As potentially embarrassing statements from Arnold Schwarzenegger's past have come to light, his campaign has developed an unusual standard defense: He made it up.
Confronted with Schwarzenegger's own words on drug use, his early business practices, women and his immigration status, campaign aides — and the candidate himself — have disavowed many of the comments he has made during the last 30 years.
In doing so, they have said that Schwarzenegger either exaggerated or erred in dozens of interviews he gave to promote his career and even in his 1977 autobiography.
It is truly amazing, folks that trashed the LA Times in the past for being the rag it is, now use it for a source because it is Anti-Arnold and pro-Davis/Cruz! Does make a person wonder about an agenda. But then we have people quoting the NY Times and Wash Post as great sources when it suits their agenda as well!
The LA Times, Wash Post, NY Times, Austin American Statesman, Fort Worthless Star Telegram and others can all be put in the same category -- fine for the bottom of the canary cage!
Thanks for the ping... another over-the-top hit piece, liberal media is getting worried LOL From the article above, "Schwarzenegger won't say what programs he might cut to resolve the state's budget crisis; he has asked voters to wait until he is elected, and his auditors can study the budget, before he comes up with a plan."
WRONG... Arnold said he would be coming out with a budget plan PRIOR to the election, that will now be released soon. His economic plan has been outlined even further recently, also.
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Restoring California's Economic Competitiveness
Summary:
California is headed in the wrong direction. Businesses are leaving the state and taking jobs with them. To stop the flow of jobs from California, Arnold plans to unchain business from over taxation and over regulation. Bringing businesses back to California will provide the jobs people need so we can pay for good schools, safer streets and a cleaner environment.
Full Policy: A Failure of Leadership Has Undermined California's Competitiveness
The Gray Davis government has squandered California's position as the leader of the nation's economy. Instead of leading the nation in job creation, business development and economic strength, California now leads in all of the wrong categories: taxes, energy prices, workers' compensation costs, and red tape. The cost of doing business in California is now 32% higher than the national average.
Under Gray Davis, the economic climate has grown so hostile to businesses, employees and working families that without immediate action, more businesses and more jobs are likely to flee the state. Leading corporate executives in a 2002 poll conducted by International Development Associated said that California has the worst business climate of any state in the country.
The message is clear: After four years of Gray Davis politics California has slipped from its position as a leader in the national - and global - economy. This constitutes a failure of leadership of mammoth proportions. Look at the facts:
In a recent California Business Roundtable survey, 51% of businesses surveyed had been offered incentives to relocate to other states and 20% of businesses said they were planning to move or expand out of state.
More than 1.2 million able-bodied Californians cannot find a job currently.
As a result of high costs that are putting the state's economy at risk, Californians are fleeing the state in record numbers. Last year Californians leaving the state exceeded new arrivals by over 108,000.
Arnold's Five Point Plan for Economic Recovery
1. Develop a fair and competitive tax structure that encourages growth and job creation:
California's tax system -- the second most onerous for businesses in the nation - is driving dollars and jobs out of the state. With the exception of property taxes, which are controlled by Proposition 13, just about every tax Sacramento levies ranks among the highest in the nation. The state's 8.8% corporate tax rate is the highest in the West and the top marginal individual rate of 9.3% is among the nation's highest. These excessive taxes have created such a hostile climate for employers that businesses and working families are increasingly likely to go elsewhere.
And under Gray Davis, it just keeps getting worse. Vehicle license fees were increased by $4 billion this year, and Sacramento leaders (including Cruz Bustamante) are now discussing further tax increases - including a repeal of sections of Prop 13 that would raise property taxes by $3 billion.
It is time to stop shaking down California businesses and working families, and restore California's reputation as a good place to do business.
As Governor, I will:
Repeal the Car Tax: In 2003, the vehicle license fee increase cost California residents and businesses more than $4 billion. Car owners in the state have seen their vehicle license fee increase by 300% from last year. The car tax is regressive and hurts all Californians.
Oppose the $3 billion split roll property tax increase proposed by Cruz Bustamante: Lt. Governor Bustamante wants to roll back existing Constitutional protections so that he can collect $3 billion more from property owners. According to a 1992 Governor's Office of Planning and Research study, a similar split roll property tax would have reduced the number of jobs in California by nearly 75,000 jobs and reduced personal income by $11.4 billion. That's exactly the wrong direction to take California's economy.
Stop the 60% Unemployment Insurance Hike on Businesses: California has the easiest eligibility requirements in the country, along with the largest Unemployment Insurance system in the nation. As a result of letting the UI system go unchecked, the cost of insurance for California businesses will increase by 60% in January 2004 - an action that will be directly responsible for killing more jobs in the state. If elected, I will eliminate this hike by taking action to reduce unnecessary costs in this program:
Eliminate the waste, fraud and abuse that is costing honest hard working Californians more than $250 million per year.
Rationalize eligibility requirements to ensure that those who draw on UI have contributed to UI.
Review benefits to make sure that they are in line with the state's needs.
2. Solve California's Energy Cost Crisis:
Government mismanagement has contributed to an energy cost crisis in California, putting the state at a competitive disadvantage and placing a severe drag on our economy. Businesses in California now face energy rates nearly twice as high as businesses face in other Western states. California residents face rates that are 61 percent higher. These high energy rates are an unacceptable burden for people who live and do business in California. And current bureaucratic rules are strangling efforts to prepare California's energy infrastructure to meet the needs of the future.
As Governor, I will:
Implement a 6 Point Energy Plan to reform the current regulatory framework in order to encourage private sector investment and protect ratepayers.
Create a uniform energy strategy to stimulate private investment and align the 13 state energy agencies to support that strategy
Reform the wholesale power market
Assure adequate and diverse fuel for power generation
Encourage cost effective conservation by increasing demand response to changing electricity markets
Enact electricity reserves requirements for power generators
Explore ways to lower the cost of Gray Davis' overpriced power purchase agreements
3. End the Litigation Lottery:
California's runaway litigation system has become a trial lawyer's paradise - encouraging frivolous lawsuits and outrageous settlements that are bleeding money from businesses while driving the cost of virtually everything higher for average consumers.
On Gray Davis's watch, a staggering 1.5 million civil lawsuits are filed every year -- or one lawsuit for every 20 Californians. Frivolous lawsuits cost every man, woman and child in California approximately $1,200 per year in added costs for goods and services.
As Governor, I will:
Reform Section 17200 of the Business and Professional Code. BPC section 17200, the Unfair Competition Law, allows individual lawyers to sue companies on the behalf of the public for illegal or deceptive business practices. This law is valuable as consumer protection, but lawyers have abused it to extort settlement money from businesses, who pass the cost onto consumers.
As Governor, I will reform the Unfair Competition Law to:
Preserve the power of state, county, and city attorneys to bring lawsuits on behalf of the public
Require that lawyers and plaintiffs represent the public interest, not their private pocketbooks
Require public notice of settlements
Require settlements to be approved by the court
Reform the Employment Litigation System. I believe in worker protections that keep the playing field level against unscrupulous employers. But lawyers have managed to stretch these laws far beyond the original mandate, leading to an exceedingly hostile climate for businesses. We all agree that the victim of an unjust firing is entitled to back pay and interest, but today's system takes that concept to absurd lengths, with so-called "front pay" damages that force employers to pay plaintiffs future wages for no work. That is unfair and offensive to hard-working Californians. Similarly, while federal law rightfully punishes employers for age discrimination, California's standard is far more lawyer-friendly, with a legal standard based not on "harm," but on whether a younger worker was retained when he was fired.
As Governor, I will:
Propose legislation to limit payment of "front pay" as damages for wrongful termination suits
Propose legislation to require age discrimination plaintiffs to show adverse impact from the employment decision
4. Fix the Runaway Workers' Compensation System. California's Workers' Compensation system is producing skyrocketing costs for employers and job losses for employees. This year alone Californians are expected to incur $29 billion in cost for workers' compensation, up from just $9.5 billion in 1995. In many cases insurance premiums are 200-250% higher than they were in 1999, and 2-3 times greater than the current national average. And the legislature has done little to address this need. Their solution addresses less than half of the state's $11 billion Workers' Compensation crisis. A comprehensive Workers' Compensation reform package will rein in costly premiums and unnecessary costs, so that more dollars can go towardexpediting benefits to injured works, while retaining and creating new jobs in California.
As Governor, I will:
Work with the legislature to:
Implement objective and enforceable utilization guidelines and establish well defined networks of providers.
Eliminate excessive permanent disability payouts by adopting American Medical Association guidelines for impairment ratings.
Reduce unnecessary litigation and judicial involvement by adopting an effective Independent Medical Review process.
Initiate a comprehensive review of the State Compensation Insurance Fund to assess its current financial condition and take action as necessary.
Appoint a new team to the Division of Workers' Compensation and make cost containment job one.
5. Cut bureaucratic red tape and regulations. In a recent California Business Roundtable survey, 54% of respondents indicated that government was the biggest problem facing California businesses today. Among the top issues cited was the cost of workers' compensation and government regulation/over-regulation. California's costs for workers' compensation and regulations are the highest in the nation.
As Governor, I will:
Review all regulations enacted under Gray Davis to determine if they are consistent with the enacting legislation AND minimize the economic impact to the regulated communities. To start with, I will work with the Building Standards Commission to adopt a sensible "PEX" Plastic Pipe code to reduce the cost of building in California as recommended in the Uniform Plumbing Code. Californians pay as much as $53 million more in building costs as a result of prohibitions on the use of plastic pipes in buildings
http://www.joinarnold.com/en/agenda/#A1
Bush bots = Arnold bots = will defend to the death any candidate provided there's an "R" before one's name and anyone who disapproves is a DU disruptor.
