Calif. clash over GOP 'values'

LOS ANGELES - California Republicans are headed for a showdown over the direction of the party that could highlight national schisms over gay rights, gun control and abortion.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger wants the state GOP platform — the party's statement of core values — boiled down to as little as a single page focusing on lowering taxes, limiting the size of government and building a strong national defense.

A centrist, the actor-governor describes himself as a "post-partisan" who wants to bridge the political divide that often leaves the state capital of Sacramento gridlocked.

But some conservatives see his move as an attempt to undercut party positions on everything from traditional marriage to opposition to abortion rights.

"There's a move afoot to make sure the Republican Party stands for nothing," said Michael Spence, president of the conservative California Republican Assembly.

It's "a direct assault on Republican Party principles. They think they can reduce the party to a few lines or sound bites."

State party members will begin work on a new platform later this week at the state convention. In a sign of internal differences, a platform draft being circulated by state GOP chairman Ron Nehring goes well beyond the trimmed-down framework suggested by the governor.

Schwarzenegger is circulating a letter, also signed by Republican leaders in the legislature, that says the platform should be distilled to a page or two of concise principles echoing those held by Ronald Reagan.

The current state platform runs about a dozen pages and opposes gay marriage and domestic-partner benefits; calls for overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that established a constitutional right to an abortion; and opposes gun registration.

"We have found long recitations of detailed policy statements are unwieldy, hard to follow and for the most party unread by the very people we want to share our core beliefs with," the letter said.

Nehring said the party was in the midst of a "healthy discussion" on its future.

"This is normal for people to express different views," Nehring said. His draft platform states that marriage is "one man to one woman" and that society must protect "the unborn."

Republican moderates in the state have long argued that the party needs to shift to the political middle or risk becoming an afterthought in a state known for its increasingly diverse population and Democratic leanings. The legislature, for example, is firmly in Democratic hands.

Schwarzenegger's re-election last year was largely attributed to his move to the political middle ground, a decision that created a rift with the GOP right wing.

I had to laugh at that one. Man, I could go in twenty different directions with that set-up.

—

Just call me Johnny AppleThread ,, I’m used to being the Straight Guy, it’s genetic. ;-)

LOL. If AS had any connection at all to concepts of smaller government and lowering taxes, this might be credible. This is a guy that wants socialized health care in CA and preschool for everyone.

He really wore the same goofy looking suit and tie, exactly one week apart?

He must be gaining weight or something... he used to have a pretty good wardrobe.

What we have nationwide is a vacuum of leadership. Not only can they not articulate conservatism convincingly they make clear that they don’t really believe it and readily offer apologies where none are due to those who are systematically destroying the very foundations of this nation.

Bump! Good post.

If only we had but another Reagan. I go back and listen to that man debate and one can only come away in awe. He is an example of what happens when one speaks with conviction and clarity and straight to the heart of the people. He was hated because he was so very effective. He had a disarming reasonableness about him.

He really wore the same goofy looking suit and tie, exactly one week apart?

Suit? I thought it was a potato sack.

[Centrist? LOL

Not hardly. When the RP in California sets their agenda, Arnold should be in Pakistan.]

Surely you're not suggesting that Comrade Ahnold is slightly left of center?

Nah, Ahnuld isn't a centrist. THIS is a centrist:

Predatory lender Roland "Ameriquest" Arnall - Ambassador to the Netherworld.

[I guess I should know that guy, but I don’t.]

He’s the king of sub-prime predatory lenders.

Roland Arnall, Owner of Ameriquest and Financier of Democratic and Republican political candidates.

Owns more flip-flops than John Heinz Kerry.

Flip

...Arnall focused most of his contributions on campaigns in California, where he has established himself as a major benefactor of Governor Gray Davis. In 1998, Davis appointed Arnall, who is a former trustee of the California State University System, to his "education transition group." The following year, the governor appointed Judith Hopkinson, the chief operating officer of Ameriquest, to the University of California Board of Regents.

Flop Flip

The company also contributed $100,000 to oppose the 2003 recall of California Gov. Gray Davis before giving $157,400 to the campaign of the man who replaced him, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Flop

Roland and Dawn Arnall were also the largest donors, contributing $5 million, to the California Recovery Team, a political action committee that "raises money for initiatives backed by" Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Flop

Ameriquest's co-chairpersons, Dawn and Roland Arnall, each raised at least $200,000 for President George W. Bush's re-election campaign. Another 155 Ameriquest employees and Arnall family members together contributed $242,500.

Flop

Roland Edmond Arnall, nominated as ambassador to Netherlands in 2005. He and his wife, Dawn, gave $5 million to the Progress for America Voter Fund (which had to cough up $750,000 in a settlement with the Federal Elections Commission) in 2004 and were also $200,000 Ranger fundraisers for President Bush. Ambassador Arnall and his wife are co-chairs of Ameriquest Capital Corp., which gave $250,000 to President Bush’s inaugural.

Flip

Governor made call on behalf of lender
Troubled Ameriquest sought infusion of cash
By Frank Phillips

[Democrat] Governor Deval Patrick, who was criticized during the gubernatorial campaign for his involvement with a controversial subprime mortgage lender, called a top official at Citigroup, former US Treasury secretary Robert E. Rubin, two weeks ago to intercede on behalf of the owners of Ameriquest Mortgage as they sought urgent financial assistance from the global financial giant.
...
According to the financial press that covered the negotiations, the deal with Citigroup, which has $1.8 trillion in assets, was critical for ACC owner Roland E. Arnall, as Ameriquest confronts dramatic declines in earnings because of increasingly difficult conditions in the subprime lending market.

Now THAT's a centrist.

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