United Steelworkers (USW), the US trade union, has blasted California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for vetoing legislation designed to limit the amount of Teflon chemical, PFOA, in food packaging.

USW accused Schwarzenegger of "bowing to pressure from DuPont and the chemical industry" and failing to protect citizens.

"Industry wanted to derail the regulatory process because it no longer holds the scientific evidence in its favour," said USW president Leo Gerard. "What's more, vetoing this bill is a slap in the face to the contaminated workers at the DuPont plants who have shown significantly higher PFOA levels in their blood than the general public…"

Robert made an oblique reference to it, but the Governor showed his true character with his series of vetoes this week. Yes, he did allow some valuable bills to pass into law, particularly SB 375, the land use bill. You will now be able to register to vote online thanks to the signing of SB 381, and your menus at restaurants will have calorie contact and nutritional information. He also signed two green chemistry bills that will crack down on hazardous industrial chemicals, and in the biggest surprise, he signed AB 583, the clean money bill which would establish a pilot program making the Secretary of State races in 2014 and 2018 publicly financed races. (It was a bit easier for Arnold to sign this one, because it also must be put before voters on the June 2010 ballot.)

So those are some of the success stories. But there are hundreds of failures, some of them absolutely inexplicable…

California broke two state records in the past two weeks. First was the almost three month delay before the state budget was passed. Second was California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's veto of 415 bills of 1,187 pending measures.

State legislators are not happy with the governor's 35 percent veto rate, the highest since local officials starting monitoring the bill rejection rate since Ronald Reagan sat as California governor.

Angry lawmakers vowed to make life difficult for the governor next year when the state goes through the whole process of passing another budget. Assembly Speaker Karen Bass was more conciliatory. Bass said she hopes Schwarzenegger and lawmakers would be able to set aside the rancor created by the budget impasse and bill vetoes in the interest of California residents…

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today said he would veto the long overdue budget lawmakers sent him just hours before because it does not include long-term spending changes he wants.

The move extends the state's record-setting budget impasse and sets up what could be an unprecedented override attempt.

"People aren't getting paid, hospitals are in danger of closing, but I will not sign a get out of town budget…that punishes taxpayers," Schwarzenegger said…

State lawmakers passed a budget early Tuesday - 78 days into the fiscal year - even as it remained unclear whether Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would sign it into law.

As the state Senate and Assembly approved the bipartisan package, Schwarzenegger was threatening a veto. He said the spending restraints in the proposal were too weak, creating a rainy day fund that could too easily be raided.

Schwarzenegger spokesman Matt David said the reserve that the plan would create is "nothing more than a slush fund that can be raided at any point and up to any amount."

Legislative leaders expressed confidence that they had the votes to override a gubernatorial veto. But Schwarzenegger retains some leverage: He has yet to act on nearly 1,000 bills passed in the final weeks of this year's session…