On Monday, December 3, the newly elected or re-elected 80 members of the California state assembly held their opening session for the 2012-2014 term in the ornate assembly chamber in Sacramento.

The November 6 election resulted in more than a “supermajority” (more than two-thirds) of 55 Democratic Party Assembly members to 25 Republican Party members.

Since any legislative action, including new tax increases and putting constitutional amendments on the ballot without gathering signatures, can be passed by a two-thirds vote in the assembly and in the senate, where Democrats also have more than a “supermajority”; the Democratic Party leadership now has almost complete control of the legislative process in California.

Democrat governor Jerry Brown can veto legislation, but the Democratic supermajorities in the assembly and senate can override his vetoes with two-thirds votes.  The governor has no power to block any initiatives that the legislature places on the ballot.

The California Democratic Party leadership has for years rigidly required that Democratic Party-supported candidates for the state assembly, state senate, and Congress must be pro-choice.

This guarantees that only pro-abortion Democratic Party candidates can be elected.  The last pro-life Democrat in the California legislature was state senator Ruben Ayala who was termed out of office in 1998 and died on January 4, 2012 at the age of 89.

One of the first acts of the Democratic Party dominated assembly on Monday was to re-elect openly-partnered, homosexual Democrat John Perez as the speaker of the assembly.

A voice vote was used to avoid a roll call vote which no doubt would have exposed and recorded the Democratic assembly members’  preference for John Perez.  Even so, Republican assemblyman Tim Donnelly and at least one other assembly member shouted NO!

John Perez is a cousin and protégé of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, former California assembly speaker, a militantly pro-abortion, pro-Planned Parenthood politician. Villaraigosa personally campaigned against the California parental notification propositions on behalf of Planned Parenthood.

A special celebration was conducted by Cardinal Roger Mahony in his Queen of Angels Los Angeles Cathedral for the inauguration of Los Angeles mayor-elect Villaraigosa in 2005.

A special ceremony, with Sacramento Bishop Jaime Soto in attendance, was held in the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament in Sacramento for John Perez when the California assembly Democratic members selected him as the first openly gay speaker in the U.S. in March, 2010.

On Monday, the prayer at the beginning of the 2012-2014 assembly session was offered by Father Scott Santarosa, S.J., pastor of  Dolores Mission Church in downtown Los Angeles.

Father Santarosa:

“This day I dedicate this prayer to my grandparents, Pasquale and Gracia Santarosa, proud immigrants from Italy, and to all of our ancestors who built a life for them and for us in this Golden State.

Let us pray:

Loving God, help us to be true to the vision of our ancestors who sacrificed so that we could be here today, who faced unknown challenges and unseen dangers, but guided by a vision of a compassionate land waiting with open arms, stepped forth onto this land, to become fruit pickers and lumber workers who would dream of sending their children to college and would see that dream realized.

On this day, this new day, this first day, may we step forward with their courage, their vision, their hope.

May all that we do make our ancestors proud, whether native to this land, or immigrants to this land, or born in this land, as we keep our land the one they would recognize, the one that provided for them, welcomed them, was home for them.

May all that we do make our ancestors feel that their sacrifices for us were worth it.

Help us to be true to the vision of our ancestors who rejoice that we are here today.

And we say:  Amen”.

To see video of the prayer, click here.
At: 3 min. 01 sec, on the video recording there is the introduction by chief clerk of the Assembly.
Father Santarosa’s prayer ends at 5 min. 25 sec. on the video.