Arnold
a powerful proponent of change
Our
view
Last
week, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger told
a crowd in San Diego he intends to run
for re-election.
The
question is whether or not the once-soaring
popularity machine has enough political
capital to make such an investment. Consider
his current approval ratings: only one-third
of voters are happy with their recall
election result.
His
lack of star-studded popularity can largely
be attributed to the massive amounts
of negative campaigning from several
public employee unions.
To their benefit,
the unions have spilled open their war
chests enough to smear the governor’s
reputation so both his November initiatives
and his chance for re-election have seemingly
little hope.
Schwarzenegger has been
unable to compete against their messages
and provide sufficient rebuttals to their
claims. His failure to bench press the
powerful California special interests’ weight
against him will significantly hinder
his political career.
But
Schwarzenegger is not completely without
hope. His announcement was a planned
political move, especially considering
its location in one of the few major
metropolitan cities in California with
a Republican majority.
San
Diego’s Union-Tribune reported
his declaration as unorthodox. Such an
assumption seems true bearing in mind
that the town-hall style meeting where
he made the proclamation was unscripted.
The lack of scripted demonstration is
a true rarity in the heavily image-conscious
world of political gain and loss.
However,
the crowd was still supportive of politically
weak Schwarzenegger. This leaves the
undecided voter observing this at a loss
trying to decipher all the messages.
The
San Diego group was comprised of invitees
from the local Republican Party — people
not necessarily willing to provide differing
opinions.
The dissent demonstrated outside Schwarzenegger’s meeting, where a few
hundred protestors gathered, representing the larger bulk of a dissatisfied
California.
But
before the disillusioned masses wallow
in despair and sob over the fact their
once-cherished governor has seemingly
failed them, ask the following question.
If Schwarzenegger can’t fix California, who can?
If
one of the world’s most recognizable
faces with Hollywood’s most infamous
accent cannot make the Golden State shine
again, who can? Who else attracts more
worldwide media attention, more capital
pull and more catchy campaign slogans
than the Terminator? Who else has the
muscle to turn the place around?
If
the former Mr. Universe cannot bulk down
California’s political earthquakes,
does any other no-name politician in
their right mind think he or she can
do the Sacramento two-step?
These
questions are not a partisan bawl for
a powerful Republican, but rather address
the fact that an influential human being
who happens to be Republican is the only
one in the proper position to be a proponent
for statewide change.
Phil
Angelides, state treasurer and longtime
critic of the governor, has also announced
his candidacy. Has anyone else heard
of this guy? Who thinks Washington D.C.
will listen to Angelides’ every
word or awe crowds during international
visits?
California
is an international entity with a worldwide
say and if Angelides or any other politician
thinks they can commandeer such worldly
influence, think again.
Schwarzenegger,
for better or worse, is the only man
powerful enough in many respects to transform
California. Saying this is not toting
a GOP agenda.
All parties should be grateful
of his ability to influence and that
he does not take a hard partisan stab
on either end of the political spectrum. |
