Arnold: Budget Crisis Is Not a Game of Chicken

Tensions are soaring in California as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger faces off against Democratic lawmakers in the state’s budget crisis. But the governator is keeping calm as he defends his position, the Financial Times reports. He’s calling for welfare reform before he’ll sign off on a budget, but Dems say now’s not the time. “If you can’t get them to cut down the costs of government when the state is facing such a financial crisis, then it’s never going to happen,” said Schwarzenegger.

“It’s not about who blinks first. It’s not a game of chicken," said the governor. Some have said Schwarzenegger’s focus is on his legacy and not solving the crisis. But he insists “this is about something much bigger than me: California. I’m just passing through."
(More Arnold Schwarzenegger stories.)