Schwarzenegger proposes first-in-nation plan to cut carbon in motor vehicle fuels

Mercury News ^ | 1/10/07 | Kate Folmar and Paul Rogers

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO - Pushing an aggressive agenda for his second term, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday called for a first-in-the-nation standard to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicle fuels and also proposed even more borrowing ...

In his annual State of the State address, delivered to a joint session of the Legislature, the Republican governor continued to buck the GOP establishment with his efforts to combat global warming and his pledge to provide health insurance for all Californians by placing new burdens on employers and insurers.

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Continuing last year's $42-billion borrowing binge, Schwarzenegger said he'll seek authorization for another $43 billion in bonds in 2008 and 2010. ...

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This is what Schwarzenegger meant by calling for a ``post-partisan'' era in his inaugural address last week, said Republican political consultant Dan Schnur.

``There are two ways to be post-partisan. One is to get nobody mad and get nothing done. The other way is to get people on both sides angry at one point or another and have them supporting you at another point.''

--snip--

In his speech, the governor made another pitch for his $12 billion health care plan, unveiled Monday. Majority Democrats were most enthusiastic about that and the bond proposal.

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Republicans were less enthusiastic. Some, including Assemblyman Guy Houston of San Ramon, say the health plan contains many tax-like elements. ``It's a tax,'' he said, ``no doubt about it.''

Others, like GOP Sen. Tom McClintock of Thousand Oaks, worry that additional borrowing will crowd out the state's ability to pay for other services.

``Our debt service payments are now larger than the budget of the entire University of California.''

--snip--

Today, the governor will present a $100-billion-plus state budget and reveal how he intends to patch an estimated $5.5 billion deficit.

[Rummyfan]

the Republican governor continued to buck the GOP establishment with his efforts to combat global warming

The Governator has definitely gone off the deep end!

[DManA]

Can Ca survive this maniac?

[NormsRevenge]

I hear the R word out here bubbling up, Who knows?

Garamendi would be a lame duck until 2010, we're screwed royally anyway ya cut it at this point

Maybe Tom and Ray Haynes will hangaround 'til then. ;-)

[TheDon]

This reads like a laundry list of reasons for a recall...

[longtermmemmory]

Arhnold is a science illiterate.

He might as well be demanding organic chemistry eliminate all carbon.