Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

For the GOP, it's More than a Recall
Lt. Col. Gil Ferguson, USMC (Ret.)

Posted on 09/26/2003 12:00:31 PM PDT by StoneColdGOP

There is no argument about the serious condition of our once golden state. Our debt is greater than all the other states combined, we are but a few million dollars away from bankruptcy. Our tax burden and over regulations are driving business out of the state at an unprecedented rate.

We are at a crucial point in our state’s history. The people themselves; Democrat, Republican and Independents, without the approval or help from any party have called for an election to recall this governor and replace him with another, one who will hopefully lead us out of this mess.

There appears to be a wide agreement on the first question; should we recall Governor Davis. The second part, choosing a new governor, will not be difficult for most Democrats: theirs is a party line vote with only one candidate, Lt. Gov. Bustamante. And even though he said he will raise taxes and further regulate and tax business, forcing more of them to leave, they will vote for him.

For Republicans however this election is about more than which Republican we should vote for. This election is more about the party itself; will we continue to be a party of principle, directed by the philosophy of Lincoln and Reagan or have we laid our principles aside? Do we want to win so badly that it doesn’t matter how or who, just so the next governor has an R behind his name?

The GOP has two candidates: Arnold Schwarzenegger, a celebrity of worldwide fame, with popularity and fame as the Terminator and recognized as a super star among movie idols. He is a good man. His celebrity status alone will attract a huge number of votes for the GOP from Independents, Democrats and especially young voters. Among the 18 to 30 year olds, he is Britney Spears with muscles. They wow over him. Most moderate Republicans and many regular Republicans, those who desperately want a Republican to win, will vote for him. They are prepared to look beyond his political beliefs and character; they just want to win.

Sen. McClintock, on the other hand, is an icon among Republicans. Since the first day he was elected to office, nearly twenty years ago, he has led the fight against the very forces and policies that have now badly tarnished this once golden state. He fought Governor Wilson’s huge tax increase, just as hard as he fought Willie Brown and Gray Davis. His credentials, as well as his character as a conservative Republican, are impeccable.

He has been our party’s leader and severest critic of fraud, corruption and waste in state government. From the very beginning of his career until today, he has warned that unless spending was brought under control, California would end up as it has today.

The knock on McClintock is that he can’t raise the money and so, can’t win this election. The knock on Schwarzenegger is that he is not a true Republican and carries a lot of baggage that the Democrats will probably throw at him just before the election.

Actually, Arnold is no higher in the polls than he was when he started, whereas McClintock has risen from an asterisk to double digits.

In the last election, McClintock was outspent 30 to 1, yet he received more votes than any other other Republican on election day. Had those moderates claiming Tom can’t win today contributed to his election, or given him his fair share of the money donated by the national party, he would have won. McClintock lost the Controller’s race by the slimmest margin in history. Had he been helped by the moderates controlling our state party, California would not now be in the awful mess in which we find ourselves today.

The moderates of the party and most of the GOP congressmen are just where they were prior to the last Governor’s race. On orders from the White House and Karl Rove, many "conservative" congressman support Schwarzenegger, just as they endorsed the moderate Richard Riordan.

The moderates in our party, including the New Majority and those in the Lincoln Club, are intensely interested in electing Schwarzenegger, a moderate. They believe the party’s future, especially in California, is to adopt the Karl Rove/Parsky plan; we must forgo the values of the liberals and accept the invasion of illegals, adopt the big tent, tax and spend and big government philosophy of the Democrats.

Conservatives know that our party’s losses in California, all during the past decade, are due to millions of illegals who have entered California, and – the continued split in our party between the moderate, "Country Club" Republicans and the conservatives.

While Arnold has a high rating in the polls, it has never risen above where it started. McClintock on the other hand has been continually rising, from as asterisk to double digits. There is a cry from moderate Republicans and "concern" from the media that McClintock should withdraw in favor of Arnold, else the GOP might not win and the dreadful Bustamante will become governor.

This dilemma among the GOP might not be so tragic or apocryphal if the contest was between two conservatives, say Simon and McClintock, one would drop out when just before the election the other was ahead. The same can be said if the two Republicans were Arnold and some equally famous, moderate movie star, but it isn’t.

It’s between our brightest Republican star, a conservative icon and a dazzling celebrity. Conservatives at the core of the party are incredulous at those moderates who don’t share those core values, yet are asking the conservative standard bearer to drop out. Conservatives want to win but they know that a win that asks us to repudiate our principles is not a victory, it’s a harbinger of the end.

Lieutenant Colonel Gil Ferguson, USMC (Ret.), served in the California State Assembly from 1984 to 1994.


TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Constitution/Conservatism; Editorial; Extended News; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: mcwampum; recall; tommcclintock
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 261-280281-300301-320 ... 381-392 next last
To: Rabid Republican
"Just don't be surprised if alot of us leave the party. "

And just party will you migrate to...? Democrat? Green? Communist? hmmm.
281 posted on 09/26/2003 3:58:54 PM PDT by lawdude
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: My2Cents
I'm feeling the same way about these threads. Not much new in them, same old Arnold bashing, namecalling, RINO calling, insults..........all redundant. What's really distressing is that the management of this forum is not....... er..um.........."managing" this situation. The forum is decaying right before their very eyes and yet nothing is being done. If I get banned for saying that, then so be it.

but.....but........we can't let the terrorists WIN...!!

282 posted on 09/26/2003 3:59:03 PM PDT by EggsAckley ((o;/>~......................whatever.........................~</;o))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 266 | View Replies]

To: djreece
You will more likely find most of the former Perot and McCain supporters now attracted to Arnold.

I've seen several mea culpas that would support your contention.

283 posted on 09/26/2003 4:02:51 PM PDT by skeeter (Fac ut vivas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 280 | View Replies]

To: lawdude
See Whig Party in your history book for the future of the Republican Party in California if it continues down this path. If the CA GOP continues stabbing conservatives in the back and trying to browbeat them into submission, conservatives will leave en masse and create a new party.

That "you have nowhere to go" dog don't hunt.
284 posted on 09/26/2003 4:06:31 PM PDT by djreece (Conservative first, Republican second)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 281 | View Replies]

To: pgyanke
YOU DON'T WEAKEN YOUR POSITION BY TAKING THEIRS.

No but if the best you can get is someone who denies you 3 times, you work with that.

285 posted on 09/26/2003 4:07:50 PM PDT by VRWC_minion (Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 197 | View Replies]

To: SunStar
No, because McClintock wants to fix the ship!

But the majority on the ship won't let him.

286 posted on 09/26/2003 4:09:14 PM PDT by VRWC_minion (Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 198 | View Replies]

To: skeeter
You somehow think that working with people where they are with the intention of educating them so they can change is compromsing principles.

Noah was the best God had to work with but even noah wasn't pure.

287 posted on 09/26/2003 4:13:49 PM PDT by VRWC_minion (Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 209 | View Replies]

To: EggsAckley
What's really distressing is that the management of this forum is not....... er..um.........."managing" this situation. The forum is decaying right before their very eyes and yet nothing is being done. If I get banned for saying that, then so be

How much more guidance can the management offer than this:

Free Republic is an online gathering place for independent, grass-roots conservatism on the web. We're working to roll back decades of governmental largesse, to root out political fraud and corruption, and to champion causes which further conservatism in America.
I don't find that mission very compatible with support for Ahnold Schwarzenkennedy and his liberal views.
288 posted on 09/26/2003 4:15:33 PM PDT by Spiff (Have you committed one random act of thoughtcrime today?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 282 | View Replies]

To: SteveH
So if two guys are for losing ground and one is for gaining ground, you're advocating not voting for the one who is for gaining ground?

If we apply your thought to the election then you should vote for the guy gaining ground... arnold.

289 posted on 09/26/2003 4:18:08 PM PDT by VRWC_minion (Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 245 | View Replies]

To: TomasUSMC
You need 10 yards for a first down.

Arnold is on inches from the goal line and you guys want to leave the field.

290 posted on 09/26/2003 4:23:43 PM PDT by VRWC_minion (Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and most are right)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 269 | View Replies]

To: StoneColdGOP
I've given this much thought. Conservatives must sit at the back of the Republican bus, so to speak. McClintock and his values have no place anymore. They are outdated and useless in CA, NY, NJ, MA, ME, MI, IL, OH, PA, RI, CO, CT, VT, etc..

Socialism defined is yesterday's liberal, today's moderate, and tomorrow's extreme right-wing nut. I guess that's why they call it PROGRESSIVE.
291 posted on 09/26/2003 4:31:04 PM PDT by sully777 (ad absurdum)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: VRWC_minion
If we apply your thought to the election then you should vote for the guy gaining ground... arnold.

Pardon me for not being more explicit.

losing ground == bringing California state increasing liberalism

gaining ground = bringing California state to conservatism

Voting for a guy simply because he is winning and nothing more reminds me of 1976. Or more precisely, 1978, when no one at the water cooler could admit they voted for Carter, even when everyone else knew that they d@rn well had.

I think people who look at the polls before they vote in some vain attempt to be associated with whatever the current fad is get exactly what they deserve.

I don't want to hear a lot of FR types standing around the water cooler two years from now, afraid to admit they voted for an out-of-style political fad when everyone knows they did by what their earlier expressed views. It's pathetic to listen to. Take that however you like. ;-)

292 posted on 09/26/2003 4:33:53 PM PDT by SteveH ((Californians for, like, you know, Moon Unit!!!))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 289 | View Replies]

To: My2Cents
I'm always ready to go after the Dems, because they are the embodiment of evil in this nation, but as to "dialoguing" with self-righteous morons -- I'm through.

I have about had it too and I just know that some of the folks in the McC camp are going to change screen names again and come back as Anti-Bush -- voted for him in 2000 but not voting for in 2004 because he is not conservative enough. Would bet that they never supported him and certainly did not vote for him!

I think we have seen a dry run for 2004!

293 posted on 09/26/2003 4:36:32 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Alpha Omnicron Pi Mom too! -- Visit http://www.georgewbush.com!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 274 | View Replies]

To: djreece
Because I have been told that on some threads? I think that is a very good reason! You know how many times I have been told on here by some of these folks that they voted for Perot to teach Republicans a lesson? More than I care to think about!

Ask how many Bush supporters today voted for Perot -- you will find very few and for the most part we are the ones supporting Arnold because we want to win the CA Governorship.

294 posted on 09/26/2003 4:41:31 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Alpha Omnicron Pi Mom too! -- Visit http://www.georgewbush.com!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 280 | View Replies]

To: VRWC_minion
You somehow think that working with people where they are with the intention of educating them so they can change is compromsing principles.

I have NEVER seen any indication from the people running the CA GOP that they are even remotely interested in promoting conservatism. If they were we wouldn't be in such a mess.

Hell, they HATE us.

295 posted on 09/26/2003 4:44:38 PM PDT by skeeter (Fac ut vivas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 287 | View Replies]

To: EggsAckley
What's really distressing is that the management of this forum is not....... er..um.........."managing" this situation. The forum is decaying right before their very eyes and yet nothing is being done. If I get banned for saying that, then so be it.

If you get banned, I am with you! We have been subjected to all kinds of name calling, threads (vanities) with lying headlines because they support McC are allowed to remain, Arnold has been slandered, we have been slandered, and what happens -- nothing! I got told the other day on here that the owner supported McC so there was nothing I could do.

That's fine, but we reserve the right to refute lies, innuendoes, and half truths which we have to do on thread after thread put up as news on here!

296 posted on 09/26/2003 4:45:07 PM PDT by PhiKapMom (Alpha Omnicron Pi Mom too! -- Visit http://www.georgewbush.com!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 282 | View Replies]

To: k2blader
I could have never said anything so insulting to the Rino lovers (ha!). You nailed it and there is no way that Arnold represents any of the true core values of the Republicans. They have quickly become a party without a cause.
297 posted on 09/26/2003 4:46:39 PM PDT by novacation
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: PhiKapMom
Sadly, I agree with you PKMom. I've said much the same on other threads. Some folks here were viciously attacking President Bush until the recall qualified, and then they had Arnold as a target. I'm sure once October 7th has come and gone, we'll see people here on FR talking about how they'd rather vote for Howard Dean than that "RINO" George W. Bush.
298 posted on 09/26/2003 4:47:53 PM PDT by My2Cents (Well...there you go again.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 293 | View Replies]

To: sully777
Socialism defined is yesterday's liberal, today's moderate, and tomorrow's extreme right-wing nut.

"Thats beautiful, man!" Your's?

299 posted on 09/26/2003 4:48:01 PM PDT by skeeter (Fac ut vivas)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 291 | View Replies]

To: StoneColdGOP
Join Us…Your One Thread To All The California Recall News Threads!

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

300 posted on 09/26/2003 4:48:03 PM PDT by DoctorZIn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 261-280281-300301-320 ... 381-392 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson