Posted on 02/26/2006 5:27:29 PM PST by NormsRevenge
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger calls the Republican Party his home. And after a weekend of political tension with rebellious conservatives, he has no reason to change his address.
Attempts by a breakaway conservative faction to push Schwarzenegger to the political right at a state party convention fizzled, with mainstream party members uniting around their well-known, if struggling, candidate.
It was a weekend in which an essential political objective - the need to re-elect the governor in November - steamrolled a debate about ideological purity on such issues as a balanced budget and mounting public debt.
State Sen. Tom McClintock, a popular conservative running for lieutenant governor, put it this way: those who might take issue with Schwarzenegger's latest policy swings should consider the result of a fractured party - a Democrat running Sacramento.
"The convention is in the wild-eyed grip of pragmatists," GOP consultant Kevin Spillane said. "The conservatives who claimed to be speaking for a large number of party members couldn't back that up."
The centrist governor has never fit into the party's right wing. But he alarmed conservatives when he shifted to the political left late last year after voters turned away his slate of ballot proposals to undercut Democratic power in Sacramento and give him more authority to cut spending.
At the convention, conservatives openly berated his decisions to appoint a longtime Democratic operative as his chief of staff and push a budget that would spend billions more than state government is due to collect in taxes. They complained that Schwarzenegger named too many Democrats to judgeships and recklessly proposed record state borrowing for highways and other public works projects.
But allies of the governor succeeded in beating back a slate of conservative-sponsored resolutions that scolded the governor for his spending and borrowing plans, including his proposal to increase the minimum wage.
The resolutions were "about how we can spank the governor and form a circular firing squad," said Michael McSweeney, vice chairman of the San Diego Republicans. "If we are divided and not unified, the opposition wins."
There were signs of broader discontent - one resolution was approved at the convention urging the governor to appoint "quality Republicans" to the bench.
In Washington on Sunday, Schwarzenegger sought to explain his personal brand of polymorphic politics.
"I will run as an Arnold Republican, which is that I am there to govern and to serve the people of California, meaning Democrats and Republicans," the governor said on NBC's "Meet the Press."
"Even though there are some on the right wing that are not happy about that, who think that I should only govern for Republicans, but that's not what I promised the people of California," he said. "I'm not doing things in a traditional way. ... You can't put me in a box."
One factor facing unhappy conservatives is that there is nowhere else to turn - Schwarzenegger is unopposed in the June primary. However, some activists predicted conservatives might stay home in November unless the governor tilts their way.
Even though he avoided embarrassment at the convention, the governor faces significant hurdles in his campaign. Voters are in a cranky mood - a bad sign for incumbents. Polls show he is unpopular, particularly among Democrats and independents, who comprise two-thirds of California's registered voters.
His campaign treasury was drained last year, and President Bush's sinking fortunes could be a drag on his candidacy.
But he retains his Hollywood star credentials, and he's proven he can win from the middle, as he did in 2003, when he picked up support from a sprinkle of Democrats and about half the independent voters.
"Personality matters," GOP consultant Frank Luntz said. "The more different he stays, the better he is."
(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.")
Duf was on the local news going on about how "we agree on 80% of things and only disagree on 20% of the issues" but we're united so we're in good shape.
more like Damn the right wing, full steam ahead.
Hmmmm... so conservatives that want to uphold some part of the party platform are a "breakaway faction" and those New Majority supporters who now endorse minimum wage hikes, record spending, unprecedented borrowing, liberal judicial appointments, global warming, pro-GLBT legislation, gun control, abortion, etc. are the now "mainstream members."
I'm so glad that AP pointed that out. /s
Ideological purity? Since when is fiscal responsibility considered "ideological purity"?
These certainly couldn't have been Republicans. Who were they? The party(R) I joined stood for smaller government, fiscal responsibility, decreases in regulations that strangle business, etc.
Yes, Dufus hasn't got many toes left to shoot off.
Lets see how he does with a big chunk of his base MIA at the next election. Every conservative I've talked with intends to "no vote" the governor box.
Now the Wilsonegger gang as Amerigomag rightly calls 'em, are clipping the Governor's right wing by "beating back" any legitimate objections and trying to marginalize any and all Conservatism. Arnold is even working a pair of shears himself, trying to re-create the Repellican Party in his own image and swearing we can't put him in the platform box!
Well, I got news for ya Arnie Baby... You're goin right into the cigar box this November if you keep this crappola up! Conservatives will fight back any way they can and you will be weakened because of it!!!
Well, it won't just be conservatives! I don't know of a single Republican that believes in the cr@p they are selling. How can they ignore 100% of the Republican platform and expect to get any support? And who are these "leaders" put in charge to implement the party platform?
It sounds to me like the party has been wholly infiltrated and hijacked by impostors, many of the ex-democrat-turned-Republican variety.
Anybody know of a third party platform??? Cuz this chick wouldn't vote for a Dem if her life depended on it.
I've never done it before and certainly don't want to, but with the plans of candidates being offered, there is no substantive difference. I don't want a new platform--I want our party "leaders" and elected officials to acknowledge the existing platform! I'm not talking 100%... 80% would be great... heck, at this rate 50% would be a HUGE improvement, lol.
I didn't vote for him in the Recall and tried to tell everyone what a socialist jerk he was but people either were star struck or voted out of fear and he proved to be everything I said he was and even worse.
I'll either vote 3rd party or withold my vote for Governor.
As the brilliant Brad Paisley says,
"Me Neither!"
I do.
Never EVER withhold your vote, in my never so humble opinion...
"we agree on 80% of things and only disagree on 20% of the issues"
Reverse those numbers and he might be closer to correct but 90% disagree and 10% agree would be closer to the truth.
Anyhoo, the Young Republicans (Federated) backed the four resolutions, so I was glad to be a part of the dissenters.
Which resolutions were actually offered and what was the overall reaction? Details appreciated. We need the inside scoop here, lol. Reading the report from AP is a bit too much to take! Are the YR(F) little New Majority types?
Arnold is a girly-man.
I was at the convention, Duf and Ron Nehring and the other storm troopers think that strong arming the dissent at the convention is a success. If you have to do that then there is no unity.
I was at the CCR meeting that Arnold showed up at and I now know what it looked like when the captain of the titanic showed up and asked if the band can play louder. They stopped all video recording, they won’t allow questions. This is not a movie. I will ask questions and if I don’t get good answers I will not vote for Arnold.
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