The 800 Pound Gorilla That Will Elect Tom McClintock

FreeRepublic.com ^ | September 6, 2003 | Avoiding_Sulla

[Avoiding_Sulla]

Let's keep this simple.

The 800 pound gorilla is the one that would attack Senator McClintock were he wrong about being able to rescind those contracts.

First, here's the underlying plan regarding the issue that is most important to the opposition in Tom McClintock 3 issue platform in his run for governor, right from off his website at http://www.tommcclintock.com/tomsplan/energy.cfm. He has made every effort to tell the world about it.

Void the Energy Contracts

Governor Davis ignored the energy issue as the crisis was building, and didn't spend any time dealing with it until blackouts were already upon us. Then, Davis had his chief negotiator, a consultant for the energy companies, negotiate with those energy companies and sign $42 billion dollars in massively overpriced energy contracts.

Senator McClintock has pledged to immediately sign a stipulation for the court case seeking to void those contracts, admitting that Governor Davis' negotiator had a conflict of interest, allowing the court to void those contracts and save the people of California a small fortune.

"Those contracts were negotiated under a clear legal conflict of interest by Davis' chief negotiator. This governor won't stipulate to these simple facts because it would require him to admit wrongdoing. I'll certainly admit Davis has done some things wrong!

Second, how do you know it's most important thing to the opposition? Because, out of all the scheming to get Senator McClintock off the ballot, to make it appear that he can't win, has been the opposition's complete silence on the matter.

This is so obvious, you know that my suspicous nature has caught wind of something very important to all of us.

You know that most probably McClintock is right on this issue.

You know because the opposition doesn't want to challenge him because any challenges must eventually lead to proving that McClintock is right.

And the media plays along and doesn't make an issue of it either, because McClintock is right.

[templar]

With your support of Schwarzenegger, you all are joining them instead of defeating them.

I've always suspected that the liberals (Democrats) will end up taking over the Republican party rather than defeating them. It's easier, takes less money, and is permanent.

[Publius6961]

Looks like Tom and his Kool Aid Gang are determined to elect Bustamante. Californians have 30 days to learn Spanish before being arrested under Aztlan Martial Law.

I handle spanish fluently.
As I said, I am better equiped than most to deal with the slow death Arnold will give the state.
That's why McClintock or Bustamante are my only choices.

Party uber alles doesn't do it for me.

[Conservative til I die]

Whoa, take it easy. For some reason I've gotten like 5 posts directed my way about why I shouldn't support Schwarzenegger. Let's get a few things straight here:

1) I don't even live in California, so I won't be voting for anyone.

2) I'll be happy if either Arnold or McClintock is elected over Bustamante.

3) I never said anything about Schwarzenegger in my post. I only said McClintock is going to finish third, unless something cataclysmic happens. Candidates don't just pick up 25-30 percentage points for no particular reason when there are two other candidates sucking up the vast majority of votes.

You've all given me many good reasons why I should vote for McClintock. I don't need any convincing. But give me a reason why McClintock should all of a sudden pick up a massive amount of votes almost literally overnight?

[EternalVigilance]

Yeah, that is a danger. A danger that the Schwarzenegger candidacy makes very real and very present.

We're in all likelihood always going to have a two-party system, though.

The only question is if either of them, no matter what names they go by, is going to stand for anything more worthwhile than a bucket of warm spit.

[Conservative til I die]

I honestly think the media is very afraid of the prospect of Governor McClintock. They do not want to admit that he is gaining serious ground while Arnold and his enormous free advertising media blitz have resulted in nothing but negative poll slippage.

Why have there been no polls reported in the last two weeks (post-Simon dropping out?

OK, you've got me confused here. How can you know that McClintock is gaining serious ground if no polls have been released lately and the media is hiding the news?

[EternalVigilance]

"Get over yourself, Mr. Moral Superiority."

...he says insultingly as he piously looks down his nose and preaches...

[aruanan]

The only reason the moneyed interests, their media, and Pete Wilson's machine are afraid to beat Senator McClintock over his head with it, is either he is dead-on right, or they are waiting until October 5 to reveal how wrong he is.

FReepmail, Email, and get on the telephone and tell this to everybody you know.

Yes, get on the phone and tell everyone that McClintock is either dead-on right or really, really wrong. This certainly is news that everyone needs to know so they can formulate a plan about what to do whichever way it turns out to be!

[CyberAnt]

"so tiresome"

Oh boy! I couldn't agree more. I have been emailing FOX almost daily screaming at them about all the unanswered negative statements about the President. Their report after report after report of the dems saying the word "failure" was more than I could handle. I see today they have softened their report and it confirms I was not the only one who sent them an email about it.

Then .. I come on FR and every other post is about how "unelectable" Tom is. "Tiresome" is putting it midly. I too have stayed away for days from both the TV and FR. However, I have made note that MOST of the Tom bashers are out of staters - and I really like to make a point of stating that fact. I think Tom has a lot of support in California - much more than out of state people realize.

Cheers!!

[EternalVigilance]

Didn't your psychiatrist warn you not to miss a dose of your medication? You McClintock freaks are really losing your grip on reality.

Looks like Tom and his Kool Aid Gang are determined to elect Bustamante. Californians have 30 days to learn Spanish before being arrested under Aztlan Martial Law.

Sounds to me like it is you who needs to call the orderly.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"Senator McClintock has pledged to immediately sign a stipulation for the court case seeking to void those contracts, admitting that Governor Davis' negotiator had a conflict of interest, allowing the court to void those contracts and save the people of California a small fortune."

Avoiding_Sulla...you said that.

"He cannot simply "void" them; rather, he will waste California taxpayers dollars trying to take them down in the courts, and the energy companies will fight him every step of the way."

sinkspur said that.

So, you Sulla said that the issue will have to be decided in the Courts, and so did sinkspur. You seem to have this idea that the power companies will simply walk away from tens of billions of dollars in cintracts when face by McClintock, sinkspur thinks that they will fight in Court, costing California a whole ton of money in Court fees.

"If you want to get people to abandon to support Senator McClintock for our own good based on this idea, why not prove him sinkspur wrong instead of bloviating, and convince us all how the energy companies will walk away without a Court fight?"

As far as to whether the energy companies or McClintock will win in Court, your guess is no better than anyone else's. I have a tendency to believe that it's going to be a real mother getting those contracts voided.

[RonDog]

Show me a recent poll citing likely voters that includes all candidates with these numbers. I don't believe them.

I read somewhere here on FR today that Survey USA is releasing new numbers soon - perhaps on WEDNESDAY. (9/10)

Is that correct, VeritatisSplendor?

Aside from THAT there is THIS:

Order in the State [Schwarzenegger on Prop. 187, Private Poll Numbers, etc.]
LA Weekly ^ | 9-5-03 | Bill Bradley
Posted on 09/05/2003 11:27 PM PDT by ambrose

-- snip --

Like the movie superstar, the lieutenant governor has needed a lot of time to get up to speed. Although a former Assembly speaker, Cruz Bustamante has gone long stretches of time without saying anything. And what he has said sometimes doesn’t stand up to any serious scrutiny. But he has a winning manner, an impressive title and Latino support. What he does not have, according to his campaign manager Richie Ross, is anything like the strength suggested in the latest L.A. Times poll.

“We know Cruz had nowhere near that,” scoffs Ross, referring to the Times report last month that Bustamante led Schwarzenegger, 35 percent to 22 percent. “The numbers on Gray were way off, too,” he said, referring to the Times report that the recall is leading by only five points. “We like the support, but hey.” Ross says his polling, like other credible polls, shows a close race for governor and a large lead for the recall. “We have a tiny lead over Arnold right now,” he says, citing a mild hit from the Oui controversy. Other polls show Schwarzenegger even or ahead...

CLICK HERE for the rest of that thread

[aruanan]

Can you believe these sheeple [sic, there's a golden oldie from the earlier days of Freeperdom] even know how to read?

It would be helpful if you knew how to write.

[itsahoot]

I can't vote, so I'm not supporting anybody.

Well I can vote Sink, and just to Pi$$ you off my vote goes to McClintock.

I don't think it makes much difference anyway this state is lost, and like a drunk it will never get better until it hits bottom.

[EternalVigilance]

Being a purist is wonderful, but if you are so rigid that you will blindly in spite of all logic vote for someone who cannot win, then what have you accomplished.

It amazes me that purity has suddenly become a negative thing for a bunch of people who claim to be conservatives.

I guess you all just aren't sick enough of the impurities floating around in the political glass these days.

It kind of grosses me out.

[CyberAnt]

"no payments; no electricity"

Well .. I'm not an expert in this field, but common sense would tell me that when these electricity companies see that their "illegal" contracts are going to be voided - they will be falling all over themselves to negotiate a better contract.

I just don't believe these electricity companies will be willing TO GIVE UP the dollars to be made from California's electricity needs.

Just a thought!

[Hoverbug]

And then what kind of customer does California become

So you're saying that suppliers would just refuse to sell to CA and turn down all the profits that are there to be made? Are you saying we should allow ourselves to be gouged or the power companies won't sell us electricity?

when major suppliers need to fear they will not honor their contracts?

Nonsense. What suppliers will fear is that contracts made for outrageous gouging prices by either bribing those in government who are making the contracts, or making contracts with officials who derive income from that deal won't be honored, and they may think twice before trying it again.

Hb

[EternalVigilance]

I have a tendency to believe that it's going to be a real mother getting those contracts voided.

So do I.

But I'm also damn glad that there is at least one politician who has the guts to try.

IMO, the signing of those contracts was a criminal act--armed robbery writ large--by the Davis criminal enterprise.

[RonDog]

Here is a post from another thread, by "Survey USA" pollster VeritatisSplendor:

To: ambrose

Our next poll is scheduled to be released to our California clients Tuesday 9/9. It will be on our website the following morning.

103 posted on 09/05/2003 6:01 PM PDT by VeritatisSplendor

[Brandon]

Meanwhile the bleeding has stopped and new contracts could be put into place. As Publius has said, we cannot recover (or it is extremely unlikely that we will recover) money already paid to the energy companies, but I believe that we can end the contracts (through the "void" provision) unless the California Law is proven Federally Unconstitutional...

I'm skeptical about being able to void contracts, but assume you are right and it can be done. As someone else has already pointed out, if the contract is void, then payments stop -- and so do deliveries. All of a sudden it's rotating brownouts again, just like it was before. "Putting contracts in place" assumes that a provider of the needed goods and services is willing to negotiate with you, and that you are able to come to agreement. How willing will the large utilities be to negotiate a new contract with California, when (in their view) California has just renegged on the old one? What will the ultimate terms of the new contract be? It seems to me that the outcome would be a crapshoot, and that in the interim, while the new contracts were being negotiated, California would once again suffer severe energy shortages.

[Carry_Okie]

My gut says that Arnold is in the mid 20's and his support is shaky (as moderate support always is), while McClintock is around 15% having barely got his message out. Consider the virtual blackout on McClintock until very lately; Arnold got all the press. There were a number of polls where Tom wasn't even represented as a candidate! Now, consider the enormous pressure the CAGOP is putting on every one of its corporate constituencies to support Schwarzenegger.

Had they thrown in with McClintock this would be a slam dunk, but the CAGOP leadership won't support a conservative candidate. That's the one principal reason that they have given to conservatives not to support Mr. Schwarzenegger.