Californians - what's your opinion on Arnold Schwarzenneger in the office?
 

Just curious,

What were the main points of his campaign as a candidate?

What did he push and what did he failed at?


I am not exactly in picture and since Arnold is my childhood hero I'm quite curious about his work as a politician and would love to hear the voice of people actually living there

Sensible contributions please

misspelled his surname

I personally have yet to see him in 'The Office' as that episode has not been shown in the UK yet...

However I do think that Steve Carell does a great job of playing Michael Scott, and the original concept, by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, translates well to US television...

if i remember correctly, he was elected when the gov at the time was recalled in an election, he didn't really have an agenda/platform. but i do remember his taking on the unions and the democratic legislation with some sort of attempt at legislation that failed.

i have always admired him too, i appreciate the fact that as an out of the ordinary bodybuilder with an accent, he succeeded wildy in his personal endeavors- against all odds. but as a politician, i can't think of anything he pushed through or accomplished. now he's kind of a metaphor for everything wrong in cali politics/government.

I'm a little bit stunned at what the state of California just did and why it's not front page news across the nation.

Seems some time ago the state of California passed a bill called ABX4-26. This bill, in plain English, allows the state of California to outright confiscate city owned redevelopment funds. In other words, my home town here set aside $800k for new projects such as parks, street improvements, new buildings, etc, and the state just grabbed all of that money although it was owned by the city and had nothing to do with the state.

It snagged $800k from my home town, and over $2billion statewide.

A number of projects locally are on hold. The police department has moved from it's new building back to it's old building, and one of the libraries is shutting down. You know, because it's bad to spend that money locally and much better to spend it on the crack whores in Southern California.

$800k might not sound like a lot, but I live in a very small town and it's had a huge impact on us.

I was extremely disappointed when Davis was recalled. I had more faith in the people of CA than that. When they compounded their error by electing someone that could barely speak English, I lost all faith.

That is what happens when you have open borders. People from different states flock here and fuck things up for those of us already here.

Its not so much Arnold thats fucked up, its the California legislature that is so fucked up.... If people keep voting the same way and don't toss the fucking retarded democratic legislature out nothing will change ever... Its been the same for like 30 years and California keeps going down the shit hole and people wonder why... tax and spend... There is a reason why businesses and people are leaving California in droves...

I've got nothing against the Governator personally, I like his movies, but as Governor, he is ineffective. We need a real politician in there, not an actor.

When electing him do you think voters were completely taken by the on-screen tough guy that can solve anything and expected he was like that in real life?

Yeah, I think everyone was sort of mesmerized by him as an actor, and they wanted the Terminator in there to kick ass, combined with all the lack of love for Davis. I was living in Hawaii at the time, and couldn't believe he actually took the office.

Who knows WTF they were thinking. We should pass a law that you have to live here for a minimum of 18 years before you can vote though. That is for sure.

Isn't that already the law? 18 is still voting age right?

Rhode Island and Michigan are the same.

:(

I agree. One man against the whole entire California legislature=no win for the people.:2 cents:

Your fatfoo joke was lost on everyone except me, I think.

Gervais is also an annoying pompous ass. I think Merchant is a snarky lanky shit, but an amusing one.

Gervais was funny for a very short period of time but then too many people told him he was funny and it went to his head.

I think the biggest problem is Gervais is just playing Gervais. It was adorable as 'David Brent', but every subsequent character is the same damn guy. Ghost Town made me cringe.

I dont really think it matters who the governor is if the legislator doesn't want to work. Nothing is gonna get done and everyone is gonna play the blame game.


I think if Jesus was the governor he would have the same problems that Arnold had. I think that good intentions isn't good enough to fix California as Arnold just proved. I believe Arnold was smart enough and knowledgable enough to make shit happen for the state of California, but the legislature didn't like him and his good intentions, so they locked up everything he wanted to do.


Keep in mind this guy was a serious philanthropist and never needed anybody's money. He was not a career politician taking a salary and taking in money from special interest groups. I believe he really wanted do some good. Then he got into office and he really got to see how fucked up things really are. With government, things are always in a constant need of fixing and nothing ever gets completely fixed. Thats what keeps the tax money flowing and the politicians in office.


Arnold probably has seen way more fucked up villain in the game of politics than he had ever imagined or has seen in any of his movies.



Keep in mind this guy got into politics to do good not to make money. Anybody who knows about Arnold, knows that He was rich before he made movies. It was through his property investments everywhere, especially all over Colorado.


In short, he played a role in the game of politics that has no good guys in it and was made to look bad.:2 cents:

well said.

Arnold is a hero, hes a good front man, thats what politics is realy about.

Arnold is fine, better than some of the pathetic governors we had in the past. He's not perfect but he's always a hoot with his colorful jokes so I can tolerate him :)

Thanks Dave!

Yeah I know he made millions on dietary supplements, also had a construction company with Franco Columbu, so he was a millionaire even before ever stepping into the movies, made well over $400 M on movies alone if I remember well..

It's a shame cause this is what I always fantasized about - meritocracy that would be full of successful and capable people who wouldn't take politics as a "short term career"

Really? What governors are you talking about?

I am sorry, but I have to ask why you think that.

Nobody is a native californian...except maybe some mexicans..:(

What are the main problems to solve from your point of view?

What are the tax rates and other costs or hassle for a California registered business?

If you are born somewhere, you are native to it. :2 cents:

Im not in cali but i think its funny shit lol

Lloyd would you care to elaborate a bit?

Hate to bug you, but I doubt there's anyone on this board, who can actually compare or remember several administrations during his active life.

How did California manage to get where it's now?

I reckon way back in the 60's the state alone used to be one of the actual top 10 world economies? Am I right?

For some reason, a bunch of idiot Republicans here wanted to blame the electricity crisis [which was really part of the Enron fiasco] on Gray Davis. So a recall vote was taken. There were two votes. Should Davis be recalled, yes or no? The second measure was who should we elect if we recall him?

The Democrats did not really put anyone notable up since the party had to stand behind Davis. That left two Republican options, one of them backed by Kennedy money. No contest.

So, the people of California, in their infinite wisdom, decided that if we could have one actor as a governor (Reagan), that it could not hurt to elect someone that knew so little English that none of his roles included words that had more that three syllables.

Cool, never connected the dots with Enron

Wasn't also Clint Eastwood actually considering to become a candidate for republicans in the 80's ?

And what's exactly your beef, apart from Arnold being an Austrian?

And so now, Republicans have chosen flip-flopping crazy lady from eBay Meg Whitman. Although I suppose even she is better than the nutcase Nevada got.

AZ law supporters, you know Whitman flipped on you right?

Eastwood was mayor of Carmel, CA. Do not recall any governor talk about him.

While my German friends think it is insanely funny that we have an Austrian for governor, his nationality means nothing to me. My problem with him is the same as my problem with Obama. E-X-P-E-R-I-E-N-C-E and the lack of it. I also know how difficult it is for most people to be able to read a piece of legislation and really understand what is being said. I imagine it is amplified in difficulty for someone that does not speak the language fluently.

I have many friends in Germany that speak English better than Arnold, and I would not expect any of them to be able to accurately interpret any legal brief I have filed and my filings are a lot easier to understand than a congressional bill.

Arnold's political experience involved fucking a Kennedy, and nothing more. As you said, CA was one of the top 10 world economies and we are putting someone with less experience than Obama, that can't even charm people with his speaking prowess in charge of it.

I have never been as disappointed in CA as the day that happened.

I hear the experience argument, off topic - I reckon this is also the main reason why for example the supreme court judges serve a life tenure.

Would believe it's also a matter of being able to control the "hidden" administrative force that's behind any executive, as it's pretty much impossible for a human to keep track of all the proposals / decisions that are required to be reviewed / executed.

I can imagine the lobbying to reach huge proportions, and if you can't influence the reign you can always influence the opposition to block any bill that's a potential threat for your interests.

What are the main private interests in game?

On the other hand, experience without drive and direction is worthless - do you believe that someone with say 30 + years of experience in government administration would be able to play the cards right and move the steering towards the right direction?

I personally did spend a certain time working with local government, and can attest from my brief experience that experience is everything if you actually want to make something happen, it doesn't always necessarily be you, who's the experienced though.

I am not sure what you want to discuss or the position you want me to take. If you will remember, I wanted the recall to fail. There was no one I wanted to see win the second vote. I wanted it to be a moot question.

And it takes someone with experience to know who to pick as advisers as well.

Just trying to get the picture since it may be useful in the future

Of what?

Not planning to become a new governor (although I was born only about 200 miles from where Arnold was) don't worry

:)

Actually, thinking about it twice - if I had a chance to vote for a man, that could ALWAYS bet against all odds and win, I'd give him my vote too, I'd do it.