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.
Here's my line of thinking. Read it slowly of you haven't understood so far:
Only have the people register to vote. Of those that register to vote, only half actually vote. A HUGE chunk -- a really, really HUGE chunk -- of those non voters are normal folks who are inclined to vote like us. They are busy with their families and their jobs and they never have been very much interested in politics. They just don't get around to voting most of the time. When something really important or a really appealing candidate comes along some of them DO vote. You don't need many, just 5% of those non voters will swing any election.
So our line of thinking is for Arnold to ACT like a Reagan Republican, act DIFFERENT from the Democrats who've run the state into the ground, and maybe he'll get a bump in turnout that will landslide him and the rest of our candidates over the line.
At the present rate though, he's not giving the mom and dad balancing the family budget at the kitchen table very much to get excited about at all. We are hoping he does.
Understand??????
I have to wonder who the team is. Arnold gives interviews to Newsweek bashing Bush and promoting leftist garbage, even gaining the Endorsement of the leftist NRDC, for criminy sakes! The other night he was on CNN with Anderson Cooper, bashing Bush, again. This isn't a GOP vs. DEM thing anymore. It's more about the "Party of Arnold" which seems to stand for nothing but get the support of cheerleaders willing to abandon any and all principle.
I pretty much support the Republican platform straight down the middle. I wish Arnold would.
Enjoy the sunshine, SW. I'm getting mine as we 'speak'! :-)
You describe families.
I am a single person who has worked all my life to support myself while going through several surgeries including cancer. I live in a 1 bdrm apt and never owned a car because they cost money.
Also while working full time, with cancer, was also a caregiver for my mom with Alzheimer's until she died.
If folks trying to balance the budget with kids, that is your choice. If folks can't afford kids, there is the pill, rubbers, etc.
I think the answer to your question has to be YES, judging from their posting records. Because they have the party-above-principle Big Tent GOP/RNC/CAGOP/New Majority mentality, it is a completely foreign notion to them that many conservatives are no longer willing to pull that "least worse" lever in the voting booth. Because they prefer to avoid thinking for themselves, they condemn those who do.
" 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."
Clear to most everyone except those waving their pom-poms and leading the cheers for the Austrian. From the perspective of the amen corner, it's hard to reason clearly.
" What is wrong with expecting a Republican Governor to govern like a Republican?"
Absolutely nothing. It is not only what we should expect, it's what we must demand.
"A person can only lead when people are willing to follow. A new path needs to be drawn to accomplish that."
Right on target. I see no evidence that Arnold is willing to change his present course. It's what he truly believes in. He can't help himself.
But now that many of us understand this, we see little reason to support someone with political views that are just about 180o from our own beliefs.
Don't expect the "Arnold at any cost" crowd to understand this. They simply aren't capable of it.
Congratulations. Good for you. What does that have to do with my comments about motivating the low-propensity conservative voter base?
Now that I've got my spark plugs changed, I'm taking my two oldest to the pool at our gym to get a few of the last rays myself.
These psudo conservatives keep talking about the original article and disregard the stupid comments on this thread not voting for for Arnold or an (R) which we are talking about.
They are team players but not for anything that comes close to conservative.
"What is wrong with expecting a Republican Governor to govern like a Republican?"Absolutely nothing. It is not only what we should expect, it's what we must demand.
If they want Arnold to act like a Republican, what makes them think Angelides will
Not to mention why didn't THEY act like Republicans and conservatives and help pass the reform propositions, instead of staying home or even voting WITH the Dems, helping to defeat the propositions.
You think the only people that have to balance a budget are families, so do others and that was my point but you knew that.
"What is wrong with expecting a Republican Governor to govern like a Republican?"
"It is not only what we should expect, it's what we must demand."
===
With a direct result of Arnold losing the election to Angelides. Great Strategy. (/sarcasm)
It can't even be said that they have that.:
"Second of all, if he [Arnold] did, [promote or endorse Feinstein] it's a bone he throws to the Dems, because DiFi is not about to get defeated with or without Arnold's endorsement."
link
As near as I can tell, they're members of the Cult of Arnold. They don't care about party, principle, common sense, or anything else. Just Arnold. It's bizarre.
Save it for a Republican forum.
On this conservative forum conservatives are alarmed by a liberal governor, aiding legislative Democrats and being being propped up by the CAGOP. Conservatives can do little to stop liberals in the legislature except to beat them at the polls with good, conservative candidates. Historically conservatives have worked through the CAGOP to achieve those ends but now that the CAGOP has abandoned its platform, traditions and conservative principle's there is little conservatives can do except rebel.
If conservatives are successful their rebellion will lead to losses for Republicans and the resultant standoff may produce more conservative Republican candidates. In the meantime conservatives will be forced to explain over and over why Schwarzenegger is bad for California and why a liberal leadership is bad for the CAGOP. Fortunately conservatives have a wealth of facts on their side. Facts that are easily understandable by the average Republican voter. Facts that have been nagging that same voter since the Austrian took office.
The explanations offered have caused more than a few Republicans to rethink their vote for Schwarzenegger. Hopefully conservatives can make a difference. Hopefully the shame of a loss to an even more liberal idiot will force you and yours out of leadership positions. I will be glad to see you and other loyalists or moderates relegated to a supporting role in the California party, chiefly on election day.
Save the party spiel for the vast middle. Conservatives don't care. They just want your liberal gubernatorial candidate gone from their state. When a fellow conservative is running for office, then conservatives will have the luxury to discuss the inevitable bad, bad Democrats with the moderates and liberals on this board. For now, we'll concentrate on the bad Republicans.
It's an excellent strategy.
The fatal flaw in the CAGOP thinking is their political myopia. They fail to recognize that the Schwarzenegger phenomena is a far greater threat to the future of California than any Democrat running for the office of governor. Even Angelides.
The Schwarzenegger cult says it's OK to deceive, as long as it's in a political context. It's OK to sabotage the principles that made our system of government unique and successful as long as the actions can be justified. It's OK to pervert the culture, a culture that has produced a society which has unleashed the potential of its citizens. A potential to be productive and do good. It's OK to promote a leveling downward and diminish the resposibilies and privileges of citizenship.
The Schwarzenegger phenomena leaves no role model for future, conservative leaders. It saps the resolve of conservatives and flies in the face of sound, conservative principles. It is weakening the Republican Party in California and serves as a testament that the liberal principles of bigger government, more taxation, more spending, greater redistribution of wealth to support greater indebtedness and less control over private property must be correct by the example the CAGOP is setting.
I's suggest to you and others in the CAGOP leadership that folks like Angelides are a dime a dozen, will always be with us and are easily negated by the absurdity of their own actions. The phenomena you are promoting, however, is far more sinister and truly a cancer in the body politic of California.
get a clue...it was a freaking EXAMPLE.
FO is not in CAGOP leadership.
What I would like you to explain is why do you think Angelides is good for CA?
Not possible. Can't. Agelides is bad for California. But Schwarzenegger is far, far worse. Not only for California but also for the Republican Party.
California voters now have little choice between the candidates in the major political parties thanks to you. Taxes are an excellent example. Schwarzenegger, in three short years, has raised per capita taxation in California to the highest level in the state's history. Higher and faster than Gray Davis.
Angelides simply wants tax increases that Schwarzenegger won't allow (to provide plausible denial for campaign misstatements). The difference is that Angelides wants to raise income taxes while the Austrian has furiously been raising all others. There is no difference on taxes. Both candidates are tax and spend liberals to the extreme.
Conservatives have long warned you that you were embarking on a suicidal path but all you could see was celebrity and the victory it might bring you. You sold your soul for victory and now look around at the mess that your scheme has created. Record spending, record debt, record taxes with your liberal candidate is campaigning for more.
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