Recall: Schwarzennegger

[Northgate]

If I remember correctly, the right-wingers used Gray Davis' poll numbers as the primary reason to recall his governership.

Looks like Schwarzennegger's approval numbers (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/21/MNG56DBUNC1.DTL) are 31%!

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suddenly ranks among the most unpopular governors in modern California history, as residents grow increasingly unhappy about the action hero-turned-politician's budget plans and his call for a special election, according to a new Field Poll.

Less than a third -- 31 percent -- of the state's adults approve of the job the governor is doing in Sacramento, down from 54 percent in February. The numbers are only slightly better among registered voters, 37 percent of whom are happy with Schwarzenegger's performance and 53 percent dissatisfied.

Schwarzenegger's sinking support even shows up among Republicans, where his approval numbers have fallen from 84 percent in February to 66 percent in the new survey.

So where's are all the looty lips, foot stompers, and angry pundits demanding Schwarzennegger's head on a stick? California Republicans, will you demand a change? Will reform be insisted upon? Or is simply having an "R" associated with California's Governor all that really matters?

I suspect the latter.

[rageous]

Or maybe it's the fact that both sides, R's and D's, both understand that it'd become a very dangerous game of recalling every governor from here on out, and that the state would suffer greatly because of such idiocy.

[MACchine]

Anarchy approaches ...



... in Californialifornia ~~~

[Northgate]

Originally posted by rageous
Or maybe it's the fact that both sides, R's and D's, both understand that it'd become a very dangerous game of recalling every governor from here on out, and that the state would suffer greatly because of such idiocy.

Agreed. I voted "no" on the recall. Not because I was voting "for" Gray Davis. I simply did not agree with the use of the recall for purely partisan politics.

My purpose for starting this thread was (1) to promote the discussion of California's problems, (2) discuss Schwarzenneggers problems as a governor, and (3) to point out the deafening lack of concern by the electorate as to Schwarzy's job approval ratings and why that is. Is it because the people are sick of partisanship? Doubtful. Is it the lack of a progressive multi-millionaire willing to whip up a phony frenzy with his own bankroll? That would be my guess.

[BRussell]

What's happened to change his situation?

[SDW2001]

Originally posted by Northgate
If I remember correctly, the right-wingers used Gray Davis' poll numbers as the primary reason to recall his governership.

Looks like Schwarzennegger's approval numbers (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/21/MNG56DBUNC1.DTL) are 31%!



So where's are all the looty lips, foot stompers, and angry pundits demanding Schwarzennegger's head on a stick? California Republicans, will you demand a change? Will reform be insisted upon? Or is simply having an "R" associated with California's Governor all that really matters?

I suspect the latter.

Excuse me, could you please tell me what Schwarzennegger did to cause the problems in the state? Pissing people off is not the same as pissing away billions by recklessly expanding spending over a period of years.

If the people of CA wish to recall him, that's fine. Let them. If you feel there would be someone better for the job, let's hear the names.

And yes, I think it would be stupid to recall two consecutive governors. I support recall elections and I supported the Gray Davis recall not because he was unpopular, but because he was a shitty governor.

I for one think that Schwarzennegger's numbers are going to turn around as he continued to fight the teacher's and nurses unions, along with the Democratic legislature. I could be wrong. We'll see.

[Northgate]

Originally posted by BRussell
What's happened to change his situation?

His call for a special election for starters. His poll numbers historically put his shoulder to shoulder with Brown and Davis. His consistent embattlement with teachers, nurses and public employees has been nothing short of disasterous.

Most governor's with these types of numbers are typically embattled, or suffering through a recession, etc. Schwarzeneggers come after a year of nothing changing. And while I like that he's a governor willing to got on the air and sell his ideas to the public, the problem is he's not closing the sale. Not with me, anyway. And apparently not with anyone else either. Only 17% of voters say they support the special election to give him more power.

[tonton]

Please remember that at the bottom of his game, Pete Wilson was also in the low 30's. Then he ran on a tough (and quite racist) campaign against illegal aliens - proposition 19 (I think), that was declared unconstitutional, IIRC - and he won reelection. And of course he dropped any action against illegals after prop 19 (or whatever it was) flopped. He left office once again with horrible ratings. At the time, State Controller Gray Davis was the only person keeping California financially afloat.

California gubernatorial voters are just stupid. That's all there is to it.

Personally, for a Republican I think Arnold is not doing that bad. It's just that California is almost unmanageable. Someone needs to come in with a business perspective who can invest and expand the California macroeconomy instead of fussing with the microeconomy while worrying about pleasing every voter as well as towing their party line (which is impossible). Warren Buffett perhaps?

[Frank777]

Don't know much about California politics, but wasn't Davis held responsible by the electorate for the whole electricity mess a few years ago?

I remember that even in Toronto people were talking about how badly California had messed up the electricity market and everyone's bill was rising because of it.

[hardeeharhar]

I seem to remember that it was the accounting practices of some now defunct company that helped drive Davis out.... But what do I know?


*cou*ENRON*gh*

[midwinter]

Originally posted by SDW2001
Excuse me, could you please tell me what Schwarzennegger did to cause the problems in the state? Pissing people off is not the same as pissing away billions by recklessly expanding spending over a period of years.

If the people of CA wish to recall him, that's fine. Let them. If you feel there would be someone better for the job, let's hear the names.

And yes, I think it would be stupid to recall two consecutive governors. I support recall elections and I supported the Gray Davis recall not because he was unpopular, but because he was a shitty governor.

I for one think that Schwarzennegger's numbers are going to turn around as he continued to fight the teacher's and nurses unions, along with the Democratic legislature. I could be wrong. We'll see.

If only there were some Republican car dealership owner willing to spend every dime he had to finance a recall, only to find himself polling so low by the time it actually happened that he stood no chance of winning, and so he delivered an embarrassingly tearful address to the press and announced he was out of the running.

[e1618978]

California is a great state, but I pity the fool that tries to govern it.

The problems, as I understand them

- The "proposition" system has to go. Having the voters directly vote for stuff like that screws up your society.

In particular, I am thinking of the property tax restrictions. $2000 tax on a $45 Million estate is a joke.

- Too many environmentalists protesting new power plants.

The states around California then build the plants, sell the power to California, and when electrical supplies get low and prices go through the roof the Californians fail to look at their own protests to see the root of the problem.

- Too many people building houses that are guarenteed to be destroyed by mud slides

And getting government financed insurance, too boot.

- Entitlement programs and state debt out of control

And when you cut programs to lower the debt, your popularity goes way down, like Schwarzennegger's has.

[ColanderOfDeath]

When I was driving through the CA this weekend all the armchair pundits were whining about Schwarzneggar wasting 80 million on a special election for stuff that no one cares for much if at all. Who knows. By all accounts he was elected in the first place because he was not named Gray Davis and because he was a nice popular movie star whose positions were vague enough not to raise all that much opposition. It's always easier to run against what someone else is doing than to actually do the job and I tend to suspect that he is falling victim to that to some extent.

[MACchine]

Originally posted by MACchine
Anarchy approaches ...



... in Californialifornia ~~~


COMING to a state NEAR YOU !!!

[Northgate]

Originally posted by ColanderOfDeath
When I was driving through the CA this weekend all the armchair pundits were whining about Schwarzneggar wasting 80 million on a special election for stuff that no one cares for much if at all. Who knows. By all accounts he was elected in the first place because he was not named Gray Davis and because he was a nice popular movie star whose positions were vague enough not to raise all that much opposition. It's always easier to run against what someone else is doing than to actually do the job and I tend to suspect that he is falling victim to that to some extent.

Imagine all the good things that could've been done with that $80M.

[e1618978]

Originally posted by Northgate
Imagine all the good things that could've been done with that $80M.

$80 million, regardless of how it was spent, is besides the point. California's budget is $92 billion - so this is 1/1000 of the money that they will spend in a year.

If you are complaining about the $80 million dollar issues, you must not be able to find any problems with how he is handling the billion dollar issues.

[SDW2001]

Originally posted by midwinter
If only there were some Republican car dealership owner willing to spend every dime he had to finance a recall, only to find himself polling so low by the time it actually happened that he stood no chance of winning, and so he delivered an embarrassingly tearful address to the press and announced he was out of the running.


I understand he financed the recall. Thanks for the history lesson.

[SDW2001]

Originally posted by Northgate
Imagine all the good things that could've been done with that $80M.

That's right...it could have been spent on social programs!

[trumptman]

Originally posted by Northgate
If I remember correctly, the right-wingers used Gray Davis' poll numbers as the primary reason to recall his governership.

Looks like Schwarzennegger's approval numbers (http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/06/21/MNG56DBUNC1.DTL) are 31%!



So where's are all the looty lips, foot stompers, and angry pundits demanding Schwarzennegger's head on a stick? California Republicans, will you demand a change? Will reform be insisted upon? Or is simply having an "R" associated with California's Governor all that really matters?

I suspect the latter.

If ol'Arnie is found to have hid the fact the state was actually about an extra 10 billion in the hole while running for re-election...

If ol'Arnie is letting everyone's lights go out and....

If ol'Arnie finds the only way to fix his incompetence is to triple everyones car registration fees then I suspect having an R next to his name would do nothing to save his ass.

Arnold is taking on the legislature and also the current pension plans for every public employee. Even if he wins he is going to get bruised to hell because those are some powerful interests on all sides.

Nick

[JimDreamworx]

Originally posted by Northgate
So where's are all the looty lips, foot stompers, and angry pundits demanding Schwarzennegger's head on a stick? California Republicans, will you demand a change?
Do the Republicans have to do everything GOOD in this country?
;)
Why isn't Mr. Heinz financing a recall?