Governator becomes a conciliator (Navarrette applauds centrism - paints Republicans as extremist)

Stockton Record ^ | January 13, 2007 | RUBEN NAVARRETTE

[calcowgirl]

Things are goofy in California. I mean, goofier than usual.

Republicans are afraid they've lost influence with the governor, which wouldn't be so strange if the governor wasn't also a Republican.

What's even stranger is that -- in a true blue state such as California, where Democrats control the Legislature and most of the top offices in the executive branch -- Republicans haven't figured out most Californians no longer care what they think, and this includes the chief executive from their own party.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in for a second term on Jan. 5 after coasting to re-election.

Now, Republicans are pleading with Schwarzenegger to pursue a more conservative agenda -- even if he has no chance of getting any of it through the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

These are folks who see the value in fighting the good fight, even if they go down swinging in the first round, as they often do.

Instead, Schwarzenegger is fighting for a compassionate but controversial plan to provide health insurance for 6.5 million uninsured Californians, including illegal immigrants. He insists that, under the current system, the uninsured levy a hidden tax on everyone.

Faced with an otherwise gloomy future, the state Republican party has one bright star -- Schwarzenegger. So, naturally, the instinct among Republican ideologues is to try to drag him into the darkness with the rest of their cohorts.

Luckily, having beaten his Democratic opponent by 17 points, he is much too smart to fall for it. Just as you'd expect from someone who came to this country with empty pockets, worked hard, bought into the American dream and amassed a fortune of several hundred million dollars.

In a stirring inaugural address, Schwarzenegger made clear he's his own man, and he believes the future of American politics is right smack in the center.

"Centrist does not mean weak," he said. "It does not mean watered down or warmed over. It means well balanced and well grounded. The American people are instinctively centrist. So should be our government."

Schwarzenegger's brand of centrism means two things -- shunning extremes in search of common-sense, middle-of-the-road solutions to difficult problems and reaching out across the political divide to incorporate the best ideas your opponents have to offer while giving them credit in the process.

We desperately need more of both, not just in California but all around the United States.

If you want to know why our politics are broken in this country, this is the reason. We've reached the point where so much of the debate is all or nothing and dominated by the shrillest and most extreme voices, where people are afraid to acknowledge the other side is even half-right and where being a moderate is considered the equivalent of being squishy or indecisive.

Meanwhile, political parties aren't interested in results or solutions, as much as expanding their reach and enhancing their fundraising by taking potshots at the opposition -- even on those days when there is no real disagreement.

That doesn't make much sense, not when -- on abortion, gun control, stem cell research, immigration, the death penalty and a host of other issues -- most Americans have mixed feelings.

And not when it's the case that no single politician or political party is right on every issue.

Straight-ticket voting is a thing of the past, and the future lies in the kind of cafeteria politics that allows voters to pick and choose what they like from what the parties have to offer and discard the rest.

That's what Schwarzenegger is talking about. Still a relative novice at politics, he hasn't had time to learn bad habits that hamper most career politicians.

In his inaugural speech, he spelled out a vision of "post-partisanship" that searches out a "creative center that is not held captive of the left or the right or even the past."

The California governor is onto something, and he knows it.

He's even thinking about taking his centrist message on the road, say his aides. He might drop into New Hampshire and Iowa during the 2008 primaries to try to convince presidential candidates the middle of the road isn't a bad place to be.

Bravo for him.

Who knows? Maybe he can convince a few of them to join him there. Our politics would be better off.

Navarrette is a columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune. His e-mail address is ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.

[Mojave]

Just tired of people violating Reagan's 11th commandment.

By violating it using profanities? Hypocrite.

“We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all.” --Ronald Reagan, 1965

“Join me in a dream of a California whose government isn't characterized by political hacks and cronies and relatives--an administration that doesn't make its decisions based on political expediency but on moral truth. Together, let us find men to match our mountains.” --Ronald Reagan, 1966

[backtothestreets]

California is damaged, not doomed. Californians will have the final word in 2008. The high and mighty in Sacramento can be toppled.

Navarrette erred in his assessment that Californians and all Americans seek a centrist future. What most Californians and Americans want is domestic tranquility, purposely articulated in the in the Preamble of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Domestic tranquility is not ensured by forcing minority positions upon the majority. Neither the Democrats nor Republicans can fully embrace a tranquility arising from the people they were elected to serve, as both parties have portions of their party ideals that seek to benefit minority interests ahead of those of the majority.

That majority are an even tempered, respectful people, but those very characteristics are what the two parties challenge time and again with the minority positions they push. Both parties dangle carrots over piles of manure that force voters to dirty their feet and accept good with bad.

Relief will come, and it will be sooner rather than later. The elections of 2008 may mark the turning point. When it does come, both the Democrats and Republicans will be hard pressed to abandon minority positions for the sake of ensuring domestic tranquility.

[MovementConservative]

Arnold wasn't the one who screwed up your state. Neither was Pete Wilson. Your state legislature has been doing that for years. With Arnold, at least you are getting the issues that would be rammed down your throats by the Gavin Newsomes of your state in a more tempered, toned down fashion.

One last thing, if you want Barbara Boxer re-elected in 2010, keep bringing Arnold down. Regardless of what you think about how he has to do things now, he'd be a much better US Senator than that shrill embarassment Californians keep sending to Washington.

[calcowgirl]

Just tired of people violating Reagan's 11th commandment.

Yet you support Navarrette slamming our Republican legislators who are trying to fend off liberalism, excessive spending and ever-increasing taxes? Yeah, right.

[Mojave]

Arnold wasn't the one who screwed up your state.

He's working hard to screw it up as much as he possibly can.

BTW, drop the act. You're transparently DU.

[calcowgirl]

You said Califonria was "winning battles and important victories". I ask again, please name them.

I gave you examples of the battles we are losing, most while the Governor stood with Democrats in opposition to Republicans.

Based on your response, it tells me that you know very little about what is happening in California.

[SierraWasp]

"At least you have a GOP governor."

Aw (bleep!) What a fabulous (bleepin) "BOOBY PRIZE!"

At lot of good that's doing ANYONE in Cauleeforneeuh!(/sarc)

He's thrown the Party and especially it's platform (principles) out with the bathwater, but you're too wisdom challenged to see it!!!

Has anyone got that picture of the roadkill that the Department of Transportation just blindly painted a centerline right over it's flattened dead body??? (complete with maggots and flies buzzin around it?)

[dalereed]

"domestic tranquility"

To me that's totally repulsive.

[calcowgirl]

Oh, and you didn't address the other question in my post, either:

... why don't you tell me which part of the Republican platform you actually do support.

[SierraWasp]

Huey Long! Iszat you??? Populist tranquility? Iszat what we be wantin??? Well then why don't you just give us all a big vat of Kool-Aid loaded with valium? That oughta git us all nice an tranquil... excuse me whilst I doze off... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[calcowgirl]

They're just SWARMING FR!!!

That's an understatement! These folks used to be zotted in minutes!

[SierraWasp]

"With Arnold, at least you are getting the issues that would be rammed down your throats by the Gavin Newsomes of your state in a more tempered, toned down fashion."

YOU SAID IT!!! There it is!!! It came right off your own danged keyboard, typed by your own moderat typecast fingers!!! (I can't help noticing the characters typed by your left hand strangely showing a considerable emphasis, however. I guess one would call that an accent, right?)

[SierraWasp]

"One last thing,"

Oh! I so hope it was!!! So ya dove in here on November 11, 2006 to straighten everybody out by holding yourself up as some kind of an example of an actual, factual "movement conservative?"

Gimme a (bleepin) break!!! You really need to learn some basic manners if you hope to convince anybody around here of anything!!!

We've chewed up and spit out more interlopers like you than you can even dream of. You should've lurked a little longer to size up the opposition to your attempted pejorative attack on people who care much more about California than just your version of partisan posturing!!!

[MovementConservative]

Buddy, you are the one who has to live in that state. Keep running Arnold down and when you have complete Dem control, remember to grit your teeth really hard when grabbing your ankles.

As for your insipid attempts at baiting me, don't waste your time. I could care less what you have to offer because like the Dinosaur Media, you whiners are up to your ears in tar.

Smart money is on embracing Arnold in California and building a bench for the future. You are not Idaho. Instead of grousing the whiners could be shaping the bench, but that takes work they don't seem willing to commit.

[SierraWasp]

Must be a reincarnation of a past life as "Vowell Movement CONservative!" See reply#23. A copied "ping list" is already being deviloped!!! (Check out the FR home page for laughs)

[SierraWasp]

I sincerely wish there were some way possible to send him back to your pathetic state so's you could wallow in the leftist manure pile with him and his leftist first lady!!!

[goldstategop]

Moderates are squishy and indecisive. Unwilling to be governed by principle, they inevitably settle for the lowest common denominator. As Rush Limbaugh has pointed out, anything not conservative by conviction tends to become liberal. So we've seen with California's Governator Red Arnold.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[goldstategop]

You're an intolerant, dogmatic right-wing extremist who refuses to compromise. Naturlich, there are no left-extremists. Its just you who are the problem, according to the self-proclaimed moderates.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[Mojave]

Smart money is on embracing Arnold in California

California Teachers Association money? MALDEF money?

[backtothestreets]

"domestic tranquility"

"To me that's totally repulsive."

I'm not at all surprised. It's from the Preamble of the US Constitution, a document many people trash and find repulsive. Most seem to share a common bond. They want to right to force their individual ideals upon the majority.

Well, like it or not, domestic tranquility is best assured by living the ideals of the majority, NOT forcing the majority to accept individual ideals the majority can never embrace.

Your ilk that so dislike domestic tranquility can continue pressing legislators and courts to forbid prayer in public schools, prohibit religious displays on public property, burn flags as a form of free speech, support non-citizens protesting on our streets, and so one, but a time will come when the majority will have had enough.

Enjoy your repulsion of domestic tranquility while you have it. It cannot endure.