How good/bad was Arnold Schwarzenegger as Governor of CA?

[speak easy]

Last edited Thu Feb 29, 2024, 09:06 PM - Edit history (1)

I have never lived in California. I ask because these days he comes across as a pretty regular guy.

[JI7]

1. He was incompetent. Being a nice person and even having right intentions doesn't mean one can govern

Maybe if he was Mayor of a small town he could do ok.

What he is doing now is the right thing for him. Just advocating for causes as a private individual and using his star status .

[beaglelover]

16. Agree. Overall, he's a pretty good guy. Yeah, I know about the cheating, many people cheat.

But he's done a lot for youths in the inner city with his Inner City Games. Plus, he's made some very good movies over the years.

[speak easy]

2. 'Schwarzenegger: Trump won't win in 2024'[

https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/4053368-schwarzenegger-trump-wont-win-in-2024/

[patricia92243]

5. Did he say Trump would win in 2016?

[speak easy]

6. 'I Will Not Vote for the Republican Candidate'

https://variety.com/2016/biz/news/arnold-schwarzenegger-i-will-not-vote-for-the-republican-candidate-for-president-1201882915/

[RockRaven]

3. He was forced to be moderate-ish (as far as Repugs went) because Dems

controlled the state leg by large margins, even if he hadn't been a moderate (by Repug standards) anyway. So he could threaten, or use, vetoes -- but at a certain point that isn't much of a strategy of governance, and he wasn't one of the batshit crazy Repugs who ignores self-inflicted wounds. More of a RW-inclined yet pragmatic let's-get-something-done sort.

But the other big thing is how the GQP has evolved in the two decades since then. He's more who he has always been that the Republican party is who they have always been.

[speak easy]

4. 'the Republican party is who they have always been'

fertile soil for fascists, racists, and bigots?

[RockRaven]

9. Yep, but as recently as two decades-ish ago they used to *pretend* to

be serious people with serious ideas and principles (no matter how twisted) at least, and Ah-nold was one of that sort. And with that nod to the notion that one ought to have ideas/principles came the notion that nihilism or hold-my-beer-ism was not appropriate for a governor or similar.

Nowadays those types can't even win a GQP primary, because having any principle or idea of one's own stands in the way of fealty to the gibbering shitbag Dear Leader who constantly spews random blather.

[hookaleft]

7. He did help Enron steal billions of dollars...

from the state.

[Raine]

8. Well we've certainly had plenty that were a heck of a lot worse, thats all i can say.

Reagan was the absolute worst to be Governor and then used that office to launch himself into the presidentcy at least Arnie couldn't do that.

[BigmanPigman]

10. He screwed the state by leaving a huge debt

when his term ended. As far as finances go, he screwed CA.

[Merlot]

13. This. He created debt, broke things - with one of the worlds top economies.

He screwed the state by leaving a huge debt when his term ended. As far as finances go, he screwed CA.

[BigmanPigman]

14. A lot of people were laid off

or not able to find employment due to him. I know many of them.

[Plectranthus]

11. "I believe gay marriage should be between a man and woman"

Hurr durr..

Stick to your lousy acting roid boy.

[snowybirdie]

12. Such a nice fella

who cheated on his wife with the housekeeper who bore him a son. His 25 year marriage was destroyed. Nice fella!

[speak easy]

19. ' Nice fella!'

It is the kinda story that is all too common and pathetic and I'm a man.

[beaglelover]

15. IMO, he was not as bad as he could have been being a Republican. Overall, he was a nothingburger.

[David__77]

17. After a November 2005, not the worst of the worst; before that, terrible.

November 2005 was a special election intended to strike a blow against the power of unions with initiatives he supported. It failed, and he definitely changed his position thereafter.

[Starry Messenger]

18. He declared war on teachers unions

He attempted to shove through a bill that was like baby-Janus back in the day

https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4986403

He’s affable, hates Trump, and believes in climate change, but he’s still anti-union

[Johonny]

20. He typically ignored his advisors and sided with

President Bush. Failed to make hard choices that Jerry Brown eventually made to fix the budget deficit, and lots of out of state conservative supported props seemed to be voted on during his years.

He essentially trashed his image, his marriage, and by the end his time was deeply unpopular. It's been a long recovery for him. He was probably better off not going into politics.