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MICHAEL DER MANOUEL JR.: Arnold is no better than last governor

A recent op-ed by my friend Michael Der Manouel Jr. asked this question: "What tangible differences are there between Gray Davis in 2003 and Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2008?" Well, I don't know what Kool-Aid my buddy, Mike, has been drinking, but to begin to cite the differences, I feel like a mosquito in a nudist colony -- where do I begin?

Well, let's start right here at home. Back in 2004, the state Legislature, led by John Burton and other powerful lawmakers, were poised, once again, to raid local treasuries. If successful, local economies would have been decimated. Massive layoffs of police officers and firefighters would have occurred, followed quickly by a general overall devastation of city services.

The League of California Cities countered with a ballot measure to limit what the state could take. However, legislative leaders were busy raising millions to defeat it and surely would have until Gov. Schwarzenegger threw his total support behind Proposition 1A. The opposition caved and, thanks to the governor's willingness to lay his political life on the line, a public safety crisis of monumental proportions was averted.

Mike also seems to shrug off Gov. Schwarzenegger's reform of workers compensation as no big deal, when in fact, it has been a huge deal. It has been instrumental in keeping business here as well as recruiting outside companies to California.

He also failed to mention the rescinding of the car tax by the governor. Can you imagine on top of $4 gas, rising food costs, huge energy bills and plummeting home values, if we had to pay double and triple to register our cars? How soon we forget.

In his article, Mike explains his refusal to vote for Gov. Schwarzenegger with the question: "What great policy was there to vote for?" Well, brother, how about the policy of attacking the massive problems threatening the future of this state head-on instead of just talking about them and running from them like Sacramento has done for so many years.

The reality is, this governor has not only addressed, but made dramatic progress on many critical issues facing this state such as budget reform, education reform, environmental protection, redistricting, water and health care reform.

Speaking of health care reform, I'm getting a little weary of hearing so-called conservatives referring to everyone who supports affordable health care for all Californians, including their fellow Republicans, as being fiscally irresponsible. In fact, just the opposite is true.

The truth of the matter is, we already have universal health care in this state. It just happens to be the most dysfunctional, wasteful and discriminatory system in America. Before Gov. Schwarzenegger came to office, no one in Sacramento, Republican or Democrat, had ever faced this issue head-on.

To oppose reform is tantamount to supporting the present system that is in place. The last time I checked, dysfunction, waste and discrimination weren't exactly guiding principles of the Republican Party or the Lincoln Club.

I am also a bit amused concerning Mike's assertion that the governor wants to raise taxes. Ironically, when you compare Arnold and Mike, you'll find the governor has been consistently against tax increases in his four-plus years in office, while Mike Der Manouel Jr. has voted for two tax increases during that same time span, Measure Z and Measure C.

Mike, you old tax-and-spend liberal, you.

The truth is, Mike Der Manouel Jr. is a good man who has been a strong voice for the Republican Party. He is a patriot and a fine family man. I like and respect him.

That is why the comment questioning the governor's courage after his reform package was defeated bothers me so much. Why? Because I know Arnold Schwarzenegger. I have seen him in action. I have seen him behind the scenes in Sacramento, a place where the future of California has so often been betrayed by politicians who worship power and forsake the people.

Not this governor. I have seen him stay the course on issues vital to the people of California when lesser men would fall apart like a dollar-store broom. I have seen him stand strong on his principles and commitments under extraordinary pressure, whether his approval rating at the time was 60% or 30%.

Back in 2003, I said that this state was in such a deep hole that it would take some of the strongest, most innovative, most courageous leadership California had ever seen to get us out. It was self-serving, partisan politics that got us into this mess, and only a true public servant willing to put people over politics was going to get us out.

Gov. Schwarzenegger has been that kind of leader, and that is why he will be remembered as one of the finest governors this state has ever had.

Mike, I love you, brother. Now put down that Kool-Aid and let's go have a cup of decaf.