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Tom McClintock's Political Career: R.I.P.
dfu | 9-30-03 | doug from upland

Posted on 09/30/2003 2:42:54 PM PDT by doug from upland

Tom McClintock continues his walk toward the California political graveyard. It is an unstoppable walk, almost suicidal in its dedication.

McClintock is my first choice as governor. He would make a great governor. Ronald Reagan would also make a great governor. Unfortunately, those of us who live in the real world of California politics, recognize that neither McClintock, the Gipper, nor the pornstar will be the next governor of California. We recognize that politics is the art of the possible. Although Bruce Herschenson's recent commercials are well done, they are no more than wishful thinking. I've met Bruce. He would have been a great senator, and he came very close.

So, what will happen to McClintock? Unfortunately, he has painted himself into a corner. He has said over and over that he will not drop out. If he drops out now, he will be seen as a liar. If he doesn't drop out and Bustamante is handed the governorship, he will never be forgiven by Republicans. He will be a political dead man walking. Even if Arnold pulls it out in a close 3-man race, the GOP has been hoping for a Terminator mandate. Such would make it easier for him to deal with the runaway RATS who have been destroying our state.

Yes, McClintock is principled. Yes, Arnold only supports some of my own agenda. But Bustamante supports none of my agenda. I guess I'll take someone with whom I have 70% agreement and can win, rather than someone with whom I have 95% agreement who cannot win. Face it, McClintock Kool-Aid drinkers -- he is a great man but he cannot win. Standing on principles is noble, however, if you get no place at the table, all it does it make you feel good that you did the right thing. With a RINO in power, at least we have some chance of influencing policy. Maybe we can even change his mind on some issues. We will never have any influence over the Mecha Man. He will continue to destroy our state.

Tom McClintock is self-terminating. May his political career rest in peace.


TOPICS: US: California; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: bustamantehelper; cannotwin; mcclintock; prematureobituary; reality; recall; schwarzenegger
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To: doug from upland
Hmmm, let me see if I understand. All the current indicators suggest that, contrary to what the "McClintock-is-great-but-can't-win-so-vote-for-Arnold" hysterical voices have been screaming, McClintock's candidacy isn't going to prevent Arnold from winning. I guess that means that the residual hatred of McClintock, as articulated in this piece, comes from some sort of weird sour grapes mentality that is determined to punish McClintock for NOT having made the doomsday prediction come true, thereby showing that these naysayers didn't really know what they were talking about.

Yep, that's worth ostracizing a genuine conservative candidate over.

81 posted on 09/30/2003 4:30:20 PM PDT by william clark
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To: william clark
There is no residual hatred of McClintock in this piece. Get the chip off your shoulder.
82 posted on 09/30/2003 4:34:35 PM PDT by doug from upland (Why did DemocRATS allow a perjuring rapist to remain in the Oval Office?)
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To: VOA
I'm starting to think I'm the only person in CA that hasn't either given gotten something from the Indian gaming groups...

I sure havent recieved a penny from them, and frankly, I'm PISSED OFF ABOUT IT !

OK, thats better.

< /rant>

Cheers,

knews hound

83 posted on 09/30/2003 4:35:32 PM PDT by knews_hound (Out of the NIC ,into the Router, out to the Cloud....Nothing but 'Net)
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To: Robert_Paulson2
Virtual abortion clinic, I think we're all being called that at least twenty times per day. Hey, if that's all they've got, then that's all they've got. Bustamante would be ever so much better.
84 posted on 09/30/2003 4:39:59 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: doug from upland
Join Us…Your One Thread To All The California Recall News Threads!

Want on our daily or major news ping lists? Freepmail DoctorZin

85 posted on 09/30/2003 4:46:35 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
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To: doug from upland
Tom McClintock is self-terminating. May his political career rest in peace.

Right you are Doug--As the Katzenjammer twins used to say: "You brought it on yourself Rollo!"

86 posted on 09/30/2003 4:47:32 PM PDT by Irwin Corey PhD
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To: doug from upland
No chip on my shoulder. I just have to wonder what, apart from an ego the size of that so often assigned to McClintock for staying in the race, would prompt anyone who claims to respect the man to write a vanity piece with the headline you did. It's as if you're saying, "Even if the awful things we said would happen if you didn't withdraw from the race don't happen, we're going to punish you anyway." That sounds a lot more like a chip than anything I'm carrying around.

What's the problem with adopting the attitude "Okay, fortunately we were wrong about the implications of you staying in the race until the end, so we'll look forward to supporting you in another race where the odds are more in your favor"?

87 posted on 09/30/2003 4:48:42 PM PDT by william clark
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To: william clark
My post reflected what I heard earlier on the radio. I think it was from David Dreier.
88 posted on 09/30/2003 4:51:28 PM PDT by doug from upland (Why did DemocRATS allow a perjuring rapist to remain in the Oval Office?)
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To: Jim Robinson
To: AAABEST

I'm pro-life, pro-God, pro-family, pro-gun, pro-Constitution, pro-freedom and pro-America. I'm for less taxes, for smaller less intrusive government, for strong national defense. I am anti-feminaziism, anti-homosexual agenda, anti-homosexual marriage, anti-extra-constitutional rights for any class or group of people, anti-illegal immigration, anti-drivers licenses for illegal aliens, anti-liberal give away programs attracting illegal immigrants, anti-wealth redistribution, anti-bureaucracy, anti-liberal and anti-Democrat. I'm anti-global warming treaty (it's a farce), anti-junk science, anti-UN, anti-environmentalism and I'm pro-drilling. I'm anti-income tax, anti-big government, anti-social security, anti-mediscare, anti-goverment schools, and for a repeal of the 16th and 17th amendments. I'm anti-universal healthcare, anti-government forced insurance coverage and anti-union for government workers. I'm for everyone paying their own medical expenses and providing for their own retirements where they can. I'm pro-business, pro-entrepreneur and pro-individualism. I'm pro-SUV, pro-4WD, pro-BBQ, pro-sleeping under the stars. I'm anti-corruption, anti-Clinton (any of them), likewise anti-Kennedy. I'm half-horse, half alligator and part snapping turtle. I can turn a jack, I can lay a track. I was born standing up and talking back. Now who do you think I'll vote for.
67 posted on 09/30/2003 3:58 PM PDT by Jim Robinson (Conservative by nature... Republican by spirit... Patriot by heart... AND... ANTI-Liberal by GOD!)


That's an excellent post Jim.  I agree with everything you've written.  As for your question at the end, a lot of what I am is with you there too.  As you know I voted for Pat Buchanan in 2000.  Come hell or high water the border meant more to me than anything else.  For all my effort, people who felt as I did almost gave Florida to Vice-President Al Gore, which would have meant that he would have won the election.

After 09/11 I mentioned that I wish folks would have listened to Pat about immigration.  Only one or two people on the forum recognized the truth of what I stated.  Others were more than happy to slam me for being a one-percenter.  You know what Jim, if I'd have ushered in an Al Gore Presidency, we'd have been worse off.

I like George Bush the man.  I disagree with a lot of what he does.  I like the idea of a war on terrorism and cringe when I see how we treat Israel by a different standard.  I also cringe when I think of the border.  It's still open and we're still under threat of another 09/11.  This president just doesn't get it.

If I vote for Tom, I'm going to feel real good for about 8 eight hours after I go to sleep on Tuesday night.  Then I wake up to a possible Bustamante Governorship.  What do I tell myself when I face that reality?  Do I take comfort in that I did the right thing as Cruz destroys this state each and every day with each and every action he takes after he's elected?

It has been my decision to vote for Schwarzenegger and hope he does the right thing.  I know Cruz won't and I still don't think Tom can get elected.  These polls that show Tom beating Bustamante if Arnold drops out, just aren't realistic in my opinion.

Then there's public opinion and the reality that Schwarzenegger outpolls Tom by a two to one margin.  I can't change public opinion.  Nobody here has been able to for the last two months.  The polls seem to indicate that Schwarzenegger has a chance, but I don't trust any of them.

Evidently the Democrats do think Schwarzenegger is the man to beat or they wouldn't be blowing kisses to Tom.

Should I take my vote and give it to Tom reducing the likelihood that Schwarzenegger can beat Tom?  I don't think so.

As much as I wish I could do what you have said you will do, I simply cannot.  As much as I dislike what Bill Clinton stands for, if he were running against the devil, I'd vote for him.  Cruz Bustamante is worse than Arnold Schwarzenegger.  I would feel terrible if I contributed in any way to a Cruz victory. That really is what it comes down to for me.


89 posted on 09/30/2003 5:04:15 PM PDT by DoughtyOne
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To: doug from upland
Well, I'd say that a more accurate headline would be "Conservatism in California: R.I.P." With all the ammo we had against the Davis/Bustamante administration, and with Arnold stepping in to split the LIBERAL vote (since he passes so many of their litmus tests), we had a golden opportunity to step up to the plate and articulate a sound reform policy that could be embraced by non-Republicans who have witnessed the lunacy of Davis/Bustamante and are willing to listen to reason. But the GOP leadership has been gun-shy for so long, they no longer have the vision to distinguish this election from any other, and are without the guts needed to wage a challenging campaign. Arnold was the easy way out and they took it, even though it means abandoning so much of the Republican platform. If they couldn't muster the resources and nerve for this fight, I don't see them ever doing it in the future. Forget incremental change. There's no incentive to move in that direction now.
90 posted on 09/30/2003 5:08:47 PM PDT by william clark
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To: doug from upland
I guess I'll take someone with whom I have 70% agreement

70%?

I'm pretty sure you are not pro-choice. And I bet you are not pro-gun control, either. I would be surprised if you were pro-homosexual adoption or pro-illegal aliens. And I would also be very surprised if you were pro-enviro-Nazi.

So where's the 70%, Doug?

91 posted on 09/30/2003 5:16:23 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: william clark
Well, I'd say that a more accurate headline would be "Conservatism in California: R.I.P."

Yep. California will only elect a liberal, say the surrender monkeys, so if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

92 posted on 09/30/2003 5:24:41 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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.
93 posted on 09/30/2003 5:32:16 PM PDT by firewalk
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To: Lancey Howard
I didn't do the numbers, but I am placing great weight on economic philosophy.
94 posted on 09/30/2003 5:32:26 PM PDT by doug from upland (Why did DemocRATS allow a perjuring rapist to remain in the Oval Office?)
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To: doug from upland
Doug I respect your opinion greatly but we have a fundamental difference on at least one issue.

Bustamante was not and will not become governor whether Schwarzenegger or Issa or Mcclintock or even Davis or a combination of the above are his opponents.

He won't become governor because of the deep seated and engrained cultural bigotry in California which has been exacerbated and elevated by the pandering on both sides of the isle and the focus on illegal immigration engineered by Davis in the past few weeks.

The average blue collar, union Joe is an example. Joe knows Bustamate is his ticket to continued union strength but won't bring himself to mark that box because he knows the cultural and economic threat posed by the illegal immigration that Bustamante champions. These may be union faithful but they're also good old boys and see themselves as patriots.

95 posted on 09/30/2003 5:50:41 PM PDT by Amerigomag
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To: Nateman
As a fellow convert of Milton Friedman's writing, I believe Arnold will do
a lot of good for California.


I remember seeing Friedman on a PBS special on economics when I was in
(IIRC) high school. The one thing that stuck with me was him saying that many studies,
in many countries, had shown that when total tax rates start to exceed 40%...
the inventive subjects start becoming EXTREMELY creative in finding ways around
paying taxes (e.g., barter).
And societal respect for the rule of law and general order starts to erode.

While I wasn't zealous about spreading this gospel to my friends, I'll never forget
meeting a fellow graduate student, a well-meaning "progressive" Democrat
who said she voted Democrat because they were "sane enough to raise taxes".

Wisely I kept my tongue...but inside I woke with a start and screamed in my head
"Are You F---ING NUTS?
Of course I found out she was playing it smart. She was only modestly talented
in our field...but landed a plumb federal regulatory job.
I still shudder thinking what sort of entrepreneurial, scientific advances she has
managed to stop with her limited imagination and foresight, not to mention
the tax money she has absorbed from the federal research budget with her salary.
96 posted on 09/30/2003 7:12:43 PM PDT by VOA
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To: doug from upland
And it gets worse. As the self-appointed "only conservative" in the race, McClintock threatens to not only immolate his own career but also what little influence conservatives have left in this State. If he gets his head handed to him, no politician in either party will think it necessary to pay attention to the opinions of conservatives. We will have been shown to be an irrelevant minority.

We had all better start praying that he can beat out Bustamante. A 2nd place showing just might save our clout in this State. A third place finish, or worse, spoiling the election and letting Bustamante win, will turn us into political roadkill.

A great little balancing act Tom's ego has us playing, eh?
97 posted on 09/30/2003 7:33:26 PM PDT by Redcloak (Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.)
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To: redlipstick
Be glad that I just set down the Dr. Pepper or you'd owe me a new monitor!
98 posted on 09/30/2003 7:36:32 PM PDT by Redcloak (Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.)
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To: Saundra Duffy
Schwarznkennedy breezed into Fresno yesterday and raised a cool half a million dollars from the ag lobby.

Looks like Arnold's support for illegal aliens is paying dividends.

99 posted on 09/30/2003 8:02:47 PM PDT by Roscoe
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To: Jim Robinson
How do you want the 17th amendment repealed?
100 posted on 09/30/2003 11:26:01 PM PDT by BonnieJ
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