Schwarzenegger pushes initiatives in candid talk

SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his allies have begun an expansive final push to swing public opinion before Californians head to the polls to vote on his special election initiatives Nov. 8.

Part of that effort was an interview with The Record on Thursday in which Schwarzenegger touted his ballot proposals, trashed the state's public employee unions and defended his relationship with California's building trades -- his largest source of campaign dollars.

Schwarzenegger has endorsed six of the eight ballot initiatives appearing on the ballot, but he is focusing on four:

Proposition 74 would extend public teachers' probationary periods from two to five years.

Proposition 75 would require public employee unions to receive written permission from their members before using their money for political purposes.

Proposition 76 would give a governor broad new powers to balance the state's budget when tax revenue falls short of expectations, including the power to short-circuit the education funding guarantee created by Proposition 98. Schwarzenegger did not mention Proposition 76 during Thursday's interview.

Proposition 77 would strip from lawmakers the power to create their own districts and give it to a three-person panel of retired judges chosen from a random pool by legislative leaders.

But Schwarzenegger said that of all the initiatives he's pushing, Central Valley residents ask him most often about Proposition 74, which he said will help weed out incompetent teachers before they earn permanent status.

"The people in the Valley are disappointed that they have such a huge drop-out rate," Schwarzenegger said. "They tell me that their kids get lost when they drop out, and they cannot then catch on, and they don't go to vocational education. They just drift around. It's very hard for those kids to get jobs."

Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez called Schwarzenegger's assumption "a pretty big leap."

"So you're going to hold teachers for a longer probationary period? How's that going to transform our education system?" Núñez said. "Voters are smarter than that."

Public employee unions -- teachers, state employees, nurses, law enforcement and the like -- have been Schwarzenegger's loudest critics this year in no small part because his initiatives confront their power directly.

Schwarzenegger said he was shocked at what he sees as total union control of the Democrats who run the Legislature.

"I was surprised about the honesty of it," he said. "The unions come in with their purple shirts and they roam around the building and they just lobby and they just threaten. They come in and just say, 'Hey, you better vote my way and you better pass this bill out; otherwise, we won't support your campaign anymore.' And then all those guys crumple."

"When you think about what is derailing California right now, and what has been for years, it's the public employees unions," he said. "They have collected so much money that they have control over the legislators."

"Those comments are unbecoming of the governor I know," he said. "But when you're running behind in the polls and your image is in peril, you have to use whatever lift you can find."

Schwarzenegger said Proposition 77 would help weaken union control over the Legislature by creating more competitive political districts. The theory is that the more competitive the district becomes, the more moderate the politician must be to win it. He cited as a case study of the current problem the 2004 state Senate race between Linden Democrat Michael Machado and former Stockton Mayor Gary Podesto. The governor said Machado's district was rigged to keep him in office.

"Everyone, you know, admitted it," Schwarzenegger said. "It was the redistricting, the way it was carved out. You couldn't really get an incumbent out of office."

Machado aide Jody Fujii said if her boss's district was so gerrymandered, why did the GOP spend $5 million trying to take it?

"This sounds like someone who is a little upset because he didn't win a seat in the fall," Fujii said. None of Schwarzenegger's endorsed candidates won in the 2004 elections.

This election, a united Democratic-public union alliance has thus far raised about $100 million to defeat Schwarzenegger's proposals, and the state party is planning a massive get-out-the-vote effort that includes phone banks in Stockton.

Mike Murphy, one of Schwarzenegger's consultants, said they will not reach $100 million but will easily be able to spend $3 million a week to blanket statewide airwaves in the final weeks -- not to mention spend millions on an unprecedented absentee balloting and voter-turnout campaign.Absentee voters began casting ballots Monday.

Fueling that effort is millions from business and industry, especially the developers. Stockton mega-developer Alex Spanos has contributed $2 million to the governor's effort this year and is expected to host a fund-raiser for Schwarzenegger at his home next week.

Schwarzenegger said real estate contributes to him because he shares much of their vision for California.

"We need more homes, we need more power, we need more water, we need more hospitals, we need more emergency rooms, more freeways, more highways, more tunnels. It's all about building, building, building," he said.

"When I think about when East Germany and West Germany came together, how Berlin was building and building -- there were thousands of cranes all over the place -- that's they way I want to see it in California. I want to see us build to match up to those challenges that are facing us, rather than always being behind the ball."

Public polls taken last month showing all of Schwarzenegger's initiatives failing except Proposition 75. Murphy said internal polling shows them rebounding, and a survey of Los Angeles County voters released Thursday suggests the same.

All this gives Schwarzenegger hope he can pull off some kind of win. "The more you communicate with the people, the more people really get into it and thinking about it," he said. "And, listening to both sides, the more they decide that they're with us."

Below are excerpts from Record Capitolbureau chief Hank Shaw’s interview with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Thursday morning.

On education woes in the Central Valley: I would say that the one thing that theyall have in common is that they all want to have education reform and they allfeel that the most important thing is that they have the best teachers in theschools and that they are able to get rid of the worst teachers becausethey’re frustrated.

The people in the Valley are disappointedthat they have such a huge drop-out rate. They tell me that their kids get lostwhen they drop out and they cannot then catch on and they don’t go tovocational education. They just drift around – it’s very hard forthose kids to get jobs. So we have to do a much better job when it comes toeducation and this is why Proposition 74 is so important.

On redistricting: Right now I have friends of mine calling me– politicians – who are saying, ‘What are you doing with thisredistricting Arnold?It took me $800 to win my re-election. Now I have to go out and when you do theredistricting we have to go out and start campaigning and spending money anddoing fund-raising.’

And I said, ‘That’s the idea.That’s the least thing you can do is to get the people’s trust. Youhave to go out, and you have to show off what you have to offer. What did youaccomplish? What bills did you introduce? What did you vote for? You know whatkind of things were you involved in? What have you done for your community? Thenwe will judge you based on that and we’re going to vote for him again orwe are not. But to, you know, just spend $800 – that’s notfair.’

On public employee unions: When you think about what is derailing California right now,and what has been for years, it’s the public employees unions. It’snot the individual unions out there, it is the public employee unions. Theyhave collected so much money that they have control over the legislators. Andthe legislators cannot make a deal with me, and cannot make a compromise dealto move forward to the November election together – Democrats andRepublicans alike – because the unions tells them, “nope, we have$100 million. Let us beat up on the governor.” That is how they pull thestrings in Sacramento.

This goes right back to the railroad baronsover a hundred years ago. I mean when you read those stories of what HiramJohnson was confronted with, why he created the reforms, it is all exactly thesame. There is not one decision that’s being made about what’s bestfor education. Every single thing they debate there is like, “well,let’s check with the teacher’s union.” You know whatI’m saying? So how can you move education forward?

On his re-election plansfor 2006: “Let me tell you that I don’tever talk about 2006 other than when I announced that I would run again. I toldmy whole team never to talk about 2006 and not even to think about it. Thesimple reason is because I believe always that you have to focus on your nextgoal. The goal is to win in 2005, on Nov. 8, and to have true reform. Becausethat will then enable the state to move forward in a positive way and to createa future that is really promising….But if I start thinking about myelection in 2006, if I start thinking about myself, we’re not going toget there.

On the final three weeks: You see tremendous momentum going our wayon all of our initiatives. The more you communicate with the people the morepeople really get into it and thinking about it. And, listening to both sides,the more they decide that they’re with us.

So I’m very happy about that becauseI think that the key thing is the people here in this whole election. If they want to move us forward, then they have to vote ‘yes’ on thoseinitiatives. There’s no two ways about it. If they’re happy withthe way things are today, if they want to move the state backwards then they will vote ‘no’ on those initiatives.

There’s one quote that I made duringthe campaign, when I ran for governor. I said if the special interests push mearound, I will push back. And that’s exactly what I’m doing now. Iam pushing back.

... Just curious. Do you get paid by the post or by the vote?

Norm, I think you're more effective when you just play the straight man for the ilk. When you play the ilk role yourself you get too snivelly.

I for one appreciate your posts and your efforts on behalf of those of us in CA who would like to see some movement toward a more sensible government.

---

Yeah, keep pushing that "conservative" (GLBT/GanGReen) agenda, FO, and don't make any more cuts at all to the bloated budgets that will continue to be proposed by such a staunch conservative Gov.

I'm all GReen with envy for all your successes foisting GanGReen as a reasonable solution to what ails this state..

---

republicofdavis -- Yes, it's liberals! So you use the tactics of those whom you attempt to smear me by association to smear me. Beautiful!

Oh, republicofdavis, shucks, you should be flattered, a self avowed old democrat now wearing a moderate mantle.. I learned it all from old libs like you, if that is any comfort.

"Yeah, keep pushing that "conservative" (GLBT/GanGReen) agenda, FO, and don't make any more cuts at all to the bloated budgets that will continue to be proposed by such a staunch conservative Gov."

I can't speak for anyone else but I doubt that there has been a great deal of effort to characterize Arnold as a "conservative" governor. He has taken some actions that would have been taken by a conservative and some that would not have.

I'm sure we would agree about some of those actions and disagree about others. In my opinion, the state is moving in a better direction than it was when Davis was Governor. Arnold has played a major role in that. I really don't think that can be denied. But you probably will.

These props are another step. A good sensible step. There could certainly be more done. But this is it for now. I guess I havn't been paying attention but do you have substantive disagreement with the Arnold-backed props? Or do you just like to hassle FairOpinion?

Good afternoon.
"Key Supporters: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Chamber of Commerce, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association.
AND Tom McClintock, Ray Haynes.

Key Opponents: California Teachers Association, California Democratic Party, California Labor Federation."

That pretty much tells any thinking person how to vote on the propositions.

Michael Frazier

Arnold has played a major "role" in that.

A slip of the tongue, no doubt.

I'm sorry, was there another way I was supposed to spell that? Oh wait, I get it. You think it's funny that I used the word role because, although appropriate in the context, it also reminds us that he used to make a living as an actor. Hey, that's funny NormsRevenge!

Don't bother addressing the substance. Just keep those jokes coming!

Yeah, I'm sure we'll both be laughing when we both see the results of just blindly voting for reforms without bothering to look at the details.

If you're a business or property owner, you already do feel or have felt the effects and there will be more to come.

"just keep gulping the koolaid."

I've seen this phrase a thousand times but it's the first time it's been directed at me. Can't you do better? It really is a tired cliche. Everybody's throwing it at each other in the Miers threads so much that it's really lost it's rhetorical punch for me.

Couldn't you use, oh I don't know, well I guess I'm not going to give you any ideas. But the whole Kool-aid thing is silly. If I prefer one politician over a different one than I'm, what, buying into everything they feed me, no matter what? Because with Arnold, that's not true.

But it's probably not worth trying to explain. It does help my typing skill though

Norm,

I don't understand your criticism in the context of this thread, which is about some initiatives that are long overdue and great for California.

I am a conservative Californian. I am more conservative than Arnold and don't agree with him on everything, but I admire him for taking on the public employee unions. If Prop 75 passes, we eventually will be able to cut some spending--ie, these ridiculous public employee unions.

None of Schwarzenegger's endorsed candidates won in the 2004 elections.

The article is wrong.
Assemblywoman Shirley Horton, former mayor of Chula Vista, barely squeaked through and only because of Arnold's vivid endorsement down here.

"Yeah, I'm sure we'll both be laughing when we both see the results of just blindly voting for reforms without bothering to look at the details."

I don't think I've ever just blindly voted for something. I usually consider myself pretty informed. Within that framework however, we can't know the future. We have to make our best estimates. We wouldn't have to go this route if the politicians actually did their jobs properly.

"If you're a business or property owner, you already do feel or have felt the effects and there will be more to come."

I'm not but my mother-in-law is. There's definitely been some good news under Arnold, particularly in regards to workers comp costs. Also the overall economy and business climate has improved for her (Arnold's doing? Not all -- but some. I'd expect that would not have been as positive under Davis)

"That's the problem with ya, you say a lot without really saying much at all, imo."

That's the University of California for ya. Apparently we arrive at the same end through different means.

We have a VERY SMALL, but also VERY VOCAL, not to say vicious little group, who are pushing the Dem agenda, while loudly proclaiming their true conservative natures. It really upsets them, when I point out plain facts.

Their latest effort is to rally people AGAINST the reform propositions, which are supported by REAL conservatives, while proclaiming how conservative they are.

And they attack anyone who dares to disagree with them.

They supported McClintock, or so they said, but the effect was trying to split conservatives, to get Bustamante elected. Now they try to split conservatives, to help Democrats defeat the reform propositions, even though McClintock is supporting Arnold's propositions.

McClintock, Arnold, I and others have been consistent, they are the ones who are on whatever side it takes to be on, to help the Democrats, but they keep insisting they are the "real conservatives" and those of us who actually do want to advance the conservative agenda aren't.

You just walked in and made some common sense comments, which they just can't tolerate.

"keep pushing that "conservative" (GLBT/GanGReen) agenda"

====

Please do not make up things about me.

Show me ONE single post, where I advocated anything resembling what you are accusing me of.

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