In reference to Schwarzenegger, I have some serious problems with him, particularly his last term. But I will say this, he went out on a limb and he tried to take on the Unions, and I will respect him for that alone. Do you recall the slate of ballot initiatives he tried to get passed? That was California’s last chance to avoid the reality of what we see today.
Its interesting you mentioned him, because I see that in a similar light as the possible Article V implications I mentioned in the article. This is 2005 Im speaking of. Had those passed, the Unions would forever have been crippled in California and some sort of sanity could have been achieved in terms of pension reform and scaling back an out of control bureaucracy. And I joined in on that campaign. I knocked on doors, made phone calls, passed out flyers, etc. But our numbers were incredibly small. And many I tried to enlist came with the same objections as we see here, that “Arnolds a RINO, IM not lifting a finger for anything he is involved with.” Meanwhile, the Unions poured in millions upon millions and a force a ground troops that steamrolled us and EACH of those initiatives got defeated. And the Unions maintained their power. And California is in the shape it is in today.
And that is what bothers me about our ideological litmus tests. Because it only strengthens the power of the far-left. And after the spanking his initiatives in 2005 took, yes, he made a bee-line to the left to save his own skin, regrettably so. But if we are going to expect politicians to be pure of heart, ours will always get broken, because they are what they are.
I remember those initiatives. I also remember how when they failed he capitulated completely and never fought for anything conservative again. I remember how he vetoed gun control bills and gold dredging bans, only to turn around and sign them later with no justification for the change. I remember he supported spending billions on green energy scams, stem cell research and the crazy train, and called anyone who is skeptical global warming “Neanderthals”. Mostly he was dishonest and unreliable. I supported him early on, but he was one of the biggest political disappointments of my lifetime.
Jerry Brown is a liberal, but at least he’s honest and pragmatic. He tells you what he believes and doesn’t flip flop like a weather vane. And he’s actually accomplished more in balancing the state budget and reigning in the unions Ahnold ever did. I may not like most of his policies, but at least I respect him, unlike just about every other Democrat and RINO. Just my personal opinion, FWIW.