Posted on 08/08/2003 8:36:39 AM PDT by 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.
His body is a work of art. That photo is no more offensive than Greek and Roman sculptures. Such artisic wonders can be found, for example, in the Vatican Museum.
It doesn't make sense to me either. BUT this fact should remain first and foremost in people's minds: Arnold is atttempting to get elected in liberal California. What else can he say? No "pure" conservative can hope to win a statewide there - period.
I'm left with the hope that Arnold wants results more than he wants to stick to the feel-good election promises. If he gets elected and tries to make the status quo work, he'll fail miserably. So what. So would all the other "electable" candidates. I know that's a crappy way to look at things out there, but there are simply no other good options.
California reality actally has me hoping for politicians to lie in order to get elected. Ugh.
As you know I'm a native Californian...born and raised..some 30 plus years. I've many fond memories...of my years there.
My last 10-15 years living there...."sealed the deal" for my family and I....& we made plans to leave the state, and never return. The state was "circling the drain" fast...then, and hasn't recovered.
It makes me sad...it makes me mad. But, we've not regretted leaving...not one bit.
FRegards,
I admire California because it has a strong conservative tradition -- there is a sizable conservative community still in California, a minority to be sure, but still sizable. We don't, and have never, had that in Washington. Washington was wobbly and communist stronghold practically from statehood in 1889. The only "conservative" of note to ever win a statewide election in Washington was Scoop Jackson -- a pro-defense Kennedy Democrat!!!
So I have strong feelings about a state that would elect and produce a Ronald Reagan, or even a Richard Nixon. In Washington, Nixon would be considered a far-out right wing nut!
So I do care about California, it is important to the country. And I'd like to see it start moving back toward sanity, because maybe it pull some of the rest of the whacked-out west coast with it.
And I'd be happy with baby-steps, like Arnold represents. Because we can't win [yet] with big, massive revolutions. Attitudes like those in California -- pro-abortion, pro-homosexuality, pro-any strange and weird sexual adventurism, pro-cradle-to-the-grave social programs, etc. etc. -- just won't be given up suddenly, no matter how bad the crisis is. People took generations developing those strange ideas -- it's imbued right down to their souls, who they are as human beings. They won't be righted in a couple of months.
I have friends out west who are pretty good conservative/libertarian thinkers till it comes to the environment (they're all outdoor sports types). Your comment rings true to me from my exposure. The green propaganda is so effective, to give you one example that this one fellow was convinced clear cutting was all the fault of evil Republicans and greedy corporations. The area of concern was under local Democrat control as was the state and at the time the Dems controlled congress. Yet it was all the fault of the Republicans - and he deeply believed it.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.