Poll Reveals Depth of California Voters' Mistrust

[Thom Little]

California voters are elaborating, through a new poll, on their grumpy election day message to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. They're stressing disdain and distrust of Sacramento — and aren't distinguishing much between the governor and Legislature.

The poll finds what everybody suspected: that the governor's advocacy of his four "reforms" hurt more than it helped. A Schwarzenegger endorsement made voters at least twice as likely to oppose a measure as support it.

.......

These are some of the things cranky voters told poll interviewers:

• Their esteem for Schwarzenegger suffered because of the special election he called. A couple of reasons: 60% disapprove of how he used the initiative process, and 60% think the election was a "bad idea." Only 39% approve of his overall job performance; 56% disapprove.

• But the Legislature is even more loathed. A mere 20% approve of its performance; 66% disapprove. Sure, lawmakers always have countered, but voters like their own representatives. Well, not anymore. Just 37% approve of the jobs their local legislators are doing.


http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-cap5dec05,1,2415629.column?coll=la-headlines-politics

[joefree1]

1. Boycott the LA Times

The legislature didn't hold a special election that cost us $60 million. We'll cancel Aunald next year like I canceled my LA Times subscription last month.

[David Zephyr]

2. Boycott the LA Times

I'm with joefree1's message above: Boycott the LA Times.

[olddad56]

3. What are the legislators suppose to do when the Governor ....

has spent every day in office circumventing the democratic process. he was elected on a scam. He has blown millions of tax dollars on special elections to circumvent the legislators that he should be trying to work with. He has screwed up every state agency, board and commission by appointing his people, in many cases unofficially in positions that are not political appointments. He has done the exact opposite of everything he has said he would do. How can you blame the legislators when they haven't even had a chance to screw up yet.

[GRLMGC]

4. Yeah, no kidding

I think people are just disgruntled over how many elections we've had. I think there's a lot of voter fatigue. God knows I'm not really looking forward to the primaries, where there will be ballot measures (I think this is a bad idea, by the way)

[pinniped]

5. I don't think the average CA voter knows anything about the legislature.

They are lumping them in with Herr Gropenfuhrer.

[bemildred]

6. Why should we trust them?

They do a shitty job. They have done a shitty job for a long time now. I was born here, right after WWII, I remember the state under Pat Brown. It's been all downhill in terms of government services since then, schools, roads, universities, health care, you name it. They want trust, let them earn it.