Among the jaw-dropping proposals California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has unveiled to chop the state budget, releasing thousands of felons from state prison before their sentences end ranks high on the list. Good luck figuring out important details of the governor’s plan, such as how many prisoners he would let go early or how he would decide who would qualify for the privilege, says the San Jose Mercury News.
The lack of specifics raises questions about how well thought-out the proposals were before the governor unveiled them – or whether they are designed mainly to jolt lawmakers to come up with different ideas. Schwarzenegger has come out with similar proposals in the past to “rattle the cages,” as he put it, only to see them stall. Several lawmakers expressed irritation with the governor’s approach, saying he needs to flesh out his ideas if they are to be taken seriously. “There’s more to the job than just giving a line item description with a (cost savings) number next to it,” said Sen. Mark Leno, chairman of the Senate Public Safety Committee.