False bottom

News from yesterday, but Arnold goes lower than anyone thought he could:

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suddenly ranks among the most unpopular governors in modern California history, as residents grow increasingly unhappy about the action hero-turned-politician's budget plans and his call for a special election, according to a new Field Poll.

Less than a third -- 31 percent -- of the state's adults approve of the job the governor is doing in Sacramento, down from 54 percent in February. The numbers are only slightly better among registered voters, 37 percent of whom are happy with Schwarzenegger's performance and 53 percent dissatisfied.

"There's very little for the governor to cheer about in this poll," said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll. "There's a very broad-based view that the governor is off on the wrong track."

Almost time for a recall, I would think. And this isn't going to help Arnold either, as he seems to be banking on the special election to revive his political career:

Support for the special election among registered voters fell to 37 percent from 51 percent in February. That backing dropped to 28 percent when the election's cost of $45 million to $80 million was mentioned.

Even worse for Arnold, the public doesn't back two thirds of the measures that Arnold is proposing:

The Field Poll found that if they were asked to vote today, 42 percent of likely California voters would oppose the spending cap and school funding measure and 35 percent would support it, while 23 percent are undecided.

Likely voters also would reject the redistricting measure. Forty-six percent said they would oppose it, compared with 35 percent who would support it and 19 percent who are undecided.

By contrast, 61 percent of likely voters said they would vote for the teacher tenure measure, compared with 32 percent who would oppose it and 7 percent who are undecided.

The teacher tenure bill will do nothing but make it harder for California to keep their best teachers, so I'm not sure why this is such a winner with the public. But Arnold is clearly not resonating with the voters anymore.