The Enigma that is Arnold Schwarzenegger

by Brian Leubitz [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

A few months ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger unleashed his "cuts only" budget onto an unsurprised Sacramento. He said all the right things for a Republican: "we have a spending problem, not a revenue problem" yada, yada.  But, underneath it all, many observers thought that the budget was some sort of ploy to get Republicans to actually put everything on the table.  The logic went that the Republicans needed to know that it wouldn't be cuts on the Democratic-favored programs. It would mean closing schools in their districts, axing future water projects, etc.

If the Democrats are going to put their sacred cow on the table, education, at least the Republicans should do the same with their sacred taxation cow. But the Republicans in the legislature were slow to get the message, so Arnold is being a little more direct these days.

"I said and I made it very clear that everything is on the table," Schwarzenegger said.

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Since then, the governor has struck a more compromising tone, suggesting that ideas such as closing tax loopholes or applying the sales tax to services currently not subjected to it - such as, say, haircuts and legal advice - should be on the table.

The governor's recent rhetoric is a stark departure from his more absolutist stance on taxes - an issue that has defined him politically possibly more than any other - during both of his campaigns. (OakTrib 4/6/08)

But still being vague I suppose.  Put simply, if the Republicans think that we can do a cuts only budget, let's see it.  And let's see what the people of California think.  Because right now, the overwhelming majority (70-30) of Californians think that a cuts only budget just won't work. Arnold's beginning to come around, now let's see about those obstinate GOP legislators.