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.
Thanks! :-)
I will note that there are some exceptions to the case, and there are some who have a single issue as a litmus test (pro-Life comes to mind). But I am tired of seeing folks dismissed as one-note Charlie's for being passionate about a host of issues. The GOP platform, and the ideals behind it, seem to be abandoned in the debates.
From where I sit, the Rudyites are the biggest foot stompers among us.
If the GOP runs a liberal for pres., we will end up with a democrat pres.
That Rudy never finished it IS a big deal. If he's nominated, you can expect him to throw the general election to Hillary right on cue.
I hope they do do the right thing. We may just disagree as to what that is. ;-)
In that scenario, only one thing is certain: we'll end up with a liberal pres.
It is NOT "staying home" or voting "third party" (same thing).
I admit that a pro-life candidate is number one on my hit parade, but I look for a host of issues for choosing a candidate. As of now, Duncan Hunter comes absolutely the closest to my ideal candidate. I could get real excited by his possibilities. The closest to Reagan I have seen.
Everyone has their limits, Lancey.
The GOP has crossed the line.
With the choice of being shot in the head, or jumping off the 500 ft. building, which would you choose?
What if I don't like him on my ten favorite issues? Can I "bash" him then?
Single issue ... "conservatism" ;-)
Heh...
The governor needs to feel conservative pressure from within his party. It has an effect. He knows where his bread is buttered and he needs to be reminded sometimes.
I've heard others also say that Arnold didn't do enough for the other candidates. That may be true. However, I do believe that he helped the Republicans in California's House delegation from being decimated - particularly John Doolittle and Brian Bilbray.
He no longer needs to bow to their pressure, as long as he makes others buy into his tax is a fee approach.. it certainly hasn't stopped him from his other acts that are in line with the dem agenda.. he has capitulated on enough items already, imo. it's too late. he has chosen his path.
not sure he helped bilbray that much, doolittle either, jmo.
I don't recall him helping Bilbray, and certainly not Doolittle.
I do remember him refusing to say that he would support Pombo (which generated plenty of negative press for Pombo), who subsequently lost.
I agree with NR... Arnold now counts on 100% support from the Dem legislators and needs to pick off only a few moderate pubbies to get the 2/3 majority vote to get his new taxes passed (errr... fees). He will continue to ignore and marginalize Conservatives and paint them as obstructionists, or worse. The (R) label meant nothing to Arnold, other than an opportunity to hijack a party to spread his own liberal agenda.
I'm going to see Ron tonight. I'll ask him.
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