Deukmejian Chides Public for Split Vote : Politics: He blames divided government--such as state’s Republican governor and Democratic Legislature--for bogging down the system.

A relaxed but defensive Gov. George Deukmejian said Thursday that voters must share the blame for governmental gridlock when they elect a governor of one party and a Legislature controlled by the other, as they did on Tuesday.

“You know, when the public says they’re unhappy about the fact that a lot of major issues are not solved in Sacramento or in Washington, they also sort of have to look at the way in which they themselves voted,” said Deukmejian, holding what aides said would be his last press conference in Los Angeles as governor.

“How do you expect a governor or a President to get his programs through when you send (to the Capitol) a Legislature and (state) constitutional officers of the other party who are virtually opposed to everything he said he was going to do? We had that same problem (in Sacramento) and now we see it in Washington. And here again we see it in this upcoming (Pete Wilson) Administration.”

On Tuesday, California voters elected a Republican governor and a Democratic lieutenant governor, placed Democrats in most other state offices and strengthened the Democrats’ grip on the Legislature.

Political scientists increasingly in recent years have blamed divided government--both in Washington and Sacramento--for government stalemate. In California, this also has led to a glut of ballot initiatives sponsored by special interests.

“There just needs to be a lot more discussion about this,” the outgoing Republican governor insisted. “People shouldn’t be quick to blame a governor or blame a legislature and say, ‘What’s the matter with you guys? Why can’t you get along? Why can’t you resolve it? Why can’t you all recognize there are problems that need to be resolved?’ When, in fact, through their votes, they’re sending people up there (to Sacramento) with diametrically different approaches and philosophies.”

Deukmejian is particularly sensitive about this because his public popularity steadily declined in the past year. The governor’s image--as well as the Legislature’s--took a big hit during the summer because of a monthlong budget stalemate.

A statewide survey of registered voters last week by The Los Angeles Times Poll found that only 41% approved of “the way George Deukmejian is handling his job as governor,” while an equal number disapproved. In mid-September, a Times Poll showed 50% approval and 42% disapproval. Last December, Deukmejian’s “negatives” were significantly lower: Only 25% disapproved of his job performance, although 41% approved and 34% said they did not know enough about the two-term governor to offer an opinion.

The Times Poll also recently found that voters do, indeed, favor divided government. By 4 to 3, people said they prefer that “one party controls the Legislature and the other party controls the governor’s office so they can keep a check on each other,” rather than having one party control both branches of government “so they can work together and achieve the party’s goals.”

Asked at his press conference whether he felt he had been unfairly criticized for inaction, Deukmejian unhesitantly replied: “Every hour. Every hour. You know, all the time. I mean, we get criticized without any reference, really, to what the situation is.”

Based on the argument against divided government, a reporter told the governor, voters on Tuesday should have elected Democrat Dianne Feinstein to work with the Democrat-controlled Legislature.

“No, they should have elected a Republican-controlled Legislature because they were voting for a governor who went before all of the people of the state. He got the majority (of votes) so he should really have a Republican-controlled Legislature to support his program,” Deukmejian answered.

Throughout the the world, this is called a parliamentary system, but Deukmejian stopped short of advocating that.

The lame-duck governor said Republican Wilson’s election meant that voters did not want to steer very far from the course he has set in Sacramento for the past eight years.

Deukmejian also denied that Wilson will inherit a budget deficit, contending that there are ample funds in a state reserve to end the present fiscal year in the black. Other state officials, however, have estimated that the deficit could climb as high as $2 billion.

Asked how he thought Californians would remember his legacy, Deukmejian deadpanned: “I think they’re going to miss this wild and crazy guy.”