Dan Walters: Governor's all-in bet just bluff?

Sacramento Bee ^ | 2/12/8 | Dan Walters

[SmithL]

Anyone who has played no-limit poker, or at least watched it on television, savors the moment when a player calls "all-in," and shoves his or her chips into the middle of the table.

Does the bettor really have a winning hand and want someone to call, or is it a bluff, daring others to risk their chips by matching the wager? Other players intently study the all-in bettor's face and hands for clues, or "tells," as gamblers term them.

The absolutely worst mistake by an all-in player would be to reveal that it's merely a bluff. And that's what Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appears to be doing with his all-in bet on the state budget, calling for billions of dollars in spending cuts to close a chronic and worsening deficit and flatly insisting that he wouldn't raise taxes.

He had scarcely released his budget in January, however, when he appeared before The Bee's editorial board, and when asked about draconian spending cuts uttered these words:

"The budget is always a proposal ... that stimulates the conversation, and everyone starts then getting into the mix. And what I was doing with this budget is just say, 'Here's the reality,' and the reality will rattle the cage, and everyone will wake up and there's no time anymore to wait; this is the time to act."

Never mind, in other words, it's just a bluff. Or is it? The "rattle the cage" remark made legislators, lobbyists and others following the budget drama take notice – especially those interested in the largest single proposed reduction, a $4.7 billion whack in state aid to public schools over 17 months.

Publicly, Schwarzenegger's aides have insisted that he would sign the proposed budget if the Legislature enacted it, but that's easy enough to say because they know ...

[NormsRevenge]

you’ve heard of cut n run

aRnold’s sequel

no cuts and run to other side
whining and whimpering

[Enterprise]

"Anyone who has played no-limit poker, or at least watched it on television, savors the moment when a player calls "all-in," and shoves his or her chips into the middle of the table."

It is a lot of fun to watch. No pussyfootin' around and it's a black and white decision at that point - call or fold. There are no other options at that point.