Posted on 02/09/2007 9:51:29 PM PST by NormsRevenge
Calling himself a proud Republican, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger defended his policies Friday in his first remarks to the Republican faithful since declaring his independence last month as a "post-partisan."
Addressing the state Republican convention in Sacramento, Schwarzenegger gently broached the issue of his party allegiance. At last month's inauguration, he said that he's not beholden to any ideology and will freely choose policies from the left and the right.
"I sometimes get asked about my Republican values," he said. "And I always say, without hesitation, I am a proud Republican."
Given his eclectic positions, the governor's relationship with his party has always been complicated.
Conservatives held their tongues during last year's governor's race as Schwarzenegger signed laws they opposed, including one to reduce global warming by restricting greenhouse gas emissions.
But with Schwarzenegger safely re-elected, many have felt emboldened to criticize him.
Their anger grew with his proposal for universal health insurance, which they say raises taxes in violation of an election-year anti-tax pledge. A committee will consider a resolution against it on Saturday.
But the governor's stardom and charm have been effective among Republican voters, 91 percent of whom supported him in November. For the most part, he was warmly received Friday night despite the complaints of activists.
"This is a party, I believe, that wants the governor to succeed," said Chris Wysocki, a Republican consultant in Sacramento. "But they also expect him to hold true to his word."
Schwarzenegger insisted he had remained a fiscal conservative.
He defended his plan to create universal health insurance in California, which includes a requirement that everyone buy insurance, saying it would lower health care costs. His arguments were met with lackluster applause.
Schwarzenegger also offered tough rhetoric on prison overcrowding, which has become so severe that the federal courts are threatening to intervene by capping the inmate population and potentially ordering early releases of criminals.
"We will build new prisons and we will solve this problem without allowing dangerous criminals to run free," he said.
He mocked the idea that California should get the consent of prisoners before sending them to be housed out of state, since they had not asked permission of their victims before committing their crimes. The line was the most popular of the night.
No room for a Barf alert. :-}
Suuuuuure. We believe ya, Mr. SchwartzenKennedy.
That's a joke, right?
He's full of them.. and it.
My conscience is clean. I VOTED for the Libertarian Candidate for Governor in last November's election.
"I am a proud Republican."
One effective word..."effluvium"
Say 3 Hail Marias and hope you never have to do it again. ;-)
"Calling himself a proud Republican, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger defended his policies Friday in his first remarks to the Republican faithful since declaring his independence last month as a "post-partisan.""
Hmmm, a proud but INDEPENDENT Republican. That seems kinda contradictory to me, sorta like he's a member of the party but not a member. It must be a Left Coast thing.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.........gasp, gasp, gasp........hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Man, that Arnold...what a funny guy!
He's a Progressive and an elite, nothing more.. a TWirP.
jmo, He's in a class that includes the likes of Clinton, Gore and Blair, a socialist at heart, pushing a Third Way agenda. Any pretense to being a conservative is just that.
NormsRevenge wrote: "He's a Progressive and an elite, nothing more.. a TWirP."
He claims to be a fiscal conservative/social moderate. IMO, he's a fiscal moderate/social liberal at best. I suppose socialism wouldn't be so bad if it actually worked. I only hope the damage is limited to California, but many other leaders (in both parties) seem intent on increasing both the size and power of government.
many other leaders (in both parties) seem intent on increasing both the size and power of government.
--
got to build their legacies, yaknow.. no matter who they screw or how much it costs.
NormsRevenge wrote: "got to build their legacies, yaknow.. no matter who they screw or how much it costs."
No doubt they sleep well at night, thinking themselves heroic as they destroy the very things that made this country great. Will it ever stop? Not likely. They are tinkerers by their very nature...always tweaking this program or that program to make it work right without realizing the program itself is the problem. Unfortunately, this applies to almost all of the leaders in both parties.
California is doing much better under Arnold than before.
I also see McClintock doing great things for CA as lieutenant governor too. Ooops, he did not get elected did he ?
Much better? lolol
You should work the Catskills.
oh, and how about Steele and Dewine? ;-)
Arnold, I think the steroids have went to your head. You speak nothing of the conservatism of Reagan of lower taxes, less government, and fighting the Democrats who tried to stop him from expanding capitalism.
You speak and enact socialism (Uncle Ted's political agenda). You will be gone in 4 years because proud Republicans won't forget your betrayal like some of the other jerks in Washington.
"Post-partisan" yet "a proud Republican."
Well, Arnold, there's nothing more "girlie-man" than wanting to have it both ways like that, as if words mean whatever feels good at a given moment.
Be a man and choose.
But he's no Cruzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz Busamanteeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I hope they boo him at the convention. He richly deserves it.
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