I know many of you are probably not fans of Mr. Schwarzenegger, since he turned out a sitting Democratic governor in a recall financed largely by a few moneyed right-wing Republican interests.
But in his time in office thus far, Arnold has done a lot for the future of my state, California, working in nonpartisan ways to really better our prospects for the future.
On the ballot today in California are several Schwarzenegger-backed measures to help prevent the state government from bilking local municipalities to finance its own free-spending ways, and another to essentially create an instant-runoff system in California similar to the way in which France operates.
Needless to say, both parties are outraged with Schwarzenegger, and have tried to float their own rival bipartisan constitutional amendment to stop them.
In California state politics, there are two constants:
- The California Democratic Party is corrupt, greedy, and incompetent.
- The California Republican Party is corrupt, greedy, and incompetent.
The fact that Schwarzenegger is forcing them to combine forces against him should show you just how far he's going to make good on his campaign promise to change the tone in California.
His work in strongarming more casino gaming revenues out of the state's Indian tribes is also something where he's shown that he's quite an effective leader.
Not to mention he's using the bully pulpit damn effectively, in a way that Grey Davis or a milquetoast replacement thereof could never do.
Grey Davis, while not being as terrible as he was made out to be, was mildly incompetent and lacked nearly any semblance of strong leadership.
We've done better under Schwarzenegger, and while I haven't agreed with his every decision, I don't think it'd be mature of me to not respect a strong, competent, intelligent leader merely because I do not agree with his every decision.
I read a lot of Schwarzenegger-bashing on this board. Especially cutesy nicknames like "gropenator". This is childish -- every bit as childish as calling Republicans "Rethugs" or the Republicans calling us "Democreeps" or "Demonicrats". Catty nicknames are silly, and they make the people who use them look like outright morons, incapable of behaving with the big boys.
I also see a lot of bashing of Schwarzenegger by people who don't even live in California -- who see the (R) next to his name and put party affiliation higher than actually thinking.
If Schwarzenegger continues at this pace, upon his re-election I, and the majority of Californians (A solid blue state), will probably pull the lever and vote for Schwarzenegger for re-election.
He's got a strong, solid record of leadership he can run on -- and the Democratic Party establishment in CA has become so tainted that it would take a similar, Schwarzenegger-like maverick on the other side to beat him.
He's also doing his part to adhere to the constituent's wishes in limiting his campaigning for Bush to a RNC speech and a token Ohio photo op, which would merely be a same-day trip. Neither significantly detract from his work, and both are mild actions when compared to what governors on both sides of the aisle do during presidential campaigns.
Enough Arnold bashing around here -- give the man some credit.