Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
On November 2, Californians will vote on Proposition 19, which if passed would legalize the possession, sale, and taxation of marijuana.
Recently, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), California's largest union, came out in support of Prop 19, claiming that the measure would raise revenue that would "help prevent cuts to healthcare, home care, education and services for children families, the elderly, and people with disabilities."
Feeling highly irritated by the SEIU's defense of Prop 19, our now irrelevant Governator, writing in today's LA Times, decried the measure as a "flawed initiative that would bring about a host of legal nightmares and risks to public safety" that would "also make California a laughingstock." Not exactly a compelling case, but since I'll be voting against the initiative in any case, I could care less about Schwarzenegger's take on the matter.
What I found more remarkable is that Schwarzenegger used at least 90 percent of his column to lash out against the SEIU:
Getting a handle on pensions would preserve far more jobs and prevent many more cuts than legalizing marijuana, and it would do so without the legal complications and safety risks inherent in Proposition 19. Yet for the past year, the SEIU's leaders have been fighting tooth-and-nail against common-sense measures to rein in a debt that is unsustainable and is severely affecting the state's finances.
Indeed, California is suffering from a series of irresponsible decisions by SEIU-backed politicians, who have guaranteed huge retirement benefits to state workers without setting aside the money to pay for them. Because of this, we have $550 billion in unfunded retirement debt that is costing us $6.5 billion this year. Without reform, that unfunded debt will double in cost every 4.5 years. A single bill the Legislature passed in 1999 (SB 400, which retroactively boosted state workers' pensions without a way to pay for it) is now responsible for about $2.5 billion of this year's deficit. State pension costs for CalPERS are more than 2,000% higher today than they were 10 years ago, and that's not a misprint.
Of course he's right, but this is too little, too late. Had Schwarzenegger had the spine to stand up to the unions seven years ago, when he first assumed office, perhaps he could have achieved what Chris Christie is achieving in New Jersey. But as a final parting shot, I suppose Arnold could have done worse.
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Aug '10
Re: Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
The gubernator did have the spine to stand up to the unions when he was first elected, in fact it was basically his campaign platform. It was about two years later that he got tired of being heckled by the nurse's union and switched to just talking about solar panels all the time. The interesting question is whether Whitman will follow the same trajectory.
May '10
Re: Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
I completely support legalizing pot. Not for medical reasons, and not for money, just legalizing it. As long as there's a stipulation that none of the resulting revenue props up public employees. (Kenneth, can I get an Amen?)
Jun '10
Re: Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
It reminds me of Eisenhower calling attention to the miltary-industrial-congressional complex at his exit. It makes for good history.
AND, since the topic is Prop 19. Regulate and Tax Cannabis initiative, What do richchet denizens have to say about the legalization of Cannabis? Should the use of THC be a matter of conscience and free markets? Or should the government legislate morality through criminalization? Is this a matter of cost-benefit analysis of prohibition? What is the justification of alcohol vs. pot?
Full Disclosure: I run a debate site that is sponsoring a debate on Proposition 19 in October and want to steal your arguments... :-)
May '10
Re: Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
It's less harmful than hooch, and yet people get rustled out of their homes and shipped off to jail for it. Which wastes police time, overburdens prisons, turns many into lifelong criminals because they can't get a job afterward, causes violent gang wars and all kinds of unsavory elements crossing the border with assault weapons. Predictable effects of Prohibition.
National Review has held the "just legalize it" position editorially for years. But if you really want powerful arguments, check out Reason.com. And do a search.
Disclaimer: though soused with unhealthy frequency, and somewhat intrigued by the idea of Ecstasy, I have never even smoked a doobie, much less inhaled.
Re: Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
Mark Lewis:
AND, since the topic is Prop 19. Regulate and Tax Cannabis initiative, What do richchet denizens have to say about the legalization of Cannabis? Should the use of THC be a matter of conscience and free markets? Or should the government legislate morality through criminalization? Is this a matter of cost-benefit analysis of prohibition? What is the justification of alcohol vs. pot?
Mark, you've seen Claire's post, "Narcotics Non-Anonymous", in defense of the legalization of pot, yes?
Aug '10
Re: Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
Too bad that Ahhnold lost all his credibility a loooong time ago. He turned out to be a RINO after all, and never was ready to face the resistance and flak that Reagan - his hero - was willing to face. Tragic.
May '10
Re: Arnold Schwarzenegger on Fiscal Sanity: Too Little, Too Late
An economic girly-man, River. Alas. Such high hopes.
Here's Mike Huckabee hosting Red Eye and dissing the Divine Sarah for her sensible stance on the mary jane. He was alone on that. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppL7nVafun8&feature=related
I will post one of these every hour until they put up the Rob Long edition of Red Eye. Though they did just post an episode with the yummy, scandalous Carrie Keagan and Pat Caddell, who would be the political version of Chuck Norris if Chuck weren't political.