Capitol Battle Lines Harden: GIRLIE-MEN, GOVERNATOR FACE OFF

KTLA from LA Times ^ | January 28, 2005 | By Peter Nicholas and Robert Salladay

[Cinnamon Girl]

Schwarzenegger is ratcheting up the rhetoric against legislators, but Democrats are refusing to hew to his agenda. SACRAMENTO -- There's no more talk of friendly dinners at Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's Brentwood home, of lawmakers parading into the governor's smoking tent in the Capitol courtyard to bridge differences and end gridlock.

The governor who once embraced the Legislature as a helpful "partner" now depicts it as a plodding hindrance.

Schwarzenegger has made it clear that he has no appetite for the pragmatic concessions to the Legislature that defined his first year in office. Unless lawmakers pass his 2005 agenda within weeks, he has said, he'll go around them, letting voters decide in a special election whether to restrain spending, curb pension benefits and redraw voting districts.

[Cinnamon Girl]

From the article:

Schwarzenegger wants lawmakers to put on the ballot measures that would reward teachers based on merit, carve new legislative and congressional district lines, cut spending across the board when the budget falls out of balance, and convert the state's pension system to a 401(k)-style retirement plan.

Republicans have a tendancy to focus on what Arnold doesn't do right, and ignore what he does do right.

[TBClown]

We need more Arnolds

[EagleUSA]

Republicans have a tendancy to focus on what Arnold doesn't do right, and ignore what he does do right.
=====
It is true, and as a Californian, T3 is a breath of fresh air. This state is in such bad shape, politically, ergonomically and economically that anything is upside at this point. He was handed the larget bucket of excrement in the history of any state in this country. Over $30B in debt, runaway illegal immigration costs, a ultra-liberal state legislature, a heavy welfare state, severe exits of key revenue-generating businesses and the key people needed for same, etc.

It will be no easy job and it will not get fixed over night. Regardless of some of his liberal leanings, he is fixed on the job is fixing this state. With slime-bags like Pelosi, Boxer and Feinstein to deal with just for openers, he needs to open his famous toilet, and stuff their heads in it!!!! Go T3!!!


No easy job to fix and he is getting tough with

[agincourt1415]

Governator: "Either you sign the contract or your brains vill be on it"

[printhead]

Great points, however I believe that we New Yorkers can lay claim to the largest bucket of excrement.

[JesseJane]

Amen to that. (You know the Arnold flamers are afoot dont you?? LOL!)

[JesseJane]

PH, CA had the largest defict in the nation. Combining 7 states, including NY after 9/11, CA still wins in the deficit racel. Proud liberal and Latino Caucus achievement.

Don't get me wrong, would've been "happy as a gopher in soft dirt" to come in 2nd though.

[calcowgirl]

• Unless lawmakers pass his 2005 agenda within weeks, he has said, he'll go around them, letting voters decide in a special election whether to restrain spending, curb pension benefits and redraw voting districts.

• Schwarzenegger wants lawmakers to put on the ballot measures that would reward teachers based on merit, carve new legislative and congressional district lines, cut spending across the board when the budget falls out of balance, and convert the state's pension system to a 401(k)-style retirement plan.

• One of the measures, a plan to control state spending, was introduced Jan. 20. The redistricting and merit pay proposals were presented to the Legislature on Jan. 13. Democrats said there is not enough time for the Legislature to responsibly act on the governor's complex agenda by the deadline he has set.

Given that he put four major changes on the table, I think it deserves more than a few weeks for the legislature to deal with it and is unrealistic to think otherwise. Notwithstanding that, I think only one of the four is a good idea.

[goldstategop]

Give 'em til June to come up with some good proposals. My feeling is though, legislators are more terrified of public employee unions than they are of voters. Why do you think they want to expand spending? 4% is not enough to keep the state's #1 pro-government constituency happy.

Denny Crane: "I want two things. First God and then Fox News."