Posted on 09/02/2005 2:59:40 PM PDT by calcowgirl
SACRAMENTO -- Facing widespread opposition to his special election, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Friday that if voters reject a proposed spending restraint on the November ballot, he might be forced to raise taxes.
Schwarzenegger previewed a campaign theme in a morning radio interview, predicting that new taxes might be the only alternative if voters reject Proposition 76, the "Live Within Our Means" act.
Asked on Sacramento station KTKZ-1380 AM what he might do to avert future budget deficits if the spending control is defeated, Schwarzenegger said:
"Then we have to look at raising taxes, because this is the only option we have, in order to create the money. And this is why I tell people vote yes on Proposition 76 and make sure that we do everything that we can to pass this proposition so that we force our legislators once and for all to live within their means and not to continue spending money and to keep making promises to people that they can't keep."
Schwarzenegger's comments came amid a new statewide poll showing little appetite for the Nov. 8 special election that he depicts as central to his "year of reform" agenda.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
excellant response... what can I say ? ( as he tips his hat )
Couldn't agree more. As I said earlier, Arnold has been a huge disappointment. Many of us appear to agree--heard on the morning news that less than 39% would vote for him again (don't recall what kind of poll this was).
That was probably the Field Poll. They seem to be coming out every week now.
http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2170.pdf
9/7/2005 #2170: Majority not inclined to re-elect Schwarzenegger. Democratic challengers not well-known, but poll well against the Governor. Feinstein demonstrating early strength in her re-election bid for U.S. Senate.
http://field.com/fieldpollonline/subscribers/RLS2167.pdf
9/2/2005 #2167: Schwarzenegger’s and state legislature’s approval ratings remain low. Voters want special election called off.
I didn't realize that the interview that is the subject of this thread was done by Dan Weintraub. The transcript gives a bit more context, although none of it encouraging.
http://www.sacbee.com/static/weblogs/insider/
I interviewed Schwarzenegger on KTKZ 1380 in Sacramento this morning and asked him if his reform proposal was his last shot at balancing the budget without raising taxes, as he pledged to do when he ran for governor in 2003. Schwarzenegger has said that Proposition 76 is a crucial piece of his plan to finish erasing the state's structural budget gap, which has shrunk from about $10 billion to $6 billion since he was elected. But he's never said what he would do if the voters decided they don't want to give him the tools he says he needs. I asked him about that possible scenario.
Here is a transcript of the exchange:
Governor: "I think we have to understand, there's only two ways to balance a budget. Theres only two ways to go. One is that we live within our means and that we only spend what we have, which is the way we should go, the responsible way. The other one is the way, the direction they are going right now, which is to spend more and more money and what they want to do is drive us into a corner so that they can raise taxes."
Weintraub: "You've put the solution out there, you've put your answer out there. If it is not adopted, won't you then be into that very corner and forced to consider --
Governor: "Absolutely. Absolutely. Then we have to look at raising taxes. Because this is the only option we have in order to create the money. This is why I tell people, vote yes on Proposition 76, and make sure that we do everything we can to pass this proposition so that we force our legislators once and for all to live within their means and not to continue spending money and to keep making promises to people that they can't keep."
Not encouraging at all, but quite consistent with what we have come to expect from Governor Do-Nothing.
Those who know me know that I am not happy about this! I have been unhappy ever since the wheels were yanked off the Recall Election by the musclebound celuloid imaginary "hero" in the very first place. I was leary that the car theif financed it, as well, rather than leave it up to the efforts of "the people!" (grassroots)(Political Parties were worthless in a wide-open Recall Election)
Sure, it might have failed, but having it taken over by these movie stars and millionaires was just devasting to the whole historic deal, IMO!!! I know you have to raise enough money to use the TV media in order to win, but that's not a great incontrovertable truth in every imaginable scenario!!!
It then seems that our government is only for the super-rich to participate in and I think that's terrible!!! The super-rich are not always the super-smart!!!
Oh that is priceless. Thanks for the laugh.
Ditto that.
LOL!
No, that's more a fact. He doesn't have the legislature, and he's constitutionally required to balance the budget. Assuming he's not going to break the law, that's the only option he has.
Yah, because the Governor can just cut spending wherever he wants...
>>Assuming he's not going to break the law, that's the only option he has.
What part of Cut, Cut, Cut are you forgetting?
And what about that Veto pen?
How can you possibly say that raising taxes is the only option he has?
Then he shouldn't have proposed all that increase in spending should he?
Cut how? Does the budget come from the Governors office? (Hint: It's probably in your 2nd grade Textbook)
So he vetoes the budget. Then what? They send him another one. So he vetoes that. Then what?
He's trapped. The D's know they can't lose because of the jerrymander, and he can't win. He must balance the budget, eventually, assuming the D's don't blink, which, since they can't lose, they have little reason to blink, he must sign one eventually.
Show me a logical way out of this and I'll concede the point.
Ummm... YES, it does. The governor is the one who proposes the butdget. You better lose that second grade textbook and start looking at the state constitution instead.
So he vetoes the budget. Then what? They send him another one.
While you are reading up on the duties of government officials, pay specific attention to the words "line item veto," a power the governor currently has. That should show you how ridiculous it is to say that "he is trapped."
Stop it. The family is starting to wonder what I'm cackling about in here.
Arnold has an entire arsenal of budgetary tools at his command, if he is motivated enough to use them all. The problem we are having is that, so far, he has lacked the will and persistence to carry out his campaign promises.
Wull... It sure ain't because yer layin eggs! Else you'd be saying "Look look look... What I Got!!!" "Look look look... What I Got!!!" Bwaaaaaaaak!!!
"While you are reading up on the duties of government officials, pay specific attention to the words "line item veto," a power the governor currently has. "
So what happens the next time a Democrat gets elected ?
The tools the Governor has are in effect polishing tools, never designed to completely overrule a legislature elected by the people.
"Schwarzenegger has said that Proposition 76 is a crucial piece of his plan to finish erasing the state's structural budget gap ..."
When I voted for him, I fully expected him to work to put into place structural changes in State Government, that will exist much longer then the 7 ( dare we hope for 11 ?) years he will spend as Governor - and his props are the keys to doing that.
>>So what happens the next time a Democrat gets elected ?
Any additional power you give to this governor will be there for all future governors.
>> I fully expected him to work to put into place structural changes in State Government.... and his props are the keys to doing that.
Well, that's where we disagree. IMO, his props are not key to doing that and he hasn't used the tools he currently has.
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