Schwarzenegger's Proposition 1A-F Scam

One of the most dishonest ballot propositions of all time has to be Proposition 1A and its companion ballot measures B-F, which were put on the May ballot in California by Governor Schwarzenegger and his Democratic co-conspirators in Sacramento. This comes in the wake of the largest state tax increase in the history of the US-passed in the middle of a recession no less. Under this measure, voters are being asked to approve a two-year extension of the recently-passed tax increase that would carry it from 2011 to 2013. In return, a spending cap is imposed, which critics feel can be easily by-passed, and a "rainy day" fund established.

In pushing for this piece of legislation, Prop 1A's proponents deliberately underplay the two year tax extension. But the dishonesty doesn't stop there. Listen to the radio and TV ads, and you wonder what PR hack dreamed them up. First, there's the TV ad showing a father going out to play catch with his (school-age) son. The closing line is, "First, I'm going to play catch with my son. Then I'm going to vote for propositions 1A-F."

Kind gets you right here.

Then there is the radio ad that tells us that 1A-F will prevent "THE POLITICIANS" from spending our hard-earned money any way they like. What the ad doesn't tell you is that THE POLITICIANS wrote this bill and put it on the ballot.

"Stop me before I kill again!"

Finally, there is the old boiler plate advisory that goes something like this:

"That's why teachers, firefighters, police, nurses, paramedics, doctors, lawyers, and Indian chiefs ALL support Proposition 1A-F."

Well, maybe their unions, anyway.

Plus the ultra-left LA Times. Ultra-left editorial writer George Skelton (no relation to Red-I think) writes today that Propositions 1A-F are not, repeat not, deceptive. Republican turncoat Mike Villines, Republican Assembly Minority Leader, asserts that he and the others are not trying to trick Californians in pushing this bait and switch on us.

Fortunately, the polls show the measure going down to a big defeat (42-29%), which will be the second such defeat for Republican-in-name-only Schwarzenegger. The first was in 2005 when he was thrashed by the unions in trying to reign in spending. In a recent interview, the governor said that he has learned from his past mistakes and has learned to work (deals) with others.

And (hopefully) he is still going to lose.