Los Angeles Times' Robert Salladay pens an extremely interesting analysis piece in today's paper examining a major shift by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. In "Gov.'s Trust Is Limited", Salladay writes:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has crafted a political career around the notion that voters know best. "Trust the people," he said in his State of the State address.

But to Schwarzenegger, some decisions by the people appear less equal than others. Three ballot measures passed by California voters have become inconvenient to the governor as he tries to balance a budget that has an $8.6-billion shortfall.

Those propositions require a certain level of spending on schools, guarantee money for roads and freeways, and impose government spending restrictions that Schwarzenegger himself promised would forever end the state's money problems.

But the governor wants to tinker with those laws this year, causing Democrats in the Capitol to question his commitment to the people — and to agreements he made with legislators just a year ago.

This hypocricy could lead to devestating effects for the Governator. As George Skelton writes in the Times' Op-Ed section, Schwarzenegger's lack of trust in the electorate could lead to a diminished belief in him.

The question political insiders are starting to ask about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is potentially one of the most damaging that can be asked about a politician. Can you believe him? Can you trust him? Will he keep his word?

[...]

A celebrity governor can get away with a lot. But he can't get away with becoming known as a guy whose word isn't good.

Trust. Integrity. They're a politician's stock in trade — more important even than "reform."

Check out this piece if you're interested in California politics or if you just want to see how actors (and I use this term lightly) don't necessarily make good governors.