Entries for 2004/02/22 — 2004-12-11

The Governor on Meet the Press...

Tim Russert interviewed Gov. Schwarzenegger on NBC's Meet the Press this Sunday. I couldn't tell if Russert was giving Gov. Arnold a pass, but the questions didn't seem too tough.

Two things I noticed. There was no mention of California's Workers' Compensation system, unless the governor's comments about bringing jobs back to California count. The second thing I noticed was Gov. Arnold's discussion about President Bush carrying California in 2004.

It is possible that some of the Republican strategists have figured out that the workers' compensation issue is just the kind of thing that could energize the "Democratic base." That could be why there has been more discussion lately about compromise.

You may recall that the governor gave the legislature a March 1 deadline to deliver reform, or he would take the matter to the voters in the form of an initiative. Hopefully, wiser heads have realized that a complex issue needs more than can be delivered by the initiative process.

If the matter was on the ballot as an initiative, there would be massive action to defeat it, that would be guaranteed. That action might bring out the votes that could keep Bush from winning California and possibly, reelection to the presidency.