(Did he learn a lesson in politics or policy? He attempts to obfusicate it, but he let down his guard here. He thinks the policies of the special were sound policy. They weren’t. At all. – promoted by SFBrianCL)
We just put out a press release about Arnold’s comments about the special election that he made during the debate. It was the key point in the debate, making a clear contrast between the two candidates. Here are some excerpts from the press release and a YouTube clip of Angelides and Schwarzenegger addressing the special election.
Sacramento – Today the Alliance for a Better California, the coalition of firefighters, teachers, cops and nurses that came together to overwhelmingly defeat Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s damaging Special Election agenda, called on the Governor to renounce the remarks he made during this weekend’s debate saying his policies attacking working families were “good ideas.”
“It’s clear that not only has Arnold Schwarzenegger learned nothing from his disastrous Special Election last year, but that he is arrogantly defying the will of California’s voters by saying those rejected, failed policies were good ideas,” said Lou Paulson, President of the California Professional Firefighters. “This Governor cannot be trusted – there is not a doubt in my mind that he will continue to attack our public education system and to eliminate secure retirement for public safety employees, including for the families of those killed in the line of duty.”
In addition, Schwarzenegger used much of the same campaign rhetoric during the debate that he used during the Special Election to sell his damaging initiatives. In particular, Prop. 76, dubbed by the Schwarzenegger campaign the “Live Within Our Means Act,” was resoundingly defeated by 25 points. Yet Schwarzenegger repeatedly used that phrase several times during this weekend’s debate to talk about current policies, setting off alarm bells to those concerned about further drastic cuts to education.
“There is no question that this Governor has broken his promises to California’s students time and again, especially when he tried to cut billions from our schools,” said Barbara E. Kerr, President of the California Teachers Association. “California voters soundly rejected his proposal to eliminate our minimum school funding guarantee and to give him the power to cut school budgets without asking anyone. So now, to call those good ideas shows he didn’t listen at all last year. I have serious concerns about which Arnold Schwarzenegger would show up after Election Day – the one who makes promises to our schools, or the one who repeatedly breaks them?”
Schwarzenegger also attacked Angelides by claiming he didn’t come out of his office during protests of the Davis Administration. But Governor Schwarzenegger never once came outside of his multi-million dollar fundraisers to acknowledge those who had come out to make their voices heard.
The failed agenda that Schwarzenegger appears to be embracing anew as “good ideas” included:
- Destroying the minimum school funding law approved by voters and permanently slashing school funding by $4 billion, approximately $600 per student.
- Giving the Governor the power to cut funding for education and public safety without consulting anyone.
- Punishing new teachers by extending their probation period and eliminating their right to a fair hearing.
- Denying public employees, including firefighters, teachers, cops and nurses, a voice in the political process.
- Allowing 3 retired judges to redraw district lines based on outdated census data.
The Beverly Hilton
