Posted on 12/06/2005 9:49:18 AM PST by BurbankKarl
SHOULD GOV. Arnold Schwarzenegger run for reelection as an independent?
Schwarzenegger is a centrist conservative on taxes, crime and illegal immigration, and moderate on cultural and environmental issues. That balance is what attracted the support of swing voters when he was elected two years ago. But it has also kept him from forming a stronger relationship with the most ideologically committed members of his Republican Party.
When Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy during the recall campaign against Gray Davis, it was a combination of star power and animosity toward Davis that allowed many conservative voters to overlook the actor-turned-politician's support for abortion rights. His campaign promises to repeal the "car tax," balance the budget and block driver's licenses for illegal immigrants effectively secured the backing of more than three-quarters of GOP voters.
Since his election, Schwarzenegger has fought Democratic attempts to raise taxes and has reduced the size of the state's deficit. He has vetoed legislation that would grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and praised the work of volunteers who patrol the U.S.-Mexico border. Most recently, he invested almost his entire store of political capital in a special-election reform effort supported almost solely by conservative voters.
Schwarzenegger's entry into state politics came in 2002, when he sponsored a ballot initiative to fund after-school programs for California children that many fiscal conservatives privately dismissed as a big-government spending program. Social conservatives were irate when he told Jay Leno last year that he would not oppose the preferences of state voters on the question of same-sex marriage. In 2004, even while campaigning for President Bush's reelection, he endorsed a ballot measure funding stem cell research that almost two-thirds of Republicans opposed.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Wait a minute! I thought that those evil conservatives turned on him and "didn't show up at the polls"? Yet Mr. Moderate Republican Consultant, Dan Shnur, who advised former "moderate" Gov. Pete Wilson and "moderate" Sen. John McCain, says they were supported "SOLELY" by Conservative Voters.
Well Hello Everybody... Hello! Hello is the shampoo that glorifies your hair, so Hello Everybody... Hello!!!
Even though he worked for Wilson, I'll take Dan Schnur's voting analysis anyday over all the pained FReepers that can't stop spinning for Schwartznegger!!!
Schnur is knowledgeable, authoratative and sometimes even prescient!!! His analysis is without question the best CA analysis as a rule!!!
This definitively puts to rest all the bogus assumptions about conservatives not supporting Arnold in the special election.
Has anyone got a ping list of all these conservative smearers on FR? If so, I want it!!!
You have that wrong. The Democrats kept peeling of one more RINO sellout Republican every time we recalled the previous one in order to keep Democrats in charge. 99% of GOP legislators were united in that battle and they were united as to who the Speaker should be.
I suspect Schwarzeneggar and McCain are preparing to reactivate the Reform Party under different management and a different name. (I think they'll go back to early American history and revive the old Federalist Party label.)
So, what is the likelihood of our legislature changing the State law for Arnie?
I guess 'The Arnold' will make a fool of me and run as a Independent and not a DemocRAT...
Nope it began with Paul Horcher from Diamond Bar in LA County who gave his vote to Willie Brown when we had 41 R and 40 D after the 94 election. So we recalled Horcher. And the day before his replacement was sworn in, Doris Allen of Orange County cut a deal with the Democrats to elect her Speaker and give them all the power. So we recalled Doris. And the day after she was recalled Brian Setencich of Fresno cut the same deal with the Democrats. There wasn't enough time to recall him before the next election so we took him out in the Republican primary. By January of 95 all of our members were in place so we were finally able to elect a Republican Speaker.
(Thank you RINOs)
I couldn't remember who the folks were saying Arnold would switch parties. I guess that was you, as well as Publius, huh? You are also quite prescient, there, TB. :-)
I'd like to see Mr. Schnur tell us what the principles or platform of this party might be. He said:
For California's conservative movement, an independent Schwarzenegger candidacy would present its members the opportunity to support a more ideologically acceptable candidate.
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