Gov. Gropenfuhrer: My Way or the Highway.....Do What I Say or I'll Terminate California

[marmar]

from the LA Times:



Schwarzenegger's high-stakes strategy could close the budget abyss or cause the meltdown of state government.
The governor sees the crisis as a chance to 'reform the system' with proposals he has been unable to advance in the past.

By Michael Rothfeld and Evan Halper
June 28, 2009


Reporting from Sacramento -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, seeking to conquer what could be the last budget crisis of his tenure, is engaged in a high-stakes negotiating strategy with lawmakers that could force him to preside over a meltdown of state government.

As legislators have scrambled to stop the state from postponing payment of its bills and issuing IOUs starting next week, the governor has vowed to veto any measure that fails to close the state's entire $24-billion deficit.

In doing so, Schwarzenegger has sent the message that he would rather allow the state to begin shutting down than let lawmakers push its troubles off for months by closing only part of the shortfall. The latter prospect could swallow up the rest of his governorship.

"Whatever needs to be done," Schwarzenegger told reporters outside his Capitol office Friday when asked why he would be willing to delay payments to needy Californians. "I know that there is a history in this building of always being late with the budget, to drag it out and to kick that can down the alley. . . . I don't think we have this luxury this time."

The governor readily admits that he sees the crisis as a chance to make big changes to government -- to "reform the system," he said Friday -- with proposals he has struggled to advance in the past. ..............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-arnold28-2009jun28,0,2038455.story

[barbtries]

1. it's gonna be the depression in reverse`

swarms of people moving east, hungry.

[juno jones]

2. It's very ironic.

As someone who migrated to CA back in the Reagan 80's when the local factories shut down and work disappeared, I find it all pretty weird.

We left CA after the Arnie election. Even my CA born and bred husband was disgusted by him.

I wonder how many will return to the midwest and points east. I came for the job, but stayed for the culture. I still live on the left coast and cannot imagine going back, but I bet there's a lot of people to whom that isn't going to matter.

[barbtries]

3. or they'll be like me

and find themselves priced out - i spent the first 52 years of my life in LA, now i'm in NC. i can make a living here. not just subsisting.

[juno jones]

6. Yep, Mr Jones spent the first 35 years of his life in San Jose.

All of his old friends from the area have migrated out of the Bay too because of prices. Several are now talking about moving up our way. It's not cheap here either, but it is affordable and there are a lot of community activities and services, Farmer's markets, art and music venues etc. and of course, a more liberal outlook, that still make it more desirable to me than returning to the midwest.

I've had friends over the years who moved to Raleigh area. They liked it. :)

[kestrel91316]

5. The right hates CA and its residents almost as much as it hates

Al Qaeda. And no, I'm not joking. They have had us in their sights for quite a while.

[juno jones]

7. I believe it.

The 'fruits, nuts, flakes' BS.

I won't be going back to the midwest. All that is left there for the most part are the people who were too small minded to see the world outside their own doorstep.

[ellie]

11. Come to a Great Lakes state

We have water!

[PatGund]

12. Let me put it this way....

I'm a 4th generation Native Californian. My daughter is a 5th generation one. I was very proud for a long time to be a Californian.

Now I live in Washington state. My daughter is in far better schools here, and my earning power is better than California.

I feel sorry for what California has turned into.

Oh, and Northern California really needs to split off once and for all.

[KakistocracyHater]

4. typical Rightie

why not kill the interest on the state debt? Why not forego new school books for a few years? Why not pay ONLY wholesale prices for the state's business? Quite picking up the tab, which they MAY have already done, like in the UK apparently people didn't realize their taxes were paying the public servants' lunches, dinners, & some vacations. Stop ALL TOP LEVEL pay increases. & oh, yeah;!!!!CREATE JOBS IN CALIFORNIA!!!!

Cause you can't pay it off with the trahs talk you're giving, Arnie. Can these Republicans actually DO anything, or do they just CANNABALIZE others?

[anigbrowl]

8. Woah...someone's been smoking...

'why not kill the interest on the state debt?' And how do you suggest he goes about doing that? I'd love to be able to get a mortgage and then kill the interest on it. so would a lot of people, I imagine.

'Why not forego new school books for a few years?' Actually, Schwarznegger's been arguing that the state should switch to open-source textbooks (preferably in digital form) as soon as possible, precisely to reduce the flow of state money to academic publishers. It's one of his better ideas.

'Why not pay ONLY wholesale prices for the state's business?' If you've ever done business with the State of CA, you'd know that the state already gets extremely favorable pricing and credit terms.

'Stop ALL TOP LEVEL pay increases.' I guess you missed the bit about the passage of Proposition 1f last month.

This isn't to endorse Schwarznegger's role as governor, but he's a quite different kettle of fish from the various GOP assembly members, almost all of whom are from inland districts that have it in for the coastal areas. You don't seem very familiar with the ins and outs of state business.

[WeDidIt]

9. Fucker learned from Bush, didn't he?

I wish Obama would take a lesson from the right. They play the game for keeps, not some feel good phony-assed "bipartisanship".

[Robbien]

10. Indiana's Gov Daniels is threatening his state also

http://www.tristate-media.com/articles/2009/06/28/pdclarion/news/doc4a47fb72044d8997622490.txt

Daniels wants the GOP version of the budget bill passed. He demands it. Of course it cuts all welfare programs.

Over here in Illinois we are having the same kind of debate where talks are completely stalled.

I expect this kind of thing is happening all over these united states.

[omega minimo]

13. Maybe someone will kick his can down the alley full of newly homeless, those disenfranchised by him.

:evilfrown: