HONK, HONK – VROOM, VROOM – LOOK OUT – ARGH! That’s the sound of Arnold driving his hummer through California’s many woes. Will he drive away in a blaze of glory or will reality finally catch up with him?
As one of the nine million Californians born in a foreign country, Arnold can certainly appreciate the problems of getting a valid driver’s license. This won’t however, stop him from revoking the recently approved Gray Davis SB60 law, which gives illegal immigrants the right to obtain a valid driver’s license. Arnold is tryng to enlist the other immigrant heavy states in the US to lobby the federal government for more aid to help with this widespread problem. How quickly he has learned to turn this state issue into a national concern.
In addition to immigration, many other roadblocks loom incuding the economy, education and energy. According to Arnold, all these problems are to be solved without any new taxes and in a state with a $38 billion deficit. Magical, mystical, marvelous.
In Arnold’s world, there are no specifics, just generalities. But he knows where he wants to go, he just hasn’t created the roadmap to get there yet. He envisions a California where businesses can flourish as never before and in an environment reminiscent of the boom years of Silicon Valley . He wants to rein in “runaway workers’ compensation” programs and the skyrocketing cost of health care. No more businesses are to be lured to puny Nevada with the promise of lower taxes, even though he wanted to be Deputy Dangle on “Reno 911”.
The problems seem to multiply like chickenpox in a second grade classroom. A little over 75 percent of California’s 4th and 8th graders did not meet “proficiency” in reading or writing on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam. Also, more than 60 percent of California students scored below proficient in the California Standards Test. Future Stags? Don’t think so. Better reduce our recruiting efforts out West.
Other education problems include the wide spread achievement gap – not only between whites and minorities, but also between the affluent and the poor. Arnold must bridge the huge gap between the Hilton-like offspring of Fox’s “The OC” and the struggling students of “Dangerous Minds.” Maybe Michelle Pfeiffer could be Lieutenant Governor?
Arnold has the support of the state teachers union. But it wasn’t because of his great portrayal of a Kindergarten Cop. During his campaign, Arnold vowed to make no cuts in education. Everyone knows what it’s like to have one teacher chasing you down about a missing homework assignment. Now, imagine every single teacher in California doing that. How do you say “No thank you” in German?
Hey, who shut off the lights? California, thus Arnold, faces $43 billion of overpriced electricity power purchase agreements (PPAs). Arnold’s proposals include trying to worm out of the PPAs and investing in natural gas transmission. Arnold, are you sure you’re not a product of the California school system?
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