Arnie's Choice (Discussion for Undecideds)

My Febrile Mind | 8/20/2003 | Daniel J. Phillips

[BibChr]

I probably represent many Californians who are not yet on any candidate's bandwagon. My intent is to start and fuel a friendly discussion among us, hopefully relatively free from flamethrowers and those on the pay of any particular campaign.

I suggest I'm representative in these ways:

1. I am myself very conservative, politically and otherwise. Yet...
2. I understand we're electing a politician, not a pastor. And...
3. I understand that, judged from God's absolute standard, EVERY vote since Eden is a vote for the lesser of two evils.
4. I also understand that it is difficult to accomplish anything politically without winning. And...
5. I understand that it is usually better to move the ball successfully one yard towards the goal, than to fail gloriously in going for an impossible touchdown.

Having said that:

1. I think that, among GOP candidates, Schwarzenegger has the best odds of winning the election.
2. Though he is not my ideal candidate by ANY means, I am willing to be convinced that I should support him.
3. At present, his ONLY stated and specific positions
   • Were all staked out BEFORE the campaign; but still...
   • Are all either left-moderate or far-left.
4. For me to support him, he is going to have to stake out at least one specific, you-can-hold-me-to-this, major conservative position. Show me in some way that he has something identifiably Republican about him aside from his registration.

I am in a hurry, so I conclude this opening sally by saying that I take it as also a "given" that Simon should be pluperfect. That is, he should be described as in "he had run." He has no place in this election. Davis is governor in large measure because Simon failed Political Leadership 101: Winning the Election. He can redeem himself by time and accomplishments, and I am aware of neither since the last election, in which I voted for him, and which he gift-wrapped for Governor Davis.

Arnold is in a position to win it today, I think. Davis tried to be Clinton and failed — he's the same cup of hemlock without that minty aftertaste! Bustamonte says "I love you so much I'm going to raise your taxes!" Arnold can run away with it. If Schwarzenegger comes out with some conservative specifics, I think a lot of us are willing to "break" for him. If he doesn't... ay yi yi. We may be forced to McClintock, who I think is probably a good man, and who I think is far less likely to be able to win.

[hchutch]

The fact is, we need to keep inmind WHY the recall happened. It was NOT a lot of the "cultural issues" that some folks have talked about. It's about Gray Davis misleading the voters about California's financial condition, and THAT is what whoever wins has a mandate to deal with.

[BibChr]

Yes. I really think you have a point; not a point I like or am happy about, but a point that needs to be considered.

It's hard for an idealist — which I am — to get used to the fact that politics is the art of the possible, not losing everything to insist on absolute ideological purity.

Dan

[Walkin Man]

It is guaranteed that he will toss you a conservative bone!

No doubt about it. A promise not to raise taxes perhaps? Then all the conservative repub's can drown out their rational, logical thoughts for a few minutes and pull the lever for a pro-abort, pro-gay agenda, gun-grabbing, tax-and-spend lib like Arnold. Because gee, Arnie can win!!

Then after the election(of course…) Arnie will take a hard left, while laughing at the stupid right-wing of his party!

Leftist's never give on their agenda, only the right, it’s amazing!

[nina0113]

Yep, I'll be watching the election with great interest, but little true happiness even if Arnold wins. Not a champagne-worthy evening.

[Miss Marple]

I take it, then, that whatever economic plan he puts forth today, even if it is creative and conservative, and even though sucuh conservatives as George Shultz, Bob Dornan, David Dreier, Chris Cox, and Newt Gingrich support the plan and him, you will consider it a faux plan and a bone tossed to conservatives, and something he will not implement once elected?

Do I have this correct? No matter what his positions are. you don't believe him, right?

[hchutch]

That's how many of them are, I guess.

[Walkin Man]

Right, I don't trust leftist's of either party. Just because he has a R by his name doesn't change a thing for me.

I have no vote in this election so Arnie doesn't have to win me over but the Republican voters of California know what Arnold stands for.

If they elect him they deserve all the crap he and his far-left advisors are going to give them.

[beckett]

Arnie going wobbly on taxes the other day, if the leak is to be believed, soured me on him. I'm beginning to fear that he is so captive to the Hollywood mentality that he could do actual damage to the Republican Party if he made it to Sacramento.

Arnie is no Ronald Reagan.

It might turn out to be better for the party for Davis or Bustamante to be saddled with governorship for the next three years and let a good Republican candidate take a shot in the next election cycle. The whole recall thing is beginning to have too much of an unsavory odor about it.

[88keys]

For discussion:

If Simon, McClintock and Schwarzenegger all stay in the race, will Schwarzenegger pull enough votes from the "conservative and middle left" to beat Simon and McClintock on the GOP side?

And, will that be enough to edge out Bustamente?

One of the most "true" lines I've heard is, "The Republicans are running in a primary while the Democrat's running in the general election"...from over here I don't see how Bustamente can lose, barring some serious malfeasance or scandal, when you've got three diversely qualified GOP candidates splitting the middle/conservative votes three ways...

Hopefully the debates and discussions will serve as a sort of "straw primary", maybe?

What are Simon's or McClintock's chances of beating Bustamente if their GOP opponents drop out and one of them's the "only" credible GOP candidate?

Do the Simon and McClintock backers feel that Schwarzenegger (who seems to be the GOP "front-runner" for the moment) would be no better a choice than Bustamente?

Haven't done the research, but I heard it said on one of the talk shows that Buffett is a big-time liberal"...true?

(this post sounds like one of those "compare and contrast" exam questions, LOL!!)

[mombonn]

I'm glad I don't have to cast a ballot for one of the candidates in CA. I might easily vote for Bustamante knowing how much Gray hates him, and that being replaced by him would inflict maximum pain.

The RATS must be held resonsible for the mess they've made, and I fear that electing a pubbie right now will backfire on them instead of the RATS.

However, if Arnold or anyone else can move the ball one yard toward the goal, then I'd vote for him instead.

[ken5050]

In your post, Bib..you called yourself a conservative...I KNOW you are indeed one, yet you did not address the issue/question of social conservatives vs. fiscal conservatives.....Arnold ain't a social conservative..he's waaaay outside most of the GOP.....look..if "choice" is the deciding factor for the Dems..then "life" has to be taht for the GOP..no tent is that big.....and is we make compromises to move the ball..then we get,and deserve, what happened to the ECUSA......they got where they are by slowly eroding everything they used to stand for...

[BibChr]

Here is Hugh Hewitt's case for Schw over McC, for what it's worth.

Dan

[DoctorZIn]

PING!

Join Us for a Complete Listing of All The Recall Threads.

[Drango]

Unfortunately, once again, it looks as if California Republicans have circled the wagons, turned inward, and started firing....

[BibChr]

My thoughts, better-put. Thanks.

Dan

[bboop]

My thinking exactly. I want to see something conservative coming from Ahhh-nold. But I do not want to vote 'purist' and give the election to Bustamante OR Davis. Politics is NOT heaven and neither is California.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks for doing this!

calgov2002:

Gray Must Pay
Cruz Must Lose

calgov2002: for new calgov2002 articles. 

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[BibChr]

I think you may be referring to the Drudge blaring headline which, when I looked, as based on a then-week-old secondhand story. I hope it isn't true. I hope today's conference settles it — one way or another!

Dan

[headsonpikes]

RE: Buffet, Rothschild, Terminator

So Kali's lucky to get a 'first-string' puppet, I reckon!

Hey, this is just like in the movies - he's a robotic creature of Powerful Forces.

Popcorn all round!

[BibChr]

I think you're basically right. And yes, Buffett is not only a liberal Demo, he's a STINKING liberal Demo.

Dan