Protests Reshape Race for Governor

LA Times ^ | 3/30/06 | Robert Salladay

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO — As protesters took to the streets of Los Angeles in record-setting numbers in recent days, the highest-ranking immigrant in California, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was asked what should be done about the millions of people living in California illegally.

"I'll let the geniuses in Washington figure all that out," he replied.

Though the answer may have sounded flip, he later offered detailed comments about illegal immigration. But the moment spoke to the pressure Schwarzenegger and the two main Democratic candidates for governor suddenly face to take a stand as federal lawmakers tackle immigration policy.

Until the protests, the three candidates had barely mentioned the subject. They have been sticking to far less emotional topics such as traffic and budget reform. But as the demonstrations and a statewide poll reveal, the public has something besides deficits and offramps on its mind.

A poll released today by the Public Policy Institute of California shows that illegal immigration has emerged as the top concern among Republicans in the state and the second most important among all of those surveyed. With the exception of education, the subjects that all three candidates have embraced have fallen behind.

The governor has not entirely ignored illegal immigration. He offered support for the civilian Minuteman border-patrol group last year and said California should "close the border," a comment he quickly rescinded.

On Tuesday, he outlined his views on immigration in an opinion piece in The Times. He endorsed a guest-worker program to help California businesses and argued against "criminalizing immigrants for coming here," though he also said that making citizens out of all illegal immigrants in the United States would be "anarchy."

Schwarzenegger wanted to convey that "you have to look at this two ways: compassionately and with the rule of law," said Matthew Dowd, the

[NormsRevenge]

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was asked what should be done about the millions of people living in California illegally.

"I'll let the geniuses in Washington figure all that out," he replied.

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Considering one of the "geniuses" and a co-sponsor of the McCain Kennedy immigration reform package just helped you raise over 2 million at an La funddraiser recently and the other co-sponsor is your "genius" uncle, how genius was it for you to make that statement?

[NormsRevenge]

He offered support for the civilian Minuteman border-patrol group last year ..

--

He did?

He sure didn't do much if anything for the California State Border Police initiative when those petitions were circulated ...

But he didn't have a problem having petition signature gatherers pile up signatures at $3 a pop for his own initiatives, none which passed, ironically enough.

[Amerigomag]

This has been a long time coming and I'm glad it's here.

California has progressively suffered from the economic terror of unregulated immigration since the late 1980s. It's a pity that it took so long for the threat to be recognized.

This forum was a lone voice in the wilderness just 10 years ago and many on this forum called those who raised this issue single issue idiots when the outcry started. Today, there are only a handful who frequent this forum that still want to stick their heads in the sand.

It is refreshing to click on a link and see the majority join the crusade. We've come a long way baby.

[calcowgirl]

So the LA Times is following the Matthew Dowd script.

Here we go... pander, pander, pander.

[NormsRevenge]

New blood, same old tune..

They just moved it out of the WH for now and into California, the home of half the illegals in the US.

[calcowgirl]

...many on this forum called those who raised this issue single issue idiots ...

Calling illegal immigration a single issue is like calling government a single issue... or history... or culture.
Illegal immigration effects the economy, taxes, education, health care, the environment, crime, etc.

Should California be spending $222 billion for more schools, more water, more roads, more prisons,
affordable housing, etc. to accommodate illegal aliens? I say no.

[Amerigomag]

Immediately after taking office, the governor overturned a state law that allowed illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses, and he did not suffer politically for it — numerous Democrats, independents and Republicans supported the policy change.

And the myth keeps being perpetuated. The Austrian's only action was in not vetoing SBX 3. The legislature, both Democrats and Republicans, feeling the searing heat of an outraged electorate after their passage of SB60, repealed SB60 as soon as Rico Oiler introduced the legislation and Gil Cedillo joined him in it's sponsorship.

California's legislature, under direct threat from California's electorate, repealed SB60. The Austrian simply got out of the way until the time came for a photo op and then the Wilsonegger gang hyped the Austrian's go along to get along, ceremonial performance. Just after the ink dried and the legisltion was booked, the gang began taking credit for the actions of others, as if an executive decree had been issued.

I can't honestly determine if it's more shameless for the political class to reinforce this myth or for California's electorate to keep letting them get away with it.

[Sir Francis Dashwood]

Should California be spending $222 billion for more schools, more water, more roads, more prisons, affordable housing, etc. to accommodate illegal aliens? I say no.

I say hell no...