Posted on 11/14/2005 7:43:17 AM PST by SmithL
California voters went to the polls last week and made their will known. Every one of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's propositions aimed at fixing the state's broken system was defeated. Propositions 74 (teacher tenure), 75 (public employee union dues), 76 (state spending) and 77 (redistricting) went down in flames. In other words, Californians voted for the status quo.
Voters may have opted for the current state of affairs because they saw the propositions as doing more harm than good. Unfortunately, there are no alternatives on the table.
Despite much caterwauling about the special election in the months before, the Democrats have yet to introduce any plans of their own for fixing the state's many problems. Perhaps that's because their involvement in California's decline is undeniable.
Between Democrats' refusal to cut spending, various unions looking out solely for their own interests, environmentalist obstructionism when it comes the state's energy needs and the influx of illegal immigration, there's no end in sight to California's woes.
This was the very reason voters recalled Democratic Gov. Gray Davis and replaced him with Schwarzenegger. But the governor has since lost some of that initial support by not capitalizing on his obvious star power and truly connecting with the public.
What the Union Label Buys
Indeed, the defeat of Schwarzenegger's propositions may have had more to do with a weak advertising campaign than anything else. While the governor raised sizable funds for ads and even spent a good deal of his own money, the unions far outspent him and it paid off. In fact, it was the most expensive election in California history.
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Bull!!!
I for one am sick and tired of this election loss being "blamed" on Arnold.
The real reasons for the losses are:
Ignorance, stupidity and the Democrats.
But I repeat myself.
I think that's the essence of it. The governor may have made more of a difference if he had climbed on top of his message early, and reinforced and repeated it, and firmly identified the enemy. In the end, it seems it was too little, too late, against an overwhelming negative barrage.
The unions spent hundreds of millions of dollars to hold ground. That is not a bad thing. They are weaker.
WE just have to keep hammering. Keep in mind unions from all over the country organzied against Arnold.
If Arnold had the same funds to start advertising months ago maybe things would have been different.
The unions are a tough nut to crack. But they CAN be cracked.
Anti-union propostions work by draining their moneys.
Even if they props dont pass. I say keep it up.
Keep BLEEDING them. they will eventually crack and lose.
California is dysfunctional. I keep asking them here.
Where is the money going to come from? Of course, no real answer on that.
I've heard excuses like-- he didn't convince voters of the need for a special election rather than working with the legislature first, he took on too much at one time, he took on all the unions at once, etc. It's all horsesh!t. He presented a reform agenda to California and they blew it. The voters of California deserve their crap future and Arnold should tell them all to go to hell and resign.
And I'd add that he can be our governor any time he wants. We'll take him.
This is also an example of how the Democrats control the agenda.
I was against the recall from the get go. My thought was that no way would a short term Republican governor get this state under control. So let this state wallow further in the slime created by the Dems, wait until the next scheduled election and get a real Republican in place.
Now Arnold is deemed a "failure" because the Democrats refuse to change their misspent ways.
I love many things about this state and never really wanted to move, but my wife and I are taking a serious look at Arizona. Maybe Tucson, maybe Flagstaff.
I'm very concerned that the Dems will put the responsibility for California's miserable future on Arnold's back, and the GOP's, by extension. That state is thoroughly hopeless.
there were other propositions all of them lost. I believe the majority of voters were just pissed off and voted ALL of them down, not just Arnold's propositions.
Would have been better if this was done a year ago. I'm not placing blame, just thinking it could have been combined with a regular election schedule.
I am angry, cause we spend all this money having a recall election, and sent this man to do a job then refused him the tools to do the job with.
I think California has one more year, and we cannot borrow any more $$$'s. The credit is drying up and they legislature and senate will be cornered.
Anyhow you look at it, California is screwed right now unless Mr. S, has a better idea.
There is a significant element of truth to that, but what really irked me was the anti proposition ads which were financed by the Dems:
Redistricting - 'Power grab by the Republicans'
Union dues - 'Republicans are trying to stop the Unions voice"
etc. The damn democrats are not interested in solving any problems, just in saving their own sorry asses.
the state of california is owned by the service unions. Until that is broke, we are not going to accomplish anything. I do believe that the dems are in there too, but the unions are running this state off the cliffs.
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