Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has until midnight on Sunday to sign 700 different bills that lawmakers have sent to his desk. Among them? Harvey Milk Day. But Schwarzenegger is playing chicken, saying he’ll issue a mass veto unless legislators can reform the state’s oft-plagued water system. Well isn’t that high and mighty.
Many of those bills arrived in Schwarzenegger’s hands without much fighting in the legislature. Many of them, however, took severe wrangling to get there, including a bill to create a statewide Harvey Milk Day. This has Democrats calling on Attorney General Jerry Brown — who wants to take over for Schwarzenegger — to investigate the governor’s tactics, which they claim amounts to extortion. Unbelievable!
Actually, what’s unbelievable is this: The governor has signed just three bills this legislative session, including one holiday-related bill, which creates a day of recognition for Vietnam War vets. So maybe that’s a positive sign Schwarzenegger will at least sign Harvey Milk Day into law?
ggreen
Schwarzenegger has been an unqualified disaster for California and his moron wife has been sitting on her hands the entire time. The thick one really is just marking time as he knows he couldn’t run for any elective office again. The Assholes that voted for him not once but twice deserve everything they are getting and more. Its funny I cant find a single person willing to admit to voting for this brain dead creep, yet there he sits smirking his way to California’s Armageddon. Slashing services to the poor while giving the wealthy tax cuts. A former male prostitute that can’t even pronounce correctly the name of the state he is the Governor of. Isn’t America great?
hyhybt
Wait, when was he a prostitute?
(Of course, politicians are allowed to *be* prostitutes anyway; they just aren’t supposed to get caught *with* them.)
Jack
If Ted Kennedy were alive, perhaps he would prevail upon his nephew-in-law to sign this bill into law.
I wonder if that would work.
GGreen (comment #1) Well said!
RJ
@GGREEN
I voted for him, I voted for him twice. At the time California voters were presented with various options for Governor. And at the time Schwarzenegger was the best choice.
I like Schwarzenegger, fiscally he’s willing to make the difficult choices that are needed to get out of California’s depression. He’s also socially progressive. I think you fail to understand that the state is completely out of money. We had to print out our own currency (I.O.U.s) to stay afloat. Social services being cut is a direct result of not having money. You’re also naive to believe that the rich get tax breaks in California. Taxes are in fact actually out of control in the state and the wealthy do in fact NOT get tax cuts.
Schwarzenegger also has a strong support for health care reform and has a rather ambitious environmental policy.
Also a lot of the problems in Sacramento aren’t Arnold’s fault. The CA Legislator can’t get anything done.
Personally, I don’t see the need for a Harvey Milk Day. Though I understand the importance of the first openly gay politician, Milk’s political accomplishments fall short from spectacular. Now, providing there’s no negative economic impact from Milk Day then I have no problem with this being signed into law.
ggreen
@RJ
You totally proved my point “The Assholes that voted for him not once but twice deserve everything they are getting and more.” Thanks xxo GGreen
Fitz
The economy is a disaster, and it should be the priority. But he won’t be holding the legislators hostage by not signing laws. The rich do get tax breaks, especially property owners whose home has not be re-assessed in 25 years. I wouldn’t want his job– and I wouldn’t want to be poor in this state.
Milo
@RJ
I was unaware that an I.O.U. was a form of currency. Last time I checked, an I.O.U. isn’t something I can pay the rent with. But somehow, this magic currency is able to keep us all afloat.
Oh right. It isn’t.