Stop Arnold: Sign the petition to protect 200,000 state workers
By Julia Rosen Thursday Jul 24, 2008 1:40pm(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign)
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
announced last night that he will sign an Executive Order on Monday slashing the wages of over 200,000 state employees to the bare minimum.
Not California's minimum wage of $8 per hour. The federal minimum wage of $6.55. Six dollars and fifty-five cents an hour.
Imagine trying to pay your bills on $6.55 an hour. Now imagine what will happen to thousands of vital service workers like the people who make sure that child abusers don't teach in schools, those who take care of the developmentally disabled, laundry workers who take care of our vets, or license inspectors for foster homes, all forced to live on poverty-level wages. A nauseating irony: many state employees may need to seek aid from the very state services that employ them.
The Governor's plan, rather than fixing California's massive $15 billion budget deficit, will instead make our budget crisis worse while delivering a serious blow to our struggling economy. As the recession deepens, gas prices skyrocket, stores close, and home foreclosures surge, the governor's wage cuts will force many working families over the financial edge.
This is absolutely outrageous. And the only way we can stop Arnold is by raising our voices as loud as possible in protest before 9 a.m. on Monday.
Please join thousands of people in signing the Courage Campaign's petition to Governor Schwarzenegger. On Monday morning, I will personally deliver your signatures to the governor's office in the State Capitol.
err umm... Why doesn't he just donate his salary... he really doesn't need any more money then he already has
oops.. I take that back... I've been to Planet Hollywood... his finances are probably in the toilet
Obama + Controversy = Big Sales!
The New Yorker's David Remnick tells Keith Kelly today that last week's satirical "terrorist fist jab" cover wasn't just to sell copies, but because "it had something strong to say, shining a glaring light on all the lies and misconceptions about the Obamas — lies and misconceptions that are reflected, unfortunately, in the opinion polls."
But yes, it also sold big. From the NY Post:
how can you live in california making 6.55 an hour
is that possible??
@Golem. Arnold actually does not accept his salary.
As an update, the petition has now been signed by Speaker of the Assembly Karen Bass and Senate Pro-Tem elect Darrell Steinberg.
constituent @ 4:
that's not possible anywhere.
Maybe the governator should sell off some of his hummers. What a total asshole he is.
Meanwhile Ted Kennedy is trying to save the jobs of military contractors to keep the US War machine going.
Not all government jobs are worth saving.
"Executive power abuse" aka impeachment hearings are taking place in the Judiciary committee right now on CSPAN. Please bring this to the attention of people.
Why does the GOP hate low-income Americans?
Yes, this dumb fuck muscle head wants a job in the Obama cabinet? Send that retard back home.
Man...Cali seems fucked. At least Louisiana's governor is trying to do something beneficial, California's seems to be a dick here.
The Golem @ 2:
He got out of Planet Hollywood before it tanked.
Simon White-Thatch Potentloins @ 9:
When you're wealthy and sell the idea of a classless society, the proof you're full of crap is a low-income American.
I talked many time about California's budget problems. Year after year through ballot initiatives the people have passed bond measures. So many bond measures that there hasn't been any discretionary monies left for many years. With the downturn in the economy the only answer to meet the states budget is to raise revenue. Of course the Republicans want to use the crisis to break the unions, cut social programs, and do favors for big corporations. All that said I don't think that the governor's threat has a chance in hell of becoming reality.
What is the story on Arnold Schwarzenegger's nazi belt buckle. I think he likes the National Socialist Party or the "Nazi's" a little too much. The Neo-Cons also seem to follow similar ideologies. The history of Arnold's Nazi history may prove to be the most effective way of stopping his political ambitions if people choose to do so. His father was involved as well.
displaced @ 7:
Yes, and all soldiering jobs are not worth saving either. We should lay all of them off.
Orangutan. @ 15:
Well...Arnie's dad was affiliated with the Austrian branch of the Nazis, when the Austrian Nazi Party was illegal, no less. Doesn't imply Arnie believed that, though, remember OBL's son is passionately pro-West...
The Golem @ 1:
He doesn't take a salary. Moreover, this isn't a permanent cut. It's only a cut until there is budget approval and then the employees get reimbursed for their full salary while this was in effect. I'm not sure if its necessary even in light of the budget impasse but this post makes it look like this is part of a budget reducing proposal by Schwarzenegger which is untrue. It's an emergency measure until the budget gets approved.
Simon White-Thatch Potentloins @ 9:
they don't hate them they just don't like them much
mccain giving a speech same thing beating up obama
instead of talking solutions to today's problems
WTF? Doesn't that violate his state minimum wage law? From the link, it looks like a sloppy ruling by the California Supremes lets him think he can do that. Great for worker loyalty, Ahnowd! Penny wise, pund foolish
...I wonder if fire line crews earn minimum wage?
Zlad! @ 20:
Yes, it violates California law, but as a Louisiana citizen I know full well that state leaders often give not one shit about state law.
GOP steals from low-income Americans
You think the GOP would be finished, but no
All they do is wave Rov vs. Wade, Dem's are not patriotic, taking away guns (meanwhile trade it for spying on Americans)
My high schooler is making more than the California minimum wage at his summer job.
Great wages for a 16 year old, but no individual...especially in California, can live even reasonably safe, fed and comfortable at that wage.
When do we get to choose how much our elected civil servants make?
Representative officials should make only representative pay. Let this ahs-hole make only as much as the average citizen in California and then see how quick he is to cut other people's salaries.
Zenrage @ 24:
In my state the legislature wanted to increase their salary 300%....at a time when Louisiana's economy is slowing. Officials being professional in their jobs is a nice idea, but it never happens.
john j @ 22:
McCain knows nothing about economy
So yes, people would rather lose their jobs and their house before voting Obama
Whatever happened to caring about other people? And I'm not taking about the rich, who I think are doing OK for themselves.
exposethetruth @ 27:
I meant ".....talking about the rich......". Oops.
General_Rennenkampf @ 17:
Well then why does Arnold pose proudly with a Nazi belt buckle for all to see. And...
"Arnold openly supported Kurt Waldheim, Former UN chief and a former Austrian politician who participated in Nazi atrocities during World War II. Schwarzenegger's name remained on Waldheim's campaign posters, even after allegations of Waldheim's war crimes were brought to light. Waldheim was even invited to Arnold's wedding."
Much more topics of research available at http://www.arnoldexposed.com
Let's do the real thing and get to the bottom of our problems.
Zad @ 20. People responsible for responding to emergencies and taking care of human life like doctors, CHP and firefighters are exempt from this.
Arnold has promised to pay them back, but that is essentially borrowing from our state employees because he can't get the Republicans to play ball on the budget. The Democrats have moved forward an excellent budget proposal, but the Yacht Party just says no, make more cuts.
exposethetruth @ 27:
That was kind of a 60's - 70's thing. Maybe it's due to come back in style?
this is a great example of the complete failure of the neoliberal economic bullshit.
and it is a further part of the downward spiral the ruling class has cursed us with.
if enacted, instead of things getting better, things will get much. much, much worse.
xx365 @ 26:
Ouch
Orangutan. @ 29:
I think it's a bit racist to lump all German-speaking and German-descended people in as Nazis, but even so...a Totenkopf belt-buckle is hard to explain, particularly whenj your dad was a person who assisted in the overthrow of the Austrian government to make it join the Reich.
constituent @ 4:
Yes, but you have to work 30 hours a day.
displaced @ 7:
What the He** are you talking about fool?
You're not being entirely truthful. It's a tactic to strongarm legislators into passing a spending bill he approves of to balance the budget. He doesn't plan to balance the budget by taking away workers' pay, that's insane, and is what you are falsely implying. All workers who would have their wages reduced would be reimbursed the difference in backpay when the budget is passed, causing a delay in their pay but not a loss. It's still a complete scumbag move though.
But let's not lower ourselves to their level by twisting the truth, agreed?
General_Rennenkampf @ 34:
I take it back, anti-Semitic conspiracy theorists are MADE OF FAIL, and that site you linked to sounds straight out of Tim Lahaye's fevered imaginings of the Conspiracy.
This is just a ruse by AS to get Californians so scared they will beg him to borrow ANOTHER $15,000,000,000 to cover his bad
management of the state.
I would feel sympathy and would happily sign the petition. However, last week I had to go to the DMV to renew my license. I have never dealt with a more insufferable group of assholes. Based on the job performance I witnessed in my lengthy visit, I think minimum wage is rather generous. I've had experiences with friendlier and more competent people working tech support from India.
I'd rather pay those people welfare and replace them with people who don't openly resent their jobs and the people they are there to serve.
General_Rennenkampf @ 34:
I agree.
Golly! Repimplican policies are hurting the economy.
It's time to bail out the banks and screw homeownerstime to make the working people pay for our short-sighted, short-term-gain, foolery!cobsjo @ 33:
I don't think they want to lose their houses or jobs
but you could be right because....
i've no clue why someone would vote for McCain.
Telcontal @ 8:
CNNLIVE Executive Power Hearing
Orangutan. @ 41:
Still, though, dude, check your links, one of those sites linked in the link you gave seems right out of the John Birch society.
wasaperson @ 44:
Sorry, that was a question; not a statement.
This is Der Gropenator's way to drive a wedge between Cal state workers, the majority of whom are 1) dems, and 2) union members, and the Cal Lege, which is also 1) mostly Dem and 2) mostly pro-union.
It is the same theory by which somebody bombs the shit outta somebody else, hopint the people getting bombed will blame their own Govt for resisting, rahter than the bombers for bombing.
I hope Ahnuldt's Hummer falls off Hiway One into the ocean, and the SOB drowns in the surf...
Now imagine trying to do that in California, one of the most costliest states in the country. You couldn't afford a studio apartment on wages like that. Food? A luxury!
Why do they hate us for our freedoms???
Okay, important point:
He's using this as leverage against the legislature to get them to actually deliver a budget. And in all honesty, I support that. California has had budget shortfalls for years, and since the Governor's office is not the one that can change any laws, he has to try and convince the legislature to do it.
They, of course, would rather not raise taxes, since people seem to not enjoy that, but the money HAS to come from somewhere. Programs don't pay for themselves, and the progressive strategies that California has really implemented in many cases are expensive.
Once the budget is passed, the pay for civil servants would go back to normal, AND it would be retroactive, so the only ploy here is to exert some pressure on the legislature to agree to a damn budget already.
In other words, I think the petition shouldn't go to him. It should go those in the legislature.
We're "in debt" trillions of dollars and the bankers intend that we pay.
We should vote to cut that Christofascist rightard's wages, save the State of California a ton of money.
Tyler @ 37:
Beg pardon, Tyler. Why the Phuque should we worry about telling thetruth about a bunch of scum-sucking, shit-eating liars and pigs?
Lie about 'em. Accuse 'em of every dastardly deed you can imagine. Ahnuldt screws corpses. Anything. It doesn't matter. Just get it OUT THERE! That's where the battles are won and lost...not in here, among the converted, but out there, where the lies are...
Why punish the civil servants? Isn't his beef with the congress?
shaggles @ 54:
See mine @ 47...
R @ 50 Except that he is leveraging the Democrats, by pissing off a core constituency of labor and liberals.
They are not the problem. They have pushed forward a responsible plan that would bring our taxes back to the Reagan-Wilson era, after having made a bunch of cuts earlier this year. The Republicans are off in fantasy land thinking that just massive cuts are the way to close the gap.
Yes, we need a budget in place, but as the Controller has pointed out we still have another month until the state starts running out of money. There is no need to try and do this and Chiang is right to stand up to the governor and refuse to take the action and challenge him in court.
they better fix the voting apparatus in california or they will never get rid of the scum.
guess where some of these people go that lose jobs/wage decrease...they move to Las Vegas...this is part of the on-going exodus from california.....many believe Las Vegas will be the land of milk and honey....there is no state taxes but plenty of fees and terrible state services....check out the high school graduation rate 45%,#1 in prescription drug abuse and the crime rate is usually top 5 of all categories.
part of the problem in california is their own aversion to taxes.
The comprehensive bankruptcy of the United States, at every level, in all corners, atop each hill and mole-hill, and down not a few rat-holes, is preceding like some kind of hideous multi-media, inter-dimensional cosmic grand opera as produced and directed by the Devil. Every week, some bizarre new subplot is introduced by the stage managers, each turn and twist geared to produce maximum pain and carnage in the US economy, as if to foreclose any possibility of redemption on the way down.
Isn't it obvious?
BaScOmBe hearts Lara Logan and Rachel Maddow @ 59:
I dunno where Murkins got the idea that the world owed them all the social services, infrastructure, and admin that the State provides without the concomitant taxation to provide for 'em.
Taxes: Membership dues in the most exclusive, gated community in the WORLD: The USofA.
BTW in less than 24 hours over 17,000 people have signed the petition to Schwarzenegger.
Julia Rosen @ 62:
What action follows the petition after Arnold tosses it in the shredder?
Ahnold Doesn't have a clue about what it's like to live on minimum wage. He's a rich Repukelican and has access to GWB's tax cuts and breaks for the rich.
This is what you get when you hire actors to play leaders. S**T like former POTUS Ronald Raygun, another Korporate shill that did more damage to the middle class working people of this country than any other president in history, until Bush came along.
Make better choices for your representatives! it's up to you!
BaScOmBe hearts Lara Logan and Rachel Maddow @ 59:
The problem with California is...it's full of bloody Californians! *sorry, couldn't resist!
I got nothin against californians.
Grow up, man up, Arnold and just raise the GD taxes. Stop trying to dump our present expenses onto our kids and grandkids...
Look, the Repugnantcons created this manure pile of an economy. Let THEM dig their own way out the mess. Just don't forget where all the stink originated!
No one seemed to care when the mental health budget was slashed in Illinois.
Surging Blue Lensman @ 31:
Poverty hitting the middle class will bring it back in style. The GOP won't have to worry about how bad their stance on ecology and nature is. Average people will start chopping down trees to build gallows.
they should have thought of this when they voted for the creep.....
...........you want a big muscle guy with a tan and a cool reputation..... YOU GOT HIM .....
Tony @ 68:
Being from IL, you're wrong.
to all you non-californians out there who are upset at this consider this. if you want to pay our "civil servants" (remember, they work for us citizens of california with our tax dollars) more salary you are welcome to do so, but i am happy to to drop the overinflated salaries (have you seen these people's work? they don't give a rat's arse of serving the public, more like they only care about getting to work and collecting their government pay check that comes at our expense).
so many democrats forget that "public servants" work for the people. down with bureacracy!!!!!!!!!!!
Like father, like son?
What a jerk!.... This ain't gonna fly anyway... The State controller has stated he will refuse to go along with this bullshit...... And he's the one in charge of payday from what I've been told..............
Jesus H. Christ on a pogo stick Arnie.... Why didn't you just stick to making movies you big oaf!!!! JD
All you reactionary's get bent out of shape when a republican plays politics. It'll take all of 10 seconds to get what this threat is designed to do - move the state legislature off it's slothy bottom and give him a budget - then the order will be rescinded.
Before claiming class warfare and making ridiculously uneducated claims about salary forfeitures, take a closer look at the 'politics' before jerking your knees.
Y'all act like every action a politician makes should be taken at face value. Puh-leeze.
don't you people get it? WE pay their salaries!!!! so NOW we pay less. fo rme that is good because my job is minimum wage
Tim in SF @ 40:
Tim, I can certainly understand your frustration, having spent many hours in the offices of the DMV myself. Many of them tend to be grumpy, surly, and as UNhelpful as humanly possible. However, many of them get that way because their wages get cut and cut again, they are underfunded and understaffed, and then are blamed for the wait times that people get upset about. Hard workers are passed over for promotions and lazy brown-nosers or the well-connected are promoted in their place: they then yell at the hard workers for not working hard enough. I'm not saying that these reasons justify their treatment of you: it's not your fault and taking it out on you is wrong. Just sharing what turns your average DMV employee into a bitter, twisted mass of hate.
Can non-Californians sign this petition? (Just checking...)
Yea, I get it and the politics too... And if someone calls his bluff in the state capital, and lets face it, all they have to do to call this bluff is continue to sit on their asses... Think that's possible out of this crew??? So then what?? Arnie caves and looks like the girly-man he's sitting himself up to look like... Or he pulls the trigger on this shit and then what??? If the controller sticks to his guns, this all goes to court and we get a new sideshow circus here in California to put up with that burns thru more tax dollars to fight about it in a legal venue.. Or maybe you don't think we taxpayers will get the bill for the trial??? BTW, you actually think you're gonna see any change in what they are taking out of your paycheck in taxes next month if Arnie pulls this off??? Or Arnie in all his bluster manages to stare down the controller some way and he gives in and slashes these peoples salaries... Then what??? Here's fucking what... Martgages stop getting paid, bills start stacking up, things get reposessed and people lose out on houses and all other assorted property they suddenly can't pay for... People who you disdain but nontheless live here and contribute to this society and state are out on the streets cause they couldn't pay their fucking bills anymore. Their takehome pay went waay down but the bill collector still wants his pound of flesh e.v.e.r.y. month just like clockwork.. Yea, that sounds fucking smart.. That'll really help the economy...Let's have a little political tug of war and stick people who have nothing to do with the political spitting contest with the fallout... yea, that's a fucking smart way to run shit... Ya know, it would be a lot easier to sell this shit to me if I was hearing that Arnie and the big shots in Sacra-tomato were taking big time cuts to their salaries too... But ya know... I ain't hearing nothing like that... how bout you??? Has the governator shared with you or anyone that he's gonna lead this pay-cut parade by cutting his own salary... Or even ditching his hummer???? JD
Ivan @ 78. Yes, non-Californians can sign.
JAck @ 72:
I was a teacher in California, considered a public servant for working in a public school. There is no way my government paycheck covered everything I had to do to educate kids to the best of my ability. Hell, in some cases, I paid to teach them (I received less than 3 cents per student per day to buy science supplies. I spent an extra $200 per month to buy supplies the school couldn't pay for). I also worked an extra 40-60 hours a month that I technically didn't have to and never got paid for. To renew my credential every 5 years, I was also required to attend a minimum of 350 hours of ongoing education (those classes weren't free: guess who paid for them...)
I understand that, not being a civil servant, you don't always see everything we do. I understand that this particular proposed pay cut doesn't affect (directly) salaried public servants like teachers. But I have a lot in common with other public servants. We don't do this job for the riches or prestige of a government paycheck. We don't do this job because we can't do anything else (for example, computer companies that hire teachers during the summer now have to sign binding contracts with school districts that promise they won't poach us at the end of the summer: so many teachers were leaving when they realized they got paid more for doing less work there that it was causing a teacher shortage in the state). We do it because we like the job, or because we love to serve our neighbors, or for a hundred other reasons.....
But love of the job doesn't pay the bills. I am no longer a teacher in California. I moved out of state, because I couldn't dream of buying a house on a teacher's salary. And, if California continues to cut and cut and cut, more public servants will leave. You're already losing your best teachers to other jobs and other states. I'm not being vain here: many of the best teachers I have ever known or had the honor of working with have left the craft. Some chose early-retirement bonuses, so that their district could hire younger, less expensive teachers. At least 3 that were poached by computer companies. A lot of your public electricians, road pavers, secretaries, accountants, engineers, coordinators, social workers, counselors, processors, etc will leave too.
Interesting that his plan for balancing the budget seems to consist of cutting the pay for teachers, firemen, nurses, police officers, and now non-salaried public servants. We're still paying for Enron, it would seem (how much money has Enron given us back for Ken Lay's illegal practices? Just saying.....)
californians need to "totally recall" Arnold, the rise-of-the-hacked-voting-machines governator. how in the world did a 2 bit second rate actor/washed up has been body builder ever get that job in the first place? oh, that's right, he was connected to Kenny "Enron" Lay, and killed the lawsuit against energy market manipulation, that's how.
isn't it amazing how absolutely corrupt & wrong the "right" are?
lol... it looks like da gubernator's rule's about ta be terminated... don't come back, jackass...
i work in human services and i'll be damned if y'all ain't supporting state workers up in here. these people need to be getting minimum wage for the little work they do. they are all overpaid and once they get in that job state workers are lazy son of a bitches. so as long as arnold doesn't start going after the marijuana dispensaries i think he's doing allright.
and i hope this does happen
Orangutan. @ 41:
It would certainly explain this pose from his bodybuilding days...
http://www.hecklerspray.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/11/arnold%20schwarze...
Julia Rosen @ 80:
Thanks!
Remember, Ahnold was put into office by a right wing led campaign to impeach Davis.
Petition my ass! Impeach Ahnold!!!
Atleast the man is trying something.
Lets not forget to mention all these people will receive backpay once a budget is reached.
However I beleive it would be smarter to force only the legislature onto minimum wage to get his point across and not let them receive back pay at all.
As a fellow State employee from next door in Arizona -- SIGNED!!
Very passive aggressive, Ahnold. Very girlymanish.
The Legislature needs to agree upon a budget. Arnold could influence the obstructionist Repubs if he wanted. Instead he's playing cheap politics with this stunt. What an ass.