A win for CA workers! Schwarzenegger postpones pension-gutting proposal

[Liberty Belle]

This is great news! $chwarzenegger is postponing action on his plans to demolish public pensions. Below are excerpts from the Sacramento Bee and ArnoldWatch with details. Also, I heard from a labor rep that Schwarzenegger canceled a fundraiser yesterday in Sacramento; apparently 10,000 protesters chanting "impeach Arnold! in San Francisco got his attention. :-)


Schwarzenegger backs off pension plan

By John Hill -- Bee Capitol Bureau

Published 12:06 pm PDT Thursday, April 7, 2005

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday backed off his plan to overhaul the public pension system this year.

The Republican governor, whose plan to shift public pensions to a 401(k)-style plan for employees hired in 2007 and beyond, had been battered by critics, said he would try again next year barring a legislative agreement.

"Let's pull it back and do it better," the governor said in a surprise news conference at the Capitol.


The move represents a huge political defeat for Schwarzenegger that illustrates the perils of governing by initiative. ..

http://www.sacbee.com/content/politics/story/12686580p-13539304c.html


RETREAT

ArnoldWatch.org (4/7/05) -- Arnold showed the first sign of waving his white handkerchief today when he announced at a press conference he would not go forward in 2005 with his proposal to gut the pension protections of cops, firefighters, nurses and other public employees. With negotiations between the Gov and Dems going hot and heavy in the state house over redistricting plans, it seems like the house of cards that is Arnold's special election is about to fall down all around him. If legislative leaders play their cards right, it will be Arnold who looks like the Joker.

Read more at: http://ArnoldWatch.org

[realFedUp]

1. 400,000 off the 600,000 signatures gathered on special election

initiatives Save California (for themselves) has
collected, can't be revoked, so Arnie says
he'll just find another initiative to take its
place if he pulls the pension plan one.

This guy is playing a game of poker and he's
gonna lose.

[JunkYardDogg]

2. He said that he will still put it on the 2006 Reg Election

They couldn't take any more 10,000 person mini riots not covered by the MSM

[SoonerShankle]

3. Be careful, CalSTRS is still in danger...

The Governor backed down on CalPERS, but now he has teachers corners on 8 different issues, including CalSTRS funding, without allies like firefighters and police. He's playing a smart political game here. Teachers are still the bull's eye on his dart board.

This is a victory, but now the public employees need to work even harder to organize and fight the impending June 2006 election where the Governor has promised to bring this back...

[GreenPoet64]

6. I'm a teacher . . .do you have a link regarding CalSTRS and

his plan to continue targeting teachers?

[Helga Scow Stern]

9. Yes, and now that we have a Republican SoS,

once on the ballot, it's a done deal.

[Capn Sunshine]

4. This is GREAT NEWS

We worked our asses off to fight this guy tooth and nail, let's keep the pressure up. I have said from day one there's NO WAY gubbinator could win a heads up election in CA against a Dem. He will be so desperate by 2006 after the realities of his neocon incompetence have hit home.

"Gov. Angelides" has a great ring to it :party:

Here's the media take today: ( Look at the headline!! )
Once Invincible Schwarzenegger Looking More Mortal
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=651074

Schwarzenegger backs off plan to privatize pension
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0504080265apr08,1,6377643.story?coll=chi-newsnationworld-hed&ctrack=2&cset=true

[Helga Scow Stern]

10. There IS a way he could win, unfortunately,

especially now that we have a Republican Secretary of State.

And it was no accident that Shelley was forced to resign and a Republican was put into place.

[yurbud]

5. Get assembly and state senate dems to grow a spine

As Arnold faulters, there is absolutely no reason to throw him a lifeline.

Call his initiatives what they are, sops for the wealthy and big business at best, scams for the likes of the energy traders and wall street types at worst.

He needs to be neutered so he doesn't recover from this and run for senator or president.

[Name removed]

7. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mitchtv]

8. oh you mean the Dems who forced Shelley to resign?

And then unanimously approved Mc Pherson? Good luck

[Helga Scow Stern]

11. I second that. Good luck.