Posted on 01/15/2006 11:36:20 AM PST by NormsRevenge
One of the wisest pieces of advice I can ever offer is to always deal in reality. Sometimes reality stinks, and it's easier to craft an elaborate fantasy world that soothes our inner turmoil. But, ultimately, it's a dangerous game to avoid The Truth.
For those of us who follow California politics and who have invested countless hours in championing ideas and policies that would make this a freer, more prosperous and better state, it's tempting to assuage ourselves by thinking that the 2003 recall of Gov. Gray Davis still matters. It's easy to lie to ourselves and suggest that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's election was worth all the trouble.
But The Truth, stubborn as it is, is right there before our eyes. The recall is over. It was for naught. Gov. Davis, incompetent and craven as he was, stands vindicated. All the effort, money, hopes and dreams were squandered. We need to build a new foundation, create a new movement for change.
Unfortunately, that new movement will take years to restart. That's what happens when one of ours becomes one of theirs. Do Republicans/conservatives/libertarians still stand up for this governor, or do they help the Democrats elect someone like Treasurer Phil Angelides, whose only apparent beefs with the Terminator is that he isn't spending enough and that taxes aren't high enough?
See the dilemma?
Well, Republicans get what they deserved. I get what I deserved for voting for the "winnable" choice of Schwarzenegger rather than the right choice of conservative state Sen. Tom McClintock, as my wife did. As she scolded me shortly after the election, "Next time you see Tom, tell him that one member of the Greenhut family voted the right way."
Ouch.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
Hell, we're deep enough in debt with a Bush in the WH as is, we don't need a Kennedy. ;-)
bump
Arnold tried, Unions lied, the balance budget died.
It's hard for the Captain to steer the ship with a muntinous crew.
Er, try "mutinous".
Does anyone doubt that he would have at least put up one hell of a fight or at least been able to explain things so folks could understand it and not just be blasted with hype and buzzwords?
aRnold tried hard alright..
To fail.
This is all just part of the left's agenda, imo.
The ol' Trojan Horse ploy worked again.
Spending a little time doing some research might prevent having to do an egg scrape in public.
Roughly 50 posts a day are recorded on the California Topic and all hold a wealth of information. That's about 4,500 threads since July 2003 to review but the alternative is really embarrassing.
Arnold tried
YES HE DID> And we had the election to prove it. Where did he not try? he spend his OWN money as well on the special election.
He is now contrite in failure. THAT SUCKS> But he DID try.
How so?
Yes, I do.
It was never about the legislature.
Tom would have placed more forceful and clear remedies on the ballot. He would have done it a year ago, and the right mix of voters who agree with fiscal responsibility would have showed up in droves.
There are 22 million voters in California -- only 4.6 million of them voted against Arnold's initiatives. That's a mere 18% of California's voters eho agreed with the unions and went to vote. (FWIW: 5.5 million Californians voted for Bush in 2004)
Tom McClintock would have provided a clear and concise message for smaller government that would have motivated the "sometimes" voters to cast ballots when they were needed.
Lets review the list:
Prop 74 - An attempt to pacify local government through a laundry list designed to streamline budget reductions as compensation for raiding their treasuries. The benefit to the Wilson gang was a slap in the face of union principals. Local governments would have much preferred local control which Wilson refused in his rush to create an impression that his stalking horse was balancing the state budget.
Prop 75 - An appeal to those within the rank and file allowing them to support Wilson's candidate with funds otherwise legally due to the unions. Again, Wilson got a free a slap at organized labor. The rank and file wanted a Right-to-Work initiative but Wilson refused, instead offering a plan to allow choice while still maintaining a closed shop. With the certainty of a closed shop the rank and file was forced to support their leadership.
Prop 76 - An attempt by Wilson to indemnify his associates providing the Prop 57 bonding packages in trade for another questionable $8B dollars in borrowing providing lucrative commissions. The general electorate, leery of allowing a single individual to control taxation, joined conservatives in soundly rejecting the gimmick with little or no knowledge of its hidden agenda. God bless ignorance.
Prop 77 - A scheme to take redistricting out of the hands of individual Legislators and place it into the hands of the four, legislative leaders, excluding any input from outside the two major parties. The process was still politicized but precluded the possibility of a revolt from within the ranks. The public saw right through this scheme to codify a redistricting power limitation to the partisan leadership of only two parties.
The republicans endorsed to vote Yes on all the props.
The democrats were against them all.
McClintock ENDORSED them!
See post 14. 4.1-4.6 million Californian voted with the union goons for for "their pie." That's 18% of 22 million registered voters and 11% of 35 million Californians.
Arnold's people drafted poor initiatives and ran a miserable campaign. The average guy on the street was confused and never saw any "urgency" in voting. Read the initiaitives again and tell me what in there would have driven the guy who cleans your pool or repairs your air conditioner to get excited and make a point of taking time to go vote.(ss.ca.gov)
Unions outspent Arnold two to one.
They Union sleeze started months before Arnold engaged them.
The unions were fighting Arnold on a national level.
If anything I think Arnold attempted too much change too quickly. A few mild props and one agressive against the Unions may have worked.
California is dysfunctional!
God knows what will create conservative change here.
What did Arnold do to get low propensity conservative-leaning voters out to the polls?
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