Arnold is Governor

As much as it sucks that California spent $77 million on the recall, we can hold out some hope that Arnold might do some good things for the environment. I received this email today from veteran environmental campaigner Mark Palmer

I think we should give Arnold Swartzenegger a break and see what he does.

Gray Davis was no environmentalist. When he first came to office, he shunted good environmental people into low-profile jobs as his appointees, where they would not make trouble. When his new Secretary for Resources spoke up against a court settlement early in her tenure on a water issue, Governor Davis publicly took back her objections and chastised her for doing her job. She has been shut up ever since. A couple of friends of mine were appointed to the California Fish and Game Commission, which has little power. The Director of Fish & Game, who DOES have power, was given to a career bureaucrat from the State Lands Commission, with strict orders to keep things quiet.

I am pleased that Davis signed several important
environmental laws, but the environmental groups and the legislature
did the heavy lifting of initiating and passing them; Davis took all
the credit for merely signing them, and then only when he was facing
uphill re-election campaigns in 2002 and 2003.

I voted against the recall because I thought it was wrong,
but I will not miss Gray Davis as Governor.

Cruz Bustamante was even worse. I am frankly appalled that
the Sierra Club and the League of Conservation Voters endorsed him.
Bustamante was the author of legislation to gut the California
Endangered Species Act, written for him by the local developer who
employed the wife of Bustamante's Chief of staff. He was a co-author
of the Energy Deregulation legislation (speaking of Enron). Dolores
Huerta, who founded the United Farmworkers with Cesar Chavez, was at
a rally for Davis, when she heard Bustamante was arriving. She left,
telling reporters that "Bustamante voted against the ban on metam
sulfate (a toxic pesticide); I do not forget."

It is indeed sad that the Sierra Club and California League
of Conservation Voters have forgotten.

I am concerned about Swartzenegger's ties with President Bush
and his use of cronies of former Governer Pete Wilson on his
campaign. They are not nice people. I am concerned he promised not
to take "special interest group" contributions and then proceeded to
line his pockets with huge gifts from corporate interests. I don't
like the fact he rides a hummer.

But he did make a number of specific promises to protect the
environment (which Gray Davis and Cruz Bustamante, pointedly, did
NOT).

As a macho symbol, I think it is great that he is converting
his hummers to hydrogen gas -- we need to take advantage of that if
we are change the rules on fossil fuel use in this country, making it
cool for stupid Yahoos who ride in hummers to protect the
environment. He has pledged to set up hydrogen fueling stations all
around California. He has pledged to reduce California energy use by
50%. No politician, Democrat or Republican, has ever gone so far
before in this country. NONE!

(Now, let's see if indeed he carries through with it...)

He also has pushed hard against offshore oil drilling, saying
he will work with the Bush Administration to buy back old leases to
prevent future drilling. Just as Jeb Bush was able to do the same
thing in Florida, Swartzenegger is in a position to deliver because
of his relationship with Bush.

So, let us see what kind of a Governor he turns out to be.
The Sierra Club and League of Conservation Voters are on the outs
with Arnold, having endorsed his rival. But Earth Island Institute
had no role in that endorsement process, so we are in a position, if
we choose to do so, to push a strong environmental agenda for the
state of California (and we do have contacts with Arnold, his wife
Maria, and with Swartzenegger's environmental consultant, Robert
Kennedy Jr.).

And if he screws up, THEN jump on him....

-- Mark J. Palmer

Comments

[Alice Miranda]

I can't believe that Arnold is governor. In the late 1980's he rolled his Jeep (Not famous enough to own a Hummer yet) at the Cabazon off ramp of the 10 Freeway. He was drunk (we all make mistakes), the woman with him was not his wife (not my business), and it was reported in the local newpaper (not front page news). When it came time for Arnold to go to court in Banning, he decided not to show up (total disrespect for the judical system). Judge Peterson issued a bench warrant for him. And, this guy is our governor? Shame on us.

[TIANNA]

dear arnold swarzenegger i am your biggest fan yet i think you r cute .

[frank]

dear Arnold..SHAME ON YOU!!!GO BACK TO GERMANY

[FrankCiro]

Shame on you!!I think all those steroids rotted you brain

[James Flippen]

6/18/04

I think that most of the comments about Arnold were unfair. When they were written he had not yet taken office. Now that he is Governor he seems to be doing a great job. It takes a genus to work withose air heads in Sacramento. We would be better off with a part time Legisature.They would not have the time to think up all those stupid regulations that the do.