Posted on 02/12/2005 3:54:58 PM PST by FairOpinion
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb 12 (Reuters) - California's Republican loyalists said on Saturday they are ready to rally behind Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ambitious political agenda that includes ballot measures Democrats vow to defeat.
Republicans meeting at the party's state convention in Sacramento said they will eagerly fight by Schwarzenegger's side if he asks voters to support this year's agenda through ballot measures, a sharp contrast to a September convention when party officials feared key conservative members would not embrace the socially moderate Hollywood icon.
But Schwarzenegger has in recent public appearances rarely missed an opportunity to stress he stands with conservatives on fiscal matters and that he has ruled out tax increases to balance the state's budget. California faces a $9.1 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year starting in July.
"When he first came onto the scene, I was skeptical ... but I think he's proven himself," said R.Q. Williams of Napa County's Republican Central Committee. "He hit the nail on the head, pointing out that what we need to do is rein in spending, not worry about how to figure out taxes and new fees."
At a dinner on Friday night, Schwarzenegger launched into a blistering attack on California's Democrat-led legislature to get rank-and-file Republicans to support potential ballot measures to overhaul the state government.
Democrats, he said, are "spending addicts" who are standing in the way of his agenda, which includes a plan to partially privatize the state's public pension funds. The largest and third-largest U.S. pensions funds are in the state.
PUT IT TO VOTERS
His plan mirrors White House aims for the Social Security system.
Democrats, public employee unions and pension fund officials oppose the plan, which Schwarzenegger says is needed so the state can rid itself of costly financial obligations to the funds. Schwarzenegger has threatened to put the plan to voters if lawmakers do not seriously consider it.
The plan would strike at the heart of one of the state Democratic Party's most significant sources of support.
"The train has left the station and there's three things they can do," Schwarzenegger said. "One is they can join and jump on the train. Number two, they can go and stay behind and just wave and be left behind, or number three, they get in front of the train and you know what happens then."
Republicans gave Schwarzenegger raucous cheers, reflecting a new confidence after years of being shut out in California's political wilderness.
"There's a euphoria that we're relevant again," said U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa. "The Republican party was doing very well in Washington, and was irrelevant in California for a number of years. It was also divided and leaderless. Now they are united with a tremendous leader."
Oh that's rich. Let's take a look at a direct comparison, shall we? I'll cite the same election, with funding and Party support (and its lack) taken under consideration, comparing both moderate and Leftist Democrats, running against a conservative with no GOP support versus a Republican "moderate" with full GOP support.
Here you go...
Candidate | Votes | Pct. | Spent ($MM) |
Steve Westly | Moderate Democrat | 45.4 | $10.6 |
Tom McClintock | Conservative Republican | 45.1 | $2.0 |
Result? The conservative got no support from the GOP, was outspent 5:1 by a moderate Democrat, and nearly won anyway. |
|||
Cruz M. Bustamante | Leftist Democrat | 49.5 | $4.6 |
Bruce Mc Pherson | Moderate Republican | 41.8 | $2.8 |
Result? The moderate Republican darling of the GOP got lots of support, was outspent only 1.6:1 by an extreme leftist with no credibility, the "electable" GOP "moderate" LOST by a margin NINE TIMES larger than the unsupported conservative in the same election. So much for "moderates are more electable in California." |
ok fine and can we also agree that Bush and the Admin should send Calif back the money it sends it instead of 75 cents on the dollar, pay us back for all the illegal prisoners, education and health care we spend for illegals because the feds can't do their job at the borders.. and repeal the initiatives that make it mandatory to spend a certain amount on education and other programs that the citizens or Calif unwisely voted in........I'm under the impression that there is alot of mandatory spending that we voted in
Christy Todd Whitman send ya an autographed copy of her new book yet?
Thanks for sharing your defeatist attitude, and you wonder why the GOP is split.
Not when you accuse good people with stalking.
What you perceive as whining is actually frustration. There is a history here that you don't know about since you are fairly new.
I"m not paranoid at all, a clinical description that you are not qualified to diagnos but I am.....I am simply saying that I think Arnold is on the right track and doing what he can in my opinion to get out of this mess especially with all the mandatory spending we voted in..I'm trying to be positive and all we hear about the Dems is how negative they are........well, that is all I'm hearing here also......if you think Arnold is doing a bad job than so be it.....but he has not spent nearly as much as George W Bush nor has he proposed amnesty for illegals like the current Admin.......
>>Doesn't take much to blow up a box ...
The veto pen would be a good start, too.
That's actually rational, but Arnold failed to get that money from the Bush Administration.
Here's how to get it where Arnold has failed: We don't have to aske the Feds for the money. Consider the ultimate case concerning unfunded mandates: U.S. Supreme Court; NEW YORK v. UNITED STATES, 505 U.S. 144 (1992); Nos. 91-543, 91-558 and 91-563 Argued March 30, 1992, Decided June 19, 1992.
You see, we are not idiots spouting opinions or trading in truisms here at FR. You do have a lot to learn.
We don't have access to the California Senators or our reps and are unable to confirm why they are so incompetent that they only get a portion back from the feds when this stat'es viability is so important to the nation.
Maybe they don;t really care about California or the nation, perhaps? That's my suspicion at this point.
How much has aRnold got for anything from the feds, by the way?
While it's not his fault this state is packed with illegals draining the system dry along with unions that milk the system dry in the schools and prisons and pension plans,, the buckm as to stop somewhere. that is the nature of politics.
I can't give you a whole list now....I'd have to look it up but I did tell her a couple of things that I have supported.....If his entire term is just all negative than you should be getting a recall together......Darrell Issa just came out in favor of Arnold and was ridiculing the doomsayers.....so I feel in good company
It's scary when they reformed workers comp and the rates are still are going up 30% this year. What's up with that ?
God I am getting so tired of that fallacy. Why don't you and the party leaders start having a more positive outlook? That is such a defeatist attitude as well as being wrong. You are right, no conservative will be elected because the party leadership will not allow it. That has been proved on this forum time and again but you continue to ignore it.
I was talking about McClitock's campaign to be reelected for the CA Senate.
I'm not sure why you are saying that.......I didn't say anything about fun of money......and why would you tell me if I don't like it then "too bad".........
>>You saw an example of that earlier today.
He could check the first 10 posts or so on this thread for examples.
a lot more is at stake then a movie actor turned Gub's reputation and plans for 'fixing' california
if you take things here too personally, then it'll eat ya alive.
Im about ready to take a break and watch the end of the Budweiser Shootout on Fox.
sorry to hear of your previous medical ailments, hope you're over the worst of it.
Schwarzenegger on Driver Licenses for illegal aliens during a January 2004 Interview with Univision:
Interviewer: How would you deal with more conservative members of the legislature...?
Schwarzenegger: Again, it's one of those things where we all have to get together and see that this is a good idea and this is the way to move forward. So, I am talking to my Republican friends all the time about it, and also to my Democratic friends. We will do it.
Click HERE to Listen to the AudioTape.
"Our staffs have met, and they're working on this together,"
said Vincent Salido, spokesman for the Republican governor
As I said, you have a lot to learn about Arnold.
well I didnt' cause I prefer Tom........but all I did originally was say go get 'em Arnold of something like that and I support his efforts and I was taken to task to support my support......I don't feel I need to unless I attacked anyone first.......if you look at my posts, Idon't think I ever attack anyone unless taken to task
Typical spin. You were caught again.
Skipped right over the part about you taking it out of context and being misleading. For the benefit of the newbie I will repeat what I said to show how you have mischaraterized it.
What I said was, that Bustamonte would have been better because then the Republicans would have gotten some balls and fought instead of kissing Arnolds backside and allowing him to push this soviet style socialism through.
This is not the support for lefties you made it out to be is it?
like some have said, there is a history to the goings on at FR.
and there are many who would love to have an FR endorsement of their agendas, for odd reason, and will stomp on 'fellow conservatives' to get it.
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