'Governor' Garcia Takes a Trip to San Diego

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According to the Associated Press, President Bush and Governor Schwarzenegger are just too busy to meet during the President’s two day California swing in Rancho Cucamonga and San Diego.

Looks like those pesky fundraisers can get in the way of the Governor's official duties.

After seeing that the President discussed immigration and border relations at a press conference in Rancho Cucamonga, I can see why the President didn't want "Mr. Minuteman" at his side.

But have no fear. The state of California seems to be well represented today in San Diego by Assemblymember Bonnie Garcia (R-Cathedral City).

I’m sure "Governor" Garcia lobbied the President for those precious federal dollars and I hope she didn’t miss too many votes today.

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Who would oppose a bill to "Protect California's Seniors from Financial Abuse?"

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Today, Governor Schwarzenegger signed the Democratic-sponsored Financial Elder Abuse Reporting Act of 2005 to help protect California's elderly and dependent adults from financial abuse.

According to the Governor's press release - "This legislation will both help protect our elderly citizens by keeping them out of the grasp of unscrupulous people, while also protecting our financial institutions from frivolous lawsuits."

According to the Attorney General’s Office, more than 225,000 elderly Californians are the subject of financial abuse. Seems like a good enough reason to enact legislation, right?

So...who in their right mind would oppose this new law sponsored by the California State Sheriffs' Association and supported by a host of groups including the American Association of Retired Persons California, the California District Attorneys Association and the CA Police Chiefs Association?

That would be the man who would like to be the next Republican Attorney General of California: "Tough on crime" Senator Chuck Poochigian.

Pooch, along with almost the entire Senate Republican Caucus and eighteen members of the Assembly Republican Caucus, bucked their Governor and said "NO" to protecting seniors from financial abuse.

We now know where the GOP priorities are…sticking to party lines, even if it means putting the elderly citizens of California on the sidelines.

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Lights Out on Leadership

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According to the latest PPIC survey, Californians have been brutally critical about Governor Schwarzenegger’s lack of leadership. 54 percent disapprove of the job Schwarzenegger is doing as governor. (www.ppic.org)

Today's Associated Press reports that ROLLING BLACKOUTS have been imposed across Southern California won’t give Californians much reason to feel any different about their governor.

"High temperatures and the loss of a key transmission line Thursday forced power officials in Southern California to impose rolling blackouts, leaving as many as half a million people without power for an hour at a time, officials said." (Associated Press, August 25, 2005)

It’s no secret that Schwarzenegger’s energy policy has consisted of nothing more than cheap photo ops. The Governor’s energy policy seems to consist of nothing more than laughable bravado: "Trust me, everything will be under control - your lights will be on." (Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sacramento Bee, December 15, 2004)

So where can we find Arnold during these latest rolling blackouts?

Fundraising, of course!

Tomorrow he is raising campaign cash in Monterey and Pebble Beach.

A real leader would cancel those self-serving campaign fundraisers and get back to work. I guess we’ll find out tomorrow how much Arnold really cares about California’s problems.

The lack of leadership isn’t limited to energy policy. Today’s Sacramento Bee editorial page asks the same question about Schwarzenegger water policy: “Who’s In Charge?”

“The issue at hand is water, but the underlying problem is leadership - or rather the lack of it in the administration of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Who is the point person in the administration, clearly delegated to solve some of the state's thorny water problems? … Who is in charge of looking after the public interest in the interminable and internecine squabbles between various interest groups? Who, in short, is assigned to carry the water on water?” (Sacramento Bee, August 24, 2005)

Replace the word “water” with “energy”, “education”, “healthcare” or any other issue and you pretty much have the measure of this Administration.

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Arnoldo No Es Amigo De Mexico

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In a missive entitled “Nunez Goes Good Will Hunting in Mexico,” the California Republican Party is arguing that the best way to determine whether you are having a positive impact on public policy is by counting the number of times your name pops up in the LA Times archive.

When you use that kind of metric, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that Team Schwarzenegger has been oblivious to their leader’s 40 point drop in the polls and his sliding support among Hispanics in California. (Governor Losing Hispanic Support, Orange County Register, July 25, 2005)

Here’s the bottom line, in addition to being California’s largest trading partner, Mexico shares a border with California. Gov. Schwarzenegger has failed to foster relations with Mexico for the last year and a half and now California-Mexico Border issues are coming to a boil.

While virtually ignoring Mexico, (his only visit has come in the form of a two-hour dinner) Schwarzenegger did find loads of extra time to visit Japan (which, last I checked, does not share a border with California).

Now, Governors Napolitano of Arizona and Richardson of New Mexico have “declared emergencies in their states to free up federal money and help combat smuggling and violence along the U.S.-Mexico border.” (Sacramento Bee, August 20, 2005)

Arnold applauded their move on KFMB radio in San Diego, but then his advisor on Mexico policy (and press secretary) Margita Thompson later said there was no need for an emergency.

I guess they weren’t getting that many hits on the LA Times archive. Here’s one I found:

“Positive and negative, Mexico matters to California….None of this seems to matter to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. In the almost two years since he became governor, he has not traveled to Mexico and appears uninterested in establishing a relationship. He angered already cross Mexicans with his recent praise for the concept of Arizona's "Minuteman" border vigilantes. He suggested, in a later-modified statement, that California should "close the borders" with Mexico.” (LA Times Editorial July 14, 2005)

Here’s a better measure of Governor Schwarzenegger’s commitment to improving and fostering relations with Mexico. Type “Mexico” in the search bar of the Governor’s official website.

The result? : “No Search Result Returned: Total number of documents found: 0 in 0 seconds.”

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Bipartisanship fades, feuding resumes

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Gov's support drops as lawmakers squabble.

(published in the revamped Capitol Weekly, The Newspaper of California Government and Politics, August 18th, 2005)

By Roger Salazar

In the 1972 film, "The Godfather," Vito Corleone meets with the heads of the Five Families in an effort to end a year-long feud. "How did things ever get so far?" he says. "I don't know. It was so -- unfortunate -- so unnecessary."

Most Capitol observers feel the same way about the feud launched by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Jan. 5, when he declared war on a variety of Democratic constituencies despite the fact that he is the governor of a vastly Democratic state.

So, how did we get here? What would drive a governor who was voted into office by a bipartisan coalition to turn his back on half his constituency? Was it an ideological change of heart, or was it a strategic mistake based on the hubris derived from booming approval ratings? My money's on the latter.

Schwarzenegger came into office with a bipartisan mandate. Republicans voted for him, but that's only half the story. He received strong support from independents and even support from Democrats. In a poll by the Public Policy Institute of California taken in February 2004, 44 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of independents approved of Schwarzenegger's job performance. That support has vanished.

Just as voters were angry with what they perceived as failures by Davis, they are even more furious with Schwarzenegger's deliberate and calculated moves away from the bipartisanship that was the hallmark of his candidacy.

Schwarzenegger campaigned on education, health care, and – most prominently – a promise to reform the way politicians do business in Sacramento.

On education, he negotiated agreements with the education community in his first year, only to renege on his promises to fully fund schools under Proposition 98 in his second year.

On healthcare, he pledged that his first actions as governor would be to make children's healthcare a priority. He has yet to fulfill his campaign promise to "immediately go out and promote" California's Healthy Families program, and "market it and get it out there so everybody knows about it and signs up." To date, he has yet to hold a single event promoting healthy families and enrollment in the program has declined.

On campaign reform, he promised to not take any money from special interests, ban fundraising during the budget process and forgo money from business with interests before the state. In the past year we've had a daily barrage of stories regarding Schwarzenegger's pay-for-play administration.

He campaigned with a broom to sweep out the Capitol. That broom has been replaced with a shovel to pick up his campaign contributions. He has raised more money for his campaign projects than any other governor in history and has obliterated the line between governance and campaigning. Schwarzenegger himself profits from his campaign cash machine by paying himself rent and travel expenses.

In short, Schwarzenegger has become the anti-thesis of everything he campaigned for and has nothing to show for it except a war no one but his corporate donors want.

As a result, Schwarzenegger's once-skyrocketing approval ratings have crashed and burned, and now he is hounded by questions about his secretive business dealings and his ethics.

In "The Godfather", the gangster Barzini sets a war in motion to effect a policy change opposed by the Corleone family. Like Barzini, Gov. Schwarzenegger started this war because he overestimated the strength of his own position and underestimated the resolve of his opponents.

They each exerted their muscle and capitol in an effort to dominate and wrest control of the agenda from the existing power structure. They each wanted to shift policies in an effort to improve the bottom line for themselves and their associates.

And just like in the movie, in the end you have a tragic conflict where nobody can really win and everybody ends up losing.

Roger Salazar is a principal with the Sacramento political consulting firm, AcostaSalazar LLC. He was a spokesman for former Vice President Al Gore, and served in former Gov. Gray Davis’ press office.

From Black-Out to Green-In

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Despite his own calls for fundraising bans during the budget and bill signing periods, the Governor is putting his fundraising schedule on steroids to lift his total over the $50 million he says he needs.

The Los Angeles Times reports the first injection of funds will come from a "17-event fundraising tour from here to Boston, tapping donors who have a stake in bills soon to arrive at [the Governor’s] desk for signature or veto." (Los Angeles Times, August 17, 2005)

"Early in his tenure, Schwarzenegger had proposed a 'black-out' period barring fundraising when the Legislature was in session. He and other Republicans criticized his predecessor, Davis, for holding fundraisers at the end of legislative sessions when governors decide what bills should become law." (L.A. Times, August 17, 2005)

Now the Gov is less concerned about a "black-out" period than he is with his "green-in" period.

As of the last reporting period, the Governor reported raising $8.3 million of the "at least" $50 million he says he needs to "promote his agenda this year." (L.A. Times, February 9, 2005)

This means the Governor must raise $41.7 million before Election Day (from the end of the FPPC reporting period, June 30, till November 8 is only 131 days).

To reach his stated goal, Schwarzenegger must raise at least $318,321 daily, nearly eight times more than the $39,122 a day pace Gray Davis set during his first 18 months in office. (Sources: FPPC Reports, San Francisco Chronicle, August 1, 2000)

That’s nearly $10 million a month, close to 10 times the “$1 million a month” pace Governor Gray Davis raised at the same point in his tenure. (Associated Press, April 4, 2002)

Martin Wilson, the Governor’s chief fundraiser “said Schwarzenegger could gather $5 million from the 17 events.” (L.A. Times, August 17, 2005)

That means eight more trips like this one!

Looks like the governor just declared a "black-out" on governing.

How Do You Define “Involved”?

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The other chuckle we got was reading pro-Proposition 78 consultant Frank Schubert say that they are “not hiding the fact the pharmaceutical industry is involved in our campaign.” (Sacramento Bee, August 16, 2005)

Involved? What constitutes “involved?” Did they write a letter of support? Did they loan the campaign some office space? Did they kick down with some free printing?

Oh wait, he must be talking about the fact that Big Pharma initiated and bankrolled Prop 78 to the tune of $72 million.

Must be nice when folks get “involved” in the political process.

How Do You Define “Bipartisan Adviser”?

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We still get a kick out of reading the advisories that go out on behalf of Schwarzenegger’s California Recovery Team.

For example, they continue to bill Administration officials Tom Campbell and Maggie Fortune as a “bipartisan team of Schwarzenegger advisers.” (Capitol Morning Report, August 16, 2005)

These two taxpayer-funded government employees are campaigning up and down the state for Schwarzenegger’s initiatives (they are meeting with the Fresno Chamber of Commerce today to persuade them to support Chamber-endorsed initiatives. Wow. Hope they can convince them…) and while Ms. Fortune is technically registered as a Democrat, I’m sure the fact that these two owe their salary to the Governor has nothing to do with their coming together in this “bipartisan” cause.

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How Do You Define “Non-Partisan”?

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When Bruce McPherson was appointed California Secretary of State by Governor Schwarzenegger, conventional wisdom held he would take a decidedly non-partisan approach to the office. Capitol pundits swooned over his impartiality.

Now, it seems, he has abandoned any pretense of non-partisanship and is quickly showing himself to be just another Schwarzenegger lapdog.

Let’s take a look at his shifting position on Schwarzenegger’s Proposition 77:
“It's a tough criterion, ‘but I think the lines could be in place for next year,’ he said during an informal news conference.

“It was an abrupt shift of direction for the former Santa Cruz legislator, who said several weeks ago that backers of the redistricting measure, who include Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, had no chance of having the new districts ready for next year's elections.

“‘There is no way we'd be able to do it by 2006,’ McPherson told the Sacramento Press Club in May. ‘Maybe 2008, but that's a question mark.’” (San Francisco Chronicle, August 16th, 2005.)

OK, so he shifted positions. It’s not like he’s trying to curry favor among Republicans for ambitions of his own, right?

“Secretary of State Bruce McPherson signaled Monday that he intends to run next year to retain the post he assumed…” after Kevin Shelley resigned in March.

“I think we're doing the job that the general public wants. …And if I feel this way after the special election, I'll be announcing my intention to run,” ("McPherson Might Run", Sacramento Bee, August 16th, 2005)

I guess Bruce learned it is best not to bite the partisan hand that feeds you.

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Coming to a Chamber of Commerce near you…

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According to the Bakersfield Californian (August 4, 2005), the “Governor’s troops” are going to hit the road in a free media push to help prop up the Governor’s flailing political agenda.

Who are these “troops”?

a) Paid political operatives who work for one of the Governor’s various special interest campaign committees?

b) Governor Schwarzenegger’s Finance Director?

c) Representatives from the California Chamber of Commerce?

d) One of Governor Schwarzenegger’s senior education advisors?

If you answered (b) and (d), you are correct. It appears that if you want a member of the Governor’s official taxpayer-funded staff to come to your hometown, all you have to do is call Todd Harris who appears to be the booking agent for the Governor’s campaign organization.

Recent campaign reports filed with the Secretary of State showed that the governor's campaign committees had spent almost $23 million. One would think that the Governor’s political team could hire a speaker’s bureau to push their political agenda and not use government employees. But this mixing of campaigning and governing should not be surprising. This Administration has already demonstrated through their actions that they can’t tell the difference between one side of L Street or the other.

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What happened to good old fashioned “earned media”?

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In an article in today’s Desert Sun (August 4, 2005) regarding legislative fundraising and expenditures there was a little gem about Senator Jim Battin.

It turns out that Senator Battin paid for plane tickets and hotel rooms for local radio talk show-hosts to travel to Sacramento for a Republican talk radio love-in called “Capitol Clearspeak Conference” that was held back in June. The conference was just another opportunity for the talk radio folks to spout Republican talking points and let the Governor praise the Minuteman Project.

With Republican Members like Senator Battin paying $1,200 for airfare and dropping $3,300 for rooms at the Hyatt, it’s no wonder that the Governor and the Republican Caucus get all that free love from the talk radio folks.

I’m sure that these unnamed local media types just misplaced their credit cards and are in the process of reimbursing the Senator’s campaign account…


For more information you can check on page 31 and page 35 of Taxfighters for Jim Battin’s latest campaign report (ID# 1259349)


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Arnold’s Next Role: Drunken Sailor?

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The San Francisco Chronicle’s Matier and Ross report the Governor’s “campaign has already burned through $9 million this year…

Arnold is spending cash so fast, in fact, that finance reports due out Monday will show his California Recovery Team with a $1 million debt for the six-month reporting period ending June 30.”

“Even many Republican insiders in Sacramento said they've been taken aback to learn just how much cash the governor has shot through…” (Chronicle, July 31, 2005)

And this is after the Governor sued to raise money in unlimited amounts!

Not that it’s done him any good. The more he spends, the more Californians are turned off by his so-called reform.

Anyways, $9 million down and $1 million in the hole. So much for “Living Within His Means.”

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