Arnold Is No "Liberal" (Truth is Out!)

MensNewsDaily ^ | 26AUG2003 | Bob Chandra

[familyop]

Arnold Is No "Liberal"

August 26, 2003

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by Bob Chandra

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MensNewsDaily.com
California Republicans have a historical opportunity to remove from office the state's corrupt and inept governor, Gray Davis, who has bankrupted California and buried it in debt. Recent polls indicate that the effort to recall Gray Davis would succeed. However, the nightmare scenario would be that Davis ally - Democrat Cruz Bustamante - would gain the most votes as a result of Republicans dividing their votes amongst several candidates. Recent polls by Time/CNN, NBC, and the Public Policy Institute of California all suggest the same thing - Schwarzenegger is ahead of Bustamante, while the results show that Bustamante would beat both Tom McClintock and Peter Ueberroth easily. But the question arises- is Arnold a "liberal"?

In order to make this determination, one has to plumb Schwarzenegger's background, actions, and past statements for indications of his politics. The evidence strongly suggests Arnold is not, in fact, a liberal. From the Wall Street Journal: "Bill Saracino, a former head of Gun Owners of California, believes that when it comes to conservatives evaluating Mr. Schwarzenegger, 'the glass is half full or way more.' He notes that Mr. Schwarzenegger has opposed strict gun controls." In a magazine interview, Arnold said, "Outlawing guns is not the right method of eliminating the problem. If you outlaw guns, people will still have them illegally." According to NewsMax: "Arnold has given private assurances to congressmen and Republican Party leaders that he will come out against partial-birth abortion, pederasts in the Boy Scouts, and welfare for illegal aliens. Couple that with a knowledgeable defense of free market economics gained through study of Milton Friedman and years of attending Reason Foundation seminars, and Arnold takes the wind out of his Republican opponents Bill Simon and Tom McClintock."

Arnold supported Proposition 187 to deny taxpayer-funded services for illegal immigrants. When criticized for it by the media, he did not backpedal and instead conveyed the importance of rule-of-law. On family values, Arnold understands the importance of two parent households. In Salon.com, he called the phenomenon of broken homes one of the most pressing problems in society today. These are some of the reasons that Hugh Hewitt came out in support of Arnold in his column on WorldNetDaily ("This conservative is voting for Arnold"). Hewitt summarizes his thinking this way, "I support the most conservative candidate who has the most realistic chance of winning. A vote for Tom McClintock, Bill Simon or Peter Ueberroth is a vote for Cruz Bustamante. It really is that simple."

Regarding his fiscal inclinations, Arnold's successful rise from rags to riches suggests that he respects the role of entrepreneurs in creating jobs and building the economy. According to the Wall Street Journal: "Mr. Schwarzenegger's biography exemplifies the American dream...At age 21, he came to America in 1968 with little money and even less command of English. A natural capitalist, he bought up office buildings and apartment complexes before he ever made a film. His business empire now includes shopping malls, a Boeing 747 he leases to an airline, and a large chunk of Santa Monica real estate. He took evening courses in business at UCLA, and earned a bachelor's degree in business by mail from the University of Wisconsin at Superior." Arnold's business background suggests he will be responsible with taxpayer money and knowledgeable on financial matters.

A recent Contra Costa article ("Arnold's finances reveal a shrewd tale") reveals how Schwarzenegger built his personal fortune through successful entrepreneurship and perceptive business moves. Arnold told the Financial Times, "I am more comfortable with an Adam Smith philosophy than with Keynesian theory." He has also said, "I still believe in lower taxes -- and the power of the free market. I still believe in controlling government spending. If it's a bad program, let's get rid of it." According to a San Jose Mercury News report, Schwarzenegger is a "fan of the University of Chicago Economics Department, which had provided President Reagan's economic advisers".

There are some who call Arnold a "compromise candidate". But given his past actions and statements, it's clear that a strong streak of conservatism runs through him. At very least, he is no "liberal".

Bob Chandra

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Bob Chandra is a Bay Area Republican activist. He was involved as a strategist for Linda Rae Hermann's campaign against Mike Honda for California's 15th congressional district, and he currently serves as a commissioner for the Saratoga library. His email address is bobchandra(at)comcast.net.






MensNewsDaily.com

[pogo101]

Most of your (often-posted) post with the Arnold quotes is entirely fair, but not the characterization of Perenchio as "left-wing." He and his business(es) donate a ton of political money and, although a lot of it goes to people on the left of the nation's political center, most of it by far goes to conservatives ... and a quick eyeballing of the available data strongly suggests Perenchio is turning away from his past liberal notions ... and that he "plays the field" quite a bit.

Click here for contributions for election cycles ending in 2004, 2002 and 2000. True, I see Ted Kennedy and John Conyers on the list for $1k each, but not since 1999. More recently, I see SIX-FIGURE donations to the RNC and NRSC ... I see some "bad" donations, like those to Loretta Sanchez, the DNC ($25k, which is bad, but it's still tons less than he gives to the GOP), Harry Reid and Little Dick Gephardt ... but I see a LOT MORE recently to W. ... even James Rogan when he was under (ultimately successful) attack for his role in impeaching Clinton.

Perenchio just likes to have someone he can call in DC: "access." The evidence doesn't support a "left-wing" bent on his part. His support of more GOP/conservative efforts in recent years than Dem/liberal ones suggests that he may be turning rightward. If so, let's not discourage him; let's co-opt him.

[headsonpikes]

MAN! You sure can type fast!

Or is that what they call 'spamming from another thread'?

[Spiff]

First, the characterization of Perenchio as a leftist came from another source. And I've already looked up his political donations. He gives more money to Democrat candidates than Republican candidates, but he gives more money directly to the RNC and other committees within the RNC than to committees in the DNC.

[Feiny]

I am reserving my decision until the election.

[DoughtyOne]

[DoughtyOne]

Here's one of Bush's positions...

Quotes from another thread:

Bustamante as governor would not be good news for Bush. As a Democrat in the governor’s chair, he would inherit Davis’s fiscal problems but not his personal baggage. Accordingly, the election of a Republican Oct. 7 suddenly becomes a Bush priority. Nobody gives 2002 nominee Bill Simon a prayer, and state Sen. Tom McClintock is a very dark horse. That is why, on the day after Schwarzenegger nudged aside Riordan to become a candidate, the President declared of the five-time Mr. Universe: “I think he’d make a good governor.”

LINK

I think McClintock is the better candidate.  If he can't win I will vote for someone else rather than see Davis or worse yet Bustamante hold the office.

[pogo101]

the characterization of Perenchio as a leftist came from another source

OK. This is a tiny nit to pick: your post presents it as your own view, or so I believe most readers would construe it. To present it as someone other source's view and not as yours, most writers would use a turn of phrase like, "Perenchio, whom one source has termed 'left-wing' and who has long supported Grayout Davis ... ."

[DoughtyOne]

Nice post. There's too much slanted (or half) truth being flung around on this forum concerning Schwarzenegger.

[Redleg Duke]

Better than RAT-heavy!

[pogo101]

Thanks, but bear in mind I like both guys for gov., and have to concede that the chart I was referring to has a lot of fair comparisons.

Wish I could elect both guys and pick the best bits. *L*

[familyop]

"Here's one of Bush's positions..."

LOL! That's the best endorsement anyone could give!

[familyop]

ROFL! Good one!

[deport]

Here's one of Bush's positions...

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Thanks but I was asking the poster if he has a similar list of "Bustamante's" Positions similar to the Schwarzenegger statements he detailed in his post....

My point is that I believe Bustamante needs to be exposed for what he believes and how he would govern. I think the Republican candidates/supporters need to push their positives and leave the tearing down of each other out of it. Positives reflect upon the candidates and their supports in a good way while negatives become hard to overcome when it becomes time to try and unite behind a candidate to defeat the democrat. But then maybe electing a democrat is the objective. There will be plenty of Republican bashing by the Democrats as the race nears election day.

[=Intervention=]

And how long do you suppose he will stay fiscally conservative? That's one thing I haven't heard any answer upon. Honestly, we all know that power corrupts and without something to hold force in check, the more corrupt people become. What's to stop a moderate from becoming liberal when surrounded by power? I simply have no faith in moderatism, because it is nothing.

It is madness to say that "fiscal conservativism is the only thing that matters" when the governor can wreak all kinds of havok on other fronts. It is irresponsible if nothing else...

[familyop]

If it's southeast Arizona, ain't that sorta like word
from Las Vegas? LOL!

[DoughtyOne]

I like them both also, and actually prefer McClintock.

[DoughtyOne]

In all fairness, I canibalized this graphic from the one against Schwarzenegger on the forum. I morphed it to what you see here.

[DoughtyOne]

And I think that was an excellent point. Don't hold your breath while that list is developed. I doubt it's going to show up.

[SunStar]

Arnold has given private assurances to congressmen and Republican Party leaders that he will come out against partial-birth abortion, pederasts in the Boy Scouts, and welfare for illegal aliens.

When will this happen?

[Little Ray]

Personally, I am a member of the "Let the People's Republik of Kalifornia crash and burn with a Democrat so that the it makes a good example for the rest of the country" caucus.

That said, for all his RINO status, Ahhhnold is still to the right of Bustamonte (and most of the PRK legislature), has the poll numbers, the money, and the name recognition. If'n you want a Republican running the PRK, you need to support Arnold Schwartzenegger. He is also probably the best chance ya'll will ever have of pryin' the PRK's electoral votes out the fingers of the Democrats.