Posted on 03/23/2006 1:10:31 PM PST by Amerigomag
The recent semi-annual California Republican Convention was an attempt by Governor Schwarzenegger and others to solidify his support with the base of the party. Despite his efforts and those of State Senator Tom McClintock, Arnold has failed as of now. Schwarzenegger positions have left the base feeling that supporting him for reelection may not only be the wrong thing to do, but may also be counterproductive.
Arnold and his gaggle of handlers believe his fight is with wild-eyed, right-wing conservatives. That is not true. Mainstream Republicans who have stayed away from the moderate/conservative slugfest in the California Republican Party are also skeptical. It is not because Arnold is a RINO (Republican In Name Only). It is because they believe there is not much Republican there at all.
Arnold did start off by doing the right things. He vetoed driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and repealed the tripling of the car tax. But those were no-brainers. That was what the recall was all about and anybody who won would have had to do the same. His State of the State address in 2005 sounded great, but unfortunately because he was poorly advised he wasted his governorship on a special election that was doomed before it started.
The feeling is that he has put the final nails in the coffin of his Republican policies and is now orbiting into the Democratic ozone with the misguided idea that this will keep him in office. But in the end, to what end? The only policy that he can point to that will attract Republicans is that he has not raised taxes. He has not needed to because the tax policies of President Bush have caused a $9 billion (11 percent) increase in state revenues that has alleviated any need to adjust tax rates. Yet, Arnold snubs the President and then blames him for all that is ill with the Arnold administration, including his latest gambit of blaming the California’s levee repair needs on the federal government.
It is not only because of the appointment of Susan Kennedy that Republicans have a disdain for this administration. It is the consistent appointment of Democrats throughout his administration. By his own staff’s account, 42 percent of his appointments are Democrats while still more are registered independents. If a Republican governor does not understand having Republicans throughout his administration has an effect on policy then he is just sadly confused. But it gets worse.
The most important appointments Arnold makes are judgeships. Out of 121 judgeships, he has appointed 61 Republicans. In his wildest dreams does he really believe that a Democrat would be that evenhanded? A large part of the national election in 2004 was over who would get to appoint the judges, and apparently our Governor did not get the message that Republicans wanted Republicans appointed to the bench. They actually like judges akin to John Roberts and Samuel Alito.
After Arnold appointed Kennedy, I had a conversation with a well-placed California Republican. He assured me that things were “going to be alright”. He told me that Arnold was a Republican who was liberal on social issues and conservative on fiscal issues. Directly after that conversation, Arnold did the following: 1) He endorsed raising the minimum wage, 2) He declared there was a $5 billion budget surplus and announced he was going to spend every last dime of it with no debt reduction or savings for when the revenue stream slows down, 3) He called for new bonded indebtness of $222 billion without telling how this was going to be paid for except for some new fees (TAXES), and 4) He submitted a budget with a more than $6 billion deficit in the face of spiraling increases in revenues. Arnold purports to be an adherent of the great economist Milton Friedman, and yet he appears to many to have confused him with his cousin Irving of the Peace and Freedom Party.
Arnold has only lame answers for his actions. He stated on national television that he was elected to serve not just the Republicans. Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, Bob Ehrlich of Maryland and George Pataki of New York face the same challenges and they don’t make the same sophomoric excuses. They appoint Republicans and run their states as Republicans and believe that is the best way to appeal to their state’s interests. Arnold told Tim Russert on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he was going to run as an Arnold Republican. That appears to many to be a very tiny group.
We Republicans stand for certain things. There is a bottom line even mainstream and moderate Republicans are unwilling to tolerate. If Arnold is going to act more democratic than a Democrat, the perception is: let them screw up the state even more and then we can elect a Republican who wants to be a Republican. That has happened with the Governors mentioned above who were elected in states as liberal as California.
The talk is that Republicans will be working to elect Republicans all over the country to keep our majority in Congress and in the state houses. They will be writing checks for many also. Unless Arnold gives them more reason than “I am not Phil Angelides,” that may not change and the Governor can go back to being just ‘Arnold’ a lot sooner than he thought possible.
He'll give the legislature all the pork they want, without having to raise taxes.
I'm still torn. I was going to vote for Reagan in June but now I'm debating:
Write-in, Carpenter, Railroad Switchman, Hog Farmer, Write-in, Carpenter, Railroad Switchman, Hog Farmer.
I think we need to pick one of these guys and vote for him in the primary. A simple "no vote" in the governor's race is not enough of a message.
Hog farmer....
I'm sooo there! :-)
LOCAL HOG FARMER SABOTAGES AUSTRIAN PORK PRODUCER!
This is gonna be so much fun...
(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.")
Fascism uses explicit populist rhetoric; calls for a heroic mass effort to restore past greatness; and demands loyalty to a single leader, often to the point of a cult of personality.
We could join with the Religious Right and vote for the carpenter.
You blow me away.
PICK ONE AND GIVE HIM SOME NAME RECOGNITION.
Good grief!
(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.")
Nope! The Hildabeast would add a Hispanic pronunciation to his name and sow the seeds of doubt in conservative circles: Did his Father recently immigrate from the south?
Chambers and Newman both ran in the Recall election. Here's a snip on Chambers:
Once you get past the publicity seekers on the candidate list -- "Diff'rent Strokes" actor Gary Coleman, porn king Larry Flynt, outrageous comedian Gallagher and porn star Mary Cook, also known as Mary Carey -- you can find people like William S. Chambers, a Republican with a long gray ponytail who was recently promoting himself at a California State Fair voter registration event.Reporters showed little interest in Chambers' positions on gun control, abortion and immigration, but the cameras followed Schwarzenegger's every move.
"Like so many other people in the last 15, 20 years or so, I'm tired of looking at the candidates and saying that none of them looks like they are going to represent me," said Chambers, a railroad switchman from Auburn, near Sacramento. "Most of them deal with special interests, accept campaign funds from special-interest groups. I think it taints an election."
Newman said his grass-roots campaign cost about $10,000, which helped cover new phone lines and fuel for the truck with the sign that he drives everywhere.The psychologist, whose license was revoked by the state after it found he had an "ongoing social relationship (with a patient)," says farming and God will keep him on track. Newman has maintained his innocence against the allegation.
"Regardless of the outcome, I have done everything I'm supposed to," said Newman, a Republican. "I fully plan to relocate to Sacramento."
Robert C. Newman II
Age: 59
Party: Republican
Occupation: Lilac farmer, retired psychologist
Residence: Redlands
Family: Married, two children, two grandchildren
Education: B.A. in chemistry, San Diego State, 1968; master's in research and theoretical psychology, San Diego State, 1970; doctorate in psychology, California School of Professional Psychology in San Diego, 1975.
Career highlights: Psychologist specializing in child psychology and post-traumatic stress disorder, 1976-95; former director of San Bernardino County Health Department's child and adolescent day treatment program.
Quote: "When I was seeking the Lord's direction and guidance in how I could prepare [for being governor], the Lord responded, 'Read my word.' People must seek God's direction in their lives."
---
William Chambers
Age: 47
Party: Republican
Occupation: Railroad worker
Residence: Auburn
Family: Married, one child
Education: Attended Cypress Community College
Career highlights: Switchman and brakeman for Union Pacific Railroad for 26 years.
Quote: "I'm tired of what the politicians have done to our state. One political party is not to blame for all of the problems we have in California. All of the parties are to blame. The politics-as- usual syndrome has got to stop."
Porking his patients!
More, more, MORE!!!
I presume Jeffrey Burns is the carpenter from Huntington Beach that has run for City Council before.
Can't find anything else on him (with only a quick look).
California Republicans have completely forgotten Ronald Reagans 11th Comandment. See my post #23 on the subject.
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