GOP: Schwarzenegger 'a great disappointment'

[Amerigo Vespucci]

GOP: Schwarzenegger 'a great disappointment'

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37940322/ns/politics-washington_post/



by Sandhya Somashekhar
updated 6/26/2010 7:49:26 AM ET

ANAHEIM, CALIF. — When Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina, the Dream Team of the California GOP, joined hands at a rally celebrating their primary victories this month, there was one broad-shouldered Republican conspicuously missing from the scene: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Organizers said the actor-turned-politician declined an invitation to the event. The truth is, he would not have been welcome. After nearly six years in office, Schwarzenegger has few friends left in either party. The state budget deficit hovers around $20 billion; his approval rating has sunk below 25 percent.

"We thought he was going to be a great governor, but he has been a great disappointment," said Geneviève M. Clavreul, a Republican activist.

As candidates in races across the country try to position themselves as the politician with the least political experience, Schwarzenegger's troubles in California illustrate some of the possible downsides of outsiderdom. Like Whitman, the GOP's candidate for governor, and Fiorina, the party's Senate nominee, Schwarzenegger came to office as a non-politician who would solve problems with unconventional ideas.

He had some successes, but the movie star stumbled as he tried to navigate the state's political establishment, with its touchy egos and endless compromises. He floundered as he tried to tame the state's runaway budget and push through ambitious reforms such as universal health care.

Part of Schwarzenegger's initial appeal — he spoke bluntly and his politics were sometimes hard to pin down — made it difficult for him to build a deep base of support. He lost the trust of the conservative wing of the GOP by supporting gay rights and stronger environmental laws. He alienated just about everybody by supporting a tax increase last year.

[CountAllVotes]

1. Arnold has actually done some good recently

he banned offshore drilling in California! Good on ya Arnold! :D

:kick:

[tularetom]

6. Yeah, and Hitler loved dogs

Don't forget this POS got involved in politics through his participation in Cheney's secret energy task force and he was promoted for the governorship specifically to drop the states multibillion dollar lawsuit against Enron for its manipulation of CA energy markets in early 2001, which started the downward spiral in our financial health.

Far as I'm concerned he can take his saggy man boobs and get his flabby ass back to der vaterland. He has fubar'ed this state almost beyond recovery.

[CountAllVotes]

25. He has fubar'ed this state

I do not disagree with you. I am however glad he put the stops on the offshore drilling in any event. He had zero qualifications for being the governor of this state and it is sickening that people voted for him. The main reason they did was the promise of keeping car tags at the reduced rate. That too has ended along with too many other things. :(



:kick:

[flamingdem]

38. Well when Californians are living in their cars at least they'll have a nice beaches

tanks Anuld.

[tiptoe]

26. From 2001 Punk "Arnold's Enron Secret" to his 2003 $9Billion RIP-OFF of California (now $20B debt)

Within the first 72 hours of taking office in California in October 2003, novice Gov. Sch*zenegger assumed authority over Lt. Governor Bustamante's lawsuit-attempt to recover $9 Billion filched from California by Enron and four other energy companies during the state's fraudulent "energy crisis" of 2000. The celebrity "he man" "politician" obviously arrived with marching orders from higher-up corporate radical-controlled 'GOP'-filth, as he settled Bustamante's lawsuit against the corporations for "pennies on the dollar", unlike Gray Davis, who'd rejected a similar $30 million offer by the FERC in Colorado (two of whose three commissioners were appointed by Election Fraud-"President" Bush on recommendation of culprit CEO Ken Lay of Enron). The $9B ended up costing Calif $11B.

Here's the article and warning by BBC investigative reporter, Greg Palast, posted on the Internet a few days before the California Recall Election of 2003. Palast predicted correctly (while the so-called "investigative reporter" close to Sch*zenegger snoozed or just didn't give a damn):

Arnold Unplugged - It's Hasta la Vista to $9 Billion if the Governator is Selected
by Greg Palast
Published on Saturday, October 4, 2003 by CommonDreams.org
http://www.commondreams.org/views03/1004-05.htm

It's not what Arnold Schwarzenegger did to the girls a decade back that should raise an eyebrow. According to a series of memoranda our office obtained today, it's his dalliance with the boys in a hotel room just two years ago that's the real scandal.

The wannabe governor has yet to deny that on May 17, 2001, at the Peninsula Hotel in Los Angeles, he had consensual political intercourse with Enron chieftain Kenneth Lay. Also frolicking with Arnold and Ken was convicted stock swindler Mike Milken.

Now, 34 pages of internal Enron memoranda have just come through this reporter's fax machine that tell all about the tryst between Maria's husband and the corporate con men. It turns out that Schwarzenegger knowingly joined the hush-hush encounter as part of a campaign to sabotage a Davis-Bustamante plan to make Enron and other power pirates then ravaging California pay back the $9 billion in illicit profits they carried off.

Here's the story Arnold doesn't want you to hear. The biggest single threat to Ken Lay and the electricity lords is a private lawsuit filed last year under California's unique Civil Code provision 17200, the "Unfair Business Practices Act." This litigation, heading to trial now in Los Angeles, would make the power companies return the $9 billion they filched from California electricity and gas customers.

It takes real cojones to bring such a suit. Who's the plaintiff taking on the bad guys? Cruz Bustamante, Lieutenant Governor and reluctant leading candidate against Schwarzenegger.

Now follow the action. One month after Cruz brings suit, Enron's Lay calls an emergency secret meeting in L.A. of his political buck-buddies, including Arnold. Their plan, to undercut Davis (according to Enron memos) and "solve" the energy crisis -- that is, make the Bustamante legal threat go away.

How can that be done? Follow the trail with me.

-- more --

[SpiralHawk]

2. America: "G.O.P. a massive disappointment"

As long as the Republicons are on a Grovel & apologize tour for the corporations that are screwing up the planet and the economy, I am sure ALL honorable Americans will join me in DEMANDING that they grovel before us, too, apologize for their eggregious FAIL, their lies, their perverted hypocritical diaper-clad, wide-stance rentboy 'Family Values,' and their general, unending, totally toXic negativity.

[KonaKane]

3. Why is it whenever Ah-nold says something marginally intelligent,

the GOP gets critical of him?

Oh, wait....

[LWolf]

4. That's not the term I used when

he was elected after Davis' recall.

It was something a little more pithy than "a disappointment," as I recall.

[Yavin4]

5. What? An Action Movie Star Didn't Make a Good Governor?

Gee, who could have seen that coming?

[Jade Fox]

9. I suppose it's too much to hope.....

that a lesson was learned by the half-wits who voted for the Terminator.

[devilgrrl]

7. "Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina, the Dream Team of the California GOP..."

:spray::rofl::puke:

[Jade Fox]

8. Hopefully, that means he won't be running for President....nt

[HipChick]

10. How can he?

He is not eligible

[Jade Fox]

12. That could change...

Back when the GOP like Arnie, there was a lot of talk about it.

[Johonny]

11. Since he did all the things Meg says she plans to do

attack unions, refuse to increase taxes on wealthy, sell off State assets, privatize what ever he could, reduce benefits programs ... makes you wonder what they really want. Seriously if you're not happy with the state of California now, what would make these Republicans happy? It's turned into the exact paradise they advertise. Yet things keep getting worse not better. Hmm.

[hadrons]

18. No-one ... not even the Reps., want to live in the world they envision ....

your post is spot-on

[Mz Pip]

13. CA is ungovernable

something Arnold didn't realize when he signed on to do this.

He's not the worst governor we've had, though.

[Yavin4]

20. Exactly

You can't handcuffed your revenue base and then demand world class services for a population the size of a mid-sized nation.

[tiptoe]

30. Within 72 hours of taking office, Sch*zenegger SCREWS CA out of $9Billion! Don't apologize for him!

See #26 for Grep Palast's report of what the FBI discovered on Enron PCs when it raided the Houston Headquarters in 2003.

California had to borrow $11Billion against its $91 Billion General Fund. The State had not been in debt before Sch*zenegger exploited his celebrity to SPIT on Californians by cavorting with texastOILettrash like Ken Lay.

Programs for Blind and disabled were cut. Police and Firemen had to seek funding through Proposition.

The MSNBC report in the OP is full of S**t for not mentioning Sch*zenegger's most defining act of his fraudulent "political" career: See "Arnold's Enron Secret" by Greg Palast.

[Mz Pip]

31. That was hardly an apology.

We have had a worse governor - Ronald Reagan.

[tiptoe]

33. Sch*zenegger reenforced GOP Election Fraud in CA by embracing Electronic Voting Machines. See Prop 8

results:

Click on the "Proposition" link in subtitle:
Historical Exit Poll / Vote-Count Discrepancy

California's voting system -- like New York's -- is manipulable.

The politicians don't have to respect the people, as long they know they can win by fraud.

No, I disagree.

Reagan could have been voted out. The debt and the election fraud system that Sch*zenegger left the State persist.

Oregon's Vote-by-Mail and Mandatory Hand-Recount System subdues electronic voting fraud, unlike California's and New York's.

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

14. Translation: Not right-wing enough

Unless you support rounding up the queers, you are not welcome in the new Rethuglican/TeaBag party.

[UTUSN]

15. Ma-REE-yaaaah!1 Ma-ree-yah, Mareeyah Mareeyah!1 Do those Lib boys you grew up with look better?!1

[Umbral]

16. As bad as it is, it could have been worse...

Darrell Issa could have gotten the pay-off he thought he'd bought. nt

[OHdem10]

17. The GOP are too quick to jump on board with any candidate who

looks good on TV or talks a good story. Think of all the
rising stars. At one time Sanford was their next Pres. Cand.
then Gyndal, now Nikki Haley and let us not overlook Palin.

Tell would any of these do half as well as Ahh--nold??

The truth is these are hard times for anyone to govern.

California had gone into recession earlier than some parts
of the country. Ohio, had been in recession at least 2 years
before the Great Recession was finally admitted to.

[Horse with no Name]

19. Don't forget Fred Thompson!

:rofl:

[tiptoe]

29. Sch*zenegger RIPPED-OFF Calif of $9B -- sealed the energy fraud to fuel CA recession. Ugly, FILTHY!

[opihimoimoi]

21. What the Fuck they expected??? He is a ROOKIE....even after all these years he still is a rookie

thats because he is an actor, a weightlifter....

not enough experience leading hugh staffs and agendas for Calif...

He was over his head...his crew too....not ready for PRIME TIME....

Gary Coleman woulda been better...

[tanyev]

22. Kahleefornia has been terminated.

[JDPriestly]

23. Schwarzenegger and Whitman, two wanna-be's who have no

clue about government.

On her best day, Whitman would be worse than Schwarzenegger on his worst day.

She is making the same basic promise that Schwarzenegger made. She plans to balance the California budget by cutting fat from it.

Schwarzenegger couldn't do it. Whitman would have even less luck with that. This recession has pretty much destroyed everything that once was California's government.

The cities are impoverished. Whitman is good at selling other people's old trash at low prices. That is not a talent that we need in California government.

If you really think about Meg Whitman, you might say that she is sort of a glorified yard sale lady. Not that there is anything wrong with yard sales or yard sale ladies. But being able to sell previously owned merchandise on the internet just doesn't qualify you for managing this huge, complex, beyond-diverse state.

[gleaner]

24. He is a pinhead. n/t

[tiptoe]

27. He conspired w/Ken Lay to steal $9 Billion -- traitor to California! Scum,

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=2100840#2100921

[gleaner]

39. And that is a nice way of putting it. ..

;)

[tiptoe]

28. Understand the extent of Election Fraud in America:

1988-2004, Historical, 238 State Exit-Poll to Vote-Count Discrepancies favor GOP in the vote-count nearly 100%

Check out the "Propostion" link for the evidence that California's Proposition 8 outcome was reversed by election fraud. (It's not just about candidates.)

And click on the "2008" link to learn the "National Election Pool" consortium of news outlets of Fox, CNN, AP, ABC, CBS, NBC are suppressing the three National Preliminary and 51 State Exit Poll results from Election 2008. Obama's "official" 9.5 million victory margin is fraudulent; he won by more than 20 million.

[K8-EEE]

32. There is NO difference between Arnie's rhetoric and Meg and Carly's!

I made a lot of money so therefore I can govern. Jesus, how many failures does it take to kill the bogus "CEO/run the government like a corporation" bullshit??

[tiptoe]

35. If Meg/Carly "win" it will be by Election Fraud Sys Sch*zenegger embraced when Kevin Shelley exited.

Arnold's Two Marching orders to Destroy California:
1) Secure the theft of $9 Billion through the "deregulated" fraud energy system left by Repub. Gov Pete Wilson.
2) Restore the GOP Election Fraud electronic voting machines System in Calif that outgoing SoS Kevin Shelley was in process of dismantling.

The GOP LOVE Arnold: Like a whore, he gave the radical-right wingers what they wanted.

The MSNBC OP article is a piece of distracting, political-manipulative crap.


Again, see how easy it was to FLIP the vote on Proposition 8 to realize the same can be done for Corporate Clowns Meg Whitman snd Carly Fiorina.

Click "Proposition" under the subtitle Within Precinct Discrepancy.

Fox News, CNN, AP, ABC News, CBS News, NBC News control the release of the national Exit pollster's post-election 2008 evaluation report. They are suppressing the Truth about Obama's win margin (> 20 million). Click the link for "2008" in the above link for the interview with the pollster.

[tiptoe]

36. +1 K&R!

[Liberal_in_LA]

34. he's a great disappointment to california dems also. Awful leader

[tiptoe]

37. He was no leader. Just a steroid-brain STOOGE kissing bum of corporate bums (ex: BP CEO T.Hayward)

Arnold served CEO Ken Lay of Enron.

I expect Meg Whitman and Carly Fiorina to behave no differently than BP CEO Tony Hayward or Ken Lay:
corporate-defined, -refined, -confined, publicly bankrupt.

[Yavin4]

40. Umm, He Was A Movie Star

Hello. He made his name and fortune by making movies. He had no formal training in government at all.