Posted on 08/06/2008 7:45:32 AM PDT by SmithL
It took nearly five years, but Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger broke his no-tax pledge in an effort to break a budget deadlock.
It was the right thing to do, even if we would have preferred a more progressive alternative to the governor's proposed temporary one-cent increase in the sales tax. But let there be no doubt: The $4 billion tax increase would have less of an impact on low-income Californians than a commensurate cut in state programs.
Now the challenge will be for Schwarzenegger to persuade a handful of Republicans to break their own no-tax pacts that have all but frozen any meaningful negotiations over the past few months. As of Tuesday, the GOP legislators were openly scoffing at Schwarzenegger's three-year sales-tax increase.
The governor also has a bit of a selling job with Democrats, who are less than thrilled with his proposed budget reforms: a spending cap, an enhanced "rainy day" fund and - perhaps most controversial of all - the authority for a governor to make midyear spending reductions.
In truth, a spending limit would not necessarily cure California's budget woes. Some of the increased spending is the result of voter dictates, such as Proposition 98's set-aside for K-12 funding, and the "three strikes" initiative that has contributed to runaway prison costs. Billions of dollars worth of annual bond-repayment debt, some of which has been pushed by Schwarzenegger for infrastructure, would remain untouchable under a spending cap.
We also have concerns about Schwarzenegger's plan to unilaterally make spending cuts - even suspending laws and regulations - when expenditures are outrunning revenues.
"It's a scary amount of power for any governor to have," said Jean Ross, director of the California Budget Project.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Birds gotta fly, and
Rats gotta tax!
Don’t blame me. I voted for McClintock.
BS! Utter BS!
Well, who did we think was going to PAY DEARLY for the radical liberal spending in Kalifornia??? The libs?? HA!! The state is coming apart. Businesses and individuals are moving out. Much retail business will shift to the Internet which the commies running Kalifornia will try and tax anyway — that will be coming soon. Remember, they are the “SOCIALIST TREND SETTERS”.....
Ohhhhhh... let's see, a progressive alternative like selling offshore drilling leases to those oil companies who are ready to spend money like drunken sailors on holliday!
The San Francisco Chronicle demands new taxes (as if the old ones weren’t part of California’s big budget problem)!
Warren Buffet-line is going to have the Arnold in CA, and Osama in DC. When Warren passes on who will be running CA and the USA afterwards?? Gotta think about it?
So what exactly ARE Arnold’s Republican credentials?
Are you having buyer’s remorse?
I am not. I have always said McClintock was the man for the job. Schwarzenegger was the celebrity candidate just like Barry Soetoro (Obama) is right now.
Gee, and wouldn't that go along with Arnie's promises to keep/attract more businesses in/to CA? Wadda concept, eh?
Don’t blame me. I voted for McClintock.
::::::
Yes, he would have made a FAR BETTER governor. That is an understatement. It would have been a good fight too, supporting him against the commie pinkos in the state legislature. IMHO, the state is too far gone to save. With the taxpayers already supporting well over $15 BILLION per year in support costs for ILLEGALS along with Arnie’s radical liberal spending (much of which the mindless stupid voters approved) -— the tax base in Kalifornia is moving away at a record rate. What did these idiot pinkos expect to happen???
Schwarzenegger sleeps with a Kennedy. His chief of staff is a woman named Kennedy who is a Democrat. My guess is she is part of Teddy Kennedy’s extended Klan.
Schwarzenegger isn’t a RINO, he’s a fifth columnist traitor who has infiltrated the Republican Party to destroy it from within.
My guess is the steroid king will eventually join Chris Dodd and that freak from Vermont in the ranks of the Rats.
Terminate the Terminator!
One of my biggest customers is in Modesto, we were sitting around talking with the sales rep and he was complaining about shipping costs, then seriously asked me what it would take to move our business out near him if he would single source to us.
I just laughed in his face, told him the reason he was dealing with us all the way in Indiana was because we WEREN’T in California, and the cost of shipping was a drop in the bucket compared to how much my rates would have to rise just to be where I am now.
He tried selling me on the benefits of quality of life there compared to the Midwest, it was all I could do not to break down laughing in his face.
I remember the 1/4 cent sales tax increase as a result of the Loma Prieta quake in 1989. It was supposed to last 3 years. Wanna guess if it is still there?
Arnold had one Republican credential, he refused to raise taxes (considering he had no qualms over burying the state under a mountain of debt, it didn’t count for much), now his one credential is gone.
Look no further than the Arnold administration to see what a McCain Presidency is going to look like!
To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement.
As far as Schwarzenegger is concerned. I don't like all this cr@p either, yet I wonder what direction the state would have taken had the people of California voted in favor of those propositions that went against government unions, parental notification of abortion and various other stuff. Unlike most politicians, Schwarz took a stand, but got slapped and moved to the left as a result.
At some point, the people also have to assume a responsibility for being too lazy to come out and vote in numbers for controls on state government programs and politicians.
I don't like Arnold's direction at all, but I also don't like what we the people did in abandoning him when he attempted to blow up boxes either.
NEXT, I can see this guy going for Boxer's seat and I bet he will get it for the Senate.
McClintock won't go anywhere in my opinion, so I hope we at some point develop grass roots talent that can lead and win.
Conservatism is a winning strategy and good for a state, but it seems most are very afraid to practice it when running for political office in the state of CA. Has to be done though IMO.
I can just see it now. The year is 2047 and Arnold Schwarzenegger’s son goes before the state legislature to say...
I know 17% sales tax is high, but our state is in trouble. Sure the state income tax rate if 15%, but we can’t cut these entitlement programs, or defund the leftist causes.
Starting today the sales tax will be 20% and the income tax rate will climb to 17%.
The left never gets enough money. It will always act as if it is starving.
I think you’re on the mark here.
“It was the right thing to do,”
**** me.
I know! Lets pass some more BOND measures here in California to pay for the defecit! Because you know, that’s free money and you never have to pay it back.....right??
California is so f**ked, I need to move outta here.
Seems everybody wants to forget the special elections where all those propositions and even parental notification went down in flames.
At some point “WE THE PEOPLE” need to also take action and vote in numbers needed to effect a change.
There is something WRONG with conservative leadership in the state when turnout for the state goes so badly against conservative goals.
Fish stinks from the head.
The Republican party needs a leadership enema from the TOP down.
I feel the same disappointment as everyone else here and the Schwarz is pissing me off as well.
That said and done, what is OUR responsibility?
Where and how are we purging the conservative side of the political leadership to get the leaders we need?
People don't want self blame, but we are all to blame for either not voting or failing to do enough to change the foundations for a better future.
The state of California needs to have a political enema before the current liberal leadership drives the last of high wage earners and businesses out of the state.
Also, increase a sales tax and decrease consumption. GEE that won't cause a state recession/depression... It all stinks.
And the last reason to have gotten rid of Off-White Davis just goes out the window...
Where were you when the polling was done & published in 9/2003. The question asked ...
“If the choice were between Cruz Bustamante, the Democrat and Tom McClintock, the Republican, who would you be more likely to vote for: Cruz Bustamante or Tom McClintock?”
http://www.usatoday.com/news/polls/tables/live/2003-09-28-recall-poll.htm
Probable Voters
McClintok 56%
Bustamante 37%
Of course, the “johnny-come-lately” Schwarzenegger “jumped on the band wagon” and ruined any chances of us getting a true blue conservative elected governor...and now we're suffering the consequences.
As for support for things that Schwarzenegger tried to do that were good, I'm right there with you wishing he had gotten more support. Our side was more anxious to slam the guy for not being McClintock, than to support those props.
I agree that business is going to continue to run from the state, and the leaches will continue to come to it. It's a sad fact. It's a great state, and it's being destroyed.
Sorry, McC has to now run as a potential Congressman to somehow stay employed by the government, right?
McC gave the impression to many by staying in races too long that he felt it was more about McC than what was best for the people. I think he did 15 years of damage to his future with all that. Some day enough may forget and when he is real old he can try again.
The special election propositions was where the battle was lost though.
That is where the people failed to do what was needed to support a more conservative direction for the state, at least in my opinion.
I think it was a mistake and I think the fact he's seemed to lose every election for years after shows he has been paying a price.
Voters for the most part in California are detached, government employed or stupid, so they will forget and McC should be able to gain some government employment again in the future I would think.
Kelly, if Schwarzenegger hadn’t entered the race, McClintock may have won. Sadly he did. It sucks but we’re stuck with Schwarzenegger. And I voted for the guy.
When McClintock ran for state-wide office again, he was unable to win again.
Now the question is, do we support him to run for Senator, and watch him get an elboe in the eye again? I sure don’t want to see Boxer or Feinstein win again.
“It sucks but we’re stuck with Schwarzenegger. And I voted for the guy.”
“stuck with Schwarzenegger?”
We recalled one liberal incompetent governor, no reason why we can’t recall another!
“And I voted for the guy.”
Shame on you.
It sucks from every direction in this case.
This state has MANY people with entitlement mentalities.
McClintock can’t win and besides, Arnold will surprise you. He’ll be a great conservative governor.
www.BlastFromthePast.org
Republicans should run good conservative candidates who can really articulate the case. When he looses and the democrats make a hash, “I TOLD YOU SO” the hell out of the state and try again. Run a Rino and you are blamed as much as the rats.
McClintock was at the top of his game and the majority of the electorate was clearly behind him in the recall and he would have won the 2003 recall election had RINOld stayed out...but you like the rest of the “ I’ll vote for the celebrity” crowd ruined all chances of electing a true blue conservative for governor...THANKS A LOT!
I will still give credit to Arnold S for doing what he promised regarding “Blowing Up Boxes” in the state.
He tried, the propositions (including parental notification regarding a minor and abortion) were defeated and Schwarz decided to govern farther left because conservatives were missing when they were needed.
Sucks that he moved to the left.
Sucks also that we didn't vote those propositions in that would have given him the clout and momentum to take on the left IMO.
My opinion is he screwed the pooch and will be doing well to win the little Congressional race to keep his political life going at all.
I do hope he wins it by the way.
what are you a broken record?
I addressed your lame point already...
gezzzzzzzzzzz...you were wrong about RINOld & McC in 2003 and you’re wrong now...
Points made.
And more than you and I, this state has become the broken record.
Too many people attached to State or Federal government for their life and then voting to get their free stuff or employment overpayment in all the State and Federal elections.
Gets old, but it is what it is.
You voted for the wrong guy and now you’re making a bunch of lame excuses for your mistake...do your homework before the next election...PLEASE!
With folks like you and Pete Wilson trashing him all the time, who needs enemies?
I also don't like what we the people did in abandoning him when he attempted to blow up boxes either.
Abandoned? HAH! The problem is, he never attempted to blow up boxes! All we got was Arnold's hot-air and NO action.
Conservatism is a winning strategy and good for a state, but it seems most are very afraid to practice it when running for political office in the state of CA. Has to be done though IMO.
Funny--every time they do, you are there to oppose it.
d1--When McClintock ran, he was OPPOSED by the entire trojan horse liberal leadership in the CA GOP. He was starved of cash and support. Don't join in with the infiltrators--no one can win an election until the BS coming out of the CA GOP that "conservatives are unelectable" is ignored. We need to flush that bunch out of leadership and let the voters decide. Polls showed McC and conservatism is not dead. Boxer and Feinstein will continue to win as long as the CA GOP keeps forcing lackluster moderates and incompetents like Bill Jones and Rosario Marin on the electorate.
You are also again totally forgetting the betrayal of conservatives to not vote in that special election in numbers that would have supported Arnold to do more.
The voters turned Arnold into the Democrats B!tch!
What would be Arnold's motivation to try and change things in a losing way when the voters proved they were too lazy to vote with him?
There was a moment when he took on unions, government employees and the religious folks even slapped parental notification in there and it all lost big time.
That right there was the moment that lost it all my friend.
This really isn't about Arnold, the losing politician McC or anyone else as much as this is still the effect of not enough conservatives coming out to vote in the special election years ago.
WE STILL ARE ALL PAYING FOR THAT TODAY.
I’m all for another recall, but you can bet the farm that the Ca. Republican leadership will play the Schwarzenegger card again, with someone else.
If they do, that person won’t be elected with my vote.
He would have had some severe problems with the legislature to be sure. I’m not sure what his overall impact would have been. He may have been a very good Governor, if given half a chance.
What a bunch of HOGWASH! Parental notification was not one of ARnold's proposition and he gave it only passing support. As to "blowing up boxes," NONE of his propositions did that. And he moved left BEFORE he ever proposed them, pushing for big spending and borrowing, pushing massive landgrabs, appointing liberal judges, etc.
You keep trying to rewrite history. Any look at the timeline of events would show your contention to be total myth.
give it a rest...you voted for the wrong guy
so just admit it, move on and next time DO YOUR HOMEWORK!
gezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
Save your fingers, looks like we still have some “McClintock can’t win” RINO leftovers from 2003 still hanging around FR. LOL
With RINO’s like these on FR living in CA, it’s no wonder we have trouble getting true blue conservatives elected!
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