WSJ: Facing Re-Election, Schwarzenegger Switches Course

[question everything]

The Wall Street Journal

He's Baaack

Facing Re-Election, Schwarzenegger Switches Course

Huge Spending Plans Revive His Fortunes in California While Irking Republicans
'Whatever It Takes, I Will Do'
By CHRISTOPHER COOPER and JIM CARLTON
June 3, 2006; Page A1

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Six months ago, voters beached Arnold Schwarzenegger's budget-paring, anti-union political plans by defeating them at the polls, sending his approval ratings into free-fall. Even his own daughters turned against him, the Republican governor recalls, when they heard about a bill he'd signed that aimed to save money by speeding up the euthanization of animals at state-owned shelters.

Facing re-election this fall, Mr. Schwarzenegger has made a rapid about-face, embracing a decidedly populist style. He increased government spending 9% this year, including an extra $5 billion for schools, and has proposed the largest bond issue ever put before voters in any state. It will appear alongside his name on November's gubernatorial ballot. In the technology-obsessed streets of Sacramento, the man many used to call the "Governator," a nod to one of his most popular movie roles, is now known as "Arnold 2.0."

The spending spree by one of the country's most prominent Republicans flies in the face of what's happening elsewhere in the U.S. for one reason -- it appears to be winning voter support. Republicans in other states have been hammered for their tax and spend policies. President Bush has promised a spending crackdown to placate conservatives unhappy with the expansion of federal borrowing. The president still faces the prospect of Republican voters staying at home during this November's midterm elections in protest.

Mr. Schwarzenegger has taken the opposite tack -- openly seeking the support of liberals and Democrats, even as he risks offending Republican stalwarts. His approach is starting to pay dividends in the polls, where his performance is steadily improving. Sitting in an overstuffed wicker chair in his "smoking tent," set in the courtyard of the state capitol, Mr. Schwarzenegger said the policies from 2005 were "my mistake." Explaining his switch, he added: "I always like to win. I don't get hung up on ideology. Whatever it takes, I will do."

Beyond spending, Mr. Schwarzenegger is embracing other issues dear to his new Democratic allies, such as cutting car emissions and raising the state's minimum wage. The Democrats Mr. Schwarzenegger once branded "girlie men" are now barnstorming the state with him. "Sometimes, I have to remind myself he's a Republican," says California Assembly Speaker Fabian Nuñez, who described himself as Schwarzenegger's "biggest nemesis" just six months ago when the governor vetoed all but one of his bills. The liberal Los Angeles assemblyman says he will back Mr. Schwarzenegger's Democratic challenger this fall, but he makes no secret of his closeness to the governor, dining regularly at the former movie star's lavish Brentwood home.

(snip)


URL for this article:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB114929977605070581.html (subscription)

[FogerRox]

1. Hey Arnie-- YOU SUCK

[rocktivity]

2. Arnold owes Culliforniuh SIX BILLION DOLLARS

By renegotiating the Enron settlement. He can NEVER be regarded as fiscally responsible. NEVER FORGET THAT!

:headbang:
rocknation

[skipos]

3. Westly has the best chance of beating Arnie

according to all the polls. I hope he gets the nomination.

[msongs]

4. bush has NEVER vetoed a spending bill - biggest spender in US history

yet the right wing media repeats over and over that the republicans and bushco are conservative and financially
responsible.

and arnold's big spending is..ta da....tacking on bonds debt that future generations will have to pay. This sound familiar?

and the $5 billion school spending? just give back of money that was already earmarked for schools and arnold reneged.

sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesh.

Msongs
www.msongs.com
batik * digital art
mugs and shirts

[AX10]

5. I find it hard to believe that there are Democrats who still support him.

[question everything]

8. There are. The ones who are disgusted by the mud being thrown

by Angelides and Westly.

[AX10]

12. Arnie is just as bad if not worse.

I hope the GE brings a better result.

[frankenforpres]

6. is cali running a deficit?

where is the money for this spending coming from?

[question everything]

9. Yes

The state still has a structural deficit -- in which continuing costs exceed projected revenue -- of $2.5 billion. A recent analysis from the California legislature says that by 2008, the state will face a budget shortfall of at least $5 billion, possibly more if the economy falters.

Even after Moody's and Standard & Poor's upgraded their debt ratings, California still ranks 49th among the 50 states, ahead of only hurricane-ravaged Louisiana. The new bond issue would push the state's overall debt load to nearly 6% of its $100 billion operating budget, close to the level most debt-rating companies consider dangerous.

====

What bothers me from the article is the comment that "But California relies more heavily on income taxes than other states to meet its budget, and these taxes, which fall disproportionately on wealthier citizens, tend to be more susceptible to economic swings than other types of revenue."

If not income tax which is progressive, what? Property tax that are now hitting people all across the country just because people are cash poor but house rich?

[rocktivity]

10. And what was the size of the deficit when Gray Davis was recalled?

Are things better or worse in Cali now?

:headbang:
rocknation

[question everything]

13. They are better for the simple reason that the economy has improved

since Davis, more jobs and more income tax revenue

[rocktivity]

15. CA would be $6 billion ahead revenue-wise with the Enron settlement

That is I why I say that voters should NEVER forget that Arnie torpedoed it (and his Dem challengers DEFINITELY shouldn't). There should be nothing Arnie can do before November that can cancel out that "debt."

:headbang:
rocknation

[AtomicKitten]

7. Lumpy can bite me.

Can't stand the a-hole. He is entirely full of crap.

[Toots]

11. "Whatever it takes, I will do"....now there is a real ethical sounding sob

While I like that he is giving money back to Californians through services and such, any Democrat would do the same. Don't be fooled California....

[question everything]

14. And yet. Many of us here cheered another Arnold

the fictional Arnold Vinick of the West Wing as a moderate Republican who refused to cower under the "base" of bible thumping, gay bashing, women haters.

If Schwarzenegger wins perhaps this will send a message to more Republicans who have been banished from the party that there is a room for one who concentrate on the issues (more or less) and not pandering to the church goers. That one can run on policies, not on one's claim of talk to god, or Jesus, or Allah, or Yahweh, or what have you.

And perhaps then we can worry about the future of this country and the world.

[Doctor_J]

18. Ahnuld's been banished from the GOP?

Did I miss the memo? What's more likely is this will send a message to Repubs that they can flip=flop as much as they like and their friends in the media will make them sound like heroes.

[Doctor_J]

16. "Facing re-election this fall, Mr. Schwarzenegger has made a rapid

abuout-face. What's the difference between that and a flip-flop? Maybe some right wing media whore can explain it to me.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

17. It's only a flip-flop if Democrats do it apparently n/t