the costs of these forest fires sure do add up.

wasn't a lot of gray davis's problems due to utilities and the specific problems were caused due to enron?

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Originally posted by stefanoc the costs of these forest fires sure do add up. wasn't a lot of gray davis's problems due to utilities and the specific problems were caused due to enron?

Yep.

And Arnold promised to balance the budget and fix Davis' fuckups and to date it doesn't seem like he's gotten any further than Davis would have. It's simply not up to one man.

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Originally posted by ******** Seplling don't demonstrate intelligence and educatoin - knowing does.

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Originally posted by Clovis It's simply not up to one man.

Thank god.

i remember how shitty it seemed to be in CA during grey davis' term. I dont feel that anymore. To be fair, it could be media coverage and the fact that nationally we are such a mess that nobody is paying to much attention to CA specifically.

I think ahhhhnold has made a positive difference thus far, considering what he is working with in sacramento

quote:

Originally posted by Clovis Davis got cashed out by utility companies.

Enron specifically.....

it's as simple as anything in life: it's easy to fuck something up but it's hard to fix it. the fixing is not going to be made by one person. if things get fixed during arnold's term people are going to thank arnold for it. if things remain the same they will blame arnold for it.

The people of California are ultimately to blame. They were so obsessed with celebrity that they blindly voted in a movie star without really scrutinizing his ability to effectively govern the state. We're still in a fiscal crisis and we're worse off than when we started.

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Originally posted by RickyRoma The people of California are ultimately to blame. They were so obsessed with celebrity that they blindly voted in a movie star without really scrutinizing his ability to effectively govern the state. We're still in a fiscal crisis and we're worse off than when we started.

Yup.

His only prior experience was in the movies partying smoking weed and popping out babies. Yet we chose him to run a state that is more powerful then 50% of the countries in the world? (or something like that)

In reality, this is a clear cut example one why politics these days is just a popularity contest and how we are getting dumber...

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Originally posted by Nerologic Yup. His only prior experience was in the movies partying smoking weed and popping out babies. Yet we chose him to run a state that is more powerful then 50% of the countries in the world? (or something like that) In reality, this is a clear cut example one why politics these days is just a popularity contest and how we are getting dumber...

He may have won the popularity contest but you're living in a fantasy world if you think anyone is voted in for another reason, especially the president (remember one of the biggest vote winners was "who would you most like to have a beer with?")

That's not actually true about arnie not being qualified at least to some extent: Over a period of about 20 years, Arnie made some seriously shrewed and well respected business investments with the money he made from movies.

The other thing you have to respect and it's undeniable: he's an achiever. From a small town in Austria, to Mr Universe, to the "Actor" whose films have grossed the highest takings in history to Governor of one of the largest and important states in USA.

You may not like him and he may not being doing a great job with what he's got to do but you can't misunderestimate him.

Californian deserve their misery. LOL the state employees are screwed and Now I hope the students suffer as well. Hopefully this will drive into their little heads the folly of their mistake. How NEXT time don't blindly vote in some a-hole b/c he made good action films. I remember when Arnold was running for governor and everyone was so enamored with the idiot. It's just the typical superficial obsession over celebrities you'll find all over California and America in general
The stupid voters didn't bother to research everything and now look.

We are 15 BILLION in debt!

He's had an additional 45 BILLIONper 'YEAR' in 'additional' state revenue 'each year' since he took office and we're in now 'WORSE' financial condition then when Davis was in office.

He never created that "Rainy Day Fund" like he said.... He 'BORROWED' money in bonds at 'high' interest rates and tried to call 'that' balancing the budget... He's allowed an increase in the school budget 'every' year HOWEVER, we have 'less' students overall, 'More' students dropping out, 'Lower' test scores every year yet our state's students are dropping in the U.S. rankings consistently. And 'alllll this' even 'with' spending almost 'the' most per student ratio.

Arnold has irresponsibly lead this state into far worse financial and social standing then even Gray Davis and far more then you have any idea of yet. But it's coming and he's compounded it.

Here's what I know.....state employees (not low low leve, but like state troopers and stuff) in Cali start off 2-5 times higher pay than state employees in other states .

Cali is just rediculous in some of their pay...and not just the state, cities too. Well, i actually shouldn't say rediculous. A lot of these people probably earn what they are making since a lot of them are here to help save lives, crime, etc....but in contrast to other states, they get paid MUCH MUCH higher. As I've been learning how much some of these peeps make, I've been blown away. I'm talking starting pay being 2x-5x times higher here than where I grew up (Orlando, Florida)....I've been here for almost nine years now, but most of the salaries in my head from Florida are just from a few years ago when this debate came up again...

Vallejo fightfighters (think that city, maybe it was anotehr) were complaining about only making $130,000 a year or someting a few months ago. Yet, I have two cousins who used to be firefighters until recently, and made under $40k/year. Other towns have volunteer firefighters.

Cali State Troopers, SFPD, etc start off at like $70+K a year. A few years back when I talked to an old friend in Florida who decided to become a cop (as his father was), his salary was about half that.

I know it's more expensive here...it obviously is...but just saying in contrast to other states, what a lot of government employees in Cali are paid is much, much higher. I know, because cost of living here, it should be higher, but to the level it is?...I'm not shocked to see the state in the position it's in...or some California cities...Vallejo recently filed bankruptcy, but I remember watching a report months back about a bunch of other cities in Cali who are on the verge of having to consider it.