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.
The list is endless. Follow the money.
His second term has been disastrous, much like the president's.
Okay. I thionk you are wrong. Rudy is no Arnold.
I am to the right of Walter Williams and I can go with Rudy, no problem. Is he the perfect, ideal conservative? No, but he will make a good President.
I'm in Philly, and the New York Post is available all over the place around here, and NY radio comes in loud and clear so we get to follow NY politics pretty closely. Rudy has a good sense of humor and is very comfortable in his own skin. He is also a shrewd politician. I do not believe he is corruptible. He is certainly a good leader.
I used to listen to the Ed Koch Show regularly on WABC (New York) back in the early '90s. One thing Mayor Koch said that I always thought was very instructive: "If you agree with me on 7 out of 10 issues, vote for me; if you agree with me on 10 out of 10 issues, see a psychiatrist."
There's going to be a lot more "one-note-Johnnies" popping up on Free Republic during the next year to bash otherwise strong candidates because they don't like a candidate's stand on their favorite issue, whatever it is, and that's a real shame.
Best regards, and hang tough,
LH
One at a time.
I don't have time to write something specific, so if you'd be willing to pore through a couple of long pieces, you'll start to get the idea.
Here is one on energy, which intimately involves the NRDC. Then read An Analysis of Arnold's Environmental Policy which ties the whole multi-decade NRDC scam to his truly.
That's one. If you want more, let me know.
Politics doesn't turn people into snakes, it just exposes them. They were already snakes upon entering politics.
We have our own problem in MN. With Arnolds Minnie Me.
Gov. Pawlenty is following closly in Arnolds shoes.
I hear tell new taxes may be in the offing.
He did good first term or so it sounded.
If there was only one issue I disagreed with Rudy on! His one strong suit is his stance on the WOT and I haven't seen any evidence that he is qualified even on that issue. Not enough to earn the right to be Commander in Chief.
Thanks!
Rudy's a tax cutter who opposes Roe v. Wade. That's a pretty good start.
"He's totally whored any conservative values in order to maintain popularity"
Not just once, but TWICE, the people of California have proven that they PREFER the Gospel of Liberal ideas, over common sense plans....
Nearly everything "Conservative" has been rejected by the voters at the ballot box. Sometimes, you really do get the government you deserve....
There's going to be a lot more "one-note-Johnnies" popping up on Free Republic during the next year to bash otherwise strong candidates because they don't like a candidate's stand on their favorite issue, whatever it is, and that's a real shame.
When you add up the issues, there is a lot to criticize. When the combination of those issues make one deem a candidate undesireable overall, people tend to speak out. It is not a single issue that usually generates the reaction, but a combination of issues. Speaking out on one or two of the most egregious, does not make folks "one-note-Johnnies", IMO.
What a great idea!! Rudy can propose massive tax cuts for pro-life conservatives. That will increase our numbers tremendously as everyone in the country flocks to the pro-life camp. It just might WORK!!
You sure stated it well! Nice job!
The next two years will be amazing! When it comes to crunch time on election day 2008, a lot of foot stompers around here are going to steel up, clench their teeth, and do the right thing.
We cannot have a Democrat President.
Oh please! So NARAL dumped money into Rudy's campaign (that he never even finished).
Big deal.
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