Fear of the People

California's new governor is quickly doing much of what he'd said he'd do. Yesterday, he pushed through an embarrassing reversal of the unpopular drivers-licenses-for-illegal-immigrants law, which Gray Davis had embraced as part of his desperate pre-election pander to the Left.

In voting for the repeal less than three months after approving the bill, lawmakers acknowledged the changed political climate. While the bill was debated in September for 80 minutes before passing 23-15, Monday's debate lasted just 10 minutes, and the repeal was approved 33-0.

Part of that changed climate was Schwarzenegger's threat to put the issue up for referendum on the March ballot. Seems Democratic legislators fear the combination of unpopular legislation and Arnold's willingness to use the referendum process.