What a difference two months make.
The FlashReport has been around for almost five years now (only recently as a website) — I’ve been publishing consistently since Arnold Schwarzenegger splashed onto the political scene. First with
his ballot measure, Proposition 49, where he promoted after school programs, and right on through to his campaign for Governor, his pledge to review and reform the way state government works, his drive to pass reforms in a special election after they were rejected by the legislature, and into this year. If you are a regular reader of the FlashReport, you would have to notice the distinct change in rhetoric lately. Especially since I would routinely get e-mails until two months ago asking why this site was a ‘propaganda machine’ for the Governor.
The change in my commentaries about the Governor’s proposals started with the announcement that Democrat activist Susan Kennedy would become his Chief of Staff (which took place 50 days ago according to the count-up clock). Right behind that was a series of policy announcements so painful to me that it has been like passing kidney stones — a $222 billion (‘max out the credit card’) infrastructure program, a rise in the mandatory wage regulation on California business, and then the introduction of a budget that worsens, not improves our state’s deficit (after two years of marked progress).
Even worse, all of this done as some sort of ‘apology tour’ for last year’s campaign efforts to reform the system. Why an apology? He was correct on every count. Now he has changed his course far from that which garnered him my vote over my good friend, Tom McClintock.
It is my sincere hope, as a conservative, that I will be able to find some things to be a bit more positive about in the coming weeks and months from a policy perspective from the Governor. But due to all of my pointed editorializing on these policy initiatives, and one lame staff hire, I really feel that it is important for me to circle back to something which I have been saying all along, but want to restate with some emphasis.
Arnold Schwarzenegger is a great guy, whom I respect, and who I know has a great heart.
I’ve had a number of opportunities to meet Arnold Schwarzenegger over the years, starting first with his Prop. 49 campaign, and at several meetings and events, mostly in Orange County, from where I hail. In all of those meetings, Schwarzenegger has impressed me with his candor, his sense of humor, his ability to quickly absorb some pretty complex policy issues, and the strength of his personality.
There is a tendency by his political opponents to try to paint this Governor as more of an actor, and less of a politician, and I would disagree with that characterization. This is a hands-on Chief Executive who rolls up his sleeves every day when he goes to work. These are the kinds of observations that one can make in the kinds of short meetings where I have spent time with the man.
That said, the Governor has hired many friends of mine both during his campaign and his subsequent years of governing. So I have a bit more of an ability to speak to a lot of his other qualities from talking to them. Here you get to hear about his generosity, curiosity, mentoring, and his drive towards solutions.
I guess I wanted to take a few minutes to talk about these positive qualities, and express my support for the Governor as a person, as an employer to some of my good friends, and as someone who is giving his time to the citizens of California when he could literally be doing anything else that wants right now.
You can be sure that as the days roll into weeks, and then into months, I will continue to be remarkably frank about what I think about the Governor’s policy proposals. I’m praying for a shift back into a more fiscally conservative direction in the charge towards re-election in November. But don’t confuse my concerns about policy initiatives as any kind of a personal attack on Arnold Schwarzenegger — they aren’t.
As I say in the Los Angeles Times today, I have a tremendous amount of respect for the Governor, but I think he has lost his way.
DUMP THE BONDS, JUST BUILD IT!
Speaking of being critical on policy grounds, I have been quite vocal, since day one, in my criticism of what amounts to a massive borrowing scheme to max out the state’s borrowing capacity – this to be done in the name of necessary infrastructure investment around the state. All, along, I have been talking about the importance of devoting a substantial amount of current general fund revenues into infrastructure. Californian’s pay more than enough money in taxes right now to have both an efficient state government, and to pay-as-you-go for infrastructure projects.
But, don’t take my word for it. Today, the FR is featuring a great column from Bill Leonard, who is a Republican Member of the State Board of Equalization, where he talks about this very concept of paying for infrastructure with current funds. It is a great read, and a blueprint towards the kind of mindset we need to encourage in our state legislators. It’s now HOW you spend the borrowed money, its about NOT borrowing money AT ALL. Leonard is well respected in the legislature, having served as a member of both the State Senate and the State Assembly.
Have a great day!