[Owen]

Well, of course you are right. If conservatives do not turn out to vote, there is no chance of defeating a Democrat. But how is that relevant? How many liberals in California are staying home because Gray Davis or Bustamunte are not liberal enough?

The issue is the question: Is California a liberal state? The evidence leans strongly in that direction. Given that it is, why would one expect a conservative to win?

It's not a matter of policy or triangulation or even philosophy. It's a matter of numbers. California liberals and moderates in total outnumber conservatives. Period.

You can't have what you want. No one likes to be told that, but because one does not like it does not mean it cannot be true. You can't have what you want. The best you can do is get something less disliked than alternatives. That is the way it is. That is generally the way it always is. The best you can do in California is someone who is not conservative, but is less liberal than the alternative.

Staying home is equivalent to awarding the Democrats a victory. Always.

Mathematics does not care if you punch a chad vigorously with enthusiasm or punch it reluctantly with no joy. There is nothing new under the sun here. Folks can make themselves feel good or take a selfless position that is for the greater good.

[PeoplesRep_of_LA]

Staying home is equivalent to awarding the Democrats a victory. Always.

Owen, you are trying to tell me that I am only talking about what I want, then you throw this out! Get real, I know that. But you are the one not dealing with reality, they have stayed home, and will continue to do so. That is the reality, not what they should or shouldn't do. Specifically for some "Hollywood phonie" is the the talk in the desert, he WILL NOT GET THEIR VOTE. I know that is difficult, if just the conservatives would vote, gosh darn it, but THEY WON'T. You have to deal with the situation at hand.

More importantly, while Shriver-Kennedy is merely getting 7% of the Democrate vote according to the polls (which is how he is supposed to win, remember how the story goes) along with an astounding 44% negativity rating, in an election with so many undecided, you better be pushing for a real conservative on the ballot if you don't want Davis to survive.

More importantly, you just don't get that REAL conservatism appeals to liberals. Why? How did Reagan win? More importantly, this McClintock that we aren't speaking directly of anymore was up for reelection in my district. My district (suburban LA)voted overwhelmingly for Algore (speaking of high negativity ratings) against Bush. Those same voters reelected "too conservative" Tom McClintock! How in the world did that happen? Well Tom isn't like a Sean Hannity blaring about the evil Demos and the holy GOP. He isn't doing anything but explaining exactly what he believes and why he will do it. Liberal or conservative, Demo or Republican, human beings yearn for that, whether they totally agree or not, they want a man leading them. Reagan won after the most negative 5 years of press coverage ever orchestrated by the then unchallenged liberal media, yet he won in one of the biggest landslides in United States history. Against a guy with no skeletons and the biggest minority ever, a woman VP. Impossible say the "experts" he must fool em into voting more.

Hear me now and undestand me later, conservatism matters. We have the ultimate trump card, if we are honest, have spirit, and can explain it, we beat everyone...only because we are right.

Have a little backbone in the face of all these "liberal" Californians. After all, that same ideologue won in the same "liberal" state during the "liberal" decade of the 1960s.