Posted on 10/14/2005 11:27:07 AM PDT by FairOpinion
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his allies have begun an expansive final push to swing public opinion before Californians head to the polls to vote on his special election initiatives Nov. 8.
Part of that effort was an interview with The Record on Thursday in which Schwarzenegger touted his ballot proposals, trashed the state's public employee unions and defended his relationship with California's building trades -- his largest source of campaign dollars.
Schwarzenegger has endorsed six of the eight ballot initiatives appearing on the ballot, but he is focusing on four:
Proposition 74 would extend public teachers' probationary periods from two to five years.
Proposition 75 would require public employee unions to receive written permission from their members before using their money for political purposes.
Proposition 76 would give a governor broad new powers to balance the state's budget when tax revenue falls short of expectations, including the power to short-circuit the education funding guarantee created by Proposition 98. Schwarzenegger did not mention Proposition 76 during Thursday's interview.
Proposition 77 would strip from lawmakers the power to create their own districts and give it to a three-person panel of retired judges chosen from a random pool by legislative leaders.
But Schwarzenegger said that of all the initiatives he's pushing, Central Valley residents ask him most often about Proposition 74, which he said will help weed out incompetent teachers before they earn permanent status.
"The people in the Valley are disappointed that they have such a huge drop-out rate," Schwarzenegger said. "They tell me that their kids get lost when they drop out, and they cannot then catch on, and they don't go to vocational education. They just drift around. It's very hard for those kids to get jobs."
Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez called Schwarzenegger's assumption "a pretty big leap."
"So you're going to hold teachers for a longer probationary period? How's that going to transform our education system?" Núñez said. "Voters are smarter than that."
Public employee unions -- teachers, state employees, nurses, law enforcement and the like -- have been Schwarzenegger's loudest critics this year in no small part because his initiatives confront their power directly.
Schwarzenegger said he was shocked at what he sees as total union control of the Democrats who run the Legislature.
"I was surprised about the honesty of it," he said. "The unions come in with their purple shirts and they roam around the building and they just lobby and they just threaten. They come in and just say, 'Hey, you better vote my way and you better pass this bill out; otherwise, we won't support your campaign anymore.' And then all those guys crumple."
Schwarzenegger laid California's problems squarely at the feet of labor.
"When you think about what is derailing California right now, and what has been for years, it's the public employees unions," he said. "They have collected so much money that they have control over the legislators."
Núñez said Schwarzenegger is all wrong and that the governor is posturing.
"Those comments are unbecoming of the governor I know," he said. "But when you're running behind in the polls and your image is in peril, you have to use whatever lift you can find."
Schwarzenegger said Proposition 77 would help weaken union control over the Legislature by creating more competitive political districts. The theory is that the more competitive the district becomes, the more moderate the politician must be to win it. He cited as a case study of the current problem the 2004 state Senate race between Linden Democrat Michael Machado and former Stockton Mayor Gary Podesto. The governor said Machado's district was rigged to keep him in office.
"Everyone, you know, admitted it," Schwarzenegger said. "It was the redistricting, the way it was carved out. You couldn't really get an incumbent out of office."
Machado aide Jody Fujii said if her boss's district was so gerrymandered, why did the GOP spend $5 million trying to take it?
"This sounds like someone who is a little upset because he didn't win a seat in the fall," Fujii said. None of Schwarzenegger's endorsed candidates won in the 2004 elections.
This election, a united Democratic-public union alliance has thus far raised about $100 million to defeat Schwarzenegger's proposals, and the state party is planning a massive get-out-the-vote effort that includes phone banks in Stockton.
Mike Murphy, one of Schwarzenegger's consultants, said they will not reach $100 million but will easily be able to spend $3 million a week to blanket statewide airwaves in the final weeks -- not to mention spend millions on an unprecedented absentee balloting and voter-turnout campaign.Absentee voters began casting ballots Monday.
Fueling that effort is millions from business and industry, especially the developers. Stockton mega-developer Alex Spanos has contributed $2 million to the governor's effort this year and is expected to host a fund-raiser for Schwarzenegger at his home next week.
Schwarzenegger said real estate contributes to him because he shares much of their vision for California.
"We need more homes, we need more power, we need more water, we need more hospitals, we need more emergency rooms, more freeways, more highways, more tunnels. It's all about building, building, building," he said.
"When I think about when East Germany and West Germany came together, how Berlin was building and building -- there were thousands of cranes all over the place -- that's they way I want to see it in California. I want to see us build to match up to those challenges that are facing us, rather than always being behind the ball."
Public polls taken last month showing all of Schwarzenegger's initiatives failing except Proposition 75. Murphy said internal polling shows them rebounding, and a survey of Los Angeles County voters released Thursday suggests the same.
All this gives Schwarzenegger hope he can pull off some kind of win. "The more you communicate with the people, the more people really get into it and thinking about it," he said. "And, listening to both sides, the more they decide that they're with us."
===
Below are excerpts from Record Capitolbureau chief Hank Shaw’s interview with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday morning.
On education woes in the Central Valley: I would say that the one thing that theyall have in common is that they all want to have education reform and they allfeel that the most important thing is that they have the best teachers in theschools and that they are able to get rid of the worst teachers becausethey’re frustrated.
The people in the Valley are disappointedthat they have such a huge drop-out rate. They tell me that their kids get lostwhen they drop out and they cannot then catch on and they don’t go tovocational education. They just drift around – it’s very hard forthose kids to get jobs. So we have to do a much better job when it comes toeducation and this is why Proposition 74 is so important.
On redistricting: Right now I have friends of mine calling me– politicians – who are saying, ‘What are you doing with thisredistricting Arnold?It took me $800 to win my re-election. Now I have to go out and when you do theredistricting we have to go out and start campaigning and spending money anddoing fund-raising.’
And I said, ‘That’s the idea.That’s the least thing you can do is to get the people’s trust. Youhave to go out, and you have to show off what you have to offer. What did youaccomplish? What bills did you introduce? What did you vote for? You know whatkind of things were you involved in? What have you done for your community? Thenwe will judge you based on that and we’re going to vote for him again orwe are not. But to, you know, just spend $800 – that’s notfair.’
On public employee unions: When you think about what is derailing California right now,and what has been for years, it’s the public employees unions. It’snot the individual unions out there, it is the public employee unions. Theyhave collected so much money that they have control over the legislators. Andthe legislators cannot make a deal with me, and cannot make a compromise dealto move forward to the November election together – Democrats andRepublicans alike – because the unions tells them, “nope, we have$100 million. Let us beat up on the governor.” That is how they pull thestrings in Sacramento.
This goes right back to the railroad baronsover a hundred years ago. I mean when you read those stories of what HiramJohnson was confronted with, why he created the reforms, it is all exactly thesame. There is not one decision that’s being made about what’s bestfor education. Every single thing they debate there is like, “well,let’s check with the teacher’s union.” You know whatI’m saying? So how can you move education forward?
On his re-election plansfor 2006: “Let me tell you that I don’tever talk about 2006 other than when I announced that I would run again. I toldmy whole team never to talk about 2006 and not even to think about it. Thesimple reason is because I believe always that you have to focus on your nextgoal. The goal is to win in 2005, on Nov. 8, and to have true reform. Becausethat will then enable the state to move forward in a positive way and to createa future that is really promising….But if I start thinking about myelection in 2006, if I start thinking about myself, we’re not going toget there.
On the final three weeks: You see tremendous momentum going our wayon all of our initiatives. The more you communicate with the people the morepeople really get into it and thinking about it. And, listening to both sides,the more they decide that they’re with us.
So I’m very happy about that becauseI think that the key thing is the people here in this whole election. If they want to move us forward, then they have to vote ‘yes’ on thoseinitiatives. There’s no two ways about it. If they’re happy withthe way things are today, if they want to move the state backwards then they will vote ‘no’ on those initiatives.
There’s one quote that I made duringthe campaign, when I ran for governor. I said if the special interests push mearound, I will push back. And that’s exactly what I’m doing now. Iam pushing back.
Exactly right. And for those that may have missed it, Tom McClintock and Ray Haynes agree with Arnold 100% on the key four propositions Arnold is discussing here: YES on 74, 75, 76, and 77.
The Record is a NJ paper, the largest in the State and wildly liberal. Notice how they make no mention of the most recent polls (one of todays threads on FR) that shows Arnolds initiatives passing by a huge margin. It is simply not possible for the lib media to be honest when it comes to anything that counters their agenda and preconceived views..
There maybe another paper in NJ with the same name, but this on is in CA Central Valley.
Correction. This is not from the Record in NJ. Apologies.
(Denny Crane: "I like nature. Don't talk to me about the environment.")
anyhow, their recommended position is 180 from how I'm voting on each of the 8 props.
---
You don't give up. I'll give ya credit for that.
FoR someone who voted moderate as the expedient way to accumulate power, you NOW wrap yourself around Tom and Ray and act like they are your new bestest buddies. In so doing, you try to cast aspersions on those who aren't with "your" program, or even dare to examine these and other reform initiatives in a fair and unbiased manner and actually express a contrary position or note the unknowns that aren't being acknowledged.
Your efforts may be worthy of note, but may not necessarily bear the fruit you would hope they would.
How many elections is it going to take for people to catch on that the MSM polls are always backwards?
They were wrong about the recall, they were wrong in the 2004 elections, they were wrong in the 2002 midterm elections, and they are going to be wrong about the propositions. I've been getting absentee ballots from Arnold every other week at this point. I think a LOT of pubbies are going to be voting absentee.
My position has always been and still is one, that ADVANCES THE CONSERVATIVE AGENDA.
I fail to see how helping Bustamante to become governor, or helping the Democrats to defeat a spending cut initiative and Arnold's other CA reform propositions is consistent with the conservative position.
Perhaps you can explain that, how some people can claim to be conservatives, yet were helping Bustamante and the Democrats during the CA recall election and now are helping the Democrats in trying to defeat the Reform Propositions today.
"FoR someone who voted moderate as the expedient way to accumulate power, you NOW wrap yourself around Tom and Ray and act like they are your new bestest buddies."
What's wrong with that? Seems like a reasonable way to gather votes. You preferred Tom over Arnold, Arnold has this program that Tom backs and FairOpinion is pointing that out.
Why the criticism? Is there some element of sour grapes involved?
Just blame anyone who doesn't march in lock step with you as being suspect or the enemy. Classic libspeak.
We won't talk about GLBT issues, the environment or such as we wouldn't really want to examine the "conservative" agenda the Gub is pushing, now would we?
Hey, how ya doing?
So you would seek to stifle any dissent or discourse as well?
Is that the lib side of you showing up or are you just looking for a quick workout?
We will be VOTING on THESE Propositions, Prop. 74-77 on Nov. 8th, and they will have a major impact on what happens to CA.
Why do you keep trying to change the subject?
PROPOSITION 76
State spending and school funding
What it does: Limits state spending increases to a formula based on the average of the previous three years' growth. Modifies Proposition 98 to eliminate some payback requirements when money is borrowed from the education budget. Gives the governor greater authority to make budget cuts.
Key Supporters: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Chamber of Commerce, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
AND Tom McClintock, Ray Haynes.
Key Opponents: California Teachers Association, California Democratic Party, California Labor Federation.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1502183/posts
LOL..
So it's ok for you to avoid answering others questions but not me.. like I am at all.
weak, real weak, FO.
You can do better than that.
How do you feel about Prop. 75?
Kerry is campaigning AGAINST it.
The Dems are strongly opposed to Props. 73-77.
The question is, do FReepers really want to vote the same way as the Democrats, including KERRY recommends?
Or do they want to vote the same way as the Republican Party, Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Foundation, CA. Chamber of Commerce, Tom McClintock and Ray Haynes, and of course Arnold recommends?
I would say that choice should be pretty clear.
Yap yap yap
Why are you so worried how FReepers vote anyway?
Just curious. Do you get paid by the post or by the vote?
I live in CA, so it matters to me how it turns out.
Every vote counts, it is hard enough to defeat the Democrats, because there are more of them, and the last thing we need is FReepers helping out the Democrats to defeat reform in CA.
Let the initiatives stand on their own merit. Go to DU and educate them.
Your relentless cheerleading is tiresome and makes these threads tedious, to say the least. for those who are trying to get some facts and discussions out therte for others to ponder and make up their own minds.
You serve no one by being a blind horse charging thru here with the apple wagon being tossed hither and yon.
"Hey, how ya doing?"
Can't complain, you?
"So you would seek to stifle any dissent or discourse as well?"
OK, so I went back to check my original comment to see what could have possible led you to the conclusion that I was trying to "stifle any dissent or discourse." I have to admit I can't figure it out. I asked why you were criticizing another poster and suggested why I thought your criticism was not valid, in my opinion. I gave a little needle at the end, but hey, that seems pretty commonplace around here.
"Is that the lib side of you showing up"
Now this is really funny because who is it that is usually the first to yell out "I'm being silenced, no dissent is allowed!?" I'll give you a minute . . .
Yes, it's liberals! So you use the tactics of those whom you attempt to smear me by association to smear me. Beautiful!
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