A Good Move by Governor Schwarzenegger

From the San Francisco Chronicle
12/10/05

Governor replaces longtime Dem aide Cabinet secretary riled Republicans with Bush remarks
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

Battered by conservative allies who believe he's broken faith with them, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday replaced Cabinet Secretary Terry Tamminen, a Democrat and well-known environmental activist whose appointment two years ago was trumpeted as a show of the Republican governor's bipartisanship.

Tamminen, who headed the Santa Monica-based Environment Now foundation when he became one of the governor's first major appointments in November 2003, will hold an advisory job as special assistant to the governor for energy and environmental technologies, Schwarzenegger's office announced late Friday.

The addition of Fred Aguiar to the Cabinet is a good move - Assemblyman Aguiar is a thoughtful center-right Republican. Moving Terry Tamminen out of the inner-circle is also a long-over due and welcome change; although it would have been better to let him go altogether.

But, these positive changes don’t quell the legitimate concerns over the appointment of Susan Kennedy as chief of staff. The bottom line, as pointed out by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, is people are policy. And, the fact remains that Susan Kennedy has spent her lifetime working against the very things most Republicans have worked to achieve. She has also been an effective advocate for things that Republicans find anathema.