Posted on 01/23/2005 9:01:56 AM PST by SmithL
It's easy to critique Arnold Schwarzenegger's rookie year as California governor, and this space has contained its share of criticisms about errors of action and inaction.
If one were to generalize about those mistakes, it would be that he overpromised the voting public and specific interest groups, especially on fixing the deficit-saturated state budget.
It began on inauguration day 14 months ago, when his first act was to reinstate a very popular, $4 billion per year reduction in car taxes, while insisting that he could still fix the chronic budget gap. And it continued with promises to educators about school financing, and to voters about balancing the budget without deep spending cuts or tax increases.
In June, this column analyzed Schwarzenegger's problem this way:
"Despite his cigar-chomping, tough-guy image and his Terminator-like rhetoric, Schwarzenegger now comes across as someone who values popularity over effectiveness and never heard, or doesn't accept, Harry Truman's sage political advice: 'If you want a friend in Washington, get a dog.'
"Perhaps it's just that Hollywood and Sacramento are different cultures. In Hollywood, popularity is everything. If you can't get people to come to your movies, it doesn't matter how good an actor you may be. Conversely, you can be a very untalented actor, but if you can ring up box office receipts, Hollywood loves you. And Schwarzenegger loves to be loved.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
OK by me.
The columnists and state legislators are the ones who aren't serious.
Arnold is very serious.
And that is very good. The people of Kali should be proud of him.
However, I cannot, will not support a constitutional amendment to allow him to run for Prez.
I have noticed quite a few of these type articles and I cannot help but think they are a runup to future proposals to promote an amendment for him.
No way.
As someone who generally supports Schwarzenegger (except when he's wrong!), I agree. No need to amend the Constitution.
As a senator, he'd be an improvement over Barbara Boxer. But then again, my appendix would be in improvement over Boxer.
And it was removed in '74!
He'd not be my first choice, nor my second, nor my third, nor my fourth... but since Boxer would be my dead-last choice, he'd come ahead of her.
Dan
It was one thing for the Communist/socialist Black Caucus to challange in that way. It's expected. And the left is generally very condescending towards its minority vote (given the nature of the leading leftist spokesmouths for that minority, perhaps it's reasonable, if it weren't otherwise SOP for the leftist, in everything). But for the white and wealthy Boxer to do this, in pandering to the Michael Moore/McGovern wing, which is the bulk of the party, seemed almost a violation of D.C. courtesies - which is apparently the greatest sin, to those who won't otherwise confess the notion of sin. She was boorish, crude, that is, as seen by fellow insider leftists. It may be the thing for which she'll be remembered, even if now, contemporaneously, it's been almost ignored by both the liberal and conservative press.
Remember who is running this State. Not Arnold, but the legislature. All CRATS. Arnold is not a dictator and cannot pass bills alone. It takes the body of the legislature. He has moved slow in order to get some support of the CRATS. It's tough, but thats the Socialist State of California.
Two things are certain. 1) The column was approved by the editorial staff or it wouldn't have been published and 2) the advice wasn't offered to further conservative goals.
My guess is that McClatchy would like to see the Austrian stick around because, at heart, Schwarzenegger is a typical Eurowienie who will capitulate when "our" programs are threatened.
We need to NOT change the law that states natural born citizens can hold the office of President.
As much as I admire Schwarzenegger, we must not compromise.
Arnold is a fine governor, he is making the liberals very nervous, because he is sticking to his no new taxes pledge and is cutting spending.
Let's keep him governor for another term.
I think this whole thing about an amendment to have him run for president is a red herring, trying to turn people, who support Arnold, against him. He would also not be interested to be a Senator. Why would he want to be one of 100. He ran for governor to help California, not because he wanted fame and fortune -- he already had it.
Sorry Kennedys but you will not get back into the White House thru Arno either......
Arnold gave the Dems a chance to come on board, they didn't. So now he is going into his Terminator mode.
Here is Arnold's vision of CA's economy:
My Economic Policy
California needs someone to terminate taxes.
BY ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
Wednesday, September 24, 2003 12:01 a.m. EDT
I have often said that the two people who have most profoundly impacted my thinking on economics are Milton Friedman and Adam Smith. At Christmas I sometimes annoy some of my more liberal Hollywood friends by sending them a gift of Mr. Friedman's classic economic primer, "Free to Choose." What I learned from Messrs. Friedman and Smith is a lesson that every political leader should never forget: that when the heavy fist of government becomes too overbearing and intrusive, it stifles the unlimited wealth creation process of a free people operating under a free enterprise system.
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110004058
Still drinking the Koolaid and fabricating details FO? So that lurkers here don't fall for your loyalist dreams here are some facts:
1) Since Schwarzenegger took office he has proposed and approved the largest budgets in state's history.
2) Since Schwarzenegger took office he has proposed and supported the highest level of government taxation in state's history.
And ... just so you don't get creative with your next reply:
3) Since Schwarzenegger took office he has proposed and approved the greatest level of taxpayer indebtedness in the state's history.
Newsflash out of the "BOHEMIAN GROVE" eh??? Governator!
never forget that kalifornia is run by democrat trail lawyers and unions.
the gop evaporated.
Arnold promised all things to all people to get elected. No new taxes and no painful cuts to education. He was going to fix everything by identifying and eliminating waste.
You must not be very familiar with Dan Walters, as I would hardly describe him as a "liberal columnist". He is one of the most fair and tough-minded and accurate columnists in the state. The Claremont Institute describes him as having his "his right of center moments tempered by pragmatism." ARN says Dan Walters "is known for generally conservative views and most of all for exposing the maneuvering for political advantage and self-serving dealings of California politicians." And Tom McClintock's biograph quotes Dan Walters as saying that Tom has "consistently been one of the very few legislators who has been right about what California is experiencing."
The SacBee may be a liberal paper, but it employs great non-liberal columnists like Dan Walters and Daniel Weintraub. So stop jumping to false conclusions.
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