Ed Crisostomo / The Press-Enterprise
Gov. Schwarzenegger says he wanted to "pump up" Riverside backers at the Victoria Club.
Posted on 06/16/2006 8:53:39 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Gov. Schwarzenegger said Thursday that it wasn't a problem that the Legislature did not meet its constitutionally mandated deadline to pass a budget by the end of Thursday -- a feat lawmakers haven't accomplished since 1986.
"Pay no attention that they haven't met their deadline. I think within the next few days we will see a budget," Schwarzenegger said. "We can do a historical thing here."
In a meeting with The Press-Enterprise editorial board in Riverside, he predicted lawmakers will be able to resolve their differences over key issues such as health care for undocumented immigrant children, although he didn't outline what that compromise might be.
Schwarzenegger has said California should provide health care for undocumented children, parting ways with fellow Republicans on the contentious issue.
Republican lawmakers, some of whose votes are required to pass the $131 billion budget, say they won't vote for a spending plan that they believe encourages illegal immigration.
Although there are other sticking points for the Republicans, the one in question pertains to about $22 million the governor proposed for county health-insurance programs that cover undocumented children.
State Sen. Dennis Hollingsworth, R-Murrieta, said Senate Republicans are open to compromises, but haven't seen one yet that would get them to vote for the budget.
"It is my sense that there are no Republicans in our caucus who would be willing to vote for a budget that encourages and exacerbates the illegal immigration problem," he said. "It's simply not the right thing to do."
Hollingsworth agreed with the governor's prediction that a budget will be completed before the start of the fiscal year July 1.
Democratic and Republican leaders of the Legislature said negotiations on the spending plan would continue today.
Inland Voter Turnout Is Key
Before visiting the newspaper, Schwarzenegger stopped at the Victoria Club for a meeting he described as an opportunity to "pump up" his backers in anticipation of the November election. The Victoria Club is Riverside's oldest private country club.
He urged them to help get out the vote in the region and his campaign staff asked for fundraising help, said Doug Jacobs, a Riverside developer who attended the meeting.
Voter turnout in the region in last week's primary election lagged several percentage points behind the statewide figure of 28 percent.
Hollingsworth predicted the governor will get more supporters out to the polls in November.
Schwarzenegger's Democratic competitor for governor had a different take on things Thursday, especially after reviewing the region's voter turnout figures in recent elections.
"The Schwarzenegger campaign is in real trouble, and they are terrified," said Nick Papas, a spokesman for Phil Angelides, the state's treasurer and Democratic gubernatorial nominee. "I take the numbers to be proof of that."
Turnout in San Bernardino County last week was 20.85 percent of registered voters -- a record low -- and was 20.96 percent in Riverside County, the lowest in at least a decade, registrars said.
Voters here traditionally have been reliable Republican voters, but many of them stayed home this month, and many also rejected Schwarzenegger's reform agenda in November.
Schwarzenegger put four initiatives on the ballot last year, but failed to get enough support for any of them to pass. Even Inland voters rejected most of the measures, despite their history of supporting him.
Optimistic About November
The governor said this election will be different.
"This is about who is going to lead the state," he said. "Do they like you?"
Schwarzenegger also is touting four infrastructure bonds on the November ballot and predicted those will do well, too, because they're supported by members of both parties.
"That's how it has to be sold," he said. "They will vote for it, and we are going to go out and sell it."
Two of the bonds received the support of a majority of voters in a poll last month, while two still lag behind.
A $4.1 billion flood-protection bond had support from 58 percent of likely November voters, according to a poll by The Field Institute that was prepared for The Press-Enterprise and other California media subscribers. A $19.9 billion transportation plan received the support of 57 percent of likely voters.
Two other measures didn't fare as well. A $10.4 billion education measure received the support of 48 percent of likely voters, and a $2.8 billion housing bond had even less support, 39 percent.
Jacobs, who ate salad with more than a dozen other Schwarzenegger supporters at the Victoria Club on Thursday, said the governor was confident at the meeting about his chances in November, because he expects to get credit from the Democrats for putting the bonds on the ballot.
"He seemed really happy about that ... really proud of that," said Jacobs, who left the meeting fired up about the governor and plans to send a donation later. "He really thinks that ... he can beat Angelides. I think he will, too."
Gov. Schwarzenegger says he wanted to "pump up" Riverside backers at the Victoria Club.
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Opinion piece also running in the Riverside paper today..
Many states require drivers to carry insurance on their cars, so why not make people who can afford medical insurance buy health coverage, too? Such a plan would still leave millions of Americans uninsured, but it could fill part of the health-care gap.
The American Medical Association voted this week to push a plan that would make health insurance mandatory for people earning more than five times the federal poverty level. That amounts to $49,000 annually for individuals or $100,000 for a family of four.
The AMA plan calls for these Americans to have at least catastrophic coverage policies, with tax incentives to help people buy coverage and tax penalties for those who fail to comply. The doctors' organization plans to lobby for federal legislation to put the mandates in place.
The position marks a change in approach for an organization that typically has resisted government mandates. But the idea of requiring health insurance gained momentum after Massachusetts adopted a ground-breaking health-care plan in April. Massachusetts' program combines individual mandates with government subsidies, to help ensure that every resident of the state has medical coverage.
The AMA's logic is compelling: People who needlessly rely on everyone else to pay the bills for severe health conditions are being irresponsible. Those who can afford health insurance but decline it put themselves at risk and potentially add to public health costs.
Many people may bristle at the idea of a government health-care mandate. But do they prefer paying the medical bills of people who don't bother to buy insurance? People should take at least basic responsibility for their own health, and the AMA proposal differs little in concept from auto insurance mandates.
The mandate proposal is not a cure-all, of course. The AMA estimates that the plan would involve about 5 million Americans -- mostly young, healthy workers. That's only about 11 percent of the 46 million Americans who lack health insurance.
But small advances in expanding health coverage can add up to a comprehensive solution.
Sac Bee yesterday
CA: Governor favors health care for undocumented children
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1650220/posts
Arnold would be in big trouble if the democrats ran a sane, moderate candidate against him.
They did not. Arnold will win.
As long as he doesn't pull a 'Simon', you're probably right.
The debates should be amusing.
I would have loved to have seen a DiFi and aRnold contest. lol
Sure they'll give him credit!
That's the only way they can try to paint their pork-filled Big Borrowing Bonanza as "bipartisan".
Critical care, I'd accept but routine medical care for illegals? Schooling for illegal children (as opposed to their "legal" anchor babies)? NO WAY.
Still, I can't say I'm pleased with his stand but it's not that different from Mr Compassionate Conservative in the White House now, is it?
We did OK with Prop 82, didn't we?
I hope you're right, but Prop 82 didn't have the media blitz that we will see with
the Infrastructure bonds. Lots and lots of people are looking for their payday.
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