It’s interesting to read around the internet the various responses, especially from legislators, to the Governor’s speech. For the most part, you have Republicans applauding the Governor’s commitment to spending reform, and to tackling our state government’s deficit through cuts in spending – and most notably not through increasing taxes (see below for a reminder that the Governor does want to raise taxes, just not for the budget shortfall).
In the meantime, Democrats are thrashing the Governor, throwing in their class-warfare rhetoric (as pointed out by Assemblyman Anthony Adams a few blog posts down).
For a little bit, I wondered if perhaps I was being a bit off-message as my early critique of the speech was that I found it to be, from a conservative perspective, a mixed bag. So I re-read the speech.
Given the four-alarm fire that is the condition of our state finances, it is clear that the portion of his speech that dealt with this issue was the central part, and the area that (rightfully) has garnered the most comment, and media attention. I am really looking forward to the Governor introducing his first budget draft on Thursday. Based on everything I’ve been hearing, it sounds like something that a conservative can really get behind – a return to the “live within our means” theme that was the hallmark of the reign of Arnold 1.0 right after the recall. Still, we’ll wait to see the details before brandishing any big smiles.
There is still no getting around the fact that, when you pare away spending-hawk portion of the State of the State, the Governor spent (too much) time talking about his lame state government health care expansion bill (the one that requires billions in new taxes, including the largest single tax increase on California businesses in the history of our state). He also touches on his global warming alarmist nanny-state agenda of 2007, promising even more action for this coming year (this will be SO helpful to our state’s economy – NOT). Then there was the odd part of the speech where my Republican Governor praised Democrat President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his massive New Deal programs.
Can I just tell you how disappointing it is to watch this supposed disciple of the laissez faire economic liberalism espoused by Milton Friedman clearly now changing his tune, and embracing Keynesian economics – praising a large role for government in our economy.
In closing, when the Governor formally broke his ‘no new taxes’ pledge, I lost my ability to be some sort of blanket “cheer leader” for him. When Arnold is deserving of praise, such as with his austerity plan for state government spending, I will do so. But when he pushes big government solutions that restrict the freedom and liberty of Californians – count on me to be very critical. With no defining ideology coming out the smoking tent in the Capitol atrium, there is really no other way to “cover” the Governor.
God-willing and the Capitol “spin machine” being on target, I look forward to heaping major praise on the Governor’s proposed budget, which probably more out of practical financial reality than any kind of ideological fervor, looks to reign in state government spending. (Fingers crossed!)
January 9th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Yawn.
This state is on a “highway to hell” and Arnold and the Dems are the LAST ones anyone would want to be in the pilot seat.
But the Republican Party of California is also corrupt since they gave us Arnold in the first place.
The time to clean the Republican Party’s house has long sinced passed.
Let’s start by not going along with ANY spending plan that DOESN’T reduce spending.
If I recall there were some traitors in our party last summer.