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.

[Pelham]

bump

[harpo11]

What a dilemna for rock solid conservatives. They will go down hard with the ship and allow Davis and his sidekick, Bustamante, rule over us with more in your face gloating because of principles and their painful lack of principles. Now don't get me wrong prinicples are wonderful attributes to possess. But, stubborn adherence to having the perfect mix in your candidate, even while fully acknowledging that these prinicples do not reflect the general population of your fellow Californian's, will not bring your perfect candidate to victory.

In fact, the entire Republican Party will be chased back to the borders if we can't muster the votes to oust Davis. McClintock is perfect. Yes, indeed. But, California is not perfect. It's people are as Davis said, are from every Planet...well he said that...but when you think about it, as my Uncles living in Chicago think we all out here are just a little crazier than most folks.

Maybe, my candidate, Arnold, isn't pure 100% Conservative. Maybe, he has a lot of moderate to liberal social ideas. I was once a democrat and I voted Republican, for Ronald Reagan. Turned out the best thing I ever could do at that time. I was willing to see the man could and he did do a fine job. I think sometimes you just got to tread where you never have before and take a step for the good of all even if it means dropping a few dreams of perfection.

California GOP needs a win, Big Time. McClintock is so close, but close enough ain't gonna get it. Another time, another race. But we need VICTORY now! Failure is not an option.

[milan]

California is a mess which is filled with some of the most hardcore liberal nut jobs. If everyone stuck by their principles, Schwarzenegger wouldn't even make it...you would keep Davis and Bustamante.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

If McClintocks numbers show he took just enough away to have lost this election for the Republican Party, he will never win another election in California. I don't care WHAT his ideology is, what his plans are. He will be so dead politically he might as well retire. TRUST ME!!

The party may not be asking him to step down, but he will never have a place in the party again. If he can't see this he is not as smart as I thought he was.

[EveningStar]

That pretty much sums up my feelings.

[skeeter]

As a U.S. Senator, he could not be counted upon being against Roe v. Wade. That's the ballgame for the entire nation, not just California.

I agree with you re: Arnold as senator.

Re: TM though - he's a policy wonk, not a personality. And since being senator is all about charisma & bringing home the bacon, I doubt TM would do very well in DC.

[Outraged]

Amen brother...I am getting sick and tired of rolling over for liberal Republicans for "the greater good" B.S.

Drier can kiss my lily white ass.

[sruleoflaw]

What's the difference between Arnold Schwarzenegger, Nelson Rockefeller, Jerry Ford and Arlen Specter? THEY ARE ALL RINOS WHO HAVE DONE MORE DAMAGE THAN GOOD.

When the people of California have suffered enough, they'll wise up. Arnold won't do one stinking good for this state.
The little Pete Wilson clone will do just like his master: 1) Raise taxes 2) Seek to destroy conservatism in California 3) And seek to remove the pro-life plank in the GOP platform. IF YOUR BOY GETS IN, HE JUST WON THE FIRST PHASE OF THE WAR. When the leftist goes to raise taxes, I promise you this: WAR RESUMES. Hope you get it.

[sruleoflaw]

Please spare me: don't use the words "Arnold" and "principles" in the same sentence. They are diametrically opposed. All the best.

[sruleoflaw]

Who is Bob Chandra? What are his credentials? What has he ever done for the Republican Party? Sounds like Pete Wilson's clone.

[FairOpinion]

"Who is Bob Chandra? What are his credentials?"

===

He speaks the truth. Can you refute any of his statements? Obviously not, that's why you are resorting to attacking the messenger.

[sruleoflaw]

Who's your political hero -- Trent Lott, Arlen Specter, Jerry Ford, Nellie Rockefeller? They're not very rigid.

[dk/coro]

It is for a fact. I fell asleep halfway through it.

Reality will set in -- probably at the last minute -- and McClintock will strike a deal with Arnold...for the good of the Party.

And, let's not forget -- years of service in Sacramento is nothing to be too proud of. I can argue effectively that the periods that the Congress of the United States is NOT in session, is the period in which the least amount of harm can befall the American citizens !!!

New blood in the Capitol cannot screw up the process anymore than the experienced pols already have !! At least we would have someone to immediately hold responsible for results -- the legislature notwithstanding.

Cheers !! Happy voting...as often as possible !!

[sruleoflaw]

Bush2000, can you please tell me where you live? You really are not following this election too well. Your statement that Arnold's positions are easy to learn is patently false and patently absurd.

Arnold has only participated in ONE DEBATE -- with the questions in advance. He says he doesn't have time for debates, but has time for 2 interviews with shock jock Howard Stern. He engages in forums with pre-selected audiences. He refuses to discuss any issue in detail. He refuses to name one program he'll cut. Here is a recent exchange between an LA television reporter. This exchange is pure Arnold. The Arnbots on this website deserve a stupid, devious politician like Arnold:


Moyer: Critics say that you say what you just told me, it sounds great, but that you're not specific.

Schwarzenegger: You want specific?

Moyer: I would love to have three ways that you're going to cut the budget.

Schwarzenegger: First of all, you won't really know if it's $12 billion or $10 billion or $8 billion. This is the problem that we have with this budget right now. Think about it. They don't have an exact number because there is so much hocus pocus going on.

I have one statement for Arnold: Answer the question stupid one.

[sruleoflaw]

Give us a break. I ask some reasonable questions and you change the subject and refuse to answer the questions -- just like your hero Arnold. He is so cute. Here a Friday exchange with a television reporter:

Moyer: Critics say that you say what you just told me, it sounds great, but that you're not specific.

Schwarzenegger: You want specific?

Moyer: I would love to have three ways that you're going to cut the budget.

Schwarzenegger: First of all, you won't really know if it's $12 billion or $10 billion or $8 billion. This is the problem that we have with this budget right now. Think about it. They don't have an exact number because there is so much hocus pocus going on.

Here's my question (now try hard Fair Opinion and answer the question): Is Arnold incapable of answering a simple question; is he politically afraid of answering the question; is he stupid; or is Pete Wilson holding his reins too tight. ARNOLD IS AN EMBARASSMENT. Please tell him to go back to sticking women's heads in toilets; he does that well. Simple questions are tough.

[Outraged]

FACE IT, HE CAN'T WIN BECAUSE YOU WON'T SUPPORT HIM. Just take the blame for the failure of conservative ideals in CA and be honest about it.

That is right, if the Republican party had any credibility they would sacrifice Arnold at the altar and have his support handed to McClintock.

One thing worse than a liberal and that is a RINO (take this as a direct insult to so-called Conservatives who support McCainenegger).

[sruleoflaw]

Outraged. Great post.

Hi fellow conservatives:

Please contact me via email (swampler@jps.net) or phone 209-833-6745. I live in California and host a radio talk show in the Central Valley (website: www.stevewampler.com) Please get in touch with me; I have some ideas for helping Tom that I want to share with each of you. All the best.

[sruleoflaw]

Hi fellow conservatives:

Please contact me via email (swampler@jps.net) or phone 209-833-6745. I live in California and host a radio talk show in the Central Valley (website: www.stevewampler.com) Please get in touch with me; I have some ideas for helping Tom that I want to share with each of you. All the best.

[sruleoflaw]

BUMP

[50sDad]

Yep. Cardassian torture...I was involved in a lawsuit with some lying ba$tards a few years ago, and that scene was all I could think of.