Calif. Republicans rallying on Schwarzenegger agenda

Reuters ^ | Feb. 12, 2005 | Jenny O'Mara

[FairOpinion]

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Feb 12 (Reuters) - California's Republican loyalists said on Saturday they are ready to rally behind Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's ambitious political agenda that includes ballot measures Democrats vow to defeat.

Republicans meeting at the party's state convention in Sacramento said they will eagerly fight by Schwarzenegger's side if he asks voters to support this year's agenda through ballot measures, a sharp contrast to a September convention when party officials feared key conservative members would not embrace the socially moderate Hollywood icon.

But Schwarzenegger has in recent public appearances rarely missed an opportunity to stress he stands with conservatives on fiscal matters and that he has ruled out tax increases to balance the state's budget. California faces a $9.1 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year starting in July.

"When he first came onto the scene, I was skeptical ... but I think he's proven himself," said R.Q. Williams of Napa County's Republican Central Committee. "He hit the nail on the head, pointing out that what we need to do is rein in spending, not worry about how to figure out taxes and new fees."

At a dinner on Friday night, Schwarzenegger launched into a blistering attack on California's Democrat-led legislature to get rank-and-file Republicans to support potential ballot measures to overhaul the state government.

Democrats, he said, are "spending addicts" who are standing in the way of his agenda, which includes a plan to partially privatize the state's public pension funds. The largest and third-largest U.S. pensions funds are in the state.

PUT IT TO VOTERS

His plan mirrors White House aims for the Social Security system.

Democrats, public employee unions and pension fund officials oppose the plan, which Schwarzenegger says is needed so the state can rid itself of costly financial obligations to the funds. Schwarzenegger has threatened to put the plan to voters if lawmakers do not seriously consider it.

The plan would strike at the heart of one of the state Democratic Party's most significant sources of support.

"The train has left the station and there's three things they can do," Schwarzenegger said. "One is they can join and jump on the train. Number two, they can go and stay behind and just wave and be left behind, or number three, they get in front of the train and you know what happens then."

Republicans gave Schwarzenegger raucous cheers, reflecting a new confidence after years of being shut out in California's political wilderness.

"There's a euphoria that we're relevant again," said U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa. "The Republican party was doing very well in Washington, and was irrelevant in California for a number of years. It was also divided and leaderless. Now they are united with a tremendous leader."

[NorCalRepub]

I'm fairly new posting but not to FR.......I couldn't post until Nov of last year due to disabilitly like I said, and I initially said I support Arnold.......I did not attack or confront anyone negatively so if I asked it to be let go and it isn't, than that is a stalking manner.....it is pursuing when the other party has asked that it be layed to ground........I"m also not new to Repub politics, voting since 1975 and have been on conservative blogs such as Powerlind, Captain's Quarter's, Instapundit,Wizbang etc.

[calcowgirl]

>>It's the truth.
>>In retrospect, I do wish that I had kept the text and links to those specific posts.

How convenient for you that you, that once again, you cab find no support for your contentions.
If it was truth, it shouldn't be so hard to provide proof.

[Carry_Okie]

Bustamante would have been recalled in six months with half a dozen referenda to reverse what he had done.

[farmfriend]

So much for "moderates are more electable in California."

How many times have you proved this now? And yet it is continually ignored. The resulting frustration at facts being ignored by those who should be our allies is always twisted into whining worthy of the left or worse.

[NormsRevenge]

spare the details for the blind, they'll make it thru the minefields just fine on their own. -)

[NorCalRepub]

I never called you an idiot so that must be self inflicted and if it is so easy to get our money back, how come we continue not being able to.......you mean all the pols and such are not as smart as you/???I'm not being facetious at all, you mean this state has been so incompetent along with many other states who can't get their money back that we could have gotten this back earlier?

[Carry_Okie]

The whopper of the day from FairOpinion:

I only state facts and truth, and make it clear, when I am merely stating an opinion.

[Soul Seeker]

I could be cynical and state this is because an election is coming up.

I choose to believe as you do, that he is asking for help. He's proposing to shake up the entire Dem establishment. He has money. He has the ability to command media, power few Reps do. He needs the people to get in line, act as a team, and work for change.

Californians chose Arnold. People can choose to work with him to bring about change, or they can ridicule him as not one of "them". It's one or the other. Choose the latter you end up with nothing. Choose the former and maybe something positive gets down.

I'm rooting for Arnold to rally the public for these changes.

[Carry_Okie]

you mean all the pols and such are not as smart as you/???

It isn't stupidity; it's cowardice.

[NorCalRepub]

well I just asked the other gal here, there are some other states that are not getting their money back, not just Calif...if it is so easy as has been presented, how come all these experts in Calif and other states don't get the money back......I'm serious......you mean the Admin is against Calif cause if they were for us.....wouldn't they send us our monies back?

[NormsRevenge]

see post 129, I agree

we have a bunch of gutless jerks in many elected offices, that want to just be 'go along Joes', they got theirs and a chunk of ours, why share and rock the boat and piss off their own special interests that need to siphon off billions in waste fraud and graft...

[DoughtyOne]

I appreciate that view, but I continue to harbor the opinion that what prevents conservative views from being sold in California, is the right salesman.

There is no better message to be sold, than the message that God has granted us inalienable rights, that no government should abrogate.

We have the right to voice objections to our government's actions. Inner city moms have the right to own an inexpensive equalizer to protect them and their children until the police arrive.

We grant power to the government, not the other way around. We are overtaxed, undeserved and at the mercy of political animals who don't give a damn about Californians or even U.S. Citizens.

Our children remain undereducated, over propagandized and in jeopardy both medically and culturally. We pay as much as any other state (with few exceptions), and obtain less for that than states 10% our size, who pay much less.

It's time to whittle this state's budget down. It's time to put the Californian back in the driver's seat, and send the hoodlums in Sacramento back to the rumble seat.

When we get a likable person who can deliver this message with a smile, and mean it, the leftist hey days in California will be history.

[FairOpinion]

Your lack of a good memory is no excuse for you to claim I am not telling the truth.

Of course I never get any apologies from all of you so quick to condemn me, just because you don't remember things, because you don't want to remember them.

Schwarzenegger raising fortune for allies (Republicans)
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1148824/posts

"On May 24, Schwarzenegger raised a record $2 million for the GOP at a glitzy fund-raiser in downtown Los Angeles. And during a Thursday night event in Santa Barbara County, he raised $400,000 for Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks -- four times more than his recall election rival has received at any event during 22 years in elected politics."

[NorCalRepub]

believe me.....I don't take it that personally......I just fought back for 3 years of total hell, not being able to walk around the block for 10 months, my central nervous system and adrenals and cognitive abilities seriously desensitized to severe brain pressure etc.....over 100 symptoms and those mentors I have who went thur this all took 3 year or so to heal and they are all professional, intelligent people....I even met two who had had cancer at one point and said that cancer was a piece of cake compared to what I went thru......so I have a tougher skin than most at this point but maybe my writings still are not up to my ability as my thinking is still somewhat fogged a bit but I try......but believe me.......I suffered more than most of those in war and I know that sounds trite, but my Dad was in WWII and said he didn't see too many suffer as much as I.......so I"m trying

[calcowgirl]

There are some fine examples in there that would indeed be an improvement.

They are independent of the actions I mentioned that are purely under State control for which Arnold has been taking us in the wrong direction.

Take a hard look at the "reform" measures that are proposed. Look at the fine print. More debt, more expense, no savings. Take a hard look at who is getting appointed to the Board of Education, the UC Regents, etc.

I AM one of those independent thinkers, and I read and research a lot. If you do the research, you will find I am correct. There is damage being done, and it is from within the GOP.

[farmfriend]

ok......then what should we do here in Calif???......right now.....not later but now.......

• Send the Sierra Nevada Conservancy law through the courts to get it ruled unconstitutional.
• Institute real reform of Workman's comp.
• Take the power away from the Unions instead of giving it to them like he did with the Prison guards.
• Get rid of the lefties he has appointed to key positions dealing with the environment and resources.
• Truly cut the budget in keeping with his promise.

That is just a start off the top of my head. Will that do?

[calcowgirl]

It's scary when they reformed workers comp and the rates are still are going up 30% this year. What's up with that ?

I can't comment on that one. Workers comp is one of the few things I haven't researched, lol.

But I have looked in depth at the Pension reform and the Spending Control reform. BEWARE. More debt, more expense... buried in the fine print.

There has also been expressed some concern about which boxes might be blown up. In many cases, it moves all the power to the executive branch and eliminates checks and balances. Time will tell on that front.

[calcowgirl]

Well gee, if i hit the little "To 118" at the bottom of
your post #133, I can track back and read who really said
what.

It shows that you are deliberately ignoring what you really
said and shows your post #133 to be a complete falsehood.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for pointing out those stats. They reveal two things. Conservatives are viable in California. The Republican party has abandoned conservatism in the state.

It DOES NOT champion conservative beliefs. It DOES NOT financially support the people it should. If it did, conservatism could take root and thrive.

The Republican party has withered in this state, and for no reason at all. Does it believe in the things conservaties do? Evidently not.

This shows, but is seldom addressed in this manor. Instead we hear the old worn out cliche, "Conservatives cannot win in the state."

How the hell would we know? When's the last time the party gave one verbal, structural and financial support? Hmmm, strangely about the time when "Conservatives became non-viable statewide."

It's the old chicken and the egg thing, and the state's Republican party made the wrong assessment IMO. I would also wager that's why certain national candidates don't campaign in the state any longer. They've been told by state-level idiots that it's futal.

Until this mindset is changed, it is.

California's Republican Party leadership is my collective nominee for state political public enemy number one, until this changes. Mass resignations couldn't come soon enough for me. It's time for some new blood, that is firmly rooted in conservatism, and has the energy to spread it from the top to the bottom throughout the state.

[NorCalRepub]

This is a serious question and I would be interested in your views......you say that the conservative abandoned Calif and such.....that the Repub party here is weak. Well, and again, I'm honestly anxious to hear your views cause you guys know what you are talking about...Why did the Bush Convention Committee and I assume Mehlman, Bush, Rove and others approved this, why did they showcase Giulianni, Arnold, McCain, Pataki etc at his convention and not showcase true conservatives. Did the national party also sell out in the effort to gain more moderate votes. I know you said the Calif Repub party sold out, but didn't the national party sell out as well. I voted for Bush not only because I am a Repub but thought he was the best man for the job........the same reason I voted for Arnold because I thought he had a decent chance of winning.....but what does that say for Bush and his staff that he would showcase those moderates at the expense of conservatives if only to garner votes.......I again seriously want to know your opinion on this matter because you have demonstrated your acumen of politics and have researched much of this...thank you