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."

[tkathy]

This is the 21st Century, not the Reagan 70's. Rush doesn't get it.

[teldon30]

wow...go easy big guy....hehehe ;)

[holdonnow]

You're creating a strawman. No one's asking for perfection, whatever that means.

[CyberAnt]

These people have been all over the internet for the last week - even since Arnold signed his papers. I believe it's the CLINTON machine that is working this site and trying to FORCE US TO VOTE FOR ARNOLD.

Remember, Art Torres admitted on Hannity that Tom McClintock was the person they were most concerned about - NOT ARNOLD!!!

[quidnunc]

Holdonnow wrote: 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.

If I'm assaulting anything it's Rush's judgement and his intellectual honesty.

He used to understand that you don't get anything for coming in second in an election.

He used to understand that all things being equal any Republican office-holder was better than having a Democrat.

Well he's either forgotten or he's trying to be Michael Savage lite.

I'm betting on the latter.

[quidnunc]

Babylonian has been MIA for a couple of months.

I hope he's OK.

[CyberAnt]

You are so right - and the other thing which has to be CUT - IS REGULATIONS - SO BUSINESSES CAN PROSPER AND HIRE PEOPLE!!

[Timesink]

What do you think of the quote pulled by FreeReign in post #7? Can a conservative governor turn things around despite the ultrasocialist RAT Legislature that will stand in his way? Or would American conservatism overall be better off if we let the RATS completely destroy California's state government in a way where they're left with 100% of the blame?

[quidnunc]

Holdonnow wrote: You're creating a strawman. No one's asking for perfection, whatever that means.

You know perfectly well what I mean.

[holdonnow]

Knock-knock ... Reagan was president in the 1980s. And I suppose what you mean by this not being the 1970s is that conservatism is dead? You mean individual liberty, capitalism, opportunity, God-given natural rights, and the rule of law are dead? No, disco is dead. Conservatism is alive and well, and some of us are hoping it will become stronger and help rescue those who are suffering under the iron-fist of liberal Stalinism.

[PeoplesRepublicOfWashington]

And Reagan couldn't win in 1968 and 1976, but he won in 1980. You have to start somewhere...

A big reason that Reagan won in '80 was that Carter was so obviously incompetent. Many voted against Carter rather than voted for Reagan. You win elections like you win a chess game, by controlling the middle. Unless the opposition is so bad that many will vote against him. The opposition is obviously very bad in California, but that might get you only a new 'Rat in office. I'd rather have most RINOs than a 'Rat.

[FreeReign]

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

Ok, then make a case for how Arnold is "good enough".

[Reagan Man]

You're lost on the outer limits of the twilight zone.

As Kevin Curry said:

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

Arnold is not a conservative. Arnold is a liberal RINO.

[holdonnow]

There you go again ... I don't remember Rush saying any Republican is better. But, then again, be the Rush admirer you seem to be, I'm sure you've accurately memorized all of his views. You're a fool, and you prove it with each passing post. Go to it ...

[Jim Robinson]

Hey, I live here. We're not going to allow California to be destroyed to make a point. Vote the RATs out!! Never give up. Never surrender to a RAT!

[AeWingnut]

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.

RINOs make it possible for people to say, "They're all the same"

Let them fail while flying the demChiComcrimo-crat flag and not a tarnished Conservative republican one.

Like the Catholic church being better off without the Lavender Mafia. The republican party would be better off without RINOs - RINOs only run as republicans to get elected while not running against their friends, the liberal democrats.

[quidnunc]

FreeReign wrote: Ok, then make a case for how Arnold is "good enough".

Like I said, any Republican is better than the alternative during the 2004 election upcoming.

Dubya's re-election is vital to America's future and all this monkey-farting around over whether Arnold is conservative enough is so much verbal masturbation.

[goldstategop]

I agree with Rush in principle. I have no doubt Tom McClintock would be an excellent Governor. The big question: is this state ready to embrace a conservative as Governor? Most conservatives think: not yet. At the same time we don't have to run away from and apologize for our message and we shouldn't. Arnold's not a conservative and it seems to me that we need more than electability to justifying get behind his candidacy. Does he have a plan that will improve California which at least is not in conflict with conservative principles? Look, we've cut the guy a lot of slack. Even Rush has so far not come out against him. But if the price for our support is muting or squelching our fundamental principles, we don't need a Republican Party here in California. In short, Arnold needs us more than we need him and we'll find who's right tomorrow.

[Hugin]

Californians are generally conservative

How's life in that strange alternate universe you live in?

[gorush]

"I'd rather have most RINOs than a 'Rat."

Why?