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."
>>let me ask , what would you have him do/???????
Veto the Sierra Nevada Conservancy, veto spending to equal REAL reductions, not propose borrowing as a method of getting out of debt, not proposing additional borrowing in his "spending reforms", not push expenses to local levels thereby requiring local tax increases while telling everyone HE isn't raising taxes, complete the audit that he said he would perform but never did (or take out the california piglet booklet and start cutting out that corruption), quit appointing leftists to key administrative positions that will extend beyond his term....
I have more! Instead of doing the above, he has been doing (and continues to do) the exact opposite.
ok......let me ask.....I'm trying to see some positive but since many here don't want to.......let's go back to the recall election........what would you do differently and what do you propose to do now since Arnold is in charge...
Bummer,, a pretty damning accusation, otherwise, typical of a cheap shot artist.
>>>But yaknow if Wall Street gets its hands on all the CalPers and CalSTRS funds, everything will be all bettter.
DING! DING! DING!
He won't have any problem raising that $50 million out of state, now will he?
I don't make cheap shots.
I only state facts and truth, and make it clear, when I am merely stating an opinion.
Gosh, look who's stalking. Ever consider that all she had to do to find these threads was read the Forum sidebar?
If you learned to rely upon sourced facts instead of stupid Party truisms, you wouldn't need to feel so paranoid, but then, the facts don't support your positions so perhaps you'd be better off not defending the indefensible and start with accepting hard reality: In Arnold Schwarzenegger, you've been sold a bill of goods. He isn't what he represents himself to be.
well I dont know anything about the McClintock tag but all I'm hearing is complaining......now turn on FOX news and what do we hear about the DEms......only that they are whining and complaining.......fine, you can all state your case and decry or crappy Governor......but it at times sounds more like the Dems than I do......I'm trying to be positive and find bright spots
rotflmao
Methinks a long sleeved coat with lots of buckles and straps may soon be in order.
It's a leftist tactic. nothing more, when they say folks like that here are dirty. makes ya wonder why else they would be on a conservative forum , other then to push their own agenda
"I don't know who it is going to be, but I pray to God we get a real conservative to run in the primary of 2006. "
In other words, you want a Democrat to win. No "real conservative" is going to win any statewide election in California. Wake up and smell reality.
For the second time, give us a list that you can support with citations.
Keep 'em honest, nothing more.
This is not a game here , so anyone who thinks we do it for fun or money is sadly misinformed.
If you don't like the way the dots connect, too bad.
>>I didn't label you personally -- I spoke in generalities. What makes you think it applies to you personally?
I was not posting to you. I was responding to the post to me from NorCalRep. I put you on distrib. out of courtesy NCR mentioned you.
If you click the little "to" mark at the bottom of my prior post, you will see that.
I wish you had because as far as I know I am the only one who said I would have preferred Bustemonte but your characterization of that statement is not only out of context it is misleading. I have seen one post about voting for Boxer that also is taken out of context and misleading.
If you want to support Arnold, great, but tell us the stuff he is doing, back it up with facts. Stop making these misleading statements about what we want or are doing. It is unworthy of you and disingenuous.
ok......then what should we do here in Calif???......right now.....not later but now.......
Honestly I had my doubts about the "Governator's" ability to deliver his promises, looking at the ultraliberal, entrenched and recalcitrant majority of Democrat controlled State House and Senate.
Word went around that the Governator will buckle under pressure and will more or less compromise with the Left, on various issues (Driver's License for illegals comes to mind).
Now, this...whereby he more or less is reaching out for "US" the conservatives to gather support and unity and perhaps together(if we can get along), again we will rebuild our Party and take charge of our future and the California's future.
Call me a dreamer, but me thinks that AS is more than wanna be "movie like" "Governator". He really means what he wants to do and he is just asking for help.
If we only..........
I'm still waiting to see all those blown up boxes he was talking about. Doesn't take much to blow up a box ...
well I dont know anything about the McClintock tag ..
You saw an example of that earlier today.
Had he even been mentioned or had any comments been made that were mean spirited or such, but Bam,, out they come like clockwork from some folks.
Really raises the level of the debate to new levels of incredulity, may as well just lock the thread,, and this happens everytime.
"I am the only one who said I would have preferred Bustemonte "
You are not the only one. But thanks for coming forward and admitting it.
I understand all the "good intentions", but we all know where the road paved with good intentions lead.
nice try and insulting folks intelligence, shows what you know.
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