During the California recall election, when my then-WND colleague Hugh Hewitt was in the forefront of leading a merry band of Republican optimists to reject Tom McClintock – a genuine conservative – in favor of a man much esteemed by the Kennedy family, I wrote a column titled "Satanic Schwarzeneggerians," in which I encouraged eschewing the sacrifice of principle in favor of the "pragmatic" pursuit of power.
Now, I quite like Arnold as an action hero, and would consider it an honor to lift weights with the legendary body builder. But there are decent and even delightful individuals in every party across the political spectrum and personality is no sign of worthiness to hold political office. I have known and liked a number of individuals who would nevertheless be of more benefit to humanity dead than in power.
The idea behind the Schwarzenegger gubernatorial candidacy was that his popularity and sheer manly presence would cause the Democrat-controlled legislature to genuflect in humble awe before him, thus allowing the state Republicans to return California to some semblance of fiscal and operational sanity. The subsequent prosperity would naturally lead to a revival of Republican fortunes in the state, repeating in miniature what the Reagan revolution wrought on a national scale beginning in 1980.
The backup plan, in the event that the state Democratic leadership proved more recalcitrant than expected, was that the Great Man would simply bypass the Assembly and Senate and go over their heads in an appeal to the people of California. This was a reasonable idea, as California's system allows for a limited form of direct democracy through referendums, and indeed, this backup plan was put into effect earlier this year.
Unfortunately for California's Republicans, Gov. Schwarzenegger went zero for four in the November elections. And even more ominously, the governor is showing that he has no interest in sacrificing his political career at the behest of the conservative movement or the Republican Party, two things toward which the strength of the strong man's loyalty has always been dubious. His recent appointment of Democrat Susan Kennedy, a liberal lesbian enforcer and former executive director of the California Democratic Party, as his new chief of staff, is a strong indication of his intention to tack left for the remainder of his term – look for a major compromise initiative supported by the government unions and state Democrats designed to jump-start his popularity in the run-up to the next election.
Even more disquieting are rumors that Schwarzenegger may opt to wash the political detritus of the last two years from his record with a shrewdly tactical announcement of a newfound political independence. Doing so would allow him to free himself of any blame for his recent failures, tossing it aside along with the Republican Party.
This would be a masterstroke, as the Los Angeles Times and other Democrat-leaning media would spare no effort in selling Schwarzenegger's version of events to saddle California Republicans with the political liabilities successfully sloughed off by the governor, while they are still reeling in disarray from the loss of their so-called leader.
In Schwarzenegger's action movies, he often left his opponents bloodied and burned. It is not difficult to imagine that California Republicans will soon be wondering if Arnold is handling them the same way.
As I am neither Californian nor Republican, this scenario troubles me not. And since Republicans have been chasing the myth of the electable moderate for most of my adult life, it wouldn't surprise me either, although I do marvel at those who managed to forget the Machiavellian history of elected Austrian imports. Beware of Greeks bearing gifts and Austrians running for office. In conclusion, I offer the following words, written in September 2003 – I see no need to revise them now:
"Schwarzenegger, far from representing the salvation of California's Republican Party, stands for its complete immolation ... Pragmatism in politics is self-defeating in the long run. It is a euphemism for the slow sacrifice of one's principles. The constant substitution of "electable" moderates for principled conservatives is what repeatedly kills the Republican Party and prevents it from ever realizing even a small part of its platform when it is in power."
Touche!
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
Yep. A myth.
"Schwarzenegger, far from representing the salvation of California's Republican Party, stands for its complete immolation ... Pragmatism in politics is self-defeating in the long run. It is a euphemism for the slow sacrifice of one's principles. The constant substitution of "electable" moderates for principled conservatives is what repeatedly kills the Republican Party and prevents it from ever realizing even a small part of its platform when it is in power."
Perfect!! (Deserved repeating.)
Yep, let's not forget that checked-pants country club RINO talk host Hew Huitt led the cheerleading for uber-RINO Aronold.
WHOA!
Comparing the governator to a certain Austrian corporal is just a tad over the top, but THIS:
"Schwarzenegger, far from representing the salvation of California's Republican Party, stands for its complete immolation ... Pragmatism in politics is self-defeating in the long run. It is a euphemism for the slow sacrifice of one's principles. The constant substitution of "electable" moderates for principled conservatives is what repeatedly kills the Republican Party and prevents it from ever realizing even a small part of its platform when it is in power."
is something that ALL Pubbies should read, think on, cogitate and take to heart.
The middle of the road is where you're GOING to be run over. KEEP RIGHT!