Low Bid America?

I don't pay too much attention to the shenanigans of the Governator down south of here, but it's a fact that as goes The Golden State, so goes America on many issues, so you really can't ignore Gov. Schwarzenegger altogether, especially when he's in the midst of what's being called "...his most forceful public condemnation of Democratic lawmakers." The current brouhaha is over the state budget, which is two weeks overdue (although that's nothing compared to the federal budget, which may never appear). The Governor, frustrated because some folks have actually had the temerity to publically disagree with his decrees, proclaims

"Nothing in the state gets done, because as soon as you start becoming partisan and as soon as the parties start fighting — the infighting — and the special interests get involved, we start not representing the people, but representing the special interests, then there's chaos here."

So, what's the source of all the turmoil? Two things, basically. One is the Democratic majority's reluctance to repeal the so-called "sue your boss" law, which gives employees who have been wronged in the workplace redress in the courts. What, exactly, that has to do with the state budget is unclear, but it upsets the business community, so it upsets the Governator. So, employees are a 'special interest,' and employers are 'the people' in the Schwarzenegger model of Lotus Land.

The other issue does directly impact the state education budget. The Republicans want to (surprise!) expand the ability of schools to contract out services like transportation. Here's how the Gov frames it.

"Why would we go and give the money so much needed for education in this state to the union drivers rather than keeping it right in the classroom?" Schwarzenegger asked. "I always said in my campaign the children should have the first call on our treasury, not the drivers. They should be able to contract out to the lowest bidder."

First of all, it sounds like his problem is the union, not the drivers, but what about the children? Does he really think, can anyone really think, that it's best for the kids to put them on a bus selected on the basis of the lowest bid? Shouldn't things experience, professionalism, safety and quality of maintainence be at least part of the equation when the transportation of kids is involved? Even if it bumps the bid a couple bucks? Let's face it, it doesn't really matter how many dollars you put in the classroom if the kids crash enroute.

My kids rode busses operated under an SEIU contract. I don't know how much extra we paid for the privilege, but the peace of mind was worth it. I don't want to live in Arnold's "Low Bid America."