This morning I read in the SF Chronicle, and it has been twice diaried here today that BushCo has opened up ~59 million acres of untouched national forest to logging and mining interests. Much of this land is in California. (97 % is in western states.)
So I called to complain to the black hole, um I mean, the White House comment line and continued getting ready for my day.
On my way to my child's preschool I heard (via NPR)that Arnold is on the job of protecting these forests. He even said that none of these forests will be touched in California.
My first reaction: Wow, he really is an environmentalist governor.
My second reaction: How can he stop Bush form doing it? I hope he succeeds.
Then I dropped off both my kids and went on my way....Later I had some other thoughts
More below the fold.
As I drove to work my mind wandered about Arnold, his recent poll drops, his Peter Wilsonish desire to use polarizing immigration issues to raise his numbers.
Then I thought about the NPR story this morning. I also remember hearing that he met with Rove and BushCo before he was even running for governor. I thought about how he wants to gerrymander California like DeLay did to Texas, and then I thought....THIS FOREST DANGER IS A GOOD COP BAD COP SCHEME to get Arnold's political power back so he can continue to DeLay California and change a Democrat stronghold state into a less Democrat one. (I have a hard time seeing CA turn into Texas, but Texas used to be a Democratic state and I am sure Karl Rove has no trouble with the vision of a GOP California....he has a long-term politcal agenda and he is patient)
Californians...whatever their political stripe, are on the whole...suckers for environmental issues. Bush is the bad guy, we already hate him here, he has no pretentions of being an environmentalist, but Arnold's record is mixed. This is a very high profile attempt to bring his numbers up using a core Californian issue.
Now, I do think politicians should get credit for the good things that they do, so if I am wrong...convince me. But I don't think I am wrong, the timing, the fiercity of Arnold's response and my general skepticism all keep reminding me that the GOP wants Califonia so bad they can taste it. Rove has suggested as much himself, stating in a 2005 interview that they should have tried to win California for Bush in 2004.
Thanks for reading, and I'll be returning to my work now and checking in periodically,