Question: What makes this the scariest week in California politics?
The answer: As any horror film director could tell you, it's not what you can see that's scary. it's what you can't see, even if you know what you can see is something bad -- and it's right around the corner.
That unseen stuff are the last-minute gut-and-amend bills that could make a big change in the dark of night, with little scrutiny.
Beware, especially "Gut-and-Amend."
That's the term used the describe the practice of taking a bill on one subject that has gone through hearings and other procedural steps -- and then stripping out its content and replacing it with a whole new bill, often on a completely different topic, for quick passage.
There's reason to believe we could see the manuever several times this week, on big stuff.
Why?
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Because majority Democrats have shown a willingness to make last-minute changes without full debate or consideration.
The final hours of the budget process produced an education bill that protected teachers' jobs, while tying the hands of school districts so tightly that local school officials across the state are still howling.
Democrats have already signaled last-minute plays to change the initiative process -- by moving all initiatives from next June's ballot to next November's -- and to short-circuit the Amazon referendum of a bill requiring online retailers to pay sales tax with a new bill that isn't subject to referendum.
The legislature will likely make some of the biggest changes literally in the dark of night, as they stay up late to beat the deadline ending session on Friday.
What will they do? We don't know. So be afraid. Be very afraid.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.
Let us know what you think. Comment below, send us your thoughts via Twitter @PropZero or add your comment to our Facebook page.
