Watching Arnold's inauguration provided endless entertainment for me as I watched him make all sorts of bold promises. Promises that he made during the campaign, like cleaning house in Sacramento, changing the culture of California Government, etc.
I think there was something about mandatory distribution of Charly Temmel's ice cream to all legal residents of California and that whole puppy/rainbow subsidy may be a blur in my mind, but there was just so MUCH happiness and goo-goo coverage from the press I almost needed an insulin shot from all the sugar.
Then reality set in. If you don't feel like reading through the LA Times story (and given their lame login requirements, who would?) here's a rundown:
Arnold Schwarzenegger, recall advocate and candidate, in a memo to the press: "(he would) not solicit contributions from single interest trade associations."
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Governor of California: Disclosed at his website he took money for his fancy inauguration from: the California Bottled Water Assn., the California Motor Car Dealers Assn., the California Restaurant Assn. and the California Wine Institute.
And now....drumroll please...a Davis-esque evasion from a Typical Politician on how this isn't a betrayal of his promise? Read on:
(Spokesman) Wilson explained the decision to accept the "in-kind" donations from the trade groups by saying the contributions did not go into Schwarzenegger's campaign funds, and the groups did not give money. Rather, the car dealers loaned vans to ferry workers around Sacramento. The other groups donated food, water and wine.
Ok, I get it. In other words, if you take support and goodies from people it's ok but if you take money you're not. Or in other words if you find a good lawyer to come up with some rhetorical bullshit-speak, you can avoid breaking a promise you broke.
I think I see where this is going....Arnold the Terminator had no idea how much it costs to pay for said events, since usually the studio pays for those things. Sure. Let's give the poor dear the benefit of the doubt.
But then it gets ugly. It seems Mr. Kindergarten Cop loaned a lot of his own money to a "Total Recall" committee. Since this committee wasn't officially started to promote him, but instead advocating Gray Davis' recall, it got around that nasty little $21,200 limit on donations to the committee. And any donation to retire this "debt" goes right into Arnold's pocket.
So let me guess this straight:
Arnold S. declares he's running on Jay "I'm a suckup to whoever runs the FCC" Leno's show and says he won't take any donations.
Then during the campaign he does.
THEN when he gets elected, his big party in Sacramento is paid for by the groups he claimed he would not take money from. People who have business before the state. People who really want that tax break for (fill in the blank) right now, damnit.
Now he's going to take MORE money to put money back in his own pocket that fueled his campaign.
This from someone who owns a jet, is married to a Kennedy, and just got $20 million for playing a robot.
Hard to believe, given that he really is (no bullshit sarcasm here) a good businessman and made a ton of cash off investments to pay for the Prada suits and the 300 pairs of shoes. So what is a few million to this guy, then?
Just in case people are curious what's next, Governor Doofinator had this to say just hours after he got sworn in:
"At a California Chamber of Commerce lunch on Monday, Schwarzenegger told the crowd he intends to seek more donations to help win passage of a variety of ballot measures, including one to address workers' compensation.
So the Governor will be asking all sorts of people to give money to his many causes. All while serving as Governor.
That nasty little rule about not raising money during legislative sessions he blathered on about won't apply to him until after he raises money for that initiative to run up credit card debt to pay bills instead of making the cuts and "tough choices" he said he'd do. Ok...
Note to Arnold: When I do this kind of foolish behavior when I don't have enough money to pay the bills because I spent my bonus last year on "overspending" for silly things, like you claim the Legislature and Governor did, I either pay God-awful interest OR go bankrupt.
I guess if you're rich enough you don't know that. But my kids will when they're still paying off these goddamned bonds of yours. So much for tough cuts, eh, Mr. Guy-Who-Starred-In-Junior?
You have to give this guy credit. He can play all sorts of "roles". But when it comes to responsibility, he has none. After all, he's an actor not a director. Actors do what they are told. Directors tell them what to do. How many films did he direct? Zero, right?
Sweep it all under the rug and hope people see you for the roles you played in the movies and not for who you are. That is, after all what Pete Wilson, Don Sipple, George Gorton and the rest of Wilson's incestuous little posse told you, RIGHT? Hope that people keep thinking you really did blow up all those robots and bad guys, and not notice that you're starting up a GOP version of coin-operated democracy and budet hocus pocus.
It's you're "role of a lifetime", Arnold. You're certainly not in charge, that's for sure. Now go read your lines, and keep making noise until the state is driven into the ground, OK?
PS: Crap like this makes it more apparent we need someone to be a true leader who can act as an opposition leader with a spine to special interest bullshit, not be part of the problem. If the mayor of San Francisco is just another apparatchnik of the business and moneyed class, what hope do we have? Vote, give money, give time, give money, and vote and support Matt Gonzalez for mayor. Please
© 2003-2006 Greg Dewar | All Rights Reserved | Originally Published at www.schadelmann.com