After 5 Years, Davis Leaves a Lasting Imprint

[realFedUp]

(this is a really good summary of bills passed during
Davis's terms in office)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-legacy15nov15,1,5399262.story?coll=la-headlines-california

After 5 Years, Davis Leaves a Lasting Imprint

The outgoing governor's legacy includes laws on health care and gay rights, Indian gaming and limits on auto emissions.

By Dan Morain, Nancy Vogel and Jenifer Warren
Times Staff Writers

November 15, 2003

SACRAMENTO — For now, and perhaps forever, Joseph Graham Davis will be remembered as the first governor recalled from office by the people of California.

But Davis' ouster, amid deep public disillusionment with his style of governing, will be only part of his legacy.

Davis arrived in office in good times. The state budget was flush with a surplus in the billions, thanks to hefty tax receipts in the dot-com boom.

On Monday, his tenure will end in a third year of budget shortfalls. His replacement, Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger, will inherit a projected deficit of $10 billion, maybe more.

While in office, Davis signed bills that increased regulation of the health-care industry, banned the sale of military-style semiautomatic guns and entitled low-income students to state aid for college tuition.

Under his governorship, the state bought thousands of acres of parkland and launched one of the largest public works projects in state history, the reconstruction of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. And Davis signed legislation creating a holiday to honor Cesar Chavez.

Although Davis often declared his dislike of wagering and support for only modest growth in gambling, he also negotiated agreements that legalized Nevada-style casinos on Indian reservations.

The first Democratic governor after 16 years of Republican chief executives, Davis signed 5,175 bills sent to him by a Democratic-controlled Legislature and vetoed 1,085.

How history will judge his imprint on the Golden State remains to be seen. "History," said San Jose State political scientist Larry Gerston, "has a funny way of putting things into perspective that we don't always appreciate at the time."

What follows is a look at some key areas in which Davis influenced state policy.
continued

[cyclezealot]

1. what is wrong with the American people.

I suggest the problem is they pay no attention to the particulars of governing,just results.They are too busy with their suv'S,toys, and, soccer mom stuff..
I personally found Gray Davis' style reassuring. I found him competent. The American people do not want competent, they want some Hollywood Oz figure holding their hand telling them everything is all right, but don't bore me with the details.
Was an article in Common Dreams after the California recall vote.Called these people the "Racial Middle."Have no philosophical base and no patience for detail, just radically shift 'a product' when one course does not seem to work out.
My main criticism of Davis..His dependence upon the corrupt money campaign finance system. Davis' instincts are fair and he did lot of good. But the public does not want a competent, non-charasamatic leader; but some pipe dream from never never land.
I wrote Gray Davis a letter praising his leadership and basic instincts and reminded him, polls showed the public is not interested in issues, just some unfounded promises from some groping putz.
It is my hope Davis' competency will find its way to Washington with a new Democratic Administration. A Cabinet position he is worthy of.

[cyclezealot]

2. And a second point.

How can the voters react so stupidly to a hyped up candidate with no chance to argue his positions in a debate with his opponent.
Davis' call for a debate was very much needed to have an informed citizenry.. But did the citizenry care! Had Arni been forced to debate Davis, I say the result probably would have been different.
I say if a candidate won't debate, they should be disquallified for office as incompetent.
So Monday, California goes over the rainbow led fools(not facing reality with it's newly predicted $10 B. deficit).Actually this will be fun with the groping issue ready to rear up. Wait for the massive budget cuts and groping issue, will be ready with signs and recall petitions.

[realFedUp]

3. I agree with you

Except for giving prison guards higher wages than teachers,
kowtowing to the prison guard union, not pardoning enough
really questionable prisoners, I thought he did a good job.

As we've read already this morning in the LA Times, some
employment numbers went up (I think it's coz summer workers
went back to school and left open service jobs...) but
whatever...

I hope Arnold's voters read the LA Times still to find
out that his handlers want to borrow $20 billion to pay
off the current $8 billion debt...of course adding another
huge chunk in interest payments (that is, if any loan
can be secured at a reasonable rate given CA's bond status)
and who knows what kinds of added debts Arnie will incur
because of his sexual mistreatment of women.

[The Zanti Regent]

6. VOTE NO ON ARNOLD'S BONDAGE!

Nice to see Arnold forcing Bustamante to drop his 9 billion lawsuit against Enron.

Instead of paying bills, Arnold follows the GOP line of BORROW AND SPEND.

Well, this is one person who WILL vote NO on Arnold's BONDAGE!

[realFedUp]

7. GOP Borrow and Spend

That should be the key phrase this election season.

[Instant Karma]

4. Thank you for posting what I might have posted if you hadn't

have posted it forst. That is what I like about this site.

And to the person above, I would caution that he had to do something to make it more competitive for the private prison industry, so that they would be less interested in competing in California. The private prison industry has been a failure here.

[realFedUp]

5. Welcome to DU Instant Karma

Ok, I'll take that argument about private prisons...