Pictures by Luke Thomas from the San Francisco Sentinel

The Knockout Blow

The idea seems at first blush like a leap, but it is a page from an effective playbook. Two and a half years ago, the Davis administration was riddled with scandals and on the defensive. But a small group of dedicated people decided to take him out. I know when I first heard about the petition to recall Davis my initial reaction was a mixture of skepticism and denial, but in my gut I knew Davis was vulnerable.

Two years ago, I was in the Central Valley door knocking and talking to voters about the State Budget process, and everyone had something bad to say about Davis. In San Francisco, I didn’t have to knock on doors to know that everyone hated Davis. They voted no on the Recall in overwhelming numbers, but it was not out of love for Davis. Statewide 55% of the voters approved the recall and elected Schwarzenegger who by most accounts was so successful that Democrats were hanging on his every word and even campaigning side by side with him.

The Times They Are A-Changin’
The last year has been a very, very different landscape for Schwarzenegger. Sasha from www.leftinsf.com noted that there were cracks in Scwarzenegger’s facade in mid March. As the months have gone by, it has only gotten worse and the recent revelations about Schwarzenegger’s ethical lapses have added fuel to a bonfire that is burning across the state. A network of opposition grew over the last year starting with the nurses, then the firefighters, teachers, labor and the Democrats. Said Bill Whalen, an advisor to Schwarzenegger, “What the Democrats have done here undeniably has been very effective. They have attacked Schwarzenegger’s policies; they have attacked his character, his ethics, his trustworthiness, and it has driven down his poll numbers.'’ Well, yes. And Schwarzenegger has continued to make himself a big, big target.

A Quick Review of The Last Year:
-Schwarzenegger took advantage of a loophole and is renting office space to political campaigns that he controls. The arrangement is legal only because the checks are made out to Mainstreet Plaza, a building that Schwarzenegger owns. Said Larry Noble, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C. “What all this has shown is that Schwarzenegger plays all the angles just like any politician.'’

-Schwarzenegger took advantage of another loophole in the ethics laws and received money from two body building magazines, magazines that are filled with ads promoting nutritional supplements. Since Schwarzenegger got 1% of the advertising revenue, he financially benefited from sales of ads to companies that made nutritional supplements. Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that banned the use of nutritional supplements by high school athletes. Kathay Feng, executive director of California Common Cause, said of the arrangement, “To be lambasting other electeds for taking money and then do the same thing by signing this contract on the eve of his inauguration is sort of mind blowing.'’ Schwarzenegger eventually capitulated but the hypocrisy is astounding.

-Arnold’s Special Election Boondoggle has hijacked the state and our resources. Voters think it is a waste of time and money. Last winter, Schwarzenegger was pushing several key measures, arguing that we needed a Special Election to deal with them and that we couldn’t wait until June 2006. His effort to privatize public employee pensions quickly fizzled when voters understood that it would have stripped away death benefits for the spouses of firefighters and police officers. Firefighters dogged him across the state and he capitulated. Schwarzenegger also argued for a Texas style redistricting plan to make it easier for him to obtain more Republican allies in the Legislature. That initiative was thrown out by a court because the version that was filed with the Secretary of State was different than the version that signature gatherers used on the streets. Keep in mind that this oh so urgent Special Election will cost $80 million dollars, precious dollars that could be used to fund essential services.

His Biggest Mistake

-Some would argue his biggest mistake may have been taking on the Nurses. Last fall, Schwarzenegger was supposed to implement a law that would have changed nurse to patient staffing ratios, which would have meant better care for patients. The hospital industry reached out and touched Schwarzenegger and he took on a battle that no consultant in their right mind should have advised him to do. I mean who thinks a big hulking guy talking about kicking nurse butt helps his image? The California Nurses Association dogged him at every appearance, starting what would become months of protests across the state and creating the perception that his health care policy is for sale to the highest bidder.

Arnold Taking on The Kids

-Maybe even worse than Nurses, Schwarzenegger has taken on children. Two of his ballot measures will deeply hurt the children of our state. Proposition 76, his measure to enact budget spending caps would take $4 billion dollars away from our schools. Prop 74 would mean teachers would be on probation for five years, not two years. Who in their right mind would want that job? The best and the brightest that might have considered teaching will go elsewhere, dooming our school system to mediocrity.

-Then finally, besides all the conflicts of interest that Schwarzenegger has, he is the King of Special Interest fundraising, showing that Davis was really just an amateur when it comes to fundraising. He even proudly traveled to Texas, a Republican stronghold to raise money. When he ran for office, he promised to make decisions “that are wisest for the people, not what is best for special interests.” Since then he has taken money from some of the biggest special interests in Sacramento to fund his initiatives for the Special Election. Even the Chronicle has gotten fed up with his hypocrisy. In an editorial which they called the Governor The Money Man, they wrote,” Schwarzenegger came to office promising reform. His charisma and appeal gave him the power to deliver. But on campaign financing, he’s deepened the swamp he promised to drain. ”

A field poll released last month showed that a mere 28 percent of Californians believe the state is on the right track while 59 percent believe it is seriously off track. Only 31 percent are convinced he’s doing a good job as governor. 57 percent would not support Schwarzenegger’s re-election next year. Those who would vote for him next fall dropped from 56 percent to 39 percent.

It is time to ask the question, should/could Arnold Schwarzenegger be Recalled? You never know. Voters are likely to say yes. Hey Binder, will you do the poll?

More later on the initiatives that will appear on the ballot for the Special election, how Arnold is afraid of Labor and why he is trying to silence us.