...Ethical lapse(CA governor's $500K fundrasier in NYC)

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | 2/25/2004 | editorial

[kellynla]

As noted in the editorial above, this page strongly supports Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's economic recovery plan. Nonetheless, his trolling for large contributions from Wall Street executives who stand to profit from his proposed $15 billion bond sale is nothing short of deplorable.

Schwarzenegger, who is visiting New York today, must have had second thoughts about the propriety of charging a whopping $500,000 per head for tonight's fund-raiser in support of Propositions 57 and 58. After coming under considerable fire, he cut the unseemly fee for the event at the home of Robert Wood Johnson IV to $25,000.

The worthy cause of resolving California's budget crisis should not be compromised by the corrosive perception that Schwarzenegger is using his office to put the arm on Wall Street officials eager to cash in on the mega-sale of state bonds.

[kellynla]

http://www.noblankchecks.com oh? It's only 25 large now...well then that makes it down right ethical now doesn't it. ROFLMAO... VOTE "NO" ON PROPOSITIONS 55, 56, 57, 58 !

[kellynla]

Ping!

[kellynla]

http://www.noblankchecks.com

[NormsRevenge]

Rex Babin - Sac Bee

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

Am I the only one who finds it odd that Arnold keeps going to New York to fund his California activities?

Perhaps if Californians won't support it he shouldn't be doing it???

[kellynla]

Excellent cartoon, Norm. S/F Kelly

[kellynla]

We just have to keep the heat and the pressure on and maybe, just maybe the RINOld will get the message...CUT THE FRIGGIN' BUDGET, GOVERNOR!!! You campaigned on no more taxes, honor your promises!!! We didn't like bonds under the Dimwit Davis, we don't like bonds under you! A 15 BILLION DOLLAR BOND WILL COST US AN ADDITIONAL 6 BILLION DOLLARS IN TAXES AND/OR FEES!!!
VOTE "NO" ON PROPOSITIONS 55, 56, 57 & 58 !

[Doohickey]

This is quite a shocker. Too bad all those far right-wing candidates were so unelectable.

[calcowgirl]

From an SF Chronicle Article

The event, which also raised $500,000, was closed to the media. The bond-measure campaign would not disclose the guest list for Schwarzenegger's New York and Virginia fund-raisers. Real estate mogul Donald Trump was among the guests at the New York event, telling reporters outside that Schwarzenegger "will make a great governor."

So much for transparency in fundraising.

[Carry_Okie]

What lapse? He's been perfectly consistent.

[Carry_Okie]

Gosh, I wonder where he got that line?

[TheSpottedOwl]

What the heck is Benedict Arnold doing raising cash in NY???

Lol, 500,000 a plate dinner....

[Amerigomag]

Schwarzenegger has no alternative. If he is to salvage the social utopia he is desperately trying to maintain he must find a way to fund his endeavorers.

Schwarzenegger is not courting Wall Street to chum for large sums of cash. Schwarzenegger is courting Wall Street in an effort to convince them that against all logic they should invest in his wild schemes because he will make the rewards worth the risk.

California will begin looking for investors for over $30B in the coming months without a visible method to repay the debt. To attract this sort of money Schwarzenegger must enlist the help of the best in the business and make it worth their while. But first he must sell the residents of California on the idea to even launch his IPO. For that he needs some additional cash over the next 10 days. Hence the dinner.

Who better to support his cause than those that will directly benefit from the redistribution of public monies that he is proposing.

[kellynla]

Excuse me but do you serve red or white whine with that bologna you're serving? ROFLMAO Bottom line: RINOld needs to call McClintock up and have him show him how to cut the budget by 13% so that in will be in balance next year without raising taxes, fees and/or bonds. Point,Game, Set, Match!

[Amerigomag]

RINOld needs to call McClintock up and have him show him how to cut the budget by 13% so that in will be in balance next year without raising taxes, fees and/or bonds.

If pigs had wings.

Schwarzenegger can't continue "our programs" if he enlists the help of a fiscal conservative.

Schwarzenegger will do everything in his power, including the redistribution of a share of California wealth to Wall Street, in an effort to preserve the progressive agenda in California.

Don't let Schwarzenegger's rather odd choice of political affiliation dull your senses. Schwarzenegger is a classic social progressive and fiscal moderate.

[kellynla]

Well if Ronald Reagan could do it so can RINOld...what's this "our programs" BS? Are you on the RINOld payroll or what??? RINOld "ran" as a "fiscal conservative" or don't you remember???

And he also promised NO MORE TAXES!!!

CUT THE FRIGGIN' BUDGET AND LET'S GET ON WITH THE REST OF OUR LIVES FOR PETE'S SAKE!!!! Let me re-phrase that. Not for "Pete's" sake! I don't want any reference to "Pete." The last "Pete" we had in Sacramento practically ran the state into depression!!!

[Amerigomag]

Are you on the RINOld payroll or what???

Don't cast a wary eye toward me.

I didn't vote for him.
I didn't believe him last October and don't today.
I'm not surprised by what he's doing.
I hope he chases his political dreams and leaves California soon.
I don't want him near my pocket book.
I don't want him dating my daughter

Hope that covers it.

[kellynla]

Then quit making excuses for him.
McClintock clearly laid out a plan to balance the budget without raising taxes, fees and/or bonds. RINOld needs to do the same. We didn't recall one bond daddy to get another one.

[Amerigomag]

Then quit making excuses for him

You confuse satire with support.

Here is my initial reaction to Schwarzenegger's candidacy and my opinion hasn't changed in the past 6 months.

I saw Schwarzenegger as a Hollywood liberal who, in a moment of boredom, thought it might be fun to play governor. His candidacy was the perfect Trojan horse for those Republican moderates recently thrown from power and business interests from up and down the state who wanted to stop the off the wall, liberal legislature from killing their golden goose. He was their perfect patsy.

Schwarzenegger unpardonable sin was that he ruined the one chance that conservatives had to bring the Utopian chaos in our legislature to a stalemate for no better reason than that he was bored and fell pray to the praises of those who would use his considerable public persona to accomplish their agenda. He jumped into the fray and gave the throughly disenchanted electorate a third alternative, the middle ground.

The California electorate was fed up with business as usual and neither Davis nor Bustamante had a chance from the get go. Had Schwarzenegger not entered the race the electorate would have had a clear and simple choice and were ready to speak. "Throw the bum(s) out!" Schwarzenegger's candidacy and consequent election has simply diverted those energies from the obvious task. Reform the legislature and restructure the government processes in California.

When Schwarzenegger finishes muddling his way thorough his term of office both Republicans and conservatives will have a black eye which neither deserves. Schwarzenegger will be forgiven as a citizen who simply overestimated the bad guys in Sacramento and Wilson and the Lincoln Club members will move on looking for a new "boy" who is terribly popular and pliable.