« Boycott Bali | Main | Stem Cell Research Living Will »
Friday, May 27, 2005
CA-Gov: Political Cheapness
Posted by Bob BrighamToday's San Francisco Chronicle:
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger traveled to a quiet San Jose neighborhood Thursday, and -- dogged by protesters -- filled a pothole dug by city crews just a few hours before, as part of an attempt to dramatize his efforts to increase money for transportation projects.The choreographed press opportunity -- at least the governor's fourth recent event involving transportation issues -- seemed aimed as much at thwarting the demonstrators who have followed Schwarzenegger for weeks as grabbing new attention for his proposal.
The Governor is using state resources to tear up our roads so he can pretend to fix them on TV? This is one of the most pathetic acts of political cheapness I have ever encountered.
Even worse is the fact the Governor's handlers were busted trying to pull of this little stunt. You be the judge, is such an event an adequate rapid response to yesterday's FRONT PAGE STORY:
10,000 protest governorSacramento -- Thousands of public employees staged the biggest political rallies of the year at the state Capitol and in Los Angeles on Wednesday, charging that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's policy agenda shortchanges schoolchildren and undermines the fabric of California's poor and middle class.
The protests came after weeks of increasingly heated, campaign-style rhetoric from both sides as Schwarzenegger moved the state closer to a special election on issues such as state spending and teacher tenure.
Schwarzenegger has derided unions as "special interests" whose grip on Democratic party politics is the source of many of the state's ills. At the Capitol on Wednesday, firefighters, teachers, nurses and others -- many wearing the insignias of their professions -- stood under a sweltering late- afternoon sun and, in the most charged and personal rhetoric yet, fired back.
"The CEO of California is ... picking on women in wheelchairs," Frances Gracechild, director of Resources for Independent Living, told a crowd of roughly 10,000 people. "The only thing I can think of so he won't have to do hard time in hell is resign." (emphasis mine)
This on top of the product placement scandal? I don't think Schwarzenegger will be back.
Posted at 10:51 AM in 2006 Elections - State, California, Scandals | Technorati
Comments
It's not as if there aren't naturally occurring potholes.
Posted by: paperwight ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.swingstateproject.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at May 27, 2005 07:22 PM | Permalink | Edit Comment | Delete Comment