It was perhaps the only possible ending after the governor declared war on Democrats' political base in his State of the State address. But the
2005 legislative year came to a close late last night with little more than political gamesmanship and certain vetoes to show for it.
"In a warmup for the coming campaign over Gov.
Arnold Schwarzenegger's initiatives, the Democratic-controlled Legislature
smashed some of the Republican governor's most prized measures Thursday, including his
solar power bill,
two Indian gambling compacts and
another of his high-profile department nominees," writes the LA Times' Dan Morain. "But earlier, tempers had flared and scores of lobbyists had tried to work out last-minute deals, many of which fell flat."
And just for fun, "In the Senate, President Pro Tem
Don Perata (D-Oakland) led the effort Thursday to
turn down Joan Borucki as director of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the second time in a week that the upper house had rejected one of the governor's high-profile appointees. The first was
Cindy Tuck, the governor's choice to be chairwoman of the California Air Resources Board."
Meanwhile, large Southern California gaming tribes used their influence to
kill two new compacts which would have given small casinos to a pair of Northern California tribes.
"'I'm ashamed they're Native Americans,' [said Quechan's president
Mike] Jackson of the big gaming tribes that lined up against Quechan's and Yurok's compacts. 'Native Americans don't treat brothers and sisters like this. We always stuck together.'"
The Chronicle has a
good breakdown of all the last-minute bills.
Supporters of
AB 849 plan to continue lobbying the governor's office, even though he vowed this week to veto the legislation to allow same-sex unions. "Stunned by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's vow to veto same-sex marriage legislation -- even before the bill was printed -- its authors will delay delivering it to the governor for two weeks to give gay rights advocates an opportunity to bombard him with calls, e-mails and protests."
"'The governor has said he supports the will of the people,' said Sen.
Sheila Kuehl, D-Los Angeles, one of the Legislature's six openly gay members. 'Well, let the people call him, let the people e-mail him, let the people be heard. Then he can say he's following the will of the people.'"
Meanwhile, lawmakers continued to pass bills facing certain veto that will likely be featured in the governor's expected reelection announcement next week. "
Senators approved SB 60, the driver's license bill, by a vote of 21-15. The Assembly passed the measure late Wednesday on a 42-34 vote." The governor has promised to reject the measure, setting the stage for DL Part 6.
Campaign NotesYesterday, we referenced, but did not quote from a memo on a new poll from the governor's campaign team that has a very different message that the most recent Field or PPIC polls. Though we didn't get the full numerican breakdown, you can now
download the memo about the poll here.
The Bee gives the unions'
new ad against the paycheck protection initiative the Ad Watch treatment. Though the governor has not officially endorsed the initiative, the ad focuses on the governor, saying Prop. 75's "author admits he was urged on by Arnold's campaign. Targeting teachers and public workers so they can't fight back - that's the hidden agenda. Vote 'no' on 75." The Register joins in with
an adwatch of its own.
Meanwhile,
Dan Walters reminds us that back in 1994, Gov. Pete Wilson was about as unpopular as Gov. Schwarzenegger, and still went on to shepherd passage of a pair of key initiatives, and get himself reelected.
"Wilson's position was so precarious that, by early 1994, the national media were fawning over Treasurer
Kathleen Brown, virtually ignoring Wilson as they proclaimed her the next governor of California and a leading Democratic candidate for president in 2000."
Kathleen who?
