Posted on 06/11/2006 9:26:08 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
There is an Associated Press article from yesterday that highlights the unprecedented investment that is being put together to mobilize Republican volunteers to turn out voters for the GOP ticket this November, headed up by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. This operation represents a significant financial commitment by Team Schwarzenegger to a ground game. He has hired top notch operatives to head up the effort, and has assembled a field staff many-dozens strong that is deployed throughout the Golden State. The Governor should be applauded for his financial commitment to turning out Republican voters. This level of resource-commitment is truly unprecidented!
However, to use the proverbial saying -- "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink" -- the key component to the success of the large scale effort is going to be the volunteers (the target goal is to mobilize 90,000 volunteers). Therein lies the single biggest challenge for the State GOP's Victory Program. Governor Schwarzenegger must do more than invest dollars and professional staff into a statewide mobilization effort -- he must campaign on themes and on issues that are going to excite Republican volunteers. In this case, good Republican policies lead to good Republican volunteerism.
First and foremost, I should make it abundantly clear (which I do quite often on this page) that I support Arnold Schwarzenegger for re-election. So my observations here are well-intentioned, with the idea that they will hopefully spur some thought or contemplation by those in a position to give him input.
Right now, core GOP volunteers are not energized and excited. I know this because I interact with them all of the time. I also get a lot of feedback as this website is read by many, many Republican volunteers. The lion's share of their frustration is stemming from the DC calamity -- where Republicans are dropping the ball on the illegal immigration enforcement issue, and have completely squandered the GOP mandate to be the party of lower spending as federal largesse has risen substantially under the Elephant banner. These are not California-specific creations, but it is a national downer for GOP enthusiasm.
This makes the challenge even greater for Governor Schwarzenegger, who, being at the top of the GOP ticket, is going to be the primary attraction to get GOP volunteers involved. To do this, the Governor needs to have a campaign theme that is going to get these disenchanted GOPers excited. He needs to create the energy and enthusiasm so that his large investment in a Victory Program can pay off. Without the volunteers, the effort will finish exactly where it starts -- with a core group of paid workers.
Right now, the Governor seems to be intent on framing his campaign around a theme of spending. He is trumpeting his infrastructure spending plan as a key reason for why Californians should get out and vote. He is emphasizing his environment credentials, as well as his commitment to making a taxpayer investment in preschool education. These themes may all resonate with centrist voters, but they are not going to excite core GOP volunteers. While most Republicans agree with the need for infrastructure fixes, bonding to do it instead of spending from our record-high annual state income does not sit right. Furthermore the bonds are filled with so much pork that you have to sort out the infrastructure from the social-engineering projects inserted by the Democrats. Let's not forget that GOP legislators by-and-large overwhelmingly opposed placing these bond measures on the ballot - so they are, by definition, a divisive issue on which to campaign.
In order get those volunteer cards signed by earnest, energized Republican workers, the Governor should consider some ideas espoused by the Republican Party, such as:
Taking a harder line on the State Budget. It won't take much belt-tightening to make the Democrats scream, and bolster the Governor's position on being a fiscal conservative.
Announce some solid initiatives to try to "disincentivize" criminal aliens from residing in California -- employer sanctions, requiring proper ID for state services, and a pledge to never sign a bill to allow illegal aliens to have a license to drive.
Furthermore, he should call for legislation to impound the car of anyone driving who is not a documented, legal resident. A strategic retreat from support of a "guest worker" (read: AMNESTY) program would be helpful. (These items are important because they counter the exact issues about which GOPers are concerned -- the "DC doldrums".)
Propose tax CUTS - or one-time tax refunds. It should be California families, not state government, that enjoys the fruits of a healthy economy.
Endorse both the parental notification and the Protect Our Homes property rights measures on the November ballot.
Prepare a statewide "veto tour" of California, rejecting the flurry of liberal legislation that will land on his desk in the coming months, courtesy of the left-wing legislature.
It would be a mistake to assume that merely contrasting an ultra-liberal Phil Angelides with a centrist Schwarzenegger is going to motivate core GOP activists. Volunteers are best motivated not by being 'against' something -- but by being 'FOR' something. No one is expecting Arnold Schwarzenegger to be a right-winger -- but the ideas I mention above are just a few main-stream things he can do to help the great team that is being assembled to be best able to do their job. I know many of the folks on the Victory '06 ("V6) team and they are very capable. But it will take some campaigning by the Governor on positive, GOP-friendly issues to enable them to be successful and to really turn out the vote.
Even with all of that, the whole California ticket had best hope that the GOP in Washington comes up with some achievements on spending control, does not pass some sort of amnesty/guest worker program, and perhaps even comes up with a definable exit-strategy for the engagement in Iraq (I get a lot of e-mail from Republicans on this). If not, there will still be a volunteer program. Some volunteers will still 'step up' just to fight off the specter of Angelides being Governor. But the numbers of enthusiastic volunteers will be a lot less than their potential if the Governor doesn't adjust his campaign rhetoric to appeal to the Republican base. The Governor can't control what happens in D.C., but he can create an energetic campaign that quells, not feeds, the concerns of grassroots Republicans.
Just ask the folks doing GOP turnout in the 50th Special Election, where it ended up mainly being a GOTV effort by paid staffers 'dispatched' to the area. Republicans are unhappy right now with their elected representatives. It will take an serious effort to get them volunteering, an effort that starts with the President and Congress in Washington, D.C., and the Governor here in the Golden State. It wasn't just Democrats but also Republicans that had a record low turnout last Tuesday.
You know, during the recall these very same folks practically shrieked that "this isn't about social issues" and that "social issues" have no bearing on the recall when we all objected to Arnold's liberalism. Of course once Arnold won, they declared his victory was a mandate on his "social issues." Moreover likes of Tom McClintock could never win because of their stands on social issues.
It would be funny if it wasn't so sad.
Bingo!
... a harder line on the State Budget... some solid initiatives to try to "disincentivize" criminal aliens... employer sanctions.. strategic retreat from support of a "guest worker" ... Propose tax CUTS - or one-time tax refunds... Endorse both the parental notification and the Protect Our Homes property rights measures... prepare a "veto tour" rejecting the flurry of liberal legislation...
A good start! Most of these things are common sense items to a Republican who believes in the platform.
No one is expecting Arnold Schwarzenegger to be a right-winger -- but the ideas I mention above are just a few main-stream things he can do to help the great team that is being assembled to be best able to do their job.
Unfortunately, our New-Majorityite Republicans think these ideas are only held by the "fringe", the "extreme right wing", the "one-percenters", and other silly names they like to throw around. Instead of embracing the Republican platform, some are running from it trying to out-green the greens, out-spend the libs, and have government be all-things to all-people.
BUMP!!!
And then they abandoned the fiscal conservative platform too!
Speaking of feeling green....
CA: The Mean Green Machine - Arnold is back...
Newsweek/MSNBC ^ | Karen Breslau | June 19, 2006
Posted on 06/11/2006 12:20:37 PM PDT by calcowgirl
I'll tell you Norm, we can make a major difference in our state if we even take the personal responsibility to call up all of our friends to alert them to the issues and when it was time to vote.
Too often when I see if friends are up to speed, they are not.
They don't often know it is the day to go vote or at times all the issues.
So, if even we makr the minor effort of calling and educating our friends to get them to vote, we do a lot of good for California.
I think California is hopeless.
A perfect example is the Special Election where we DID have a chance to reign in the state legislature.
This thread should be titled "You Can Lead a Kid to College, But You Can't Make Him Think."
Or vote.
No, it's not. They just want you and CA voters to think it is.
Depressing voter turnout is the goal, just like in the special election.
Keep that in mind.
The thinking is this.
I want a conservative and Arnold is not conservative enough
so I will take the far left Angelides by not voting for Arnold.
What freakin thinking is this. Only a DU troll or someone who never got through the spoild brat stage of life.
I would like a conservative but as a life long several decade native of CA I can count and there are far more liberals in CA than conservatives.
"A perfect example is the Special Election where we DID have a chance to reign in the state legislature. "
===
Exactly. And people stayed home or even voted against the reform propositions, handing a victory to the Dems and the Unions. Arnold tried to reform the state, as he promised to do, and the electorate pulled the rug out from under him.
You said it. Great post!
I use the term DICCs frugally, as Rush uses "feminazis", but it applies to anyone beating up on Tom and Arnold's efforts to beat the Democrats.
Democrats in Conservative Clothing
"The thinking is this.
I want a conservative and Arnold is not conservative enough
so I will take the far left Angelides by not voting for Arnold. "
===
It does make you wonder about how conservative the self-proclaimed conservatives really are -- either that, or one wonders about their ability to think rationally and think through to the consequences of their actions.
It's all about our one precious purple fingered vote, isn't it ~ and the Democrats will do ANYthing to depress voter turnout.
Whatever tries to make us think the fight isn't worth it, or good enough, or pure enough, is a LIE.
Did any of you folks actually READ the article? Or would you prefer to slither around at the end of threads insulting conservative freepers with your childish slurs and inane name-calling? The article is NOT advocating to NOT vote for Arnold. It is trying to Reel him in from the Leftist Platform that he has recently embraced so vigorously.
What is wrong with expecting a Republican Governor to govern like a Republican? What is wrong with any of the suggestions in the article--e.g. "a harder line on the State Budget", "solid initiatives to try to 'disincentivize' criminal aliens", "endorse Protect Our Homes property rights measures."? These are all suggestions to MOTIVATE Republicans so that Republicans can WIN, something that seems lost in this latest little exchange of yours.
A person can only lead when people are willing to follow. A new path needs to be drawn to accomplish that. (HINT: the direction should NOT be further LEFT!)
More than a few posts on this thread saying Arnold will not get their vote or will not vote because an (R) next to their name
Again what kind of freakin thinking is that
"Whatever tries to make us think the fight isn't worth it, or good enough, or pure enough, is a LIE."
===
Exactly. That's the BIG LIE the Dems want us to believe.
True. But we all know this isn't about conservative governance for the Arnold supporters on this thread - it's about mindless cheerleading for "our" team.
Oh just let 'em rant, you can see what their attitude has cost this a state already. and can see what lies ahead.
I'm goin out and git some sunshine. These turkeys are REALLY putting me off... BIGTIME!!!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.