Question – Could Charlie Brown do this? Does Brown possess the the breadth of knowledge that McClintock possesses?

People rail on McClintock’s long experience in government – but unlike Senators Kennedy and Dodd whose experience in government is legendary… McClintock seems to have picked up some knowledge along the way.

Take a look at this – Tom McClintock took on the hot-headed Senator Don Perata:

Senator McClintock made the following comments prior to adjournment of the Senate on Thursday:

Mr. President:

I noticed that the President pro tem attacked the Republicans’ opposition to tax increases with these words: “If they want to let the great state of California slide into Arkansas, that’s going to be on them.”

I rise to point out to the Senate that after 30 years of bad public policy emanating from this very room, Arkansas now looks pretty good compared to California.

Arkansas just announced a $177 million budget surplus, while California reports a $15 to $17 billion deficit. Arkansas’ bonds are rated two grades ahead of California’s by both Moody’s and Standard and Poors. Arkansas’ unemployment rate in June was 5.0 percent; California’s was 6.9 percent. Arkansas’ verbal SAT scores averaged 574; California’s, 493. Arkansas’ math SAT scores averaged 568; California’s, 513. Last year, 8,300 more people moved IN TO Arkansas than moved out; 263,000 more people moved OUT OF California than moved in.

California has the highest marginal income tax rate in the nation at 10.3 percent (which I am told the majority in this house favors raising). Arkansas’s highest rate is only 7 percent. California’s sales tax (which I am told Gov. Schwarzenegger favors raising) ranges from 7.25 to 8.75 percent; Arkansas’ sales tax ranges from 6 to 8.5 percent. California’s corporate tax rate is 8.84 percent, compared to the Arkansas corporate rate of 6.5 percent.