When Proposition 187 was on the California Ballot in 1994 (you’ll remember it as the measure to cut off government services for foreign nationals illegally in California), Arnold Schwarzenegger apparently supported the measure.
Today in an interview posted on the La Opinion website (click through here and you can click on the audio file), the Governor says (about his decision to support 187) "I think, looking back, if was the wrong decision."
Sigh. If I have my facts wrong, someone let me know or post a comment.
July 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
The governor said the same thing during the recall. The current statement is not new.
July 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
It’s one disappointment after another lately with Arnold. He wants to be all things to all people. It won’t work Arnold. A majority of Republicans and Democrats voted overwhelmingly for Prop 187. I’m really trying to be an Arnold fan, but when he starts renouncing support for things like Prop 187, well lets just say that it’s going to be extra difficult to get our base out to the polls come November.
July 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Again, this is nothing new. Don’t be disappointed today by something that happened three years ago. He said in 2003 he wouldn’t vote for 187 again, and still the base turned out for him.
Look, I have areas of disagreement with the governor, but I don’t blame him today for what I knew about him yesterday. In other words, Republicans shouldn’t get into the rut of acting like the woman who marries an imperfect man then gets upset when she can’t change him.
Strengthening California’s business climate by vetoing regulations that force business owners to close their doors, saying no to tax increases, letting voters make the decision about same-sex marriage, these are things we should look for. These are among the reasons Republicans voted for Arnold in 03. I would add to that the governor’s concern in 2003 for excessive spending — something he has not done enough about — much like his colleagues in congress.
It’s unfair and intellecutally dishonest to get upset about positions the governor took before we elected him.
July 25th, 2006 at 12:00 am
I guess this isn’t news. I think that maybe I was more ready to overlook it when we were recalling Davis, and of course Schwarzenegger was waving his broom and talking about sweeping out the special interests. Talk that has been put in the proverbial broom closet now.
July 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
My issue with the Governor’s position is that it does not logically follow his core value/principle of even having initiatives.
When he triumphs initiatives, such as the bond bail-outs and the Indian casino measures in 2004, or even his own Special Election propositions in 2005, he does so by presenting the ideas to the people so “dat the people have spoken” as a final word. The Governor is known for soliciting the direct democracy that his hero, Hiram Johnson, helped put in place– the affirmation or rejection of the initiative, whichever measure that is, is the standard of what is politically right and wise.
When the Governor lost the battle on Propositions 74-77, he bowed to the will of the voters, but much worse, apologized and appeased his opponents… and they still hate him! Instead of sticking to his principles and defending them in the face of defeat, he immediately recognized that he was wrong for putting the state through the acrimony of the direct election in November 2005. This to me would show that the will of Californian voters is the barometer of political justice; the “right thing to do.”
So it is a significant news story to suggest that a popularly-ratified initiative such as Proposition 187, even though defeated by an activist judge, would not earn the commendation by Schwarzenegger– after all, the people spoke loudly and clearly on that issue. A few weeks ago, the Governor indicated that he would support changing the term limits law, a very popularly-approved measure by Californian voters.
Instead of using the criteria that the people spoke and were correct, by virtue of mass democracy, Arnold is now using a different standard which is not yet clear. In the case of the former, I would hate to suppose that the decree of the court (which was not appealed) is the final arbiter of whether it was right– is the basis of withdrawing support for Proposition 187! And I would also hate to think that the Governor is back-treading on term limits because he is listening to the commonly-expressed concerns from the Sacramento politician class, which he once properly recognized was the problem.
It leaves to further inquiry what is next to be criticized, Proposition 13? Although all the reasons Karen listed are still legit reasons why to choose Schwarzenegger over Angelides, I really wonder and worry about the shifting sands of his philosophical foundations.
July 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Darin, that was spot on.
Perhaps the question we should be asking of our candidate is…what are your core values?
July 26th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Excellent post Darin. I guess Arnold got drilled by some tough questions yesterday in La Mesa. He sounded a little rattled. I heard him blurt out to a Prop 187 supporter that she is “prejudiced” by having supported it. So now everyone who supported that Prop is a racist according to Arnold’s logic. Nice.