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Arnold Considered Party Switch
Behind the scenes, Schwarzenegger was an unenthusiastic endorser of Bush in 2004. His convention speech came off only after debate within the governor’s own camp over whether to give the address. And Schwarzenegger would make only a single appearance with Bush during the campaign—a stop in Columbus, Ohio, where Schwarzenegger has close friends and longstanding business interests. In 2008, Schwarzenegger skipped the Republican convention, though he had a good excuse: He was stuck in California, where Republicans were holding up the budget.
Throughout Schwarzenegger’s five years in office, California Republicans, despite being a minority in the legislature, have used the state’s requirement of a two-thirds vote on fiscal matters to thwart his agenda. A majority of GOP legislators routinely oppose his budgets. Republican opposition helped doom the governor’s top second-term priority: legislation to establish universal health coverage in the state by requiring the insurance industry to cover everyone and requiring all individuals to purchase health insurance. GOP lawmakers stood in the way of major Schwarzenegger initiatives on water, prisons, and the environment. Republican objections also contributed to the downsizing of the governor’s proposal of $200 billion in infrastructure investment. (The eventual package passed by the legislature and approved by voters was $40 billion.)
Schwarzenegger himself is responsible for many of his problems. The governor did not devote much time to building deep personal relationships with Republican lawmakers. At a rare meeting last year with the governor, some of these lawmakers wore nametags. After a marriage to a Kennedy and a long career in Hollywood, Schwarzenegger seems more personally comfortable with Democratic leaders. Worse still, Schwarzenegger in private could talk insultingly about Republican lawmakers. They were “foreheads,” “the wild bunch,” or “out there.” Such comments spread quickly in the gossipy Capitol.
Without close personal ties, Schwarzenegger’s political differences with Republicans loomed larger. The governor has appointed Democrats and Republicans in roughly equal numbers to state jobs. His chief of staff is a Democrat. On policy, he tangled with the Bush administration on a variety of environmental matters. His declaration, in his second inaugural address, that he would govern as a “post-partisan” was considered a betrayal by some partisan Republicans who had held their noses and worked for his re-election.
All this is why Schwarzenegger’s recent apostasies—supporting Obama’s stimulus and pushing for a budget with tax increases—have drawn mostly silence from national Republican leaders. Schwarzenegger’s dissing the party? That’s just Arnold being Arnold. Republicans could hit back at him. But what would be the point?
A fourth-generation Southern Californian, Joe Mathews is a journalist, an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and a contributing writer at the Los Angeles Times. He is the author of The People’s Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy.
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Joe Mathews is a journalist, an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and a contributing writer at the Los Angeles Times. He previously served as Justice Department reporter for the Wall Street Journal and as a city desk reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He is the author of The People's Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy.
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Joe Mathews is a journalist, an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and a contributing writer at the Los Angeles Times. He previously served as Justice Department reporter for the Wall Street Journal and as a city desk reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He is the author of The People's Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy.
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Joe Mathews is a journalist, an Irvine senior fellow at the New America Foundation, and a contributing writer at the Los Angeles Times. He previously served as Justice Department reporter for the Wall Street Journal and as a city desk reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He is the author of The People's Machine: Arnold Schwarzenegger and the Rise of Blockbuster Democracy.
Leave the party??? Was he ever in the party other than saying he agreed with some of the Republican ideas?
What a joke.... great story the other day about how he tried initially to bring some sanity to spending when he first got into office but ran into the unions and Democrats and gave up...
and now he just wants to be liked...
LOL
California... going bankrupt... LOL... they need more electric cars, unlimited illegal immigrants, larger public sector, etc. etc. etc...
anyone know how many upper middle class earners have fled California for states run with a little more sanity???
Arnie sure knows which way the wind is blowing. Not long ago the California Democrats were "girly men". Now he is thinking of changing parties? Some of us have really long memories and we know the Democratic Party does not need Arnold.
According to Arnie, California had to spend millions of dollars on a recall election to get rid of Gray Davis because Davis wanted to restore the car tax to what it was before the dot com boom. Arnold had to run for governor even though he had NO experience or EDUCATION. Now Arnold has increased the car tax to double what Gray Davis was asking for.
I remember an interview of someone in his hometown in Austria around the time of the recall. One comment was that someone with Arnold's education and experience would have difficulty getting elected as dog catcher in his home town. (Those crazy Europeans. They think education and experience are important.) And that comment was made before they got really angry at him. When they got really mad they took his name off the hometown sports stadium.
Please go back to Hollywood, Arnold, and stay there. Hasta la vista, baby.
If Enron had never happened, Gray Davis would still be governor and California wouldn't be in the mess it's in.
The Bush Era.
It must be so vindicating to Arianna Huffington to read articles like this. Many may remember that she ran against Arnold in the post Grey Davis recall. Arnold was characteristically chauvinistic toward her and dismissive of her ideas.
Arianna's amazing success, both at the Huffington Post and as a national leader in progressive politics, stands in such stark juxtaposition to Arnold's blustering buffoonery and failures as governor.
Long live Greek goddess Arianna! Brains and courage won out in the long run...
Davis was a plodding hack who never did anything in life except work for government. Your aunt in the attic would have beaten him in that recall. Arnie ran as a Republican and then governed as a Democrat. I hope voters remember this the next time someone rises from the cesspool Hollywood that has become and expresses a yen to run for office.
Though I always found Davis an incredibly unappealling politician, the above comment is 100% correct. Though Ahnold has not accomplished what he could have, I like the idea that is a poke in the eye to the Republicans who thought they were so clever to oust Davis and install Ahnold in the first place.
I really apologize for saying the above about the Democrats. I actually am not blind and stupid and I know that the Republicans ran this country into the ground. I am saying this because I don't want to look like a hypocrite.
Gray Davis got a raw deal. He got blamed for the energy crises which we all found out later was a scam by Enron. And don't forget the opportunity Darrel Issa who wanted the Governorship for himself. Gray Davis was also a Vietnam Vet so he did a lot more than most of you a*holes. did.
As bad as CA is doing right now I don't blame Arnold for it. In the end he was trying to be practical and he actually cared about the people of CA. Unlike those legislators in Sacramento who can't even pass a budget a year after it was due. With a legislative branch like that It is no wonder Arnold can't get anything done. I care way more about having a government that works than a government that is dysfunctional because of legislators from both the Republican party and the Democratic party couldn't get over their "philosophical differences" on how to govern.
Go for it Arnie.
You don't have a ball in the old sack unless you do what you know is right.
I like Arnold.
I'm of the thought that California is basically a chaotic and ungovernable place, unless you are a dictator and make all the rules. The referendums throw a spike in the road, the legislature is very polar and the representatives of mulitiple ethic self-interests, along with the disparity of wealth, well, it's just out of control and Arnold has to navigate through all that AND win over the general populace to boot. He maintains his dignity, he's certainly not in it for the $$$ and he doesn't give a s...t who he offends; always speaks his mind and that's what I like about him.
OK, here is the truth about California that most people don't know. First, 65% of the budget is mandated by law, wither federal or state. That means that regardless of the circumstances, 65% of the budget is going to be there whether you like it or not. And those programs will increase every year due to inflation and COLA's. Second, it takes a 2/3 majority to pass any budget or tax issues. THese two added together equal a constant case of grid lock. This is neither Arnold's or Gray Davis's fault. It is the fault of the population who continually vote for the legislators that perpetuate this farce.
History review for all of those who don't know or remember how the Governator into office. If not for Darrell Issa of San Diego, the recal would have never gone anywhere. He had run for most statewide offices including Governor and Senator and failed. He could only be elected to congress in his local district. An area of ultra conservative voters. He saw an opporunity to sidestep the process and buy the governors seat. He is the one who put up the original million dollars to get the recal going. The joke of it is that early on it became apparent that he could not win. Does anybody remember the blubbering whine fest he had when he dropped out of the reace. This allowed Arnold to pull his publicity stunt on the Leno show and run. He was unqualified to be Governor and this was his only way to get in. And he did. Davis was bounced out for supposedly raising the "car tax". In reality he just ended the state funded subsidy for rebates car registration fees. JUST LIKE THE LAW WAS WRITTEN. He didn't raise the reg fees, the law retroactively made them go up. He got screwed. pure and simple. And now the state gets to see what happens when you elect an actor to be Governor. Hey wait, that did that before, and if you lived in the state back then too, you saw pretty much the same thing happen then.
I wish we all started to admit that the mess California is in is due primarily to us voters. It was the voters who imposed the silly 2/3 majority requirement for budgets, which de facto created a minority dictatorship with veto power. Change that majority requirement to 50% as it should be, and the madness will end.
"Schwarzenegger won over McClintock voters ..., when the Los Angeles Times published its now famous story about the actor's history of "groping" women. Anyone who drew that kind of attack from the liberal media, conservatives figured, must not be so bad."
Well, doesn't that just sum it up. Anyone who sexually harasses women is good for a republican vote. We knew that, but now we have it in black and white, folks.
OK TDB, you're back on my home turf and surf...
Davis was ineffective as a career Democrat, Schwarzenegger is ineffective as a celebrity Republican...
Do we get it yet? The two party system is hopelessly gridlocked- nationally, statewide, and locally. California should split up into at least two and possibly four states and then see which section can secede from the Union first. The federal government's collection of more revenue than it returns to the state constitutes the first grievance. Establish a militia for the common defense, privatize education, legalize drugs, dismantle the whole criminal justice bureaucracy and give it a run as a sovereign state. I would rather die a free man at the hands of a terrorist than live as a slave to a bureaucracy. Time to move on, people!
I don't know why every Republican psycho on this site goes after California. I live on the east coast, but California is one of the largest economies in the world. The movie industry makes billions overseas. It's one of the few exports we have anymore.
If Arnold goes Democratic he'll win. He should legalize and tax the crap out of marijuana. The Republicans don't seem to understand that people want cops, roads, hospitals, and work. If this means having the government provide this by taxing the wealthy, nobody cares. If it means somehow we are socialist, nobody cares. You Republicans can plan a comeback, but you're gone.
The problem in CA is the same one we are facing in this country.
The Republicans are fighting everything that the elected leader is attempting to do, Arnold and Obama. It has drove CA into the ground and it will drive the USA in the ground if we do not remove the Republicans from office. They do not care about what is best for this country, that's more than apparent.
Arnold is an independent thinker . He said he was not going to go in lock step with others ideals and he has the cojones to move as he pleases . It would be nice if we did not have parties (gangs) that lined up against each other . As is it is a game that must be won at any cost regardless of consequences . I remember when the Senate was debating the Iraq 1 mess a senator stood and said his constituents were 75% against invading Iraq but he was voting his conscience and voted yes to an invasion . This was because his party had locked on to a yes vote . He was saved by the new president who gave him the Sec of Defence position . I wonder would he have been reelected had he ran again .
Hmm. Seems like Bulldoglover100 would be more comfortable living under one-party rule where a Dear Leader makes sure "what is best for the country" gets things done. That represents the thinking of a good part of the Democratic party these days.
I'm glad to see that he finally is joining a party more in line with his true self although I can't see how becoming an out and out communist will help him.
California is the Michigan of the West. The state is headed for bankruptcy; the smart folks figured it out long ago. That's why the earners and job creators have been leaving in droves to Colorado and Idaho for over 10 years now. Only the foolish and the poor remain in California with no one else left to pick up the tab (except the Federal Government of course). Schwarzenegger blew it huge. The GOP will continue to do well to eschew "Dem-Lite" approaches like his.
Just the rats leaving a sinking ship. They just want to make sure they get all the crumbs before they jump.
I'm back...Just watched the sun come up over Mt. San Jacinto, or Brokeback Mountain as my friends in Palm Springs call it. No innuendo there.
Nothing is going to be resolved in California by either a Republican or Democrat until the state is broken up into smaller entities. Here is a proposal for the new United States of California:
The Desert State- from San Diego and the Imperial Valley to the Inland Empire'
The Gold Coast- from Orange County to Santa Barbara with The City of Angels in the middle
The Baghdad Coast- from San Luis Obispo to Mendocino with San Francisco in the middle of those Cabernet-sipping, gay loving... What's that? Clint Eastwood lives in Carmel? Now there's a real man. He should be the first Governor of this new state.
The Sierra Country- from Kern County to Humboldt. Legalize and tax marijuana. No budget deficit there! It's really not that bad for you, people. Why do you think it's the drug of choice for professional athletes? Even Gold Medal winners! Lots of Gold Medals!
Might as well withdraw from the old U.S. at this point. Do you think anything is ever going to get done by continuing to put 435 bureaucrats in the same building over and over again?
Einstein's definition of insanity...
The Arnold of the 1970's and 1980's was a die-hard conservative whose personal hero was Ronald Reagan. As his fame and fortune grew he found himself, naturally, surrounded by the Hollywood sycophants. The fact that he abandoned his hard-core Republican viewpoints due to the pressure of his Hollywood liberal friends and ultimately, spouse, just show that he is and will never be the "next" Ronald Reagan. Reagan was a fading B-movie star who found a second calling in politics. Arnold was an A-list movie star of epic proportion who got into politics because he was bored.
We real Republicans abandoned the idea of Arnold as the next big thing years ago. He might as well switch sides at this point, we don't care.
Governors have to balance budgets. Reagan did not have to balance a budget. Arnold's hero-worship of Reagan is irrelevant in his challenge as governor.
Reagan took the painless cowardly way out of the 'taxes or services?' challenge that had dogged every President before him by blowing the deficit to unprecedented size. It was not until Clinton (aided by a Republican House, let's give credit) was willing to align expenses with taxes and stop the dangerous illusion that deficit spending provides.
In case a flamer is curious, I'm not a big fan of Obama deficits either. I blame voters who failed to continue Clinton's balanced budget policies under Gore for making it clear that deficit spending has political rewards - and Obama listened closely to voters from 2000 and 2004.
Thank you.
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