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.
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NO CONSERVATIVE would make such a statement.
NO CONSERVATIVE would make such claim, that a victory by a leftist Dem is better, than a Republican victory.
LOSING is NOT preferable to WINNING.
The FO account, from my observations, is maintained by the CAGOP. Yes, the account reflects the CAGOP campaign strategy. Yes, the account reflects the public face of Wilson, Sundheim and the New Majority.
---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.---
We threw Grey Davis out, and then after Arnold was installed had vote on the state bailout. On that very ballot the voters approved yet another school bond issue. Then they approved the stem cell thing, which Arnold backed. Since then there have been yet more huge bond issues, the greenhouse gas thing, an anti-gun bill signed, and on and on.
I've lost track because I left the state. I moved to Montana and once again live in a place I understand and feel a part of.
He's off to a rip-roarin' start by beseeching western governors to work on the global warming problem.
---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.---
A modern day Huey Long.
I see no difference between the two, so I don't give a sh!t which one wins. It will make no difference.
I won't be voting for governor either. I don't like either one of them (in case you haven't figured that out already). But I will vote for McClintock and any other conservatives on the ballot that deserve my vote.
Then you ARE VOTING for Angelides.
Any conservative who doesn't vote, or votes third party, effectively votes for Angelides.
NO real conservative could possibly prefer a leftist Dem to Arnold.
If we had a Dem governor, instead of Arnold:
we would be paying higher taxes now (Arnold refused to raise taxes),
including higher car tax (Arnold repealed it),
businesses would still be leaving the state because of the unmanageble workers' comp ( which Arnold reformed),
illegal immigrants would have CA driver's licenses ( which Arnold had the Legislatur repeal once, than vetoed, when they put it on his desk again),
homosexual marriage would be legal in CA (the Dem Legislature passed it, Angelides is on record he would sign it, but Arnold vetoed it);
CA schoolkids would be learning about the glories of being homosexual (Arnold said he will veto that bill, which the Legislature is passing).
Arnold has been making a HUGE positive difference in CA.
How could you sleep at night, knowing that you might be responsible for making Angelides governor???
LOL I'll sleep very well because I don't like Arnold. I thought I said that already!! I'm an Independant conservative. When the Republican party offers up a conservative, I vote for him/her. I didn't vote for Swartzenkennedy in the recall and I won't vote for him now.
Too bad for the Rinos I guess.
So do you like Angelides? If you will be happy when Angelides wins, that doesn't say much for your so-called conservative philosophy. NO conservative would want leftist like Angelides to get elected.
Yada, yada, yada. I didn't want leftist Swartzenkennedy elected either.
I do.
If Angelides wins, and full amnesty is granted to illegals, and socialism and worse breaks our state , and schools have carte blanche (even more than now) to indoctrinate your children with homosexual education, and illegals get drivers licenses and voting privileges, and more, that you and I wouldn't even dream of asking ~ for starters ~ you will certainly see a big difference.
But by then it will be too late, as Perot voters found out, feeling resonsible for 8 years of Clinton.
Why would you want to pay more taxes? Or expect me to?
You must live nowhere near the border, or have kids, or a spouse, or property or a business.
If you did, you'd never say it makes no difference.
Full amnesty has already been granted to illegals...a loooong time ago. What has Swartzennoodle done to even slow it down? Last I heard he was on the "a fence won't work" train. Plans to stop taxpayer funded "freebies" for illegals? No? Yeah, I didn't think so.
Socialism has already broken the state. And Arnie has many more social plans to help out. Just wait and see. And I totally expect it to be the same with taxes. Alas, it'll be the only way out.
Same with the homos. They indoctrinate school kids now with a freehand and I don't hear ANY electeds even broaching that subject.
I voted for McClintock, but I suspect he's TOO conservative for you.
You suspect wrong.
I am heart and soul a diehard McClintock supporter.
The class he displayed staying in the recall race ultimately allowed the recall to pass, and prevented a Governor Bustamante.
Some hate him for staying in, but that's actually what ultimately made me really see him.
He promised his base he would stay til the end, and he did. That spoke volumes.
His humility in requesting unity to fight the Democrats is extraordinary.
Why do you not take him seriously?
If you don't mind my asking, what responsibilities do you have?
Do you work? Own a business? Pay taxes?
If not, who provides for you?
Thanks for the ping. Common Tator is right.
Changing the subject is probably the only strategy that the CAGOP has left.
Comparing the Austrian to another liberal does not make Schwarzenegger conservative. Comparing him to Democrats does not make him conservative.
Schwarzenegger is a liberal and conservatives won't swallow the gooey.
Yes, independents, loyal Republicans, disenchanted Democrats and a fair share of idol worshipers may well vote for the Austrian but he won't get the right.
Eh-hem... How about those "Tommy songs" you posted, DL?
Shall I repost them or do you remember the things you really said?
Ah, yes. The ultimate respect. NOT.
Arnold needs to rebuild bridges to be base if he's serious about getting our help. He's fired too many of them in vetoing Republican bills, such as those for Health Savings Accounts.
I guess I don't really get how he expects to have it both ways while he builds a Democratic-Independent base.
I explained exactly when I became a Tom supporter, and why. Everybody knows I did not vote for him in the recall.
When the smoke of battle cleared, I saw Tom with new eyes, and I haven't stopped supporting him since. But you know that.
I voted for Arnold because of how he could help Bush get elected.
And he did just that in shaky Ohio, which helped turn the tide of the election so we don't have a President Kerry right now.
Arnold also campaigned for Tom.
I support Tom and Arnold both in this race, which Tom has earnestly requested.
It felt bittersweet to vote for Tom last week ~ I wish it could have been for Governor. He has a formidable foe in Garamendi.
You remember Garamendi ~ Tom's opponent?
Okie dokie! Let's just erase history and sing kumbaya.
I don't work. We tried that a couple of years ago. All it accomplished was to elevate us to an even higher tax bracket. Last year we paid approx. $35000 in federal income taxes. The year before we paid approx. $45000. I don't remember what our state taxes were.
I have a really difficult time with this because I don't like Arnold. I truly believe he will raise taxes sooner or later. And I'm also very, very tired of having to choose the lesser of two evils. I don't know what I'll ultimately end up doing come election day where the governor's race is concerned.
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