Arnold Schwarzenegger was born in Austria and is now a well-known American actor, first becoming politically active in 1985 as a young member of the Austria People’s Party (AVP). He later ran for office in American politics in 2003, but the California governor’s race was postponed. As a result, he was selected to complete Gray Davis’ term as governor. However, his term was met with controversies thus raising the question of his leadership. Was he a good governor, how many terms did he run? These are some of the queries this post will look at and address.
How would you rate an actor turned governor’s performance? Do you consider the services they provided, the funds invested in public infrastructure, the scandals they were a part of while in office, or the way they used tax dollars to enhance the lives of their constituents? In this section, we talk about Arnold Schwarzenegger’s administration in California. Californians were quite supportive of Arnold Schwarzenegger when he was an actor, but when he was governor, they had different opinions. However, Arnold is praised for being intelligent, prudent, not the worst, ambitious, and generally showing that he was a decent governor for the people of California.
How to measure Mr. Schwarzenegger’s governance?
To determine how and why Arnold Schwarzenegger was a successful governor of California, we must put the following factor into perspective:
- As the 38th governor of California, Mr. Arnold Schwarzenegger inherited a dysfunctional state, this scenario is marked as the Sacramento of 2003 and is still ongoing.
- He was re-elected for the position of Governor (2003 to 2007 and 2007 to 2011).
- California is not a business-friendly state, and he failed to vote out the bureaucratic Democratic State legislation, though he did stabilize State finances.
- He was not prepared for the position, he lacked local political experience though he proved his ability.
- He worked well compared to former Gov Jerry Brown and the outset Gray Davis (1999-2003).
- He expanded the state union workers’ benefit and fixed its compensation system
- While in his first term in office, he battled against the 2008 global recession.
- Arnold Schwarzenegger was pro-gay, pro-choice, pro-environmental, and pro-science thus receiving a 57% rating from LGBTQ NGOs
- He advocated for the transition to green energy and zero carbon emissions, he actively reduced California’s greenhouse gas emissions through the landmark policy of 2006.
- He increased the state minimum wage and lowered Cali’s unemployment rate.
- He made major investments that improved the state’s aging infrastructure with his “Strategic Growth Plan”.
- However, the man also used public money to fund the private Speed Rail and Cell Initiative.
- He began his second campaign with an indictment and ended his office term with a divorce.
- He incurred more state debts, lacked service delivery, and small businesses suffered under his regime.
- He failed to change the political culture of Sacramento and the policy course of the state
- He was accused of enriching himself, having conflicts of interest, mismanaging the office, and opposing the hospital transparency bills.
Even though Arnold Schwarzenegger left office with a 27 percent approval rating, it is apparent from what he accomplished in the aforementioned measuring criteria that he was a good governor.
How did Arnold Schwarzenegger become California governor?
Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected twice to the office of governor of California; the first time, from 2003 to 2007, he held the office for four years, succeeding Mr. Gray Davis, the 37th governor of the state. He won re-election as the Republican Party’s candidate in 2007 with 55.9% of the vote, and he completed his entire term beginning in 2007 and ending in 2011. His political career began in Austria as a young AVP member, and he gained political notoriety while campaigning for President in 1988 as a Republican representative alongside Vice President George H. W. Bush (en.wikipedia.org).
Was Arnold Schwarzenegger shooting movies while Governing?
No, Arnold Schwarzenegger did not work on any films, commercials, or private ventures for eight years while he was in office, but he continued to enjoy his celebrity status and used it for fundraising and campaigning. Mr. Schwarzenegger, the honorable governor of California, stayed occupied with his official obligations and did not perform in any movies or present any TV shows.
Conclusion
In this article, which can be read in nine minutes, the subjects of celebrity status and political leadership are covered. We explored whether Arnold Schwarzenegger was a good or horrible governor, how he got into politics, and what some of his accomplishments were while serving as governor of the state of California in this installment.
FAQs about Arnold Schwarzenegger
- How old is Arnold Schwarzenegger? The man turned 75 earlier this year, he was born on July 30, 1947.
- Does Arnold Schwarzenegger have a spouse? Not just now, the politician-turned-actor was wed to Maria Shriver for 36 years before their divorce in 2021.
- How much is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s net worth? Arnold is said to have a net worth of $420 million.
- Is Arnold Schwarzenegger still in politics? Not entirely though he serves in the committee of California’s elderly statesman.
