Many GOP activists riled by governor: Everybody's happy he was elected -- agenda a problem

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 2/12/7 | John Wildermuth, Carla Marinucci

[SmithL]

Sacramento -- Arnold Schwarzenegger is going to be governor for four more years and a surprising number of Republican party activists aren't happy about it.

GOP officials at this weekend's twice-a-year state party convention talked gratefully about how much Schwarzenegger's landslide win over Democrat Phil Angelides meant to the party that saw few other bright spots last November. But there was plenty of grumbling among the 1,250 rank-and-file delegates concerned that the governor's inauguration day call for a new "post-partisan" agenda in the state showed more concern for moderate Democrats and decline-to-state voters than for the GOP's conservative core.

In a letter to supporters earlier this month, state Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, complained about what he called "the disastrous turn to the Left that is now taking place in Sacramento.''

At a political breakfast Saturday morning, McClintock argued that Schwarzenegger did not run as "a post-partisan pioneer'' when he won the 2003 recall election.

"He campaigned as a Milton Friedman, supply-side, tax-fighting, budget-cutting reincarnation of Ronald Reagan who would fight any tax increase, roll back excessive economic regulations, oppose illegal immigration, cut up our credit cards and live within our means,'' said McClintock, who lost his race for lieutenant governor in November.

But Schwarzenegger's post-election call for a universal health care plan that would require hefty payments from businesses, doctors and hospitals to pay for it violated the "no new taxes" pledge the governor made throughout the campaign, McClintock said.

"I won't believe another thing this governor says,'' he said.

[Ol' Sparky]

Yet, one of the endless examples proving that electing RINOs to office does more harm than good. And, that some conservatives live a fantasy world and believe such types are really conservative.

This is an example why Rudy Giuliani would be disaster as well.

[nosofar]

It would have been if Cruz Bustamante were elected. We could have had our very own Fidel Castro.

[OB1kNOb]

Another article that proves my tagline.

[NormsRevenge]

Say one thing , do another, not a good move.

[SmithL]

Say one thing , do another, not a good move.

Politics as usual. That's what's so impressive about McClintock. He sticks to his principles and speaks the truth.

[zbigreddogz]

Is it impressive that he's lost 3 times statewide?

I'm no longer an Arnold fan, his tax increase for health care made me turn on him, but 'impressive' and 'McClintock' do not belong in the same sentence. He's a typical all principle, no common sense pol from a safe R district.