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Tue 18 Nov, 2003 10:35 am
The wurst of times
Arnold Schwarzenegger came to power in California promising to exclude special interests, but his definition of them is rather special, writes Duncan Campbell
Tuesday November 18, 2003
There were all kinds of exotic vehicles whizzing through Sacramento, the state capital of California, as Arnold Schwarzenegger was installed as governor at yesterday's ceremony. All those white stretch limos and black Hummers and police motorcycle outriders made it clear that this was a special day in the history of the city.
One that caught the eye was a seven-metre (22-foot) long moving billboard that kept circulating through the main streets as guests of the governor emerged from the various post-ceremony events with their goodie bags (quite modest gifts - a memorial glass and a wee souvenir flag).
On the side of this vehicle was a Webster's dictionary definition of "special interest" which was defined as "n. a person or group seeking to influence legislative or government policy to further often narrowly defined interests; especially lobby".
Arnold Schwarzenegger came to power pledged to challenge the "special interests" that he claimed, with some justification, had too much influence in the state. His particular targets were the unions and the Indian gaming casinos. His defeated Democrat predecessor, Gray Davis, who could just be spotted on the platform silently gritting his teeth, was a particular beneficiary of the prison guards' union and the casinos.
The billboard was the baby of a group called the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights (FTCR) which has launched its own web site, ArnoldWatch.org, to monitor how the governor behaves politically. The group even has a tip line for reporting special interest sightings.
"Schwarzenegger has claimed that special interests include only labour unions and Native American tribes, not large corporations and other business interests that have been his biggest boosters," said Carmen Balber, of FTCR. "This governor must recognise that big business is the ultimate special interest group and Californians elected him to protect the public interest, not large corporations."
At the start of his campaign this summer, Schwarzenegger announced that he would be free from reliance on special interests as "I don't have to take money from anybody. I have plenty of money myself."
As it transpired, he ended up accepting donations for a war chest that eventually reached $18 million (£11m). His biggest donors were financial companies, real estate businesses and developers, agricultural interests, the car industry and construction companies. What ArnoldWatch.org aspires to do is see what sorts of breaks those businesses now get.
As for tackling the special interests of the prison unions, his latest appointment to head the prison system, Roderick Hickman, was an official with the Correctional Peace Officers Association so the chances of a reduction in the prison population, currently the highest per capita outside China, seem slim.
The new site notes that the inaugural lunch was paid for by the chamber of commerce and Mr Schwarzenegger was the first candidate it had endorsed for constitutional office for more than 100 years. This lunch, as has been noted elsewhere, contained a special selection of Austrian delicatessen meat items. So it can be said that, for Californian Republicans, this is indeed the best of times and the wurst of times.
Arnold Watch: And For My Second Act...Rolling Back The Law
ArnoldWatch Web Log: November 17, 2003 - 5:10 PM
http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/arnoldwatch/Default.html
And For My Second Act...Rolling Back The Law
by: Jamie Court, author of Corporateering
In Executive Order No. 2, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has frozen all pending state regulations for a duplicative review of their impact on businesses in the state. The 180 day freeze is a special interest coup d'etat.
Among the spectrum of laws to be put on hold include pending regulations to root out pesticides, to protect Californians' financial privacy, to create drinking water standards for arsenic and perchlorate, to implement electronic waste legislation, and to publicly disclose on the Internet doctors' medical negligence settlements.
For a governor who wants to reduce government burdens and stop special interests, this executive order forces governmental agencies to do their job twice and gives big business a reprieve on consumer and environmental protection laws passed during the last two years. It is both a waste of taxpayer money and an abuse of power.
The regulatory process is where a governor can slow and stop already-enacted laws that his contributors do not like. Arnold's biggest contributors in agribiz, finance and the medical-insurance complex won big today. This executive order rolls back vital public protections and only serves the large industries that have fought tooth and nail to make sure they do not become law. Day One and special interests across the board are already having their biggest victory in a decade.
I am shocked.
Quote:Day One and special interests across the board are already having their biggest victory in a decade.
Not!!!
This guy is an actor, not a very good one. Now we will see what a poor job he will do acting the part of a Governor. He has already proven that he is a liar.
Governor Proposes 15B Bond Sale, Spending Cap
Governor Proposes Bond Sale, Spending Cap
By Marisa Lagos
Times Staff Writer
12:51 PM PST, November 18, 2003
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today proposed a $15-billion bond measure along with a state spending cap, measures aimed at closing a huge gap in next year's budget, but which also could eventually drain billions from the state treasury.
The new governor, in his first press conference, also proposed a workers compensation reform bill that he said could save businesses $11 billion in costs, part of his plan to "bring back business" to California.
The two bills and the cap, a constitutional amendment long sought by GOP lawmakers, could appear before voters on the March ballot ?- if the Democratic-controlled Legislature approves them by Dec. 5.
Speaking from a podium while standing in front of the California seal, Schwarzenegger this morning said his immediate goals were twofold: "To put our financial house in order and to overhaul California's economic engine."
He said the record bond measure ?- up to $15 billion in borrowed money ?- was necessary in order to curb spending cuts as his administration attempts to pay off the deficit accumulated during the last years of Gray Davis' administration.
He has vowed not to raise taxes.
"I have inherited a huge debt," Schwarzenegger, dressed in a gray suit and blue tie, told reporters today. "I want to let the people know ?- here is the situation we are in, you decide."
But even if the bond issue is passed, there will be cuts, the new governor said, though details were sparse. He said legislators have been asked to present their own plans in coming days, and reiterated his commitment to a bipartisan process.
The spending limit would fix the amount of general fund money the state could spend, and would establish what a press release called a "rainy day" fund ?- to be used to pay off debt, provide tax reliefs or "cushion" the effects of an economic downturn.
Schwarzenegger said his workers compensation reform proposal would save businesses billions through changes to the medical system and to the guidelines and standards used to establish qualification for workers comp.
He also said that he would waive his own salary of about $175,000 and put that money back into the state's general fund. And he vowed that the state layoffs proposed by Davis would not be enacted until the New Year ?- "not
in December, before Christmas."
He also promised reporters that when his administration has a plan "very soon," it will be shared with the media. "You will see ?- we will share everything with the press," he said.
Within hours of assuming office Monday, Schwarzenegger had called on lawmakers to convene three special sessions beginning today, one of which will address the budget crisis and another focused on workers compensation. The third issue is a bill that allowed undocumented immigrants to receive driver's licenses ?- a measure Davis signed only a month before he was recalled from office.
Today, Schwarzenegger said that he would support a different law allowing illegal immigrants to receive licenses if it was tied to a package including work permits, insurance and background checks, but that SB 60 was "done the wrong way," and should be rescinded.
The bond proposal ?- though controversial for its potential to cost the state as much as twice what it borrows ?- could cushion the blow of Schwarzenegger's first act as governor, an executive order to roll back the recent tripling of the vehicle registration fee. That order could widen California's budget gap further because the new governor has pledged that he would make local governments, which would have received almost $4 billion from the revenue, whole.
Today, Schwarzenegger did not say how he would repay that money to county and state agencies who depend on it for law enforcement and firefighting funds.
"First of all it should have never been done in the first place," the governor said. "It was not right to go and increase the car tax."
But he would not offer alternative ways to generate the money.
In today's proposals, Schwarzenegger will face his first major gamble as governor. In the past, Republicans ?- including the new governor, who vowed during his campaign to teach Sacramento "they can't spend money we don't have" -have railed against Davis and fellow Democrats who relied heavily on borrowing to relieve the state's budget crunch.
But since regaining control of the state's highest office, GOP lawmakers have contended that Schwarzenegger's borrowing plan, which could cost California tens of billions more in interest, is the only option to avoid tax increases or spending cuts ?- and is Davis' fault.
"All we're doing is cleaning up the final mess of Davis," said Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, the newly named Assembly GOP leader, before the new governor was inaugurated.
The response from Democrats has been measured ?- many fear challenging the popular governor at a time when their own ratings have been low. But Democrats are generally wary of spending caps and loathe to cut programs such as heath care ?- usually the next to go after education, which Schwarzenegger has vowed he will not touch.
State Treasurer Phil Angelides, a Democrat preparing to run for governor in 2006, has been most outspoken against the borrowing plan.
He said last week that it would be "a huge mistake" for Schwarzenegger to "follow a reckless path of massive deficit borrowing, and to masquerade such borrowing as 'the answer' to California's budget crisis."
And soon after Monday's inauguration, some Democrats began mulling another push for taxes on the wealthy, tobacco and sales. They note that the interest costs on a 30-year bond does not close the deficit, but pushes it into the future.
"The question is, if he can find a way to get Republicans to agree we need to pay $2 for every $1 in services for 30 years," said Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-Sun Valley), "then why can't he find a way to come to the conclusion that paying a dollar today is worth $2 in the future?"
And the first signs of resistance from Schwarzenegger's own party did emerge Monday, with state Sen. Tom McClintock of Thousand Oaks balking at the plan.
"I believe that our children will have their own needs to meet without having to pay for this generation's partying," said McClintock, who became a conservative standard-bearer as Schwarzenegger's main Republican rival in the governor's race.
Times Staff Writers Michael Finnegan, Evan Halper and Sue Fox contributed to this report.
The latest from Arnold Watch
The latest from Arnold Watch:
http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/arnoldwatch/Default.html
Going by the definition, wouldn't everyone by a part of one special interest group of another? Aren't Arnold Watch just another special interest group trying to get what they want? When Arni says he wants to "exclude special interest groups" he's clearly talking crap. Special interest groups are what drives politics in a democracy, without them all what would we have? A bunch of politicians doing whatever the hell they wanted. (Yes I realise we're not far from that anyway!)
Bumble Bee Boogie is evidently a Schwartzenegger watcher who gives us fascinating snippets of information. Since BBB is an expert he might be able to tell us why Schwartzenegger and the other person who ran under the Republican label in California, garnered 61% of the vote.
I think it means that the people of California are sick of Democrats.
Stay tuned.
I wish all you 'Boy oh boy, I want Arnie to fail' types would just sit down and at least give the man a chance. For God's sake, he has been the Gov. about a week and already y'all are claiming he is ruining the state. I mean the mans suitcases are probably not even unpacked in the mansion yet.
Please just give the man a few months to see if he can undo the years of damage that were done by his predacesor.
Adrian -- You're exactly right. You need to spend some time in the glorious US of A -- the language here is very treacherous:
If it's mine, it's a "policy"; if it's yours, it's a "radical agenda."
My group is a"coalition of voters" while yours is a "special interest group."
Mine is a legitimate candidate; yours is a "dwarf."
Ah yes. And welcome to A2K!! Help us keep an eye on the policiticans!!
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