Posted on 03/14/2005 8:51:30 PM PST by NormsRevenge
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger criticized state unions for not acting in the public interest and said he does not have a gripe with nurses or teachers, just the unions that represent them.
In an interview on MSNBC's "Hardball," California's Republican governor complained about a state law that prohibits schools from contracting out to mow lawns, repair roofs and do other fixes at schools.
"It cost the California school system, our education system, $300 million extra," Schwarzenegger said. "Do you think that's to the public's interest or is it to the unions' interest? Think about that."
The California Teachers Association and the Education Coalition - an association of unions, school administrators and others - have opposed the governor's proposal for merit pay for teachers and accuse him of breaking a promise he made last year, shorting $2 billion.
Schwarzenegger also has had a long-running political battle with the 60,000-member California Nurses Association over the nation's only mandatory staffing levels for hospitals. The new rules, passed by the Legislature in 1999 and signed by then-Gov. Gray Davis, required one nurse for each six patients by Jan. 1, 2004, and one nurse for each five patients by Jan. 1, 2005.
In November, Schwarzenegger issued emergency orders to study the issue further and delay the one-in-five ratios until 2008, agreeing with hospital industry contentions that a statewide nursing shortage meant following the regulation would be impossible.
Since then, nurses have picketed his public events, attacked him in television ads and paid for fly-by aerial advertising critical of his action. The governor, in turn, has called the CNA a special interest and told attendees at one forum that he was "kicking their butts."
"It is not the nurses. It is the unions that I'm against," he said.
He added that anybody who tries to create a wedge between a politician and the people is a "special interest."
"If it is a union or if it is a drug company, it makes no difference," he said. "All of them are special interests, because they're looking out for themselves."
Schwarzenegger also responded to a judge's ruling earlier Monday that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. San Francisco County Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer struck down not only the state's one man-one woman marriage law but also Proposition 22, a 2000 voter initiative that prevented California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.
The decision was immediately appealed and will likely be decided by the state Supreme Court. Schwarzenegger, who backs domestic partnerships, said he doesn't "believe in gay marriage" but would not try to amend the state constitution if the Supreme Court rules a ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional.
"I think that this will be now going eventually to the Supreme Court in California, and we will see what the decision is," he said. "And whatever that decision is, we will stay by that, because I believe in abiding by the law and sticking with the law."
go get 'em Arnie.
Let's hope he is serious...unions are ruining everything they touch, just like liberal leftists...the Midas Touch, but what they touch does not turn into gold....
Arnold just went ten notches in my book. I hope the average dummy starts to look at what the unions have done to us.
I'm with you Arnold! I finally stopped paying union dues at my school. I told them I couldn't afford that money comming out of my paycheck. Got a small argument, but what can they do? I won!
He's fighting a lonely battle against incredibly powerful state interests and an entrenched, intractable legislature. They will do their best to paint him as out of touch movie star who "doesn't keep his 'promises'".
The radical liberal interests have developed a strategic plan to try to sideline the Gov. by convincing the public that he's a sell out. Trouble is, he's not. However, the opposition is no longer underestimating him, and they've stepped up their campaigns with BIG TIME $$$ against him. I hope he prevails, but the forces arrayed here are exceeded in their power only by their hypocracy.
"If it is a union or if it is a drug company, it makes no difference," he said. "All of them are special interests, because they're looking out for themselves."
Arnold 'gets it'.. and hes got the balls or at least the synthetic testosterone to stand up to these special interests and fight for the average person.
He added that anybody who tries to create a wedge between a politician and the people is a "special interest.""If it is a union or if it is a drug company, it makes no difference," he said. "All of them are special interests, because they're looking out for themselves."
I thought a 'wedge' between a politician and the people was a lobbyist?
Tune in tomorrow, same Bat Station , same Bat Channel..
The unions in this state suck.. my husband is forced to join in order to work for the court system.. and they are so leftist it stinks!
I finally stopped paying union dues at my school. I told them I couldn't afford that money comming out of my paycheck. Got a small argument, but what can they do? I won!
Don't try that in Washington State. That is a firing offense. You belong or you don't have a job. State law and it sucks.
Bump
Scrap the unions!....Just like they killed Detroit....they are killing America!
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