BumP
Posted on 01/21/2007 2:51:50 PM PST by calcowgirl
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger calls him "Acky" in public and private. And Sen. Dick Ackerman, the leader of a small but hardy band of Republicans in the state Senate, hosted the governor at his riverfront home one night last week for a surf and turf dinner and a chat with his fellow Republicans. On a personal level, the governor and the senator are getting along just fine.
But when it comes to policy, Schwarzenegger is finding himself increasingly estranged from the Republicans who serve in the Legislature, including Ackerman. When Schwarzenegger called earlier this month for an era of "post-partisanship" in Sacramento, he may not have realized that Republicans would embrace his call so quickly, in their own way.
To many of them, the governor's declaration has been like a political emancipation proclamation. Having strained to contain their frustration with his center-left policies during last year's re-election campaign, they now feel freer than ever to criticize him, and to vote in opposition to his wishes. If the governor wants the Capitol to be less beholden to partisan interests, that means his fellow Republicans are going to feel less inclined to back him for partisan reasons.
Schwarzenegger recently denied that he had any intention of becoming a Democrat or an independent. But it is increasingly evident that in the halls of the Capitol, he is a man without a party.
Ackerman noted that plenty of Republicans crossed Schwarzenegger last year on issues ranging from minimum wage to global warming and prescription drug discounts. But he acknowledged that some of his colleagues may feel freer to be openly critical now that the governor has been safely re-elected.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Karnak says: A Third Way Trojan Horse built out of Austrian Oak
A: "Just what California didn't need when it had a legitimate chance to climb out of the socialism uber alles rut it had fallen into."
A shame that it takes this much liberal governance for Republicans to feel secure in criticizing their Governor. Where are all the conservatives on FR that criticized Republicans who would not vote for Arnold in 2002?
That about covers it.
Ackerman's comment that "plenty of Republicans crossed Schwarzenegger" was an understatement. He failed to acknowledge that in most cases of the legislation mentioned, ALL Republicans opposed Schwarzenegger, while most ALL of the democrats supported it.
I don't believe those were conservatives. ;-)
Thanks to the Founders, and praise the Lord!
Not a Colliefornian, but from afar (Michigan) he sure didn't appear to be the anti-freedom, socialist Predator he looks like now. Sheesh, the power of propaganda.
(Thanks for posting calcowgirl. Interesting.)
Deception has become both an art form and a science. All the signs were there, but you had to look under the covers.
They were conservatives of convenience.
Those would be the faux conservatives.
They're still here. Just check the various threads dealing with the Austrian.
"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
Couldn't disagree more if the reference is to Freepers, especially the partisan clan.
From the promotion of Prop 49, long before the recall was hatched, to the speech on the steps of the Santa Monica court house steps, to the composition of the transition team, the signs were clear and flashing like a Vegas neon.
I can only be thankful that PGalt and others are finally making a public mia culpa but their interim posture speaks loudly to the weakness of good folks in a contest between principles, victory and celebrity.
Let this stand as a lesson as to just how easily a society can slide into rapture with a charismatic scoundrel or worse.
I agree with respect to California freepers who follow state government, and definitely to the partisan clan. When I said you had to look under the covers, I was thinking of the casual observer of California politics, especially those from out of state. At the time, headlines played up the Cut, Cut, Cut "I'm a fiscal conservative" rhetoric, and similar myths. My phrase looking under the covers meant only viewing the record objectively instead of relying on press releases from the campaign team.
It would be hard to believe that anyone with enough interest to pursue this forum wouldn't make the effort.
My guess is that most Freepers have two book marks in their favorites menu bar: freerepublic/thierstate and freerepublic/news.
BumP
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