from Santa Cruz is the lone unused challenger to Burton's mission to be elected accomplice intelligence at the Democrats' conclave in Sacramento this weekend. Finnie said Burton told her attractive definitely what her chances were for beating him. Finnie said he growled at her in a phone conversation, saying, "I'm booming to procure this entity and, if anybody doesn't liking for it," they could go function some feigned acts. "I'm on rare occasions speechless," Finnie said. "He wasn't teaching me any remodelled language.
It was just the unqualified pretentiousness of the man." Burton disputes her account. But the captain of the California Senate from 1998 to 2004 said his salty, hostile variety reflects a steep determination of a man who demands action, pushes addictive bargains and stands up for California's most exposed citizens. "I am what I am," he said in an interview.
"People would have put a million I would never have been elected (Senate president) pro tem. I regard I was very serviceable in protecting Democratic principles and grant them. I've proven over the years where my mettle goes. I've proven that I can get the chore done.
" Burton is a persistent idol for commonalty such as Marty Omoto, skipper of the California Disability Community Action Network. Omoto recalls him as a undaunted lawmaker "who gave proletariat seal out of the governmental process a sense of hope" by steadfastly blocking budget cuts affecting seniors and low-income and physically challenged residents. "Burton is often referred to as crusty and a curmudgeon," Omoto said. "But I ruminate he had that proficiency to appal multitude – including other legislators – into believing his understanding of what is hesitation and true.
" Democrats are divided Burton, who would supersede Art Torres in the $133,639-a-year nuisance as defender chair, is re-emerging at a challenging time. Despite the party's prosperity as Barack Obama won the biggest Democratic winning in California since 1936, Democrats are splintered over the state's monetary crisis. Burton's cherished benefit programs for the mean and incapacitated are being reduce to advise the state compressed a deficit of more than $40 billion. Some labor and lenient advocacy groups are turning against Democratic legislative leaders over the budget deal, including the May 19 significant choice initiatives that they pronounce reveal party principles. The divisions will be on exposition at the carouse convention.
Yet Burton intends to discourage out of the fray. He said he won't publicly second-guess lawmakers who made laborious budget decisions. "I didn't want star to be criticizing what the underworld I was doing up there" in the Legislature, he said. "I'm not succeeding to deportment Monday matutinal quarterback now.
" Instead, he pins the budget condemn on the opposition party. "This budget is more of an indictment on Republicans who order that the poorest of the miserable bear the burden of balancing the budget because they (GOP lawmakers) don't want to put a exact on anybody, especially the corporations and the wealthy," Burton said. After being routed in California by Obama's Internet fundraising savvy and under age volunteers, Republicans seemed enchanted by nation Democrats choosing an primitive pol as leader.
"I fantasize one has to question, especially after Obama coming off his big win, for them to go with someone who doesn't own a computer, as likely as not doesn't own a BlackBerry, and who signals that the contributor is thriving back to the future," said constitution Republican Party spokesman Hector Barajas. Call Peter Hecht, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5539.
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