'These Are Not Serious People'

That's how California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today characterized opponents of the six measures that were part of last month's budget deal and go before voters in the May 19 special election.

Schwarzenegger made plain in a speech at the Commonwealth Club that, despite sagging approval ratings, he intends to campaign strongly for the package of six measures.

He also revealed a tough political strategy: go negative against opponents of the package and particularly the spending limit and rainy day fund measure, Prop 1A. In the speech, Schwarzenegger depicted those opponents as out of the mainstream, "the far left" (who want to spend) and "the far right." He was not kind. Consider this excerpt:

In a blast at members of his own party, he said: "Those who say that we could balance the budget through spending cuts alone are guilty of political cynicism at its worst. These are not serious people."

That's right, the governor of California effectively declared that much of the Republican establishment, a majority of GOP legislators and the two of the three GOP candidates for governor in 2010 (Steve Poizner and Meg Whitman) "are not serious people." That's a bit much, but their opposition to taxes in this circumstance is certainly unserious. It appears that the third GOP candidate, former Congressman and Schwarzenegger finance director Tom Campbell, has the governor's endorsement. If he wants it.

As for the Democrats, he called them hippies and said they don't know math.  "Those who say we could balance the budget through tax increases alone reveal their total economic ignorance and lack of math skills. Their grasp of economics must come from living on a hippie commune."

And there was this classic piece of Arnold rhetoric, as an explanation for why a rainy day fund is needed: "Many of you probably have a pet.  At my house, we have dogs, and I'm the one in charge of feeding them every morning. If I put outa whole week's worth of food, they would eat it all and not have anything to eat for the rest of the week. Dog food, tax revenues -- it's the same thing. Perhaps that's not a good example. Some smart-aleck reporter will say that I compared the legislature to my Labradors. But I love my Labradors."

No, governor, this smart-aleck blogger wouldn't say that. He'd say that you said you love your Labs, and left your feelings about the legislature to the imagination.