I am working for the No on 1A Campaign, however, I am not working for any other No campaign. My opinions should not be construed to be those of the campaign, especially when it comes to the remaining measures.

Back in the presidential campaign, Arnold Schwarzenegger said that Barack Obama “needed to work out” and that he needed to work on “putting some meat on his ideas.” While Arnold has done his best to publicly buddy up to President Obama since the election, he just can’t cover up the turd he is currently in the process of laying on the carpet.  When Squirrel does that, I scold her. When Arnold does it, Californians scold him too. In poll after poll, state leaders are repeatedly chastised. But while the Leg gets, and to some extent deserves, a share of that, it is more a statement of the dramatic failure of Governor Schwarzenegger.

In a poll showing that the budget props are flailing, many are trying to peg this on fear of taxes.  And Howard Jarvis’ corpse will do its best to make sure that is how politicians see it.  But that is simply not it.  After all, it’s not that long since we passed the millionaire’s tax in Prop 63 to improve mental health services. And the Field Poll found a whole slew of taxes that big majorities of Californians supported.

No, this is an absolute failure, and a grand statement of the 6 years of epic Fail after epic Fail emerging from the Horseshoe. Arnold never really found his footing in the Governor gig. He tried playing it like an action movie by calling people he didn’t like “girlie men.” He tried some mea culpas and cozying up to some of the legislative leaders. He tried pleading with the Republicans, but in vote after vote couldn’t get them to follow his program. (Well, I should note that he did get Abel Maldanado to parrot his talking points and basically say what he could not.) But in the end, Californians are solidly rejecting his agenda.

He has used the economic crisis in the most cynical way to get Californians to accept a spending cap that they solidly rejected when it was known as Prop 76 in the last special election. While the President calls to our hopes, Arnold preys on our fears.

Robert pointed out the disparity between Californians’ opinions of their state and federal leaders. There are two reasons for this: first, part of this is term limits. Voters don’t really get to know their legislators.  But more importantly has been Arnold’s abject failure to produce any results. In this vein, CalBuzz called our leaders “UTTERLY TONE DEAF.”

Despite the ravings of the Jarvis folk, this election is not about taxes, but about the failure of leadership. Arnold came to power promising to blow up the boxes, but like Wile E. Coyote, he’s ended up with powder all over his face.

Californians want a responsive government with a clear plan to ensure that their government will be there for them going forward. We want a message that gives us hope, not fear. We want real reform of the budget process to make the system truly workable. We want a voice in a newly democratic process.

And that is the takeaway that Arnold and the Legislators should take from this mess.