Posted on 12/05/2005 9:34:40 AM PST by NormsRevenge
OPINION
When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Democrat Susan Kennedy as his new chief of staff last week, it was a shrewd tactical move.
State Republicans groused that Schwarzenegger's hiring of the former aide to Gray Davis and former executive director of the California Democratic Party is a betrayal of his constituency. Really? Isn't the constituency of the governor all the residents of California, rather than just the members of one political party?
We think so, and so, evidently, does the governor. This is a welcome attempt to reach out to all voters. It affords the Democratic leadership the chance to join the governor in working to solve the state's problems and heal the rifts caused by the special election.
Hail to the chief (of staff)
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-arnold5dec05,0,1656010.story?coll=la-news-comment-editorials
IT'S NO SURPRISE THAT LOYAL Republicans are unhappy — OK, appalled — with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's choice for his new chief of staff, Democratic stalwart Susan Kennedy. Nor is it unexpected that some of the Democratic faithful will now find it difficult to trust her as the No. 1 aide to the Republican governor. Both sides are overreacting.
Kennedy comes with an impeccable Democratic pedigree: former executive director of the California Democratic Party, aide to Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Cabinet secretary to former Gov. Gray Davis. Can she leave all that baggage at the door to the governor's office?
She needs and deserves time — a few months at least. Kennedy certainly has the credentials. During the last two years, in addition to serving on the California Public Utilities Commission, Kennedy has been a member of the California Bay-Delta Authority, the body created to oversee the San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, the water source for millions of Californians. Schwarzenegger wants to overhaul the federal-state administrative structure to give it more focus and authority. Kennedy could provide the muscle and expertise to get that done.
Kennedy is also widely viewed as smart, perceptive and efficient. All of those qualities are needed in this governor's office. And she should be able to negotiate well with legislative leaders.
Nonetheless, self-styled experts and readers of tea leaves looked for a deeper meaning in the governor's choice. Is he moving to the left to better position himself for his reelection campaign next fall? After all, he was drubbed at the polls Nov. 8, when all four of the ballot initiatives he backed were voted down. And the defeat came after a year in which he had shifted to the right, embraced the California business community and vociferously brawled with Democrats in the Legislature.
But the governor insists that there is no change in direction or political agenda. And there is no reason to doubt his word. Schwarzenegger said he learned after the special election that Californians want the governor and Legislature to solve problems on their own in Sacramento and not abuse the initiative process.
Now, the other lesson he seems to be learning is that his executive staff in the horseshoe-shaped Capitol suite was pushed and pulled by internal conflict, much of it ideological. Some think that a new chief of staff by itself will not change that; Schwarzenegger needs to change his governing style. That may be true, but early signs are that Kennedy will have the authority to bring order.
And the governor has indicated he will become more of a manager in the office and less of a showman outside of it. With Kennedy at his side, that could be a winning combination.
uhhhhhhh Norm,
I didn't believe it when I read it and sure enough you mislabeled the origin of this editorial, it's the dailynews.com not the OC Register.
Carry on, I'll be in the area all day. LOL
Semper Fi,
Kelly
oops ,, Thanks!
Well, for sure appointing a lib demo to Gov S's staff will shore up the previously sagging support from Republicans.
I voted for the "Terminator" (while holding my nose as McC was the better man by far) for reason that the Demo candidate was so much worse.
Sort of a case of voting for the socialist candidate to defeat the communist candidate.
Yep, that sleazy Oracle deal and those little multi-billion Energy crisis contracts
(which she pushed threatening "Armageddon") are right up the Dems alley.
Well, okay then. Purge all the conservatives and Republicans and you will have ideological unity. Great move Arnold(R). When are you going to change the letter next to your name?
Really? My fault? (FYI, I strongly supported Props 73, 74, and 75.) Look closely, grasshopper. He has been doing this since elected--and before.
Answer me this since you have this all figured out. If Arnold turned left only as a reaction to the special election, to what do you attribute his other leftist actions over the past years? Here's a few:
Let me guess.
The William Creel account was opened by the Leon Panetta wing of the CAGOP. The account operatives have had their last go at a politically conservative forum.
Next week they and the Austrian's new chief of staff are off to DU to rejoin the brethren.
So, he was blackmailing us with his propositions?
You are not seriously saying that a person should vote for something they don't believe is a good thing just to keep an elected official from crossing over party lines? That is NOT the way I vote.
Wonder what you would have done to keep Jeffords from changing to a dem?
WC--he has strong support from conservatives on a budget cap, and still does (me included, if he will pursue it). Unfortunately, Prop 76 wasn't a budget cap. It deferrred more expense and authorized more bonds/borrowing. He was provided draft legislation that was a real spending cap, but he chose the masked borrowing initiative instead.
The unions out spent him on the props. Most of us voted for them but the goons turned out their base and this is California...
Cowgirl, you must have taken George Bush's place ;o)
LOL!
calcowgirl has explained the the budget cap better than I ever could. As to Arnold's redistricting plan, well, I just didn't like it. It is not up to you to tell me that my opinion is wrong. It is MY opinion and a lot of hard core Sacramento conservatives were split on this issue. I will not let redistricting be left in the hands of retired, non-elected CA judges.
Quite frankly, I am sick of hearing from you that Arnold's pick of Kennedy is "our" fault. That is just reminiscent of the "hate America" crowd that likes to blame 9-11 on the US! This was Arnold's decision, not the voters fault. This is plain and simple a case of blackmail. (and it seems to have backfired on good old Arnold as he has now lost almost all of his conservative support)
Is that the same as the French Wing? I am having a hard time keeping all of these factions straight.
BillyBoy even suggested early this evening, in a creative spoof on a related thread, that the CAGOP was in communication with Davis to determine if he would switch his political registration and challenge the Austrian in the upcoming Republican primary.
Davis would head the REFORMED wing of the CAGOP.
Geeze!!!
All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put Arnie's army together again!!! (Burma Shave)
Sayanora... Swooners!!! Hasta La Vista Baybeeeeeeeeeeeeessssssssssssssssssss!!!
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