Posted on 02/08/2007 6:25:20 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SACRAMENTO
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger faces members of his political party at the state Republican convention on Friday for the first time since he declared himself a "post-partisan" who does not need them.
And they are not a happy bunch.
The conservatives who dominate the convention are pushing a resolution against the governor's health care proposal. They accuse Schwarzenegger of violating an election-year pledge not to raise taxes by proposing "fees" to fund it.
GOP activists also are nursing an assortment of grievances from the recent election. The party is $4.6 million in debt, after spending millions on a get-out-the-vote operation that failed to stop the national anti-Republican tide. They say Schwarzenegger, who won a blowout victory, ignored Republicans down the ticket who lost.
"The governor wanted to win for himself and didn't care about the other races," said Mike Spence, president of the far-right California Republican Assembly. "It was all Arnold, all the time."
Julie Soderlund, a spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger's campaign, said the governor endorsed the entire GOP ticket and helped them raise money.
The bad feelings come as the party leadership is about to move to the right. The moderate chairman, Duf Sundheim a Silicon Valley attorney who has been a close ally of the governor is expected to be replaced by a conservative, Ron Nehring, of San Diego, who works with national anti-tax crusader Grover Norquist.
The vice-chairmanship will also change hands and both contenders are conservative.
That is not good news for Schwarzenegger as he seeks to rally Republican support for his health reform proposal, which needs a two-thirds majority in the state Legislature to be insulated from a referendum or a lawsuit over the fees.
Legislative Republicans have been adamantly against it.
Schwarzenegger will promote the plan in his speech to party delegates Friday night. But he will not use the phrase "post-partisan," according to his press secretary, Aaron McLear.
He said the governor welcomes a debate on health care at the convention, because he is striving to remain open to all sides on the issue.
"It's another voice out there saying what we ought to do with health care," McLear said.
But the governor may not have much to worry about. The author of the resolution, Tom Hudson, said he did not expect it to make it to the floor to be voted on by delegates, because it would be bottled up in a committee controlled by Sundheim.
"We have a resolutions committee that is designed to prevent people from voting on resolutions," he said.
Sundheim said he will not attempt to block it.
But others say if the resolution does make it to the floor, it could easily pass.
"I think that there are a lot of people who are disappointed that the governor has taken a distinct ideological shift to the left after taking the oath of office," said Jon Fleischman, publisher of a Republican blog.
Fleischman and others said Saturday's appearance by former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, another GOP moderate who is expected to formally announce his bid to run for president, will distract from the bad feelings toward the governor.
"People are much more excited about Rudy Giuliani coming to speak," Fleischman said.
It would be greatly appreciated if any FReepers in attendance could relay their feedback.
That's what happens when you allow the virus of liberalism to infect the body.
And the Giuliani supporters want us to do the same thing with the presidency ...
California is a trendsetter, yaknow.
I have to say, I was excited when Arnold first got elected because I thought it was a politically conscious non-politician that wanted to make a difference. Now he's just another career politician. He's totally whored any conservative values in order to maintain popularity with the libs and middle-of-the-roads.
There's something about politics that turns people into snakes. Apparently, you don't have to stay away from private life very long before you forget what it means to live without relying on votes or polls.
I'm still surprised California has a Republican Gov at all.
Seems to me the Republicans were thrilled when Arnold, the Republican candidate ousted Grey Davis.
They were. Then he turned into a regular politican and gave up his values for votes.
Arnold always was a power-mad weasel, Republicans just bought the packaging, thanks to all the hard work by Pete Wilson's handlers.
Invite Duncan Hunter
"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
He's married to the Kennedy family what else do people need to know?
Oh, how about his ties to the ethanol industry, the natural gas industry via the green lobby, Warren Buffet via Peter Kiewit, or organized gambling interests?
Why is my crystal ball telling me that Nehring/Norquist are going to jump on the Rudy bandwagon and we are going to have anorther round of the same type lies we have seen from Arnie for the last 4 years, except at the national level?
Someone tell me I'm wrong.... please?
How does it feel being accused of being part of the
All or Nothing gang yet again?
When, in fact , that is the very thing that those who started this Progressive charade so early here at FR are guilty of themselves.
Amazing also that they so readily suck up all the 'Hillary is in like Flynn', only a moderate can win' swill that gets pumped out like so much bilgewater constantly.
It worked so well for them last time here, why not take it national.
We see it playing out already here in this state for the '08 election cycle.
A Native son of California and a good man isn't good enough for some folks, because he's unelectable.
Maybe , if those same folks would stop their own waltz to the middle and ending up screwing everyone in the process and perpetuating their own unelectable gambit, we could be united and win one for the Gipper.
Icing on the cake. I didn't know about most of those connections but I would like to know more.
BUMP what you said.
Norquist? uhhh,, the Arab lobbyist?
Now why should we CAIR if he is in the thick out here this go around?
Literally, the Ca GOP appears to have a deathwish and is obviously intent on getting the job done as soon as they can.
Their efforts at the highest levels of the party leadership have certainly not indicated that they are anymore serious about issues that really matter, so why should they even be taken seriously. TWirPs , the whole damn lot of them.
We'll see what the week-end delivers, it looks like conservatives and the base are nothing more than ugly step-children these days and folks like Duf could care less.
It is a waltz to the middle. I believe many have danced right across that middle line... still going.
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