'Terminator'
campaigns at The Beach
By
Zamná Ávila
On-line Forty-Niner
An
anthem, "We're not going to take it. We're
not going to take it" by Twisted Sister
resonated throughout the Cal State Long
Beach campus as Arnold Schwarzenegger worked
his way to a podium where he addressed the
campus yesterday.
In
preparation for Schwarzenegger's appearance,
Frank Colonna, vice mayor of the city of
Long Beach addressed CSULB students saying,
"we are here to get Arnold elected as the
next governor of the state of California."
Roars
of excitement followed as the crowed attempted
to catch T-shirts with the slogan "Join
Arnold" thrown by Guido Piotti, vice president
of Associated Students Inc.
"Maybe
the others [candidates] will think twice
before denying a 35,000 student campus,"
said Piotti in stating that the other candidates
that were invited to the campus either rejected
the invitation or never responded.
Supporters
and opponents awaited his arrival for nearly
45 minutes waving signs reading "Young adults
for Arnold." However, Schwarzenegger's visit
did not come without opposition. An egg
was thrown at the gubernatorial candidate
as he eased his way through the crowed,
shaking the hands of his audience. But the
actor turned politician took off his coat
and arrived at the podium where he addressed
the CSULB student body.
Schwarzenegger
thanked the students for attending his campaign
rally in the midst of the first week of
their fall semester courses. "If you are
not in class tell your teachers you were
attending the class of Professor Schwarzenegger."
He
called the recall election a "take-over
of the people." Saying that something has
gone terribly wrong in the state of California.
According to Schwarzenegger, half of all
the jobs that were lost in America were
lost in California.
"Twenty-two
thousand people have lost their jobs. The
American dream is slipping away from them
and we have to stop this," Schwarzenegger
said.
In
listing the causes that have led to the
economic downfall in California, Schwarzenegger
pointed to the workers compensation amongst
other issues.
"The
workers compensation costs are the highest
in the country, our commercial energy costs
are the largest, our budget deficit is the
greatest, our credit ratings are the worst
and our regulations are the most expensive,"
Schwarzenegger said, while he called Gray
Davis and Cruz Bustamante, "the twin terminators
of Sacramento."
The
candidate also encouraged students to register
to vote stating the importance of their
vote to his campaign and welcoming the votes
of Republicans and Democrats. He emphasized
that he was open to working with Democrats
in improving the status of the state's economic
deficit.
Schwarzenegger
promised to meet with legislature to fix
the economic imbalance in the state of California.
"Making sure that people have jobs is the
only way to bring back the state again,"
he said.
However,
not all students were compelled by his speech,
some felt he was not clear enough about
the issues. "I'd like him to address the
budget and have some serious detailed answers,
not just a sports gig that pumps people,"
said Lúz Vásquez Ramos, a
student protestor.
Frank
Provinzano, a workers'compensation recipient
and supporter of the candidate made a personal
request to the Schwarzenegger, "I want him
to know that there are people like me that
are not committing fraud and would like
to be protected." Provinzano was a victim
of an elevator accident and is not able
to work.
Although
Schwarzenegger called the recent 40 percent
tuition increase on the Cal State University
system outrageous, he was unable to respond
to how he would offset the budget so that
students can afford a college education.
His reason was that he has not had a chance
to look at the details. He said he has met
with different experts from business leaders
to economists.
"It
has more special effect than "Terminator
3," he said. He plans to bring an independent
auditing team to look at the books and show
them to the people. "The important
thing is that we have to make everything
we can to make it attractive to people to
go to a university. If there is any increase
it should be at a cost of living increase
2 to 3 percent a year. I think a 40 percent
increase is unfair," Schwarzenegger said.
|
