For the GOP, it's More than a Recall

Lt. Col. Gil Ferguson, USMC (Ret.)

[StoneColdGOP]

There is no argument about the serious condition of our once golden state. Our debt is greater than all the other states combined, we are but a few million dollars away from bankruptcy. Our tax burden and over regulations are driving business out of the state at an unprecedented rate.

We are at a crucial point in our state’s history. The people themselves; Democrat, Republican and Independents, without the approval or help from any party have called for an election to recall this governor and replace him with another, one who will hopefully lead us out of this mess.

There appears to be a wide agreement on the first question; should we recall Governor Davis. The second part, choosing a new governor, will not be difficult for most Democrats: theirs is a party line vote with only one candidate, Lt. Gov. Bustamante. And even though he said he will raise taxes and further regulate and tax business, forcing more of them to leave, they will vote for him.

For Republicans however this election is about more than which Republican we should vote for. This election is more about the party itself; will we continue to be a party of principle, directed by the philosophy of Lincoln and Reagan or have we laid our principles aside? Do we want to win so badly that it doesn’t matter how or who, just so the next governor has an R behind his name?

The GOP has two candidates: Arnold Schwarzenegger, a celebrity of worldwide fame, with popularity and fame as the Terminator and recognized as a super star among movie idols. He is a good man. His celebrity status alone will attract a huge number of votes for the GOP from Independents, Democrats and especially young voters. Among the 18 to 30 year olds, he is Britney Spears with muscles. They wow over him. Most moderate Republicans and many regular Republicans, those who desperately want a Republican to win, will vote for him. They are prepared to look beyond his political beliefs and character; they just want to win.

Sen. McClintock, on the other hand, is an icon among Republicans. Since the first day he was elected to office, nearly twenty years ago, he has led the fight against the very forces and policies that have now badly tarnished this once golden state. He fought Governor Wilson’s huge tax increase, just as hard as he fought Willie Brown and Gray Davis. His credentials, as well as his character as a conservative Republican, are impeccable.

He has been our party’s leader and severest critic of fraud, corruption and waste in state government. From the very beginning of his career until today, he has warned that unless spending was brought under control, California would end up as it has today.

The knock on McClintock is that he can’t raise the money and so, can’t win this election. The knock on Schwarzenegger is that he is not a true Republican and carries a lot of baggage that the Democrats will probably throw at him just before the election.

Actually, Arnold is no higher in the polls than he was when he started, whereas McClintock has risen from an asterisk to double digits.

In the last election, McClintock was outspent 30 to 1, yet he received more votes than any other other Republican on election day. Had those moderates claiming Tom can’t win today contributed to his election, or given him his fair share of the money donated by the national party, he would have won. McClintock lost the Controller’s race by the slimmest margin in history. Had he been helped by the moderates controlling our state party, California would not now be in the awful mess in which we find ourselves today.

The moderates of the party and most of the GOP congressmen are just where they were prior to the last Governor’s race. On orders from the White House and Karl Rove, many "conservative" congressman support Schwarzenegger, just as they endorsed the moderate Richard Riordan.

The moderates in our party, including the New Majority and those in the Lincoln Club, are intensely interested in electing Schwarzenegger, a moderate. They believe the party’s future, especially in California, is to adopt the Karl Rove/Parsky plan; we must forgo the values of the liberals and accept the invasion of illegals, adopt the big tent, tax and spend and big government philosophy of the Democrats.

Conservatives know that our party’s losses in California, all during the past decade, are due to millions of illegals who have entered California, and – the continued split in our party between the moderate, "Country Club" Republicans and the conservatives.

While Arnold has a high rating in the polls, it has never risen above where it started. McClintock on the other hand has been continually rising, from as asterisk to double digits. There is a cry from moderate Republicans and "concern" from the media that McClintock should withdraw in favor of Arnold, else the GOP might not win and the dreadful Bustamante will become governor.

This dilemma among the GOP might not be so tragic or apocryphal if the contest was between two conservatives, say Simon and McClintock, one would drop out when just before the election the other was ahead. The same can be said if the two Republicans were Arnold and some equally famous, moderate movie star, but it isn’t.

It’s between our brightest Republican star, a conservative icon and a dazzling celebrity. Conservatives at the core of the party are incredulous at those moderates who don’t share those core values, yet are asking the conservative standard bearer to drop out. Conservatives want to win but they know that a win that asks us to repudiate our principles is not a victory, it’s a harbinger of the end.

Lieutenant Colonel Gil Ferguson, USMC (Ret.), served in the California State Assembly from 1984 to 1994.

[Dan from Michigan]

Ain't that true.

[Texas Eagle]

Now please...take my BUMP.

What does that mean?

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

This election is more about the party itself; will we continue to be a party of principle, directed by the philosophy of Lincoln and Reagan or have we laid our principles aside?

Yeah, the Powers that Be said Lincoln could never win either...The Stupid Party Indeed.

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

Out of Arnold and McClintock, which candidates' opinions on the issues most closely resemble yours?

McClintock by a country mile.

But since a vote for him is a vote for Cruz, I'll go for Arnold.

BTW, Freepers agree with me 50-44.

(If your man can't win on FR, he can't win anywhere.)

[born yesterday]

In the past most California Indian tribes lived in penury. With their casinos they became wealthy. Why don't you let the Indians spend their new riches as they wish. The GOP could have been their advocate, at least as well as the Democrats.

[FairOpinion]

In other state they pay some taxes, in CA they pay nothing.

Don't you think it's fair for them to pay part of their windfall to the state, just as all the rest of us do?

[Torie]

As one who is quite familiar with the Lincoln Club of Orange County, they tend to support the most right wing candidate that they can find. It is true however, that their endorsing one Republican is unusual, but then this is an usual election.

[sully777]

Yes I dealt it: Call it mental flatulance.

[sully777]

Forgive me.

[Lancey Howard]

BIG BUMP!!!

[truthkeeper]

Don't worry, it's good. It's a way of forcing the thread back up to the top of the "latest posts" screen with a comment, thus a "bump." Sometimes you will see "bttt," which does the same thing.

[meanspirit77]

Your post # 29, a great post.

[mrustow]

You know what, I respect the Marines as a fighting force without peer, but for this guy to affix his rank and service branch to his name, just killed my interest in his piece. If he can't argue a position, then he should give up writing. and if he can argue a position, he should give up cheating, by using his USMC rank. I have no tolerance for academics who let themselves be introduced as having attended "the university" (Harvard) prior to giving a public lecture, and the same goes for soldiers and their rank.

[truthkeeper]

Good God, that post is absolutely dead on. I can see you spend a lot of time reading these threads!

[BradyLS]

BUMP!

[BradyLS]

The second thing that is certain is that Mcclintock can't become governor if I don't vote for him. He's staying the course and so am I.

EXACTLY!!! If you don't for your man, your man won't win!

[BradyLS]

I have said this once and I will say it again: I wish McClintock could win. But he can't. If everyone sticks by their principles, fine. Enjoy Bustamante.

If everyone stuck by their pricnciples, would California be in this predicament?

[Texasforever]

And in California, the conservatives are still very powerful within the party, as we saw in the 2002 primaries that produced the nomination of conservative Bill Simon over liberal Richard Riordan, who had been the early favorite.

Whistling past the graveyard. The truth is that if the "true conservatives" lose the governorship to an incumbent with a 30% approval rating twice in 2 years "true conservatives" will be lucky to be allowed to bus the tables at the next GOP convention.

[christynsoldier]

re: #8

thanks, best post I've read in two weeks...

[BradyLS]

To: RockefellerRepub

He also LIED when he said Arnie would back him for the Senate during McClintock's withdrawl and endorsement back on October 1st. ARNIE DID NOT SAY THAT. Arnie's actual words were "I think this man could be our next Senator" and the crowd roared. NOTHING IN THERE ABOUT ARNIE SAYING HE WOULD HELP HIM BE THE NEXT SENATOR. Once again, the McScumbag voters are distorting Arnold's views!!!!!!

13 posted on 03/18/2004 2:11 PM CDT by HeilAhnuld

LOL!!! *wiping tears* That has to be the funniest and TRUEST post I've ever read on FreeRepublic! Tom really is in the race of a lifetime, and rumored "conservatives" are abandoning him at every turn. And if Tom does the right thing? There really is no way that Arnold will endorse or help him in abid against Boxer. You watch. Some other milquetoast "Republican" will be Arnold's Golden Child. Someone who can pull down Federal funds for a California bailout.