“Sequels can be better than the original … T2, Get the DVD, you will see.”
With those words, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger defended his re-nomination of state Senator Abel Maldonado for Lt. Governor. Throwing his arm around the shorter Maldonado, Schwarzenegger called him a “good man” who was capable of doing the job.
Maldonado did not secure the necessary 41 votes in the Assembly to be confirmed, but neither did he have 41 votes against him to reject the nomination outright. To avoid a court battle over whether the lack of 41 NO votes meant rejection, Schwarzenegger simply decided to try, try again.
Sticking with his man may indicate what the governor’s going to do with the other big issue facing him – the budget. During the press conference, in response to a reporter’s question, the governor said once again the state must live within its means. The usual rhetoric? Or does the action with Maldonado add some significance to his determination?
Re-nominating Maldonado was an act of loyalty to a “post-partisan” ally, but also a signal to the legislature that he intends to hold his positions. He could easily have avoided a fight with the Democratic members of the Assembly over the nomination and decided to leave the Lieutenant Governor’s office open for the remaining months of this year or turned to another nominee, perhaps a Democrat just to roil the waters.
But he stood by Maldonado. That sends a message to the legislature that the governor plans to stick with his stated intentions. On the budget, that means he is standing by his budget formula: Cut and control spending and don’t raise taxes.
If you think the Lt. Governor nomination fight is overlong because of the repeat nomination, the coming budget battle may seem endless.