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Tuesday, October 17, 2006

California Dems get their "bipartisan" reward

George, you are my inspiration: you showed me how I can sign laws my moneymen oppose and not have to enforce them

The part Arnold Schwarzenegger is currently playing is that of a politician who is "fiscally conservative, socially moderate, environmentally progressive". That's how he described himself a few days ago (Schwarzenegger to push his 'good ideas' : But governor won't revisit union dues, education funding by Carla Marinucci and Mark Martin San Francisco Chronicle 10/12/06)

His fiscal conservatism has consisted of various budget tricks and borrowing to balance his operating budgets, including hikes in university fees that hit working families the hardest. His socially moderate persona has manifested itself in his opposition to gay marriage and in his praise for the xenophobic white supremacists of the Minutemen group as they were posturing over border controls.

Schwarzenegger's main claim to "moderation" has been his environmental stands this year. With a great deal of hoopla, including video praise for Tony Blair and two elaborate signing ceremonies with Democratic legislators there to add a "bipartisan" air, the Governor signed a bill into law setting long-term emissions standards to limit "greenhouse gases" that cause global warming. He even took his show on the road to other states to look like an environmental leader.

But there's a catch. The actual implementation of those standards depends on regulations and future legislation. Where is Schwarzenegger likely to be when it's time to actually deliver? On the side of polluters like a good Bush Republican, of course: Núñez slams governor on emission law by Mark Martin San Francisco Chronicle 10/17/06

Martin reports:

Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez and some environmental groups charged Monday that an executive order Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger plans to sign today undermines an agreement the governor struck with Democrats on the state's landmark global warming law.

Schwarzenegger will sign an order giving the secretary of the Environmental Protection Agency the duty of overseeing parts of the law's implementation and emphasizes the development of a new market allowing companies to buy and sell greenhouse gas emissions credits.

Núñez said that the executive order gives more power to the executive branch than the law calls for and that the governor's emphasis on a market-based approach to lowering greenhouse gas emissions ignored other aspects of the law. He suggested the governor was reinterpreting the law based on proposals he had suggested to lawmakers during negotiations over the legislation this year but that had been rejected by the Legislature.

I'm glad Núñez is at least talking the Democratic talk on this. It would have been much better if he and other prominent Democrats in the legislature had not willingly played along with these public showcases that have allowed Schwarzenegger to recreate himself (for election year) as "environmentally progressive". Good Lord, Schwarzenegger was the guy who originated the Hummer, having the first civilian version custom-built for himself!

At least nominal Democratic "leader" Núñez now has the decency to claim to be "shocked, shocked" that Schwarzenegger is acting like a typical Bush Republican, grabbing additional executive power and using it to kick his "bipartisan" partners in the face.

It's a good thing the Dems exploited Schwarzenegger's election-year act to get some decent bills signed. But they never should have agreed to be his stage-props for his bipartisan/environmentally-progressive traveling medicine show just a few weeks ago.

With the election three weeks from today and the absentee ballots out - I mailed mine in today - Democratic candidate Phil Angelides is down by 9% or so in the polls. He can still close the gap, but it's a long shot at this point.

Salon has run a couple of decent articles explaining how Schwarzenegger repositioned himself for the election:

Schwarzenegger's sly move: The Governator's green cred could get him reelected. But will he keep his enviro-friendly promises after November? by Amanda Griscom Little 09/11/06

Arnold's comeback by Chris Thompson 10/11/06

Thompson's article is good on *how* Schwarzenegger put across the "environmentally progressive" image remake. But Thompson also seems to be under the impression that not only is Schwarzenegger really a Republ;ican moderate, but that some Republicans in Congress may be interested in being that, too. Old habits of thinking about the political parties die hard, I guess.

The Los Angeles Times today also provides a "horse race" type look at Scharzenegger's campaigning: Gov. Keeps the Spotlight On by Michael Finnegan 10/17/06:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's face towered over Times Square on Monday from video panels covering several stories of a skyscraper, relaying his image as he presided inside over the morning opening of the Nasdaq stock market.

He used the occasion, televised nationwide on cable finance networks, to plug his efforts against global warming, then strutted out of Nasdaq's building and into traffic on Broadway. Amid zooming cabs and stunned passersby taking snapshots with their phones, he posed for news cameras, then climbed into a black Suburban that vanished in a swirl of police sirens as he raced to media stops with New York's mayor and governor.

Week by week, Schwarzenegger has grown increasingly bold about using his Hollywood stardom to advance his prospects for reelection Nov. 7. He marked the fifth anniversary of 9/11 live during the season opener of ESPN's "Monday Night Football." His recent visits with the Dalai Lama and British Prime Minister Tony Blair made the front pages. He campaigned last week on "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno."

Let's hope Angelides gets a big surge the next three weeks.

posted at 2:50:00 PM by Bruce Miller

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