Sunday, November 23, 2003

California Politics: Schwarzenegger Shorts

Reporters and commentators have been looking closely at Gov. Schwarzenegger's first week in office.

Schwarzenegger raising fast funds - and critics' ire Sacramento Bee 11/23/03

<< Schwarzenegger, who has four fund-raisers scheduled for December, continues to maintain that he is not beholden to special interests because he isn't taking money from labor unions or American Indian tribal groups with whom he might have to negotiate. ...

<< But Jim Knox, executive director of California Common Cause, said Schwarzenegger was "even worse (than Davis) because he promised that he was going to be different. And then to try to make the argument that these groups don't have a vested interest in what happens at the Capitol, I think, is an insult to the intelligence of the electorate. Of course, they have a vested interest. That's why they're giving." >>

The article also includes a brief discussion on some problematic questions surrounding Gov. S's use of millions in bank loans to finance his gubernatorial campaign.

The following piece is an excellent summary both of the first week and of the bind that Gov. S has created for himself by the kind of campaign he ran compared with the practical choices he actually has in dealing with the state's budget problems.

Governor struggle with state's realities San Francisco Chronicle 11/23/03

<< Amid all this, Schwarzenegger reached out to lawmakers with personal meetings. He invited several of them to chat in a private Capitol courtyard, while he smoked cigars. Democratic lawmakers said he was warm and interested in their thoughts.

<< And then Schwarzenegger took to KFBK radio in Sacramento to threaten them:

<< "Have the legislators learned anything from this last election? If they didn't get it, there will be severe casualties come the election in March, severe casualties come November."

<< That threat caught lawmakers off guard given the chummy attitude earlier in the week. >>

No comments: