Free Republic

Holding to the Center, Losing My Seat By Lincoln D, Chafee LAST Tuesday, I was one of the many moderate Republican casualties of the anti-Bush virulence that swept the country. Despite my having voted against the Iraq war resolution, my reputation for independence, the editorial endorsement of virtually every newspaper in my state, and a job approval rating of 63 percent, I did not win. Why? Back in December 2000, after one of the closest elections in our nation’s history, Vice President-elect Dick Cheney was the guest at a weekly lunch meeting of a small group of centrist Republicans. Senators...

There have been a lot of warm and fuzzy self-congratulations since Tuesday's election about how California voters and candidates -- particularly Arnold Schwarzenegger -- have met in the middle of the political spectrum. The cheery theory is that when the guv and the plucky guys and gals who make up the Legislature return to the front lines in January, they'll all sip cocoa together and make toasts to the wonders of "centrism" and lead the state to new heights. This theory seems to be based on three things: 1. Schwarzenegger was easily re-elected as governor, even though he's a Reep...