Coming: The Rise Of The "Arnold" Democrats

The Los Angeles Times ^ | 8/10/03 | Tony Quinn

[goldstategop]

The newly emerging Arnold Democrat is as socially liberal to libertarian as the Reagan Democrat was socially conservative. He or she may well be an immigrant or the child of an immigrant. But one thing seems certain: The Arnold Democrat poses every bit as much of a threat to the California Democratic Party as the Reagan Democrat did decades ago.

[ambrose]

My point is that the intent of the recall was to actually accomplish something other than putting Cruz Bustamonte or Garamendi in the governor's mansion - it was supposed to be about putting your economy and fiscal policies back on track.

There is no "governor's mansion" in this state.

In order to do that, a Republican has to win the election - even one which does not meet 100% of your personal, uncompromising expectations.

How does having *a* Republican accomplish those goals? There will be over 50 different "Republicans" running in the recall election. Are they all capable of fixing the economy? Stopping illegal immigration? Fixing the worker's comp system?

I think the answer to this is self-evident.

On every thread, I have asked the Arnold sycophants to identify one single position he stands for, and they have yet to do so. I put the same challenge to you. Where does Arnold stand on the car tax? On illegal immigration? On worker comp reform? On teacher testing?

[ambrose]

Question: If the president of NAMBLA were a Republican and leading in the polls, should good Freepers support him? Afterall, that seems to be your only qualifiers - party affiliation, and polling numbers... policy and issues be damned.

[Mr. Mojo]

Where does Arnold stand on the car tax? On illegal immigration? On worker comp reform? On teacher testing?

He's going to do his very best to not answer any of those questions during the campaign, you can bank on that. My guess is that he's probably lax on illegal immigration, strong on teacher testing, anti-car tax (and anti-most taxes), anti-2nd Amendment (although probably not nearly as bad as Feinswine), pro-"choice", etc. ...Iow, a typical fiscal conservative with (semi) libertarian leanings.

[ambrose]

even one which does not meet 100% of your personal, uncompromising expectations.

And I am hardly 100% uncompromising. I've supported moderates, such as Pete Wilson and former U.S. senator John Seymour. However, I refuse to blindly support a cipher candidate simply because he has an "R" next to his name.

But whatever, your view seems to be carrying the day on Freeperland. Guess the Free Republic should be more aptly named "The Republican Underground" because this joint has been overrun with partisan shills who don't care one wit about principle or ideology.

[EternalVigilance]

If neither McClintock nor Simon drop out and Arnold manages to win despite that, the "true conservatives" will find themselves out in the cold like never before, and that will ripple across the nation. Count on it.

Once it becomes apparent what those people and their agenda do in elections, their agendae will be jettisoned, their concerns will be swept aside, and their blandishments for public policy laughed at and criticised on unprecedented levels in the next few years.

All of which would delight you to no end, doubtless.

Which is exactly why we have to fight you RINOs to the political death--because you will treat us with contempt no matter the outcome anyhow.

[Mr. Mojo]

Question: If the president of NAMBLA were a Republican and leading in the polls, should good Freepers support him? Afterall, that seems to be your only qualifiers - party affiliation, and polling numbers... policy and issues be damned.

Of course not, and I'd imagine not one Freeper would do so. But Arnold is no NAMBLA queen, and he's better than either Davis or Bustamonte for the job. ....And he can help GWB secure those CA electoral votes.

[ambrose]

He supported a boondoggle initiative in 2002 which pushed through massive spending for after school day care programs. That is hardly the work of a "fiscal conservative".

[hellinahandcart]

We can't post entire articles from the LA Times. It's part of a settlement agreement. See the "Important Legal Notice" box on the FR main page.

You'll probably have to register in order to read the article, too.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

We're talking about a candidate with the potential to keep that huge mass of Democrats from putting someone into your Governor's office that is just as bad or worse than what is sought to be replaced. That has to be a Republican - and what's more, a Republican with the clout, funding and presence to grab those moderate votes out of the Independents and to swing some Democrats as well. As for fixing your problems (aside from your silly aside on the immigration thing, because he's not the INS)? It will be up to him to unentrench your state bureaucracy first - something which doesn't happen under Governor Bustamonte or Governor Garamendi.

[Mr. Mojo]

True enough, he's no pure fiscal conservative. But I'd imagine with CA's financial difficulties that he'd be far less inclined to support such initiatives as you mentioned.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

The president of NAMBLA isn't a Republican, nor would he lead in the polls.

Put down the whiskey bottle, it doesn't help you make sense.

[EternalVigilance]

Sorry - it isn't going to happen.

Why? Because you say so? LOL...you guys have chutzpah, I will give you that!

But frankly you are nuts.

If the pro-life and pro-gun and anti-illegal-immigration and property rights and tax reform and pro-business forces unite and back Tom McClintock, there is more than enough force there to crush all of you.

The only thing standing in the way of that currently is a bunch of defeatist Republicans and RINOs.

[ambrose]

(aside from your silly aside on the immigration thing, because he's not the INS)

Ever hear of something called Proposition 187? Ever hear about the plan to give drivers licenses to illegal aliens in this state? Do you know that illegal aliens get state subsidized college tuition rates?

It seems like you know very little about the inner workings of California politics. There's more to it than what you're reading in the latest issue of Newsweek.

[Maigrey]

I will still disagree with it, simply because of the issue of the D's endorsing killing innocent children (abortion) while advocating sparing the lives of convicted murderers.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Neither principle nor ideology matters much when you're out of power, and sliding further out with each passing day.

[EternalVigilance]

True enough, he's no pure fiscal conservative.

My compliments on your impressive powers of understatement.

[b9]

Have you ever raised teenagers?
I'm not being flip.
If you have, you know it takes inCREDible patience,
resolute, unflinching tough love, and realistic expectations. You never give up and you have to be grateful for every inch of progress.

Raising the mentality of the electorate in California is
very much like that.
If they were adults, they'd probably vote McClintock overwhelmingly and the polls would reflect that.
I'm grateful for the polls .. they keep it real.

[ambrose]

By the way, your RINO friends control the governor's office in Nevada. You tell me how that has made things better there.

You know, Kenny Guinn, the joker who rammed through huge tax increases in the state legislature? Bet you liked that, huh.

[ambrose]

Neither principle nor ideology matters much when you're out of power, and sliding further out with each passing day.

And what's the point of having power if you won't do anything useful with it once you've got it?

[Chancellor Palpatine]

We treat you with contempt because you don't think tactically, don't think strategically, don't plan, can't win and when given influence and your issues given prominence, you drag us down into your pantheon of losers.