Posted on 07/19/2006 9:11:37 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
Moderate Republicans in California, having watched their party become increasingly dominated by conservatives as it sunk deeper and deeper into minority status, had big hopes after Arnold Schwarzenegger was elected governor in 2003.
A new leader had arrived, one who because of a lightning strike of political good luck did not have to subject himself to the ideological litmus test of a statewide Republican primary. Just maybe, they thought, he could lead them out of the political wilderness.
Schwarzenegger, as they saw it, was their kind of Republican: supportive of abortion rights, receptive to gay-rights issues, tough-minded on taxes, sensitive to the environment, friendly to business and corporate interests.
With Schwarzenegger as the only Republican holding statewide office, they hoped that he would assert his role as the de facto party leader to help reshape a state party whose candidates had lost 17 of the previous 19 statewide elections.
It was not to be. Schwarzenegger made a conscious decision to steer clear of intra-party affairs. In 2004, at the height of his political popularity, he declined to make endorsements in contested legislative primaries, even when his backing might have resulted in sending more lawmakers to Sacramento who shared his political views.
This spring, the governor again chose to sit on the sidelines — even when two of his closest legislative soulmates, Sen. Abel Maldonado and Assemblyman Keith Richman, were running for statewide office in contested GOP primaries.
Richman had been a Schwarzenegger confidant even before the movie star decided to jump into politics. The two met privately when Schwarzenegger was weighing whether to run in the 2002 general election and frequently after that, up to and after he decided to run in the 2003 recall.
It was Richman who organized a last-ditch, bipartisan effort to salvage the deficit restructuring bond that Schwarze-negger desperately needed in 2004 to get the state out of fiscal crisis without having to either raise taxes or gut education spending.
This year, when the governor bucked Republican orthodoxy and called for raising the state minimum wage, it was Maldonado who stepped forward to carry legislation embracing the governor's plan. And whenever he campaigned for his ballot-box causes, it was Maldonado who stood alongside Schwarzenegger to help appeal to Latino voters.
Both Richman and Maldonado were certain that an endorsement from Schwarzenegger would boost their chances for victory.
Instead, Schwarzenegger did nothing. Moderates Richman and Maldonado each lost to conservative opponents.
Resentment over Schwarzenegger's refusal to help these GOP allies boiled over last week, when Maldonado, in an impulsive fit of pique, arranged an interview with the Los Angeles Times so that he could vent his anger with the governor.
"Our governor cares about one thing only, and that's Arnold Schwarzenegger," Maldonado told the Times.
Maldonado later apologized.
Richman declined to comment this week when I asked his opinion of Maldonado's criticism.
But Richman made clear he was very disappointed that Schwarzenegger did not endorse him, and said the governor lost an opportunity to potentially reshape the party and help bring it closer to parity with Democrats.
"The governor has not taken any active role with regard to moving the party in a more moderate or mainstream direction," he said. "I don't think the Republican Party is any closer to becoming a majority than it was six or eight years ago."
With Schwarzenegger joined on the ballot by Secretary of State Bruce McPherson and insurance commissioner candidate Steve Poizner, Republicans will have three moderate candidates running statewide. Had Richman and Maldonado prevailed, it would have offered voters something they haven't seen in decades: a slate of Republican candidates dominated by moderates.
As it is, conservatives again rule the Republican slate: Richard Mountjoy for U.S. Senate, Tom McClintock for lieutenant governor, Chuck Poochigian for attorney general, Tony Strickland for controller, Claude Parrish for treasurer.
"There was an opportunity to have a slate that would have been very attractive to the people of California," Richman said. "That didn't happen."
Richman said he understands Schwarzenegger's personal concerns: Had he made endorsements, the governor would have risked further alienating conservatives and, had his endorsed candidates lost, it would have been widely seen and reported as a sign of political weakness.
It is likely that his staying on the sidelines during the primary was good for Arnold Schwarzenegger as he seeks re-election in a campaign that will turn on the votes of nonpartisans and moderate Democrats.
But even if he's re-elected, Richman said, the Republican Party will be no better off than it was before the Terminator came onto the political scene.
"There are a lot of people who've worked hard to make this party a bigger tent," he said. "The governor was in a position to advance that effort, but he just hasn't done it."
et tu aRnold? (gasp)
Oh please raise my taxes and let illegals take over my state Mr. Rino!!!
As it is, conservatives again rule the Republican slate: Richard Mountjoy for U.S. Senate, Tom McClintock for lieutenant governor, Chuck Poochigian for attorney general, Tony Strickland for controller, Claude Parrish for treasurer.
Thank goodness. Maybe we can get this state out of the tax and spend, illegal immigrant hellhole it has become thanks to the Democrats and RINOS.
Never apologize, especially when you're RIGHT!
This is a BS description of moderate republicans.
Moderate republicans are ambivalent about abortion, are against gay marriage but otherwise have a live and let live attitude, want honest govt., are luke warm on tax cuts, REALLY WANT LAW AND ORDER AND LOW CRIME, good roads, good public schools, good public colleges, clean enviroment but with some common sense, are christian but like to keep that to themselves, want manners and decent language, mostly want to be left alone, are for fewer illegals, want to work at a decent job, are ambivalent about gun control.
They are people you would like to have as neighbors, but not all that politically active.
"Our governor cares about one thing only, and that's Arnold Schwarzenegger," Maldonado told the Times.
Maldonado later apologized."
Just like a true "moderate".
Your comment about rinos is out of line.
rinos just want to have a decent life for them and their kids and are practical and not ideological and what the hell is wrong with that.
Because it doesn't work. Social liberalism creates the demand for the welfare state. Social liberalism destroys families and therefore breeds crime and dependency. To claim to be a social liberal and a fiscal conservative is to ask "other people" to deal with the costs.
Mountjoy will lose big (even he knows this), Poochigan will probably lose, but McClintock is a very viable candidate.
What are Claude Parrish's chances?
The moderates aren't about making a bigger tent. They are about pitching the tent in a new spot and leaving the old base out in the cold.
With such staunch right-wingers on the ballot as Gary Mendoza, Ruben Barrales, Tom Campbell etc. etc.?
Once again their nice theoy is full of holes. We nominate RINOs all the time and they always do far worse than conservatives.
The GUb has openly stated that "It is not my job to grow the California Republican party",, make of that what you will.
Many long time conservatives in the base see thru the charade that unfolded the last few years in the CA GOP.
We may be sunk for 4 more years, but at least the moderate hemorrhage may be curtailed (tho the runaway spending is another thing) until 2010 if the pressure is kept is kept on and enough seats in the state Assembly and Senate stay GOP and conservative.
You don't know the same "moderate" Republicans I do, and unfortunately I know a lot of them. In fact they are as extremist on abortion as the Democrats. They think gay marriage is just fine when you talk to them, but won't say it in public.
As for taxes and fiscal concerns I have it from the horse's mouth from ARNOLD's campaign strategists this past Wednesday that he is taking heat from the New Majority folks in Orange County for NOT wanting to raise taxes. Yes, these are the folks who call themselves FISCAL CONSERVATIVES.
There is nothing moderate about them. They are liberals, period.
You can take Claude off that list.
If they are as you describe, I wouldn't want them as neighbors. You described a person who doesn't care one way or the other about infanticide, self defense, or governmental control of large parts of his income. The rest of your description fits someone who is self absorbed about personal needs and wants, but totally out of touch about what the government is actually doing to address them.
His indifference and disengaged attitude is what lets the RINOs operate with impunity, because he either doesn't care or never bothers too look at what the guys he votes for are actually doing. He, and his disengaged Dem opposite, is the reason that incumbents can redline out safe districts and make a career out of sucking public teat.
Good for Arnold!
It's so, so sad!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.