How NOT to be a Manly Man (or a Governor)
Posted in Politics by Julie Ponzi
In today's
Sacramento Bee,
Ben Boychuk writes a measured critique (which, in this case, means it's still stinging) of California's outgoing Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Ben argues that all the makings of his failed administration could be discerned in a careful reading of Schwarzenegger's infamous "girlie men" speech. I think this is dead on. The confusion and disappointment of Republicans in California over the last several years is probably best viewed through the prism of this disaster of a speech. It is the kind of thing that Republicans on the national stage (and in each of the several states) should study, commit to heart, and avoid like the plague.
With the coming of a Jerry Brown administration that circumstances will force to be ideologically inconsistent (do take note of Boychuk's discussion of the California Air Resources Board and the recent exemptions from the horrible AB 32 they've given to the construction industry) it is amusing to note the ways in which Democrats seem to bend only when necessity demands it while Republicans often seem to bend over backwards just to bend over backwards. Girlie men, indeed.
1:39 PM / December 19, 2010
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There is no question that Arnold failed miserably at being Governor of California. However, the cards were stacked against him. The California Legislature is overwhelmingly stacked with over the top progressives/liberals who are supported by big unions, voters who get the highest dollar amounts in entitlements and environmentalist whackjobs. Back in 2006 Arnold put on the ballot 4 measures designed to cut back the influence of big unions - specifically the prison guard and teachers unions. The unions spent millions and millions of dollars to defeat these ballot meaures by scaring the hell out of the voters. Republicans cannot make it in California - take for example Meg Whitman (who I believe was more of a RINO than a conservative). Her wealth was thrown in her face on many occasions - I saw local editorials where people were saying - hey why doesn't she give all the money she is spending on the campaign to the schools or poor people (typical California liberals/progressives). Nothing however is said about how much money the Unions are spending - and they are using the money of their members who have no say in how their union dues are spent. Then Whitman had to deal with the illegal alien/hispanic thing - See Republicans hate hispanics. Of course the hispanic population like the Africian American population in CA is enslaved to the democrats in order to get their entitlements. Never mind that a good portion of the population of minorities in CA live in squalor - just drive around Oakland, Modesto, Stockton, the Central and South Central Valley, East Palo Alto, etc and see how the bulk of the minorities in California live. Then drive by Piedmont, California and see the $2 million mansion that Jerry Brown lives in.
But this will all soon becoming to an end. An end that will take place on the watch of a full democratic governor and state legislature. There is no more money - California is broke. The end is about 18 months away. There will be no bailouts from the Obama Administration or the House. Hard choices will be made and unfortunately many, many people will suffer.