Hello Guvnor: More Pseudoscientific Scoring of Politicians!

I'm worried that Ahnold might have be doing drugs. Or maybe he's depressed. Because his grades are really suffering this term. Cato's Fiscal Policy Report Card on America's Governors is out, and "California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who topped the 2004 governors report card with an A, drops to a D this year due to an overall increase in his state's budget."

Only one governor receives an A this year-- Republican Matt Blunt of Missouri. The next two highest-scoring Republicans are Rick Perry of Texas and Mark Sanford of South Carolina. The highest-scoring Democratic governors are John Lynch of New Hampshire and Phil Bredesen of Tennessee.

As always, the losers list of governing failures is a goldmine:

Kathleen Blanco of Louisiana; Michael Easley of North Carolina; Christine Gregoire of Washington; Kenny Guinn of Nevada; Mike Huckabee of Arkansas; Ruth Ann Minner of Delaware; Janet Napolitano of Arizona; Bob Riley of Alabama; and Brian Schweitzer of Montana.

Why is Schweitzer so bad? Well, he grew Montana's budget by 17 percent this year, but the real problem is that he's hanging out with bad seeds:

The treasury has racked up a record-high budget surplus this year of close to $550 million [but] Schweitzer only proposed to rebate one-fifth of it and spent the rest. It's no wonder that Schweitzer is the favorite governor of the Daily Kos crowd. He is one of the worst new governors in the nation from a small-government perspective.

On the "graduating governors" list, Jeb Bush squeaks by, sneaking out of the Florida governor's mansion with a "B".

And don't forget the congressional "power rankings" here.

Comments

[collins]

As a Missourian, you can thank the Hancock amendment for the fiscal responsibility--

http://www.truman.missouri.edu/uploads/Publications/MLA%2049-2004.pdf

With all of its fiscal responsibility, I can't think of one thing that Missourians do better than Illinoisers. We make less money and have inferior services. I wonder why that is.

Add on to that a population that has lagged in growth compared to the rest of the country. Fiscal policy seems to be a bit over-rated.

[Joseph Majsterski]

Would that we'd had Jeb Bush instead of George W. all these years as our president. *sniffle*

[Lost_In_Translation]

Rick Perry only got an 'A' because he's saving his money to throw at his trans-texas highway through the middle of the state. As soon as the contractors get the bids, assume the budget will skyrocket.

[David Ross]

North Carolina's governor, Easley, is the guy who appointed Mike Nifong as acting District Attorney in Durham. Nifong subsequently exploited a dubious rape case through the local media. After winning the primary, the case has been demonstrated as a hoax to the satisfaction even of "60 Minutes". Three Duke students are set to go to prison because of a crime that no-one thinks they committed; even their university's Leftists argue that their true crime was to be social elites who hired a stripper.

Nifong is now running against a no-hope Republican (Monks) and a blank space on the ballot (Cheek). The rape case, meanwhile, trucks on and on.

Easley has done absolutely nothing to halt the miscarriage of justice in his state.

Easley is a scoundrel who deserves impeachment.

[kohlrabi]

"but the real problem is that he's hanging out with bad seeds"

No, the real problem is that he 'only proposed to rebate one-fifth of it and spent the rest'

The author does not even remotely say that he is bad because he is a fav of the Kos crowd.

[ChrisO]

Ahhnold would be a lot more entertaining if he was on drugs. Just imagine the press conferences.

[Rogus]

I can see why the Governator got a D.

It's an election year and in a Democrat controlled state.

And out here in California, to be popular you must spend spend spend!

[Buckshot]

Rogus:
D grade or not, our Governator is rising in the polls right now by spending spending spending. He'll be re-elected faster than you can say, "I'll be back".

[Rogus]

Buckshot:

I agree. Even the San Francisco Chronicle is endorsing Arnold over Angelidies and I don't recall the Chronicle ever endorsing a Republican Governer Candidate.

[Kwix]

Aaahhhhhhh!!! My Guvnor was excluded! Some BS about how the severence taxes based on commodities account for 80% of the state budget or some such. Who cares? He can spend just like the rest of 'em.

[Buckshot]

The San Francisco Chronicle is endorsing Arnold? I have't been able to read the Chronicle since Herb Caen died so I didn't know. He's a shoe-in for sure.

[Ayn_Randian]

Hey, WTF? Where the hell is Bob Taft...if only Blackwell would let me call a revote...

Oh good, I see Taft got an overall "F" for his tenure...describes what he and all the other politicos have done and do to this state every single day...eff it.