Why I Am Now Behind Arnold

me

[wayoverontheright]

The sooner conservatives figure this out, the better, because then we can all get on with issues that we CAN change, and we would deprive the liberals of their favorite fear-tactic.

I am in total agreement. No governor of any state will have much influence over this issue. We could focus on abortion too much and end up putting a bunch of socialists in office.

[nickcarraway]

His pro-abortion stance is largely irrelevant in a state executive position.

Maybe not as much as you think. California pays over $100 million in tax dollars to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers per year. Plus, you may not realize it, but California is not ``pro-choice,'' last year Davis signed a few laws that made it so hospitals, pharmicists, and med students are forced to take part in abortions. Why should Libertarians and RINOs support that?

[DrMartinVonNostrand]

From the AP:

"The only specific plan Schwarzenegger has announced so far is almost risk-free — he said he would roll back the state's vehicle license fee, which tripled this year as a result of California's budget deficit."

[nyconse]

I am pro-life, but I agree with your realistic approach. I consider myself a conservative (though some on this forum disagree) I am a strong Republican. I would rather eat dirt than let Democrats win elections because no matter how bad a rino is...a Democrat is worse (only exception is Zell Miller and he is retiring).

[DrMartinVonNostrand]

Zell Miller is a DINO. That's not a term you see often.

[nyconse]

Very good-wish there were a few more like him/next best thing to a Republican.

[Wolfstar]

Well done! I especially agree with your closing statement, which bears repeating often:

You can't walk a mile until you take the first step. For right now we all need to be concentrating on the jouney one step at a time or we will never reach the final destination. You have to at least open the door, which is now closed and locked here. It seems like a lot of right-wingers around here would rather rant and rave and pound on the door in futility than grab it by the handle.

I think I've finally figured that one out. For the death-before-electibility crowd, it's not about advancing their cause on earth, it's about earning a place in heaven.

As for the rest of us, we have to make a decision: do we want a small victory, or a huge defeat?

[nickcarraway]

Maybe you don't know that in California over $100 million/year of taxpayer money goes to Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers per year. Why is that a Libertarian idea? Plus, California hospitals, pharmacists, and med students are forced to participate in abortions. Why is that okay?

[VOR78]

I'll say it again. If you don't get a Republican, ANY Republican, into a truly visible role in that state, you stand NO chance of ever getting the people to change their vote. Ever. A lot of them inherently dislike Republicans and if you can get one into office, even a RINO, who they view in a good light, it helps the party long term.

But go ahead and vote for McClintock. When Bustamante is governor and Democrats win the governor's seat for the next 25 years and the state stands NO chance of going Republican in the ensuing presidential elections, at least you'll have your party platform.

[Torie]

The main reason [I favor Arnold] is because he is the only Republican who will not do harm to Republicans by winning.

Huh?

[Saundra Duffy]

I heard that Arnold came out AGAINST partial birth abortion and FOR parental consent for abortions. I hope it's true because looks like he'll be our next governor.

[Redcloak]

I was hoping that the Republicans would show some semblance of order and not run a bunch of candidates. But, of course, that's like hoping that Rosie O'Donnell won't eat the last jelly doughnut in the box. And for a while, it looked like the Dems might lose their normal lockstep discipline. 3 or 4 strong Democrat candidates were toying with running. In the end, however, the Dems maintained their usual level of self-control as did the Republicans. As a result, the GOP has 3 strong candidates and the Dems are all lined up behind Bustamente. Business as usual with the CA GOP!

I didn't want to see a RINO in a good position to win when this started. The RINO in question, at the time, was Slick Dickie Riordan. In fact, were Riordan the "front runner", I'd vote against the recall and for Cruz Bustamente! Riordan is not only to the left of Aaaahnold, he's to the left of Davis and Bustamente. But now that Aaaahnold has sucked the air outta Slick's room, things are different.

Aaaahnold isn't a great candidate. He's not really a good one either. He's "OK". But all that's in regard to policy. In terms of politics, he's out-freakin'-standing. He can win this. (Note that "can" doesn't equal "should"!) This is assuming that he doesn't implode between now and October. And assuming that he can take the heat in this kitchen, the GOP should seriously consider pressuring Simon and McClintock to back out. (Simon should back out anyway. He's a good guy, but he still has the smell of death on him.)

Aaaahnold can inflict a serious bloody nose to the Dems if he wins. He probably won't get squat done, but neither will McClintock. The difference is that Aaaahnold has the political cache to get away with blaming the Dems in the Assembly and Senate if things don't improve. McClintock would be accused of simply playing politics. The media will gleefully participate in demonizing Gov. McClintock. They'll at least think twice about attacking Gov. Schwarzenegger. This wiggle room could translate into GOP gains in the Assembly and Senate. (Remember that the GOP did gain seats in the Legislature during the last election.) A popular RINO governor would be able to campaign in swing districts for GOP candidates. ("Vote for these guys if you vant to live!") And the selection of those candidates would be done by the more conservative GOP primary voters.

In the long run, this RINO could inadvertantly help get conservatives elected from districts where Republicans and independents hold an edge in registration over the Dems. In the short term, the Dems might be able to pass some pretty crappy laws if they can convince Aaaahnold that the bills are "bipartisan".

Decisions, decisions... The best course of action right now is to see how Aaaahnold handles the pressure over the next month. If he can, then we might consider hopping on the bandwagon rather than under it.

(And now, if y'all will excuse me, I need a drink!)

[Saundra Duffy]

By the way, isn't Maria Shriver's mother pro life?

[Saundra Duffy]

I hear you.

[DrMartinVonNostrand]

Yes, Arnold is the only Republican that can win and not do harm to the party.

Let me explain, as I think it merits an explaination.
There what do you think will happen if Simon or even McClintock wins by a slim plurality?

They will be recalled. Immediately.

And how do you think the largely Democratic voters in California will respond to such a "right-wing coup" in the state?

Certainly it will not be kind. The Democrats will not lay down on this one.

Arnold is the only Republican - the only candidate at all, even - who can win and be accepted by the people as legitimate. The political atmosphere would be poisoned far worse than it is now if someone else won.

After not even being able to beat the very governor we're throwing out, what do you think the response to Republicans through out the state would be if Bill Simon won?

Do you think having an "illigitimate" Republican Governor who "stole the election" would be good for Bush here in 2004?

Consider it carefully.

[mac_truck]

Good post.

and don't worry about the troglodytes, they're harmless

[Quix]

True.

Though I think Gray Sewerwater Davis is too much of a Walter Mitty sappy wimpy idiot stooge to go quite as far as Dilldo.

I sure hope we don't need to get rid of Arnold for any globalist connections later. But for now, I think he's plenty of what you see is what you get I'm moderately comfortable with cheering for him.

[DrMartinVonNostrand]

Globalist connections?

You mean like maybe he was sent here from Europe all those years ago as part of a plot to claim California for the EU?

I think the rest of America would say, "go ahead, take it."

[Sabertooth]

Huh?

It's a variation on a current theme by David Horowitz.

It's aparently no longer enough to vote, or to vote for a Republican and agree to disagree, or to even vote for a winning Republican, because the sky will fall unless we vote for Arnold.

Hurry! Panic! Vote Now!

[kkindt]

WHen you say you are not a social conservative that means you are in support of allowing doctors and women to kill unborn children and in support of laws that make it difficult to discriminate against those who put their organs in places that were meant only for exrement to come out?