CA: Governor stumbles on open government - Backroom deals persist despite vow

Mercury News ^ | 4/21/04 | Dion Nissenbaum

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO - Five months into his term, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is struggling to fulfill his campaign pledge to bring a new era of openness to California's Capitol.

Instead of eradicating closed-door deals, Schwarzenegger has brought the smoke-filled room back into style by pitching a deal-making smoking tent outside his office. That is where he helped broker his workers' compensation reform plan, which, contrary to his campaign promise, was rushed through a legislative committee last week in the dead of night with no public comment.

Tuesday, the Schwarzenegger administration abruptly pulled the first plank of its political-reform package from a key policy committee amid signs the measure to ban fundraising during the budget-drafting process was headed for defeat.

Lack of effort alleged

The governor's decision to put the issue on the back burner is drawing criticism from political-reform advocates who are beginning to question Schwarzenegger's commitment to his campaign promises.

[NormsRevenge]

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[verity]

A pledge is not a vow! ;~)

[MegaSilver]

I don't belie (sp?) anyone for voting Ah-nold (let's face it; anyone's better than Gray Davis and his Reconquidista Lt.), but I can't say I expected much less.

[Carry_Okie]

In Schwarzneggerese, it's an open-air tent, therefore it's open government. ;-)

[calcowgirl]

A pledge is not a vow! ;~)

LOL.

Entry:       pledge 
Function:    verb 
Definition:  guarantee 
Synonyms:    contract, covenant, engage, give word, hock, hook, mortgage, pawn, 
             plight, promise, sign for, soak, swear, undertake, vouch, vow 
Concept:     promise 
Source:      Roget's Interactive Thesaurus, First Edition (v 1.0.0)

[tubebender]

Has there been an analysis of the Workers Comp bill posted anywhere yet...