California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has abandoned his year long legal fight against phase two of California's mandatory nurse-to-patient ratio law.

Phase one of the law went into effect on January 1, 2004 with phase two scheduled to become effective on January 1, 2005. The two phases were designed to slowly bring the mandatory nurse-to-patient ratios into effect in order to avoid staffing crises in hospitals. Governor Schwarzenegger sued to stop phase two in late 2004.

At the same time he ordered this lawsuit, he publicly attacked California nurses at a women's conference, calling them a "special interest," and saying he would "kick their butts." While doing this, he was taking campaign contributions from the California Hospital Association, which was opposed to the ratio law.

The California Nurses Association (CNA), a union, which had used their political muscle to push the ratio law through the state legislature, countersued, and started a very visible, and continuous public relations campaign against the Governor. Last December, Governor Schwarzenegger's approval rating was very high.

The campaign was very effective. Other organizations joined CNA, and the result was defeat for all of the Governor's initiatives in California's special election on November 8. A few days after the election, lawyers for the Governor quietly dropped all legal attacks on phase two of the mandatory nurse-to-patient ratio law. The Governor's approval rating is currently at 32% which is worse than President Bush's rating of 37%.