Credibility is really important in our elected officials. After all, when they run for election (or re-election) much weight is placed on what they tell us they will do in office. I must tell you, as someone who endorsed, supported and encouraged others to do the same for Arnold Schwarzenegger in the recall election of 2003, and his re-election in 2006, I am starting to feel like a chump. It’s not that I am mad at him, it’s more like I am hurt. I feel like he made a promise to all of us, and now he’s not keeping his word.
Arnold’s embrace of a large tax increase as part of a big state-government foray into the healthcare marketplace the size of which would make Milton Friedman cry was so unbelievable that I still am in shock. Worse yet was the ‘justification’ used — that raising actual taxes is somehow netted out by a reduction in a so-called "hidden tax" that Californians already pay. Combine that terrible method of justification with any liberal spending program and I guess you can justify tax hikes all day long. But it doesn’t make it right, and this is not the policy agenda of a fiscally conservative Governor.
Now we look at this state budget stand-off, where the Governor has had a chance to bring everyone together to resolve issues, instead he has been attacking State Senators from our own party. Instead of using his constitutional power to call of the legislators back from their vacations to come up with a budget that is balanced, and makes a few more (modest) programmatic changes to better prepare us for out-year deficits, he is acting as an agent of the very same special interests that he vowed to "sweep out" of the State Capitol during the recall election.
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August 16th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Why, yes, Jon, “credibility” is very important.
Isn’t it?
August 16th, 2007 at 12:00 am
good man jon. i agree.
the tax increase to support such a large health care endeavor is irresponsible.
this month six california counties filed a class action lawsuit seeking to change reimbursement rates from medi-cal. so the calculations arnold’s plan is based on may change dramatically over the years, which would alter the statistics the plan is based on. i also predict that administrative costs to build a bureaucracy that big, are in my opinion inestimable.you can’t nail operating and administrative costs to the ground, i don’t care what anybody says.
childcare spending in california grew 890% in nine years. noone foresaw that kind of growth.if we offer universal coverage, we may end up averaging that kind of phenomenal unsustainable growth, and then where will the funding come from?
hopefully, arnold will come to his senses.
kindly,
titania jones
bubbamail@operamail.com
August 16th, 2007 at 12:00 am
This meltdown in the real estate & stock markets this week is going to have a huge impact on the budget. The Senators are looking even better now for holding out on the budget for more spending cuts because revenues are going to crater from this event.
August 16th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Jon, check me if I’m wrong, but didn’t you support Tom McClintock for Governor during the recall? And also didn’t you sit out the election for Governor in 06 (I don’t recall you doing any work at any of the Victory ’06 locations) and give all of your effort to Tom McClintock’s bid for Lt. Governor?