[Homestead] Schwartzenegger political revolution
tvoivozhd
tvoivozd at infionline.net
Thu Feb 10 07:28:08 EST 2005
tvoivozhd---While all wisdom certainly is not possessed by sheep voters
easily induced to vote against their own and national well-being, The
Schwartzenegger approach is to make legislators insecure---I am all for
that.
*washingtonpost.com* <http://www.washingtonpost.com/>
*California Revolution*
By George F. Will
Thursday, February 10, 2005; Page A23
SAN FRANCISCO -- The governor's office here is in the Hiram W. Johnson
State Office Building, named for the early-20th-century Republican
populist, arguably California's most consequential chief executive. So far.
Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican populist, practices what Leon
Trotsky preached -- permanent revolution. He is in perpetual campaign
mode, wielding his celebrity and theatricality to keep the legislature
nervous about being bypassed by lawmaking-by-referendum, a
constitutional weapon that is a Hiram Johnson legacy.
If Schwarzenegger successfully employs the plebiscitary mechanism this
year, he will approach reelection next year ranked among the state's
most transformative governors. And ripples raised by the boulders he is
throwing into this nation-state's political pool will roll eastward
across the country.
Placed in office by plebiscite -- the recall of Gov. Gray Davis -- just
16 months ago, Schwarzenegger has started the clock on a countdown to
what could be a November to remember. He has submitted to the
Democratic-controlled legislature four proposals aimed at unlocking some
interlocking political and economic irrationalities produced by a
political class that has treated public office as private property.
Because the legislature probably will not act soon and affirmatively,
ballot language has been drafted and fundraising for four ratification
campaigns has begun.
One initiative would empower school districts to award teachers merit
pay based on performance as the districts decide to measure that. Merit
pay pits Schwarzenegger against the 335,000-member California Teachers
Association and other teachers unions.
A second initiative would change the retirement system for state and
local employees, now 2 million strong. The state, facing a deficit of at
least $8 billion, will pay a $2.6 billion share of those employees'
retirement this year, up from only $160 million just four years ago.
Under Schwarzenegger's proposal, government workers hired after June
2007 would be enrolled in privately managed accounts akin to 401(k)s,
with the state matching up to 6 percent of their salaries, 9 percent for
public safety officers. Sixteen states have adopted or are considering
private accounts as voluntary options. Opposition by government
employees unions, which nationwide wield the investment power of many
hundreds of billions of dollars in retirement funds, killed a similar
proposal in California seven years ago.
In most Schwarzenegger movies, things blow up, and a third initiative is
part of his promise to "blow up the boxes" of government. It would
impose across-the-board spending cuts when the legislature cannot
achieve a balanced budget. This would counter the effect of many
previous referendums that mandate spending, such as the one that
guarantees 40 percent of general revenue for elementary and secondary
education. They have placed roughly 70 percent of the general fund
budget beyond the legislature's control.
Regarding spending-by-referendum, Schwarzenegger, too, is a sinner. His
worst decision as governor was supporting a referendum committing $6
billion in state funds (counting interest on the bonds) for stem cell
research to stimulate biotech industries. That is "industrial policy,"
aka socialism.
Schwarzenegger's fourth and most important initiative would end the
racket of redistricting devoted to incumbent-protection. In November,
not one of 153 state legislative or congressional districts changed
party control. Schwarzenegger proposes taking redistricting away from
the political class's computers and empowering a panel of retired judges
to draw district lines. Schwarzenegger delightedly recalls that when he
was in Washington for the inauguration, some members of Congress, not
just Californians or Democrats, begged him to abandon his -- to them --
appalling assault on the right of legislators to pick their voters.
Democrats now hold 33 of California's 53 congressional seats. In
November, just three of the 53 races were won with less than 60 percent.
Increasing competitiveness statewide probably would disproportionately
increase Republican turnout in a state Bush lost by 10 percent in 2004
without seriously campaigning in it. If California again becomes
competitive in presidential elections, Democratic candidates, deprived
of 55 sure electoral votes, will be disadvantaged.
If all four measures go to the ballot -- "the train," Schwarzenegger
says, "has already left the station"; the process "is on automatic
pilot" -- he expects opponents to spend a combined $200 million. He
plans to raise $50 million and believes that if he is outspent by only
four to one, he will win. His confidence approaches mysticism. Extending
an arm, his palm toward his face and his fingers curved as though
holding an invisible orb, he says ingenuously, "If I can see it" -- any
goal -- "I can achieve it. And I have the ability to see it."
He sees California's political system reopened, like concrete cracked by
a jackhammer, and sees the state's social system reinvigorated by an
economy liberated. "The world," says this man who is used to being
looked at, "is looking at us." Come November, the nation certainly will be.
/georgewill at washpost.com/ <mailto:georgewill at washpost.com>
© 2005 The Washington Post Company
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