Gov.'s Performance in Role of 'Reformer' Seems a Little Strained (Arnold)

[realFedUp]

(of course, most readers won't find these
facts on the front page of the Times...just
if they read the columnists.)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-cap14mar14,1,6088957.column

Gov.'s Performance in Role of 'Reformer' Seems a Little Strained
George Skelton
Capitol Journal

March 14, 2005

The most incongruous sight of the year in Sacramento has been Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger driving an olive-green, military Humvee with a huge, blue-and-white "Reform 1" plate strapped to the grille.

snip

Schwarzenegger also is pushing an initiative to scrap traditional pensions for new public employees and force them into 401(k) plans. So "the people" he claims to be fighting alongside against "the politicians" do not include most members of public employee unions, including cops and teachers. Another so-called reform would require teachers to wait five years, instead of two, before receiving tenure. He has backed off his original proposal to pay teachers based on performance rather than years of service.

snip

Schwarzenegger raised $9 million to feed about 90 consultants last year, the Sacramento Bee recently reported. He hopes to raise $50 million to produce and promote this year's initiatives — selling "private briefings" for two with the governor for $89,200, seats at his dinner table with snapshots for $100,000….
He has been hitting up Wall Street interests and Washington lobbyists.
The going rate for petition circulators could reach $10 per signature. The signatures are being checked out by workers in India.

None of this has the look of the California people rising up to demand a special election for initiatives in November — at a cost to taxpayers of perhaps $70 million. It has the look of a governor promoting his own agenda with the help of favor-seeking corporate interests.

continued

[caligirl]

1. Arnold in Palo Alto, Ca this afternoon 4 hardball show . eom

[realFedUp]

2. Come on Palo Alto students....signs galore

to greet the big Hummer.

[GetTheRightVote]

3. Looks like * opps no Arnold is trying to bush wack CA citizens

:kick: