The Schwarzenegger Extravaganza is Over
Tear down the Schwarzenegger extravaganza curtain, obliterate celebrity obfuscation, eliminate political fog, forget vacuous optimistic pronouncements, and you see clearly a Bush clone, a true Republican ready to hurt the poorest among Californians in order to avoid taxing the rich. Schwarzenegger is a man Bush can love.
After he reduced the vehicle license fee, amidst the glare of kleig lights, Schwarzenegger promised he would restore the lost $4 billion to local governments. Now he decides to take away some property tax income that normally goes to local governments.
This is the same kind of logic Bush uses when he cuts the federal budget and places mandates - they cost money - on the states. Both figure that if they talk about a utopian future they will get away with these terrible deeds. Chris McKenzie, executive director of the League of California Cities, does not like this at all:
"This is going to have the same effect on local services that not paying the [car tax money] would have - the same effect on public safety, library services, parks, public health, the general lineup of local government services. It's going to be devasting for some cities."
Schwarzenegger is reducing health facilities for the poor. Why? So that the rich would not pay more taxes
Schwarzenegger is increasing fees at public colleges. This will rob poor students of their education. Why? So that the rich would not pay more taxes.
Schwarzenegger is reducing hours at libraries, educational facilities for all of us, but especially for the poor. Why? So that the rich would not pay more taxes.
Now that the Schwarzenegger extravaganza is over, we are discovering what he stands for. He believes, as Bush does, that if you help the rich, prosperity will "trickle down" to the poor. Before it starts to "trickle," dazzle them with bombast. What can you lose? Even if there never is a "trickle," you can collect campaign money from the rich.
