The 'Terminator' Finds His Terminator (Schwarzenegger -- Donna Arduin)

WSJ Opinion Journal ^ | Oct. 10, 2003 | John Fund

[FairOpinion]

Donna Arduin is a 40-year-old wunderkind who has helped Republican governors in three states cure their fiscal woes. She currently serves as budget director for Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Now she has been tapped by Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger to take a leave of absence and head his audit of California's sprawling $100 billion state budget.

[FairOpinion]

"Sounds like the state's citizen governor is off to a good start in picking talented people to advise him. Didn't some other former governor named Ronald Reagan, once denigrated as a "mere actor," develop a similar reputation and go on to accomplish great things?"

[Support Free Republic]

New Thread Here

[FairOpinion]

good news ping

[Numbers Guy]

Arduin will be as effective as her boss lets her be. In other words, with Engler and Jeb (I can't speak for Pataki), she was able to make cuts because she had the governor backing her up every step of the way (she was a deputy in Engler's admin, but her boss was similar to her).

Only if Arnold is willing to back her up when she makes the difficult decisions, especially the pork barrel cuts, will she be effective.

[Southack]

It's worth remembering that the same press that lied about Arnold and NAZIs, Bush and "imminent threat," as well as how the California recall on its final day was "too close to call in the polls"...is the same press that claimed that "inexperienced" Arnold wouldn't be as capable an administrator as long-term politician Gray Davis.

Now consider that Davis didn't call for an audit of California's budget, but that Arnold has not only called for it, but that he has also brought in the talent to do it.

[Southack]

c#5

[Pubbie]

I agree with you that the final decision will be up to Arnold, however I find it VERY hard to believe that he would hire a woman with a supreme reputation as a Pork Cutter, only to end up leaving the whole bloated California budget intact, without any major cuts.

This hire makes me very optimistic.

[FairOpinion]

Arnold know about her. If he weren't willing to pay attention to her recommendations, he wouldn't have brought her in.

Arnold is demonstrating that he is the man of action. This one action speaks louder than any words, that he intends to really get the budget in shape and cut unnecessary spending.

[gunnedah]

I am curious to see what happens. I dont believe they will have a thorough audit nor do I believe they will expose anything.
One must remember these are politicians and like Bush trying to cover for Clinton the same thing will happen with Arnold and Davis.
They curse and raise hell at each other but they all have their things to hide and they are off limits to each other when it comes to exposing corruption.

[Numbers Guy]

I dont believe they will have a thorough audit nor do I believe they will expose anything.

An "audit" is a misnomer in the sense that it isn't like they're expecting to find some secret fund with money going to Gray Davis' extended family. The accounting systems of states are so public to state employees these days that if something like that was going on, McClintock would have known about it months ago. The worst that they'll find is what's already been identified, the pay increases for various unions, the electric rate debacle, etc.

What they're really doing is identifying expenditure increases in the last couple years that can be most easily rolled back. They're going to look for the big money low-hanging fruit, then they'll make a list of options on the more politically difficult reduction possibilities.

Arnold is clearly behind her now, but the test will be when the cut list comes out and the media and legislature starts to whine. That's when he's got to be strong--Engler was strong when that happened, and thus was successful. Others, like then-Governor Voinovich in Ohio, caved in.

Remember also, the higher Arduin's profile, the more of a lightning rod she becomes. That makes her more expendable if Arnold chickens out. That's not to say that Arnold won't follow through, but it's a long process and we're months away from the real budgetary decisions.

[Iris7]

Schwarzenegger has a reputation going back to his Olympia years of being a very effective and formidable administrator.

If you want someone to preach to the choir, or make empty promises, you won't find him in Arnold.

He has worked effectively with the most prickly, egotistical, dog-in-the-manger type, powerful men. Those who haven't watched him over the years, as I have, generally underestimate him.

If you want a big job done, and done well, by a person as good on the technical side as he is on the human side - and that is very good indeed - you will go a long way before you will find Arnold Schwarzenegger's equal.

I figure that is why Maria Schriver married him. The Kennedys want to win at any cost, but can't hardly talk straight, unless it is to say "I haven't worked a day in my life." So why are they grabbing Arnold's coattails?

It looks to me that they are getting ready to jump the Democrat ship if need be. I think they will. Watch them land on their feet; they'll put old Ted out to pasture, and claim they were "conservatives" all along!

[Iris7]

I like your insightful analysis. Good show.

[giotto]

While I agree that incoming executives tend to pass over the misdeeds of their predecessors, I think that Bush has finessed this rather well. He has tended to focus on correcting problems, rather than highlighting the cause of them--i.e. Clinton's incompetent and corrupt administration. I have a feeling Schwarzenegger will take a similar approach. He strikes me as a very positive person who has succeeded in life by taking action rather than making excuses.

[tjg]

While you make an excellent point that politicians avoid exposing each others corruption (sort of like MD's distain for exposing each others malpractice), I think he can cut programs and pork without doing that.

He's going to have to do some zigging and zagging though, and completely avoid some areas. It will be interesting to watch.

[freekitty]

If she is as good as they say she is; I hope Arnold, after hiring her, will listen to her and let her do her thing.

[ridesthemiles]

(They curse and raise hell at each other but they all have their things to hide and they are off limits to each other when it comes to exposing corruption. )

I disagree. Arnold has no prior action in the halls of Sacramento to hide. He doesn't need the job nor the money. He got to this point by promising the voters that he would clean house.
Lifetime politicians have baggage to hide and old grudges to work off against each other. Not Arnold nor Donna.
There isn't anyone with more than an 8th grade education that doesn't believe there is lots of pork in any budget. With this kind of shortfall,over $38 BILLION, I think Donna will comb and comb and pry and pry. Already there are state workers calling talk shows to find out where they can contact Arnold and his team to tell them where there is waste.
If Arnold sets up a hot-tip line he might find it overwhelmed with calls from people that are just sick of the boondoggles and mandates.
I think you will be amazed at what they expose. Davis "balanced" this latest budget by placing borrowed funds into the budget as INCOME. If you don't understand how wrong that is from an accounting standpoint, ask your tax preparer. Next time you want to borrow money for a car or a house, just ask yourself if you are going to report that $$$ to the IRS as "INCOME, and pay income taxes on same.

[Iris7]

What you describe is indeed the current political situation. Political capitol only goes so far, and has to be spent wisely. Bush won't arrest Clinton for treason, and so won't share Huey Long's fate. I figure the Democrats will be the first to engage in criminal charges of out of office Republicans, maybe charge Bush if a Democrat succeeds him, and result will be interesting.

[FairOpinion]

"Already there are state workers calling talk shows to find out where they can contact Arnold and his team to tell them where there is waste.
If Arnold sets up a hot-tip line he might find it overwhelmed with calls from people that are just sick of the boondoggles and mandates."

===

Good idea!

[spokeshave]

Make that a Terminatrix

[SCHROLL]

Once she's done in Cali, whats say we turn her loose on the Feds books?