California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has angered social conservatives by signing legislation requiring health insurance policies to provide coverage for registered domestic partners, a bill to help law enforcement battle hate crimes (including anti-gay violence), and a measure to legalize the sale of over-the-counter syringes to slow the spread of AIDS. So, he's a liberal, right?
Wrong. The "Governator" also outraged the left (including gay Democrats) by vetoing a string of anti-business measures, including a bill to jack up the state-enforced minimum wage, and "consumer protection" and anti-pollution mandates that would add significantly to the costs of doing business. As the state's economy struggles under what's already one of the most onerous regulatory climates in the country, perhaps the world, unions and liberal lobbyists -- and the legislators they fund -- think driving small businesses out of business (and bigger businesses out of the state) is dandy as candy.
Arnold is so appealing because he's willing to stand up to the professional activists of the left, while standing firm on issues of legal equality.
There's one proposed constitutional amendment I'd happily
support: allowing foreign-born U.S. citizens to run for President.
This constitutional prohibition - a legacy of Alexander Hamilton's
political opponents! - is itself an affront to legal equality that
should be done away with. Here's hoping.