I like the prospect of Arnold running against Barbara Boxer in 2010 for her Senate seat. She is probably the farthest left member of the Senate and Arnold is probably the only Republican that can beat her and he would be a 100% improvement. I also understand that California is not really a right-of-center state and that a Republican governor probably has to bend somewhat on many issues.

But, this is just inexcusable. If Arnold wants to use tax dollars to give every Californian child health insurance, then fine. Aside from the fact that it is an economically ignorant thing to do, and anyone who understands the idea of competition and the free market knows this, the people of the state elected him and they are the ones that have to pay for it, not me. However, to take it as far as extending this “free” coverage to illegals, he is actively working against the well being and security of his state and our country. The flow of illegal immigrants from Mexico is out of control and a serious problem all over this country and he is giving them one more reason for more to violate our borders and snub our laws.

Whose side are you on, Arnold?

SACRAMENTO — Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will propose that all Californian children, including those in the state illegally, be guaranteed medical insurance as part of the health-care overhaul he intends to unveil next week, according to officials familiar with the plan.

If enacted by the Legislature, his proposal would affect about 763,000 children who now lack insurance. Although the administration has not revealed details of how it would pay for such a program, officials estimate that extending insurance to all children could cost the state as much as $400 million a year.

That would be a small piece of Schwarzenegger’s stated goal: to ensure medical coverage for all of the 6.5 million Californians who now have none. Experts say that could cost upward of $10 billion a year.

Los Angeles Times

Holding the line on taxes and cutting them back even further is definitely a start, but whoever wins the White House in ‘08 needs to go a step further. I want to see a candidate pledge to drastically reduce spending and cut down the national debt.

“The Democratic agenda seems to be surrounding the idea of raising taxes and more government spending, and more taxing is not good for the American people, it’s not good for the economy, it’s not good for America,” Mr. Romney said. “I think you’ll see the Republicans in both houses and in the White House stand firm. Holding the line on taxes is critical to strength of our economy and the well-being of the American people.”

Mr. Romney’s comments come fresh on the heels of the news that he signed the “Taxpayer Protection Pledge” promulgated by Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform. Mr. Romney distributed an image of the pledge signed by himself and two witnesses, dated January 3. It is a promise that he will “oppose any and all efforts to increase the marginal income tax rates for individuals and/or businesses.” It adds that he will also “oppose any net reduction or elimination of deductions and credits unless matched dollar for dollar by further reducing tax rates.”

New York Sun