Posted on 12/8/2005, 12:34:20 AM by LouAvul
Leaders of the California Republican Party, still smarting over Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's choice of a longtime Democrat activist as his new chief of staff, have demanded a meeting with Schwarzenegger - and an explanation.
"We disagree with the decision," Duf Sundheim, party chairman, said Tuesday. "We thought it would be beneficial to meet with the governor so he can explain to us in person what he did."
Schwarzenegger infuriated scores of Republicans last week when he chose Susan Kennedy, a former Cabinet secretary to recalled Gov. Gray Davis, as a replacement for outgoing Chief of Staff Pat Clarey, a moderate Republican.
In addition to having worked for Davis, Kennedy is an abortion-rights activist and a former executive director of the state Democratic Party.
"I'm pretty strongly against it," Keith Carlson, a lawyer in Irvine and GOP board member, said of Kennedy's appointment. "The spirit of the recall was to oust Davis and his cronies, and now one of his cronies is back."
At a press conference when he announced the appointment, Schwarzenegger said Kennedy promised to put aside her Democratic "philosophy" and work to implement his vision and policies.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
According to 2 threads at FR today (author: Hugh Hewitt), he is busy trying to convince the world that voters don't think illegal immigration is a problem.
There are just so many more important things to deal with. /s
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1535925/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1535679/posts
I'm telling you, the same folks that murdered his reform agenda in November by opposing it, refusing to go vote or simply taking no position will be the reason Phil Angelides or Steve Westly will be elected governor in Nov 2006. They are already gunning for Arnold in the primary cycle even though he's only committed "political" sin to try to break deadlock before California ends up in the precarious situation of San Diego. He bought time with the bond issues expecting he would be dealing with reasonable people and able to make fundamental changes. The legislature are most certainly not reasonable and the voters can be fooled.
If he gives Tookie a pass, then we *will* have a reason to turn away. Remember the good he's done: repealed car tax, twice vetoed drivers licenses for illegals, praised the Minute Man Project, battled the unions (ultimately losing), saved 3-strikes, vetoed homosexual marriage, pushed through workman's comp reform, rejected raising taxes and more. You won't get this from a Democrat in a state that elects Barbara Boxer with record numbers of votes.
Your assertion is a half-truth. You hate Arnold; we get it.
I don't hate Arnold--but his ACTIONS are not that of a fiscal conservative.
He issued bonds to cover spending and reduce the deficit. He then proceeded to propose and approve annual budgets with a greater percentage increase in spending than his predecessor. He supported taxpayer subsidized stem-cell research ($6 billion in bonds), has borrowed to pay annual pension obligations, etc. His shell game with local governments has forced them to raise taxes and fees so he can say "I didn't raise taxes". But now, he is reported to be considering a $50 to $100 BILLION bond measure for infrastructure investments (since he and his predecessors continued to raid transportation funds). There is nothing conservative about these actions or the policy behind it.
Idolize him and shill for him all you like. But he is not a fiscal conservative. To say otherwise just makes you look silly.
He would present an even easier target for the union socialists and psychotic legislature than "larger than life figure" Arnold did.
Arnold's biggest flaw is his poor political skills. The CA GOP are quite unable to bridge that gap since they're so incompetent.
Where are your solutions to working with the extremist legislature which keeps getting returned to service cycle after cycle?
Who selected Doof?
>>>>"We disagree with the decision," Duf Sundheim, party chairman, said Tuesday.
BushBotMedia - Hewitt, Medved, Prager
Well, shucks newzjunkey. Let me see. If I ran on a platform of "Cut, Cut, Cut", the first thing I would do is PROPOSE a budget that cut spending. Arnold proposed a budget with record increases... and record borrowing. How do you expect to ever get a "cut" if you don't first propose it and defend it?
Arnold is a wimp when it comes to fiscal matters. He's blowin' in the wind.
Conservatives don't want the government to "get things done"! It would be nice to get some things UNdone, but that's usually a pipe dream.
I never thought I'd live to see the day of a GOP House/Senate/Prez! But it's just proven that the best we can hope for from government is "gridlock".
Arnold's biggest flaw is his poor political skills. The CA GOP are quite unable to bridge that gap since they're so incompetent.
---
and Your biggest flaw is you keep going to bat for the "best we could do for now" candidate in the crowd, who is a snake, which comes as no surprise to some of us here looking at his past behavior for starters..
How many billions has he cajoled the state into borrowing?
Your arguments for him are as limp as is the majority of the state's voters grasp on what the Recall was about, imo.
That Duff needs answers now is laughable, by the way.
Obviously no one told Arnie (and a host of other politicians) that there's supposed to be two partys, not one...
A time honored and effective solution would be to propose spending cuts and then veto the bloated budget that the Democrats would ultimately send to him. A gubernatorial veto requires a super majority to override. A super majority empowers the minority party.
I've oft times wondered why the Austrian appears not to trust the members of his own party in the legilslature. Schwarzenegger's policies and voting record would support the simple conclusion is that he doesn't agree with them on fiscal issues.
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