Posted on 12/03/2005 11:25:15 AM PST by Kenny Bunk
Top California Republicans are wondering if Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is moving left politically following his appointment to chief of staff of Susan Kennedy – a leading liberal activist and former aide to Democrat Gov. Gray Davis.
"We're not moving anywhere," Schwarzenegger says, insisting that he is continuing to go "in the same direction."
Some of his Republican colleagues wonder what direction that may be.
"I'm getting more e-mails off of this [the Kennedy appointment] than I do for Viagra," said Mike Spence, president of the California Republican Assembly, in an interview with the L.A. Times newspaper.
"Since the special election, where we were very loyal [to Schwarzenegger], all we've heard about was a $50 billion bond and looking at clemency for [convicted murderer and gang leader Stanley] Tookie Williams." Asking if there isn't "even one Republican in the state to be qualified as chief of staff?" Spence said. "I think the Kennedy thing was just the last straw."
What especially irks GOP leaders is Kennedy’s popular standing among California liberals. She is a former executive director of the state's ultra-left-wing Democratic Party, a former top member of former Gov. Gray Davis’ staff and - to the chagrin of advocates of traditional values - an abortion supporter and admitted lesbian who recently "married” her lover in a Hawaiian civil union ceremony.
GOP officials aren't alone in their criticism of the appointment, as Schwarzenegger discovered during a radio talk-show appearance with conservative host Roger Hedgecock on San Diego's KOGO radio station.
Said Hedgecock "You have once again stirred up everyone in the whole state with this announcement. This woman seems completely incompatible with any Republican principles."
Not so, said the governor, who described Kennedy as a pro-business moderate who had supported him on all of his doomed special-election ballot initiatives, including one which was fiercely opposed by Democrats because it would have put a limit on spending.
"All of the things that I have done in the last two years she believes in and actually said many times to me during the last two years that she has become a big fan of mine because of the things that I do," he told Hedgecock.
While admitting that some Republicans will be "up in arms about" the Kennedy appointment, Schwarzenegger told his host "but I have to pick someone that I feel comfortable with. And I talked to a lot of people for this job, and she was the one who I felt most comfortable with." Not every Republican is appalled at the Governor's choice. Pat Dando, president and chief executive officer of the San Jose-Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce told the San Jose Mercury News:
"I would hope that they would look at her as an individual with qualifications that are important to do the job of chief of staff." He added that Schwarzenegger "appears to be more interested in finding well-qualified individuals to work with him on both sides of the aisle than sticking to a party line, and I think that's healthy."
Point well taken.
However the statement was: "He received praise when he challenged the status quo of political districting."
That was not a reference to the proposition that eventually emerged (Prop 77) which was convoluted and wobbly but still received broad support from conservatives.
The propositions that the Austrian originally promulgated were fairly conservative but alas, all contained legally challangeable language or could be construed as "third rail" and all were abandoned. The Austrian was left to cherry pick, as best he could, legislation authored by the Wilson gang (Prop 74, 75, 76 and 77). None were of the quality of his originals and all contained the obligatory special interest clauses of their authors; lenders, big business, and anti taxers. The same group that financed his recall campaign and the special election.
For the most part, conservatives supported Prop 74, 75 and 77 but none were enthusiastic. Prop 76 was roundly criticized by both the right and the left, as a collection of special interest protections that benefited the authors instead of the electorate.
D1, you seem to be making the assumption that all of the initiatives deserved support. Props 73 through 75 got my support and I put it in my tagline for over a month. If propositions 76 or 77 had been proposed by McClintock or Bustamante, I still would have opposed them. The devil was in the details--and they were not an improvement over today.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
But we're fortunate he can hardly do more harm in what is after all a very Blue State legislature.
A reminder that this very Blue State kicked Davis (over Kennedy's shenanigans) out of office.
I would support "unity of priniciple" if those principles do not deviate from the platform of the party in which the candidate chooses to belong. Things like the right to bear arms, private property rights, limited government, etc. When a candidate does not embrace these principles, do you still expect "unity"?
Unfortunately, as some have abandoned principle, looking only for a candidate that can "win," the CA GOP seems to have revised their platform leftward. For example, their new statement on illegal immigration makes it sound like "if the feds pay, all are welcome."
http://www.cagop.org/
Implying to the lazy electorate that so were the state's finances. Unfortunately nothing is further from the truth.
3 weeks ago McClintock warned the Austrian "Whatever the Governor does in response to the election, it is imperative that he levels with the people on the actual fiscal condition of the state"
Yet the Austrian offered no explanations of reality when the LAO released her report, steeped in convention and restrictions, showing a "surplus" for 2005-2006. I don't know the Austrian's motives for his silence but I suspect it was to perpetuate the myth, among the less financially sophisticated electorate, that California was now rolling in cash (due to his policies and efforts) and that the financial crisis was over (due to his diligence and foresight).
Got a more specific URL? Thanks.
What goes around comes around.
It's always telling when the spelling is off.
Dan! Was this just hearsay? Did you or someone else just make it up? As shakey as my memory is getting, I'm beginning to wonder if any of this episode was published anywhere so's I can back this story up!!! Help!!! Anybody!!! I'm scared!!!(wimper)
We've covered this ground before. I even posted a copy of the bylaws and the changes made in Feb election.
No one else was running for governor. No one else announced a candidacy. No one was prevented from doing so during the February convention. It didn't happen. There's no there, there.
It must run off java or something. The only URL that shows is http://www.cagop.org/. From there, look at the left sidebar under "your party," then "party platform" then "immigration." It says:
The CRP recognizes that our country is enriched with the vast influence of immigrants from all over the world who have come to the United States of America for the unlimited opportunities, freedom and prosperity offered to every working citizen.
We support and welcome all legal immigrants and others who are here by due process and are productive, law-abiding citizens. In fairness to them, we oppose the tide of illegal immigration and support federal efforts to stem it. We further support the disbursement of federal funds to California to pay for federally mandated immigration programs and termination of the legal requirement for non-emergency assistance to illegal immigrants.
The Daily News of Los Angeles
February 14, 2005 Monday
GOVERNATOR GOP'S FAST CHOICE FOR '06
By David M. Drucker Sacramento Bureau
California Republicans on Sunday formally endorsed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's candidacy, signaling his intention to run for re-election in 2006 and squashing any chance for a legitimate GOP challenger.
Schwarzenegger has yet to announce his re-election plans, but that didn't stop the California Republican Party from adopting a rules change enabling the organization to endorse a candidate before the emergence of a victor in the party's June primary election.
By endorsing the governor now, the party can immediately begin raising money to aid his re-election, rather than wait until just five months before the November 2006 contest to promote his bid.
``All the guns are pointed toward the other team, which is where we want them to point,'' said party Vice Chairman Ron Nehring. ``We are united and ready to move forward.''
Schwarzenegger's endorsement was nearly unanimous, but for a tiny smattering of ``nay'' shouts among the 1,288 party delegates who voted by proclamation Sunday morning on the final day of their annual spring convention. The motion to endorse the politically moderate governor was carried by two conservative state legislators.
Assemblyman Chuck DeVore of Irvine seconded the endorsement motion by urging fellow Republicans to ``get on the train'' - a reference to a line from Schwarzenegger's speech to party activists on Friday, when he likened his agenda to a ``train that has left the station'' and advised opponents to ``join and jump on the train, go and stay behind and just wave, or get in front of the train, and you know what happens then.''
State Sen. Bob Dutton, R-Rancho Cucamonga, said the endorsement also lets the governor know party activists and elected officials are eager for him to run for re-election. ``This sends a message that the Republican Party is solidly, 100 percent behind Gov. Schwarzenegger and his agenda,'' Dutton said.
Schwarzenegger has repeatedly declined to comment on his re-election plans, but his deputy chief of staff, Cassandra Pye, used her remarks to party delegates to thank them ``on behalf of my boss'' for their endorsement.
Campaign finance laws prevent political parties from working for a candidate's campaign without a formal endorsement, so Sunday's action clears the way for Schwarzenegger's political team to cooperate with the state party to raise money for his candidacy and tout his agenda.
Depending on the outcome of the primary election for other statewide offices, the Republican ticket in 2006 could include two San Fernando Valley-area Republicans, as Sen. Tom McClintock of Thousand Oaks is running for lieutenant governor and Assemblyman Keith Richman of Granada Hills is running for treasurer.
``I can already see a very strong Republican ticket reversing the bad election we had in 2002,'' said former Assemblyman Tony Strickland, R-Moorpark.
February 16, 2005
I'm off to see if I bookmarked any of them myself. I doubt I did... I can still remember Dan clarifying what was going on right after it happened!!!
Uh oh I pinged the wrong GV. Now the really cranky one is going to show up on this thread -- sorry everyone.
???
We were speaking of principles, not principals, were we not?
(See your original comment at post #73)
That was sneaky and low of you to do that to me!!! You blew my mind with that sneaky, mean little trick!!! (grin)
Now you've done it.
LOL! Now don't take it personal...
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