How to Lose a Governorship in 10 Days

I almost feel like Ahnold is working on a rags-to-riches-to-rags script at Paramount rather than running the state of California. In the face of sagging approval ratings and "reform" policies in absolute tatters, Schwarzenegger has decided that the way to plot his political comeback is through... anti-immigrant race-baiting? Has he ever heard of a guy named "Pete Wilson"? You might want to call him, Arnie. He's one of your advisers, I think. Ask him how well treating Mexican immigrants like dirt plays in California.

First, in response to a question at a meeting of newspaper editors about how to stop illegal immigration, he says "close the borders." He then took back the statement, claiming that he's "not very good with the language." Hasn't he been in this country over 25 years? What's the statute of limitations on that excuse?

Then, today's LA Times reports that the Governor thinks the Minuteman Project is a good idea. He tried to peddle the right-wing spin that the vigilante border patrols have been effective (I guess "effective" in this context means "has moved the illegals from coming in at one point to coming in at another.") He ignored the fact that the US Border Patrol considers them a nuisance, the Mexican border has stepped up their efforts to head off an international incident, they are dangerous to the rule of law, and there are at least rumors and at most documented cases of "standoffs" where "people got killed".

Wasn't there a time when Arnold Schwarzenegger himself walked off a plane and into this country as an immigrant? He ought to know that the very Minutemen he's supporting know would have spat at him for taking their job back then.

Then there's this bit of lunacy.

In the same radio interview, the governor also asked a Spanish-language Los Angeles television station, KRCA-TV Channel 62, to remove a billboard it erected with the words "Los Angeles, Mexico." The governor said such sentiments — implying that Los Angeles was now part of Mexico — would encourage illegal immigration.

And this guy is supposed to be a moderate? That's nutty. Billboards promoting the evening news now encourage illegal immigration? Is that why you think illegals come here - because some of the evening news stations are in Spanish? "Yeah, I need to work 60 hours a week in the migrant fields to support my family... but never mind that, I'm going to California for the HealthWatch report at 6!" Furthermore, it's a goddamn advertisement! As The Poor Man expertly (and hilariously) notes, we have had the Boston Celtics in this country for 70 years. Did that encourage the Irish to illegally tramp over from Dublin? It's just dumb, benighted thinking that plays to the most jingoistic and xenophobic among us.

As a California Democrat supporting the candidacy of Phil Angelides in 2006, my advice to Arnold would be "Don't stop. Keep doing exactly what you're doing. Latinos aren't a viable or organized constituency, anyway. Keep playing to the whitest, most hate-bred elements of the electorate. That's the way to California's heart."