Whodda thunk it? New Joisey is Better Governed than California

In a column entitled "Jerry Brown vs. Chris Christie, in today's Wall Street Journal, William McGurn describes the divergent paths chosen by the respective governors of New Jersey and California.  Unfortunately, I live in California.  McGurn's best line: "The road to fiscal hell is paved with progressive intentions."

California can still turn itself around.  A good first step toward fiscal sanity would be to terminate development of the high speed rail "train to nowhere."

One interesting question that occurs to me is how Chris Christie was able to strike budget deals with a state legislature dominated by the Democratic Party and union interests, when California GOP Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger could not.  Could it be that Christie was not handcuffed by the right-wing of his own party, unlike Ahnuld?  Or is Christie just a better persuader? Who would have thought that an overweight, out-of-shape Jersey girly man would be a better arm twister than the Governator?