"I don't blame these folks for thinking conservatism in California has currently reached rock bottom."Hey! Are you tryin for the "Knot-Head of the Decade" award with that first paragraph?
For a movement to be viable, it has to place people in office or move it's agenda forward by other means.
How many true conservatives do we have in the state Senate? How many do we have in the state Legislature? How many do we have other top state offices?
Please name the conservative matters we have prevailed on in the last seven years?
Furthermore, conservatism in CA is alive and well but currently being frustrated by the dubious, duplicitious and devious actions of the muddle-headed moderates from the Wilson, Parsky, Sundheim, Firestone, Riordan puss head gang.
I don't disagree that there are still good conservatives in the state. I wouldn't disagree that there are plenty of voters out there that don't think of themselves as conservative, that would support us on solid issues. Sadly, without support from the top of the Republican party with finances and more than lip-service, it's very hard to get things moving along.
As for the wing of the party that you detest, I agree. The sad truth is, those are the leaders of the California RP these days.
Just as soon as we can purge this putsch from the CAGOP, you'll see a conservative revolution rush through the Republican Party and then through CA that'll be hard to believe in it's swiftness and power!!!
You may wish to talk to DaleReed about that. Dale worked within the party leadership to turn it back toward the right years ago. Every time they came close, the national leaders would come out and shuffle the leadership, thwarting any improvement. I agree with you regarding what needs to be done. I'm not as convinced as you are that the RNC will allow it.
Given the right set of issues, packaged by a big thinking conservative leadership and a candidate that exudes sincerity, we'll sweep CA off it's leftist feet!!!
IMO, that is exactly what Ronald Reagan did on the national scene. I believe the RNC didn't want any part of Reagan. They wanted George Bush the elder to win. Ronald Reagan was too popular to put down. He set back their plans by a decade. That's not to say that RR was the ultimate conservative. I do think he advanced conservatism considerable though, through his speeches and foreign policy. Many signed on because of Reagan, and Limbaugh's support of Reagan.
I have been waiting for a well grounded charismatic, that would be able to break through. That's what it will take IMO.
Is conservatism dead in California. Of course not. I think you're kidding yourself if you think we've got the left right where we want them.
"I have been waiting for a well grounded charismatic, that would be able to break through. That's what it will take IMO" Not to seem pious, or preachy, but I think that we have the power to achieve our goal without taking a blind dive with another 'charismatic' politician, If we turn to prayer, both on an organized and on a personal basis. When this country was great, that was the foundation, and greatness cannot return without that foundation being restored.
When we turn to men for our solutions, we get what men have to offer. Reagan was not charismatic, he was devoted to the Lord.