Recall and Ruin

Washington Post ^ | August 12, 2003 | George f. Will

[hotpotato]

In the 1950s, when Doris Day, prim and perky and squeaky clean, was starring in romantic comedies, the mordant Oscar Levant said, "I knew Doris Day before she was a virgin." Washington knew Arianna Huffington before she was a left-wing populist.

But in politics as in other fields of fashion, standards of chic change, and it is as a Huey Long from the upper crust that millionaire Huffington is seeking to make of herself a gift, as governor, to California's downtrodden. Can it be just eight years ago that she was living here, toiling to establish a salon for like-minded surfers on the rising -- or so she thought -- wave of Newt Gingrich's brand of conservatism? "Why Newt Must Run," she wrote in the Nov. 27, 1995, Weekly Standard, urging a presidential candidacy.

Multiple epiphanies later, including one that revealed to her Jesus's automotive preferences (not an SUV), she is a Schwarzeneggerean. But, then, who isn't nowadays?

Asked on "Today" whether he favored California's paid family leave law, the only such law in the nation, Arnold Schwarzenegger, the supposed reincarnation of Ronald Reagan, said:

"I -- I will have to get into that. I mean, because, as you know, I'm very much for families, I'm very much for children and children's issues and all that stuff. I think that the children should have the first call in our treasury. This is the -- the most precious resource that we have. We have to think about the future of the state. Children are the most important thing, and we have to help the families."

There. Did all that stuff clarify things?

[bybybill]

Will is right, vote No, Davis is done anyway. Maybe California will change its leg., that is the big and real problem.

[The Westerner]

"I'm very much for families, I'm very much for children and children's issues and all that stuff. I think that the children should have the first call in our treasury."

A mental giant as well as an Atlas. Wish this one would shrug.

[bd476]

"California's Republican Party, sunk in frivolousness and opportunism, also deserves to come out of this badly. That is conservatism's hope for this recall: ruin all around."

Ouch. That is a genuine "hertz donut."

[thegreatbeast]

Don't you worry about Schwarzenegger's intelligence. He's a highly intelligent man just trying to figure out how to speak as a politician, being verbose without saying anything. I hope he'll settle down quick and just start speaking frankly. Now whether he's conservative enough for you or I is another matter entirely.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Good point!

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[kellynla]

Aunold dodges the question..."I'll get back to you on that" Aunold's poll numbers will drop daily until 10/7. He has no platform and/or solutions to the mess in Sacramento but people are voting for him??? The blind leading the blind! Aunold does want to spend your tax dollars on after-school programs. Hey Aunold! Children already have an after-school program, it's called HOMEWORK! Let me know when Aunold plans to debate! There is only one candidate who has a plan to balance the budget and do so without raising taxes and/or fees. And that candidate is TOM MCCLINTOCK! Get informed before you get screwed again! VOTE 4 MCCLINTOCK or pay the consequences! http://www.tommcclintock.com

[bd476]

Kelly, I'm with you on McClintock yet am concerned about the history of how folks vote in California.

Here are are few possible scenarios:

1) Davis resigns and Bustamente is the new Governor; or

2) Arnold gets trashed by the media, is vehemently rejected by real conservatives and then McClintock steps up to the plate now, instead of waiting just a few more years.

McClintock could wait a few years, become even more outspoken, more aggressive, or angry, if you will. He needs to build up his confidence or at least be able to demonstrate that he is confident. Most importantly, McClintock has to develop more of the California-type charisma that California voters tend to go for.

Maybe Uberroth (sp?) could get the vote, but right now, Arnold is a much better alternative than Davis remaining or worse, Bustamente.

Please don't forget how our nation fared after President Gerald Ford had to step in much too early which then greased the slide in for President Carter.

McClintock has many years left in his political career. The future road for him is straight up. Let's not use up all this good man's potential in a term of less than two years.

[kellynla]

1) Too late to resign. The recall goes whether the Dimwit Resigns or not. Say he resigns today. Bust-a-move is governor until 10/7. And then whoever wins the election is governor 10/8.
2) It's 3 years. And we don't have 3 years to screw around here. It is costing CA tens of millions of dollars a day now! We lost 20K jobs in June alone and almost 300K jobs in total. I have enumerated for days what a liberal RINO would do if elected. Aunold has no platform and no solutions just "programs for kids and elderly" which we do not need! If the registered Republicans and Independents can get their act together and vote for McClintock we can fix this mess. If they don't then this state will bankrupt! This election is not about McClintock it is about the survival of the fifth largest economy in the world and we don't have time to "wait for this or wait for that to happen" ...we are in debt almost 40 BILLION DOLLARS! That is more than the other 49 states combined!!!!

[Bonaparte]

I'm with kellynla on this one. I have no confidence in Pete Wilson Schwarzenegger to do what is needed in this state. None. If Bustamante gets in and follows the same policies as Davis, then let's recall his ass just like we did Davis and back McClintock again. In fact, if Schwarzenegger gets in and does likewise, let's recall him.

I want results. I won't settle for anything else.

[bd476]

Okay, thanks Bonaparte, I get it.

Ahh, gee, you said PW and now's he's on the radio. Knock it off, already. (grin)

[bd476]

Wilson brought up a good historical point. He inherited a huge budget deficit - 14.3 billion dollars. How quickly voters forget.

Are you still willing to risk sacrificing the future candidacy of McClintock in hopes that a) he will win, and b) if McClintock wins, that he can fix things in the remaining term?

Because Davis created such a mess, it's going to take a few hundred miracles to clear things up, with a conservative Governor living in the Governor's mansion. And the mess has to be cleared, problems solved all before the next election.

The next election is important. This one has to be won.

[Bonaparte]

In my opinion, the very best chance for economic recovery in California is Tom McClintock. There are risks to everything and no one is indispensible.

[bd476]

"In my opinion, the very best chance for economic recovery in California is Tom McClintock. There are risks to everything and no one is indispensible."

If McClintock can't win... then what?

[Bonaparte]

"...being verbose without saying anything."

If that's his goal, I'd say he's off to a great start -- holding press conferences in which he refuses to state positions or detail a recovery plan. If the polls are accurate, I can't say I blame him. Looks like most Californians polled don't care about positions or plans, just image.

[Bonaparte]

As I said, there is no limit on number of recalls. We can do it over and over and over and over until we have a sane governor who actually knows the ropes and knows the players in Sacramento and isn't afraid to play hardball.

If Bustamante gets in, the democrats will put the state in much worse condition than it is now. Every last tax dollar will pay service on debt. We will be in the same financial position as Weimar Germany trying to pay off on the "war guilt" clause. There will be no jobs, property values will tank, the most productive will stampede out of state as the infrastructure collapses with a groan and the democrats plead with Bush for federal assistance. Who knows? This catastrophe might be a very good thing. It could change the religion of the typical California voter.

[bd476]

"As I said, there is no limit on number of recalls. We can do it over and over and over and over until we have a sane governor who actually knows the ropes and knows the players in Sacramento and isn't afraid to play hardball."

With whose money? The rest of the USA looks upon California as "the left coast," and "the land of fruits and nuts." The rest of our country seems to harbor hope for the San Andreas to open wide and say "ahhh."

Teachers unions, heck all unions, plus the minority vote and we might as well be another country.

"We will be in the same financial position as Weimar Germany trying to pay off on the "war guilt" clause."

Ah darn it, why'd you have to bring that up?

"There will be no jobs, property values will tank, the most productive will stampede out of state as the infrastructure collapses with a groan and the democrats plead with Bush for federal assistance."

Aren't we there already?

"Who knows? This catastrophe might be a very good thing. It could change the religion of the typical California voter."

Oh boy, now you are dreaming.

'Scuse my pessimism, Bonaparte. I'm going to go volunteer for some conservative, I'm looking for the best, then I ain't looking back. Thanks for helping me think this through. Right now? My heart says McClintock and common sense says Arnold.

[Bob]

McClintock is coming up on Greta's show after the commercial break.

[Bob]

Sorry, he's coming on in a little while, not just yet.

[Bonaparte]

Hahahaha, leave it to Greta to lead off with a dumb question -- "Is Arnold Schwarzenegger avoiding the issues?"