Hear Me Now and Believe Me Later (Limbaugh on Schwarzenneger)

RushLimbaugh.com ^ | August 7, 2003 | Rush Limbaugh

[ElkGroveDan]

Here me now and believe me later, my friends: all these conservative orgasms over Arnold Schwarzenegger are - like the "Gorbasms" liberals experienced over Mikhail Sergeevich Gorbachev - fake. I know that (R) next to Schwarzenegger's name excites the White House, but his own words prove he's not a conservative. I call this "The Hollywood Syndrome," and it happens every time some actor-type says anything even remotely conservative. I'm not trying to cold shower anybody here, but don't look to anyone in Hollywood to validate your political ideas.

The American Prowler's George Neumayr detailed Arnold's politics in his article "Here's Arnold!" Quote: "[H]e spoke in generalities and banalities about his plans for the state. To the extent that he said anything, he sounded not like a fiscal conservative but a moderate Democrat. He said that he wanted businesses to come back to California so that the state government could collect enough tax revenues to provide social programs. This is the sort of obtuse comment middle-of-the-road Democrats always make, forgetting that businesses are leaving the state because they are tired of paying high taxes for those big government social programs."

More: "He has told the press he is 'very liberal' about social programs, supports abortion and homosexual adoption, and advocates 'sensible gun controls.' His entree into politics last year was a proposition Democrats endorsed because it raised state spending for what amounted to state babysitting - before-school and after-school programs that cost the state up to $455 million a year. He has complained openly about the party's conservatism.... Talk magazine described him as 'impatient' with the religious right.... [H]e expressed disgust with the Republicans who impeached Clinton. 'That was another thing I will never forgive the Republican Party for,' he said. 'We spent one year wasting time because there was a human failure. I was ashamed to call myself a Republican during that period.'"

Does this sound like "the Next Reagan," as some people are calling Arnold? Hardly. This guy may be the next actor elected governor of California, but that's where the similarity between him and Ronaldus Magnus end.

[Snerfling]

For the issues that matter to the Republican grassroots that get out and make things happen

I think this is a key issue that rarely gets discussed. To wit, who provides the proverbial muscle to the Repub party, in a manner similar to what minorities and unions provide for the Dems?

I've always thought it was the religous right and social conservatives. Oh, they may go on about principles, but at the end of the day, they faithfully trot in and mark their ballots next to the name with an (R).

It's the small 'l' libertarians who run the Repub party, and the sooner hard-core social conservatives begin to understand this (as if they don't already), then perhaps we can enjoy a little less of this sound and fury signifying nothing.

Nash your teeth, but it's those hedonistic boys from SC that make things happen in SoCal. (On that note, check out Fox's new soap opera, The OC, to see a glamorized version of hard-core Republican Newport Beach.)

[onehipdad]

You're wasting your intelligence ... Most of these post aren't even from Californians!

Maybe, but how many are FORMER Californians, like me? Or have family there??

[b9]

Fair enough!
BTW I really like your post #234

[danmar]

Schwarzenegger, for all his faults (and he has many), is conservative where it counts--economic and fiscal policy, which is the first and foremost problem facing California right now.

Right you are Poohbah, we as Californians have to get our fiscal mess in working order, before we delve in "moral" issues. I can care less wether AS is a womanizer, or his stance on abortion.

So far he showed a genuine desire to help in bringing some sort of fiscal sanity among the "drunken sailor mentality" spending in Sacramento. That alone is good enough for me. He has 3+ Years to prove himself one way or another.I will judge him and his performance based on that not on some pundit(s) opinions, Rush or otherwise.

Monday morning quarterbacking, from a plush leather chair in sunny West Palm Beach while sipping a fine whisky and smoking a Partagas, is not going to fix the California's financial disaster. Talk is cheap! Reality bites!

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

I'll place question marks where I wish, thank you very much, just like my own accounts I keep on what is evidence, no amount of repeating "I offered you evidence of Arnold's economic beliefs" is simply going to say, yeah that video really does show that he is going to cut the rate of increase to the Prison Gaurd Union, repeal the tripling of the car tax, or adopt AZ's Workers Comp solution.

This means what???? Do they all go around extolling the virtues of Milton Friedman? You must have inside info.

Are you really not getting the obvious point???? (4) Those are all hard core Left wing Hollywood types (I meant to say Rob, not Carl Reiner) who have certainly been self made to write checks for any autos they want, ya know that "proof" you keep preaching about, yet are fashionably liberal at best, marxists at worst.

Is Arnuld a marxist? Not likely with an 'R' in front of his name. Is he a Hollywood liberal Republican? I can't say, he hasn't taken any stands on issues.

More importantly, (as we come full circle) you can't say either.

[Mamzelle]

re: More: "He has told the press he is 'very liberal' about social programs, supports abortion and homosexual adoption, and advocates 'sensible gun controls.' )))

I'm not willing to reject Arnold yet. This position statement could also be pol-speak in a leftist state. Exactly what does it matter if he happens to be pro-abortion--particularly when we don't know just how pro he is. Abortion is a national issue, and a governor does not have much to say about it, particularly with a DNC state congress. Also, homosexual adoption is already a reality, and we might ask, "Which couple, and which kid?" The sensible gun control might also be a salve for liberals--I have no idea what that means.

If he had come out pro-life, anti-homosexual adoption, and pro-gun...would that have done us much good, or just made it more likely that he'd lose? A CA guv's real issues are in dealing with illegal immigration, getting the spending under control...not the hot-button social issues over which he'd have little control, anyway.

I'd like to know *Rush's* stand on illegal immigration, BTW. Anyone know? Los Angeles County has spent 350M dollars on illegal immigrants' emergency health care in one year. This staggers the mind...

I don't recall hearing any essays from Rush on the flood of illegals--you don't, generally, from the richer end of the GOP. They like the cheap servants.

[alwaysconservative]

he is going to cut the rate of increase to the Prison Gaurd Union, repeal the tripling of the car tax, or adopt AZ's Workers Comp solution

In case you weren't watching Leno or the news conference that followed, he DID say that part of the budget problem were the promises to big labor regarding pensions; that's why his comments about no special interests will own him was so refreshing. Can any other candidate of any party say the same? And yesterday, there was mention about the car tax issue. McClintock offers what? Years of leading the minority party further into the minority?

[b9]

I think Rush is playing Devil's Advocate about Arnold.
He's exposing Arnold's 'exposers' first and making fun of them.

I think Rush is a bit of a wiley coyote. ;o)

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

McClintock offers what? Years of leading the minority party further into the minority

First off, he doesn't lead the party, so I question if you know what you are talking about. Parsky does, shoving more RINOs down our throat. Any yes, that has indeed made the GOP a bigger minority. They were much better off when Sean Steel headed it than Rove/Bush appointee Parsky. We had only 1 Dem Gov in over twenty years before these guys kept putting up Riodens and other assorted losers for us to stay home from.

Now that our brief lesson is over, I have another bone to pick with you. I heard KFI's reporter ask Arnuld point blank a followup after he gave a total softball answer to something about whether "he would repeal the tripling of the Car Tax", standing right in front of him.

He completely ignored her question. Why? Because that would possibly alienate some voters who think increased taxes are part of the solution, and he is a consensus maker.

Yeah I heard the car tax mentioned, by a reporter, not by him, or should I say Him.

[Jorge]

Schwarzenegger is, first and foremost, an economic and fiscal conservative, and that's California's problem right now.

He's already talking about keeping up the funding for all the social programs, and tax and spend socialism that is driving businesses out of CA in the first place.

Seems to me Rush is right on this.

[alwaysconservative]

Simon is a RINO foisted on California by "the party"? McClintock is a RINO, similarly foisted? Because those are just two of the "alleged" RINOs who went down to defeat during 2002's HISTORIC election where conservatism swept the country everywhere else. You can't have it both ways. Either Simon and McClintock are conservatives who lost (and in Simon's case, to the most unpopular governor EVER, through his own ineptitude)in liberal California, with the MOST energized Republican California electorate ever, or they're part of the Parsky conspiracy.

Weren't you the one hoping awhile ago that Hillary runs in 2004 so that Republicans will come out en masse to defeat her? Hillary can paste McClintock in 2004 and her lesser devil Davis already pasted Simon. Arnold, on the other hand, can sever the serpent's head and deliver California closer to the Republicans than it's been in a long time.

[alwaysconservative]

I sincerely hope you're right about Rush playing devil's advocate with us. Problem is, most of his supporters here take everything he says as gospel. Rush has some great points, and has mastered the art of exposing Democrats as socialist prigs, but sometimes, he uses his power and bullhorn unwisely. Think about the excitement he ginned up for Perot in 1992 and his "sarcastic" endorsement of Clinton for president. It didn't hurt HIS career any to have 8 years' worth of material for his program. The rest of us and the American society in general, have had to pay the price for having "that man" in office.

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

From the McClintock website.

McClintock on ABC's This Week

August 10, 2003 at 6:00AM

Senator Tom McClintock will be on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." Please check your local listings for showing times.

[b9]

Rush comes across as having a HUUUUGE ego,
("talent on loan from God") but even that is sincerity cloaked in humor.

I think he doesn't want any comparisons made between Arnold and Ronald,
1) because NO one can replace Reagan and
2) because the farther from Reagan Arnold is perceived, the better his chances of winning.
Rush knows this is not Reagan's California.
He's crazy like a fox, just like Bush and just like
Arnold. (and not unlike Reagan!)
Funny, the first one I've heard mentioning Arnold and
Ronald in the same breath is Rush himself.
Isn't it interesting how much Rush has in common with Arnold? Both are self-made superstars, stand outs in their respective fields, both have adoring wives, love cigars, are misunderstood by the media, have limitless
energy and talent and are proven businessmen and rich enough not to have to pander.

Rush's radio roots are in Sacramento. He's doing more good for Arnold this way. I've been thinking about it as this thread has evolved all day.
Maybe I'm wrong...we'll see! ;o)

[onehipdad]

Thanks - and why not a NON-career politician, conservative or otherwise??

[b9]

Exactly!

[VOA]

.........the whole sad affair...has become a freak show.

Osage Orange,
you were "ahead of the curve" in deciding it was time to leave CA for better parts.

And I hope to eventually leave CA for some of the same parts of the USA (TX, OK, MO, KS)
but the thing is that CA is "the tail that wags the dog".

And anything, including a NOT-perfect guy like Arnold who might lead this huge
economy on a trek back to financial and cultural sanity
sounds good to me.

In a sane world, Bill Simon or Tom McClintock would win the recall election...
but (as you know) CA is not part of any sort of perfect world.

As an Okie in this foreign land, I simply ask those in flyover-country and points
east to pray that the California electorate will put someone with a spine (Arnold,
Peter Uberoth, McClintock) into the governor's office and let them, like Moses,
lead us to the borders of "the promised land", even if someone else (a succeeding governor)
takes us "across Jordan".

[Moby Grape]

Are YOU ashamed that the GOP tried to remove from office a president who obstructed justice, like ARNOLD is?

[wasp69]

Bravo, VOA, I could not have stated the "frog in boiling water"theory any better if I tried.

[Princeliberty]

Actually, McClintock would probably fight
for his principles as Governor and as a result
would probably win big in 2006.