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But, Chuck, this is not what you were saying in 2005 when you were supporting the California Governator and voting for his 2005-2006 state budget.

So, the question is:

Is Chuck DeVore a fiscal conservative? Well, not in 2005 when DeVore voted for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s disastrous budget. You remember the 2005-2006 budget that my then State Senator Tom McClintock opposed.

I am sorry to interrupt the chorus of self-congratulations, but I feel compelled to state an obvious fact – that this budget is $6 billion out of balance; that the state’s chronic deficit spending is getting worse, not better; and that the growth of general fund spending is growing and not shrinking.

Nor can I join applauding the “painstaking negotiations” that have produced this document. The fact is, in May the Governor proposed spending $88 billion (General Fund), the Democrats countered at $89 billion, and they have now compromised at $90 billion. I suppose it is a blessing that the negotiations didn’t go on any longer.

Let me run through the vital statistics of this spending plan. According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office in June, inflation and population will grow 5 percent and revenue will grow 6 percent. But according to the budget staff analysis, spending will grow by 10 percent. That makes it measurably worse than the plan the Senate rejected on June 15th.

On June 15th, we rejected a $5 billion operating deficit. This budget spends $90 and takes in only $84 — for a SIX BILLION DOLLAR shortfall – THIS YEAR.

On June 15th, we rejected a 9 percent increase in state spending. This budget is a 10 percent increase – averaging 7 ½ percent over the last two years. Spending increases under the Davis administration averaged 7 percent.

Let me repeat: This budget spends $6 billion more than we take in. Last year we spent $2 billion more than we took in. That means that this year’s operating deficit is THREE TIMES bigger than last year’s.

Now, I’m sorry to throw cold water on the celebration, but that is not progress. That is the opposite of progress.

And yet, once again, we’re told that the budget is balanced. But the blunt truth is that it is only balanced with borrowed funds carried over from last year.

And, a budget that the Howard Jarvis TaxPayers Association called overspending:

“Overall, we’re pleased there’s not been any broad increase in taxes,” said Jon Coupal, executive director of the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association and a frequent adviser to the governor. “We do wish the administration would cut spending more but we understand given the makeup of the Legislature, that’s a difficult thing to do.”

So, Tom Campbell is not the only politician in this U.S. Senate race who has problems with fiscal conservative credentials.

Schwarzenegger urges US to lead fight on climate

Arnold Schwarzenegger has urged the White House to emulate California in taking a lead in the fight against climate change, saying “it would be good for the whole world . . . if the US becomes the power behind the movement”.

The California governor told the Financial Times in an interview that he could sympathise with Barack Obama’s struggles in securing backing in Congress for national emissions targets. But Mr Schwarzenegger added “it would be incredible if America makes a commitment” that helps secure a global framework on climate change.

“America within 10 years could get 20 per cent of its power needs from renewables,” he said. “We have sun, wind – you can even now get oil from algae. There is a green revolution [in California] but the whole US could be leading like that.”

Mr Schwarzenegger, who flies to a UN climate change conference in Copenhagen this week, also called on cities, states and other “sub-national” governments, urging them not to wait for a binding deal before taking action to curb emissions.

“International agreements, as critical as they are, will never do enough,” he said he would tell the conference this week.

Well, Arnold has to say something since he has driven the California economy to the depths of despair and has bankrupted the state.

But, his comments about Sarah Palin , the former Governor of Alaska are classic Arnold understatement:

The California governor has become an environmental standard bearer for the Republican party, which is split on the merits of curbing emissions. Sarah Palin, John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential election, has attacked cap and trade and questioned any link between man-made emissions and global warming.

“You have to ask: what was she trying to accomplish?” said Mr Schwarzenegger. “Is she really interested in this subject or is she interested in her career and in winning the [Republican] nomination [for president]? You have to take all these things with a grain of salt.”

Funny how Arnold has had to leave the country to recapture an audience for his political nonsense. Yeah, he has been a worse Governor than Jesse Ventura in Minnesota.

Didn’t Arnold receive the e-mail about the faked global warming/climate change data?

A British university said Thursday it would investigate whether scientists at its prestigious Climatic Research Unit fudged data on global warming.

Thousands of pieces of correspondence between some of the world’s leading climate scientists were stolen from the unit at the University of East Anglia and leaked to the Internet late last month. Skeptics of man-made global warming say the e-mails are proof that scientists have been conspiring to hide evidence showing that global warming was not as strong as generally believed.

California is bankrupt and Arnold has yet to balance a budget yet he parades around the state touting this nonsense. Too bad Californians cannot TOTALLY RECALL this idiot Governor.

Gad, Ahnold cannot leave office soon enough.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein

Well, Arnold removes all doubt.

He is a MORON.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he’s “happy” illegal immigrants get state services and says they’re not to blame for California’s $24.3 billion budget gap.

Schwarzenegger, an immigrant himself, says the estimated $4 billion to $5 billion the state spends on illegal immigrants annually is a “small percentage” of the deficit.

The Republican governor told The Sacramento Bee’s editorial board on Friday that it’s easy to “scapegoat” illegal immigrants. But he says the state’s budget has a much deeper spending imbalance.

He noted the federal government requires California to provide emergency health care and education to illegal immigrants. And he says illegal immigrants often help pick the state’s crops and construct its buildings.

NOte: California unemployment is the second highest in the United States and the state budget is bleeding red ink with no prospects of balancing it.

California is essentially insolvent and teetering on bankruptcy.

If Arnold did not have a short time remaining in office, he would surely be recalled.