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Thank you for your well-reasoned response. There has been precious little of that coming from too many around here on this.

But let me explain to you why Schwarzenegger presents such a dilemma for me personally.

Let me start with the visceral level.

As I said in my previous post, all the signs are there that he despises conservatives and Christians; the very people that I consider to be the salt of the earth--the best people in America--the only real hope for our republic.

I have this gut reaction against AS for the same reasons I had that reaction to Clinton. Clinton went to church, carried a big oversized Bible, misquoted scripture, while being the head of a party of people who would do anything to destroy the very principles represented by those things. In short he was a hypocrite. AS doesn't do that. But he is doing exactly the same thing in the political realm. He is taking on the trappings of a Republican, while representing none of the principles that party label is supposed to stand for, and hating those who do. In fact, most of his stances seem to be identical to the political positions of a Democrat. In short, I have an emotional reaction to politicians who pretend to be one thing, when in actuality they are something else. They are hypocrites.

But, putting aside that emotional response on my part, on a purely intellectual level, my experience tells me that a Schwarzenegger governorship presents great dangers to the conservative movement, and to the future shape of the GOP both in CA and nationally.

He will strengthen liberals in the party--those whose strength is already far beyond their numbers.

He will muddy the waters in the political debates that determine the course of policy in this country; thereby slowing progress towards restoring our institutions.

Contrary to what some of my detractors around here would think or claim, I can be quite pragmatic. Politics is the art of the possible to a great degree. A mark of sanity is being able to live in the world according to how it exists, not the way we want it to be.

But there are lines that cannot be crossed; compromises that should not be made; ideals that, if abandoned, represent utter failure and defeat. The support for any pro-Abortion, anti-Second Amendment candidate anywhere at any time falls into that category.

Just my opinion.

But, putting aside that emotional response on my part, on a purely intellectual level, my experience tells me that a Schwarzenegger governorship presents great dangers to the conservative movement, and to the future shape of the GOP both in CA and nationally.
He will strengthen liberals in the party--those whose strength is already far beyond their numbers.
He will muddy the waters in the political debates that determine the course of policy in this country; thereby slowing progress towards restoring our institutions.
Contrary to what some of my detractors around here would think or claim, I can be quite pragmatic. Politics is the art of the possible to a great degree. A mark of sanity is being able to live in the world according to how it exists, not the way we want it to be.
But there are lines that cannot be crossed; compromises that should not be made; ideals that, if abandoned, represent utter failure and defeat. The support for any pro-Abortion, anti-Second Amendment candidate anywhere at any time falls into that category.
Just my opinion.

And good points they are...the fact is that California is so far gone into Socialism that I don't want anyone with an "R" behind their name in a position to catch any blame for what has happened in the state. Mark my works, whomever wins this recall will have to pander to liberal fools that have overrun the State. It is the great experiment in Socailism and it is failing - let's keep the D's in charge until the State utterly implodes upon itself. I know that sounds harsh, but if all the conservatives abandon the damn place we can all point to it as an example of what happens. Hell, my home State of Maryland is close on California's heels - and we've just got a R governor - watch how the liberals screw him in the next 3 years. But I digress - if AS wins, he will not be able to enact conservative policies even if he wanted to. (And there certainly is debate over whether he's even conservative to begin with - but it doesn't matter)

Back to AS, my concern is the overall effect a AS victory would have on the liberal vs conservative battle that is coming from within the Republican party.

If AS wins, the liberal R's will have a very strong argument that we can sweep the nation with R candidates of that stripe: "after all, just look at how we took California" will be the mantra.

What effect will that have on American politics long term...suppose the liberal R's, on the wave of an AS victory, co-opt the Party and being pushing RINO's over good conservatives in primarys. If they then get elected over D's in general elections it will further strengthen the idea that R's need to be "moderate" or "social liberals" to get elected. And to stay elected they will have to pander to the friggin liberal voters...what the hell does it matter what the letter is after an official's name if the programs being promulgated are liberal/socialist?

What about those conservative R's across the country that vote in elections. Will they stand still for this? Probably not. Will the conservatives either leave the Republican Party or just sit out elections? Probably both - some will leave, some will just give up...once they are totally disenfranchised by their own party what are they to do?

Now the voting block of people that actually vote for a candidate with an "R" behind their name is cut drastically and next thing you know, D's, who will not leave their party and are only interested in voting for someone with a "D" behind their name regardless of how Socialist the Party is*, are getting elected all over the country and it continues to slide further into the shitter.

What happened to the Newt-fueled conservative revolution???? Where have all the conservatives and brains gone?

Just my weekend rant...sorry.

*Footnote - At our local fair I was sitting at a booth for my employer, across from the local D Party booth...totally devoid of any campaign issues in our county, the signs at the booth read "Vote for the Democrats." No agenda for the Party. No reason to choose a D over an R based on positions on issues. No reason to vote for their candidates other than Party affiliation. Very insightful into what the Democratic Party has become.