So much for challenging California’s power bases as “girly men.” New, in 2006, it’s the sensitive, repentent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The people, who always have the last word, sent a clear message: Cut the warfare, cool the rhetoric, find common ground and fix the problems together. To my fellow Californians I say — message received.

Translation: Dear, I’ve changed. Really! Just come back home and it’ll all be fine.

And kissing and making up costs more than $220 billion over the next ten years — a 20% annual budget increase. There’s nothing like a principled governing philosophy, eh?