"H. ROSS" MCCLINTOCK AND "RALPH" SIMON, TAKE HEED!

He may be an ill-informed, inexperienced musclebound moron actor, but at least his aides recognize reality:

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger would consider boosting taxes to mend the state's battered finances and lift its rock-bottom credit rating, the Republican's spokesman said on Thursday.

While the movie star running to replace Gov. Gray Davis in an Oct. 7 recall election said on Wednesday he opposed tax hikes except to possibly deal with something like a natural disaster, his spokesman told Fox News that huge budget shortfalls and protecting the state's credit could warrant such increases.

"The truth of the matter is it could be as high as $20 billion," campaign spokesman Sean Walsh said in reference to a potential budget deficit.

"We do not know what the totality of this fiscal situation is. For all we know, there may be zero dollars in the bank. So, you never say never."

Sources have revealed to TF(&B)M that upon hearing of these comments, Lt Governor Cruz Bustamante was seen touching his fingers together and saying "EXX-cellent".

Of course, all Arnold's people are doing is recognizing the reality of the fiscal jam California is in. And conservative demagogues like McClintock and Simon are still foolish enough to believe that the road to recovery is paved only with spending cuts, particularly considering that education cuts would probably have to be made, and that's not gonna sit well with the legislature or the people of California.