Commentary : A One-Party County Pays the Price

Recent battles in Washington show that Orange County voters risk millions of dollars and human lives when they elect officials from only one political party--especially one that does not control either the state Legislature or the House of Representatives.

The first battle involves the Santa Ana River Flood Control Project, a $1.3-billion public works program divided into stages to avoid draining the federal treasury of a big lump sum.

Democrats, angry that Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) stumped and raised money for the GOP campaign against Riverside Democrat George E. Brown Jr. last year, blocked a $4-million authorization for river project engineering studies in the House Appropriations Committee. Brown recently acknowledged that he was not “enthusiastic” about supporting the flood control measure “just to help a bunch of guys who are out to sink me.”

Some House Democrats also cited pique with members from Orange County who oppose water projects generally, supposedly as part of their altruistic desire for fiscal restraint, but who are now seeking money for a pet project of their own, a big one at that.

The second fight involves offshore oil drilling, which was tentatively approved two weeks ago for 54 square miles off of coastal Orange County as part of a compromise between Interior Secretary Donald P. Hodel and a small task force of House members, mostly Northern California Democrats.

The compromise, still subject to change, would shift most exploration northward, sparing most coastal waters now protected by a 4-year-old moratorium on offshore drilling--except for about 330 square miles off Orange, Los Angeles and northern San Diego counties.

Interviews with the negotiators indicated that Rep. Robert E. Badham (R-Newport Beach) was virtually ignored, and his district deliberately sacrificed, in order to protect coastal areas represented by Democrats to the north.

Once again, pique at Orange County’s all-GOP delegation, and at Badham in particular, for opposing coastal protection and other environmental legislation in the past was a prime motive, in addition to the Democrats’ political self-interest.

There is also pique at Orange County Republicans for unseating the county’s lone Democratic House member, Jerry Patterson, last year, and replacing him with conservative firebrand Robert K. Dornan. In losing Patterson’s services, the county lost whatever ability it had to deal effectively with Democrats who control the House, at least for the near future.

The situation is a little better in Sacramento, where Assemblyman Richard Robinson of Garden Grove and state Sen. Paul B. Carpenter of Cypress are the only Democrats from Orange County.

Without them, legislation to benefit Orange County in areas such as housing and transportation might have died in recent years, because Republican members of the county’s Sacramento delegation were either split or opposed to those measures.

Academicians can argue about moral imperatives in politics, but the fact is politicians do not often take legislative action to help voters who are unwavering in either support or opposition. A bloc of consistent supporters is often taken for granted. A bloc of steadfast opponents is written off, whether the bloc is made up of voters or fellow legislators.

It is easy to dismiss these recent incidents as examples of petty political revenge and criticize those involved. Moreover, the issues affected are not petty. The Santa Ana River Flood Control Project is designed to save lives, as well as homes and businesses.

As might be expected, Orange County Democratic Chairman Bruce Sumner argues that examples such as the Reagan Administration’s proposal for oil drilling off of Newport Beach show that the county suffers from “poor quality representation” delivered by Republican officeholders.

County Republican Chairman Tom Fuentes admits that “political revenge is one of the seemly elements” of politics used by both parties. But the solution, Fuentes insists, is to elect more Republicans, not fewer. Hedging political loyalties works only in the short term, he argues.

“Lie down with dogs, get up with fleas,” Fuentes said last week.

Fuentes strongly attacked the Irvine Co., for example, for abandoning its historical, total commitment to the Republican Party in favor of bipartisan campaign contributions in recent years, including financial support of Robinson.

“You have to work with the party in power,” Irvine Co. Public Affairs Director Mike Stockstill said recently. “The political reality is that the Democrats are in control.” Judging from the firm’s legislative successes over the years, the bipartisan strategy seems to have paid off. Meanwhile, reluctantly and ever so begrudgingly, Fuentes acknowledged in an interview last week that, at least in the short run, “The county is paying a price” for not having bipartisan representation on Capitol Hill.

Political purists can argue that voters should hold firm on principle in the hope that some day they will constitute the majority and control legislation. But will the price paid for what may be an interminable wait be worth it? Probably not. Progress in addressing serious public issues and completing necessary public works would be dangerously slowed, if not halted.

The recent events in Washington suggest that Orange County voters would do well to embrace political diversity in order to pursue community interests before a wide spectrum of decision makers.