California Needs Conservatism (by Rush Limbaugh)

The Wall Street Journal ^ | August 20, 2003 | Rush Limbaugh

[Timesink]

Listening to some Republicans and conservatives on the possibility of winning the California governorship lately has been dismaying. "We don't really want to win this race. California is in such a mess it can't be fixed and we will be tagged as failures if we try. Let the Democrats continue to stew in their mess." Or a variation on this theme: "Whoever wins will not have a mandate so he/she will not be able to govern, especially with the huge Democrat majorities in the California legislature."

[holdonnow]

Laura Ingraham

[quidnunc]

Simon and McClintock are unelectabvle in California, the only role they can play si that of spoilers.

Rush knows this but for some reason he's leading the GOP down the primrose path.

[holdonnow]

And Reagan couldn't win in 1968 and 1976, but he won in 1980. You have to start somewhere, and by embracing a liberal Republican, or a whatever Republican, is counter-productive. You don't build support and a movement with your attitude, which is precisely what Rush is condemning.

[Reagan Man]

>>>Arnold is another Ross Perot. Gonna get under the hood and study the problem.

Like you said, this ain't rocket science.

Tom McClintok has the conservative credentials to get the job done.

[B Knotts]

Agreed.

And, there's a simple way for Schwarzenegger to begin to prove he's actually a conservative: say so.

I don't think that's in the cards, though. His handlers oppose conservatism.

As is often the case, Rush is right.

Conservatism need not be the strident bogeyman of the left; it can be enthusiastic, inspiring, hopeful and optimistic, while remaining true to itself. That was what Reagan did so well. Perhaps Tom McClintock can capture just a little bit of that Reagan magic.

[holdonnow]

Ditto.

[B Knotts]

Arnold is another Ross Perot.

Very well said.

Very well said.

I hadn't thought of it that way, but you're exactly right.

[fatima]

Bump.

[holdonnow]

Ditto.

[quidnunc]

Pfui!

Rush has turned his back on the GOP and furthermore I'm pretty sure doing it because of business reasons and not out of principle.

When he got his implant and could hear again one of his first ordersof business was to repudiate Dubya and the GOP.

It was during a sweeps period and you can't tell me that he didn't do it ot start a buzz and boost his listenership.

As Haley Barbour said, I was born at night, but not last night.

[B Knotts]

I just posted this on another thread. Reagan fans should take a look at this set:

Something I plan to order soon:

Reagan In His Own Voice (5 CD set)

This is a collection of Ronald Reagan's radio commentaries in the mid-late 70s. I heard some of them recently when they were played on a local radio station. They are excellent!

[CyberAnt]

"Now, if one man with a vision completely changed the course of a nation, why can't it happen in a single state?"

If "one man with a vision" - that could be none other than Tom McClintock. I say that because that is basically what Rush said about him today. Rush was very complimentary about Tom's 3 things he planned to do on his first day of office. "Now, there's a man with a vision."

[Jim Robinson]

Well, the longer Arnold stays quiet, the more support he's gonna lose. And, unfortunately for him, the only way he'll lose even more support is when he starts talking. I'd say if we don't want Bustamante's tough love programs shoved down our throats, then we'd all better rally behind a tax cutter. McClintock sounds like he's the man who can get the job done.

[CyberAnt]

I think if you check - you will find some of those state house RAT's are up for re-election in November. I wonder how many of them are in safe districts?

[holdonnow]

Yes, and Reagan criticized Ford, even ran against him. I suppose you would have accused Reagan of ruining the GOP too. Rush is intellectually honest, as was Reagan. These are good qualities my friend, unworthy of your assault.

[quidnunc]

The problem with ideologues is that they usually allow perfect to be the enemy of good enough.

A conservative is not going to prevail in this election so it's better to make do with the next best thing, which is any Republican.

Having a moderate or even liberal Republican governor of California during the 2004 election is exponentially preferable to going down to defeat with conservative colors nailed to the mast just for the sale of principle.

[CyberAnt]

"Sounds more like tough sh...."

Exactly!!

[GodGunsandGuts]

Allia yachta est bro. Conservatives stick to ideals, morals, ethics and a clear definition or right and wrong. When you have these things, there is no primrose path only a choice of right and wrong.

[Kevin Curry]

The problem with ideologues is that they usually allow perfect to be the enemy of good enough.

As a Republican, Schwarzenegger fails to meet even that most modest standard of "good enough."

McClintock is not perfect--but he is good enough.

[Fred Mertz]

A conservative is not going to prevail in this election so it's better to make do with the next best thing, which is any Republican.

I'm sorry, but I can't resist pinging babylonian to your lame and futile comment.