Posted on 08/04/2006 12:44:56 AM PDT by FairOpinion
Californians deserve a spirited campaign not just for the governorship, but for the other six "down ballot" partisan statewide offices.
But as the most recent poll numbers indicate, the races have a notable leftward tilt, and Republican candidates for the offices other than governor are in danger of being swept at the ballot box in November.
This could be the continuation of a trend. In 2002, no Republican won a statewide race. In 1998, two Republicans won. Then, in 2003, the recall election brought Republican Gov. Schwarzenegger to power; he later appointed a Republican secretary of state after the incumbent resigned. Of the top statewide offices, those are the only two Republicans. Both houses of the Legislature have Democratic majorities.
(Excerpt) Read more at ocregister.com ...
Lately this means someone who I disagree with on my pet issue.
I really think the "Bush dissatisfaction" factor is a losing argument for the dems. I don't know of anyone who sees State government being that intertwined with national offices.
Jack Pitney, a political science professor at Claremont McKenna College, said the governor so far hasn't done much for any of his fellow Republicans. "If Schwarzenegger builds a comfortable lead, we might see him campaigning for them in the fall. If his lead is light, he won't," Mr. Pitney said.
He has a big lead now--get out there Arnie! Act like a Republican.
He added that criticism within the party might goad the governor into doing more for his fellow Republicans.
Hmmm.... Many here call this "bashing." I agree with Mr. Pitney. All politicians should be held accountable to their respective party platform and are expected to support their fellow candidates!
The Austrian didn't get that "big lead" by acting like a Republican.
Far from it.
In order to have friends, you must show yourself friendly! It says that in the Bible somewhere!!! When you adopt a position and take drastic action right off the bat that offends huge organizations that endorsed your candidacy early on, you are going to lose that support by and large because a majority of those good people that belong to that major organization will take it personally!!!
Note I said "personally," and not "politically." The CA Farm Bureau is just such an organization that Arnold stabbed in the back with that Sierra-Nevada CONservancy that thousands and thousands in the Sierra had fought hard enough to even get Gray Davis to veto, twice!!!
Many of us fought the GANG-GREEN GovernMental EnvironMental Not For Profit NonGovernMental Organizations and there guerilla networks that have litigated and bullied and played dirty politics for decades against us conservative traditionalists that still believe in normal "investment backed expectations," "free enterprise and markets" and the basic constitutional right to own AND CONTROL our property without merciless militant regulators interfering with our lives!!!
So when a celebrity prig like Schwartznegger immediately throws in with GANG-GREEN to create another box to put 1/5th of CA under an unnecessary land-use controlling GovernMental body for no good reason, you come to despise him right off and quite determined NEVER to reward the prig with your sacred voting franchise!!!
Then you get a bunch of interlopers coming to a "conservative forum" website you have lurked on since 1998 and participated in posting on since 2000 that want to smear you with insulting smears that you want to hurt the conservative movement because you won't surrender to this tird's tune... forgedaboutit!!!
Wrong forum. You're posting on a conservative forum, not a Republican forum.
But it is most definitely NOT a liberal/socialist/Dem forum, yet you keep advocating the victory of the leftist Dem Angelides for governor. Perhaps you are in the wrong forum.
Actually, the Austrian has been acting like a Republican.
Maybe:
He has a big lead now--get out there Arnie! Act like a conservative.
... would have been a more accurate expression of the general frustration.
I understand the distinction you are making between conservative and Republican. But I really don't think he's acting like either. I would expect a Republican to support the other candidates on the ballot. This particular politician disappoints often.
Sadly we disagree.
From my perspective an institution is defined by its leadership and its current efforts. The Austrian and the Minister of Information define the CAGOP through their actions and its implied intentions.
What they do is the definition of Republican by default. If they toil to increase spending and the size of government, then the CAGOP, by definition, represents bigger government and more spending. If they work to trample party traditions , then the CAGOP is, by definition, progressive.
No, neither the Austrian nor the Minister represent Republicanism in California of just three short years ago but they do today. What you see is what you get. The Austrian is acting like a Republican because his actions define the party.
It's not your father's CAGOP anymore. Give the CAGOP cadre two more generations and members of the Central Committees will be easy to spot. Their right arm will curiously be permanently raised. Their right, index finger will he obviously enlarged. They will be able to instantly and consistently gage the direction that the political wind is blowing. Their left hand will contain 6 digits to better grasp either your campaign donations or your tax return.
Central Committee members will not speak voluntarily nor reveal their personal viewpoint on any significant matter but instead, will open every dialog with subtle probing to gage what you want to hear. All responses to your direct queries will be prefaced with I understand your concerns and agree .. or .. I think you're upset and you have a right .. The highest honor that the CAGOP will bestow upon its membership will be the Committee Membership Award signifying a high level of cooperation and respect for the corporate decision.
A life sized bronze of a previously obscure, CAGOP operative will dominate the entrance to their Grand Reception Hall in Chula Vista. The administrator of their FO account on FreeRepublic.
I think our opinions differ only in how we define "Republican." While your's acknowledges recent phenomena within the Party, I am a bit more optimistic believing it is not a fatal epidemic but, instead, a temporary illness that can be eradicated. (Granted, your definititon strikes me as a bit more realistic.)
An institution may at first be defined by its leadership, but for success it depends on persons within that institution to carry out the proposed mission. When people do not believe in that mission and choose not to follow, the institution will fail. Continuted pursuit of unsavory missions may cause them to abandon that institution permanently, also causing failure.
So, does one accept failure as inevitable or do they try to eradicate the disease?
As to future monuments in So Cal, will those be located along new toll roads for maximum observance by followers?
The CAGOP is what it is, at the moment of definition. A snap shot. A moment in time captured. The CAGOP is not defined by what happened in the past and not by what may happen in the future. It is defined by what is happening now.
As the leadership acts or speaks the definition changes. Usually those changes are evolutionary, Occasionally they are erratic and only rarely a devolution. The changes that occurred in the CAGOP from August to November of 2003 were neither evolutionary nor, strictly speaking, devolutionary. They were simply radical. On a quantum level.
Whether the Austrian is considered an anomaly or a temporary illness the analysis is comparatory and does not define the party in it's present form. The party is what it is at the moment of definition.
Statements such as "He is not acting like a traditional Republican would act" or "He is not acting as I would expect a Republican to act" are both accurate but his actions define the term Republican and he must therefore, by default, be acting like a Republican.
For proof of the contemporary model of political parties, one only needs to look to the CAGOP's response to the radical changes that Pete Wilson, backed by the generosity of the New Majority, introduced. Were the Austrian a temporary illness he would now be enjoying the last few months of his 15 minutes of fame. There would be a new champion and the party would be moving back toward familiar and comfortable territory. Back to its traditions and historic values. But the CAGOP isn't. The party is comfortable with their new liberal leader, supports his Fascist dabbling and is working to disenfranchise it's traditional base to smooth the corporate waters.
Yes, Schwarzenegger is acting like a Republican. It's just not your definition of Republican. It's why the CAGOP is working overtime to be rid of you. Your consistent devotion to conservatism, traditions and the solemnity of our political system is a hindrance to their new persona.
The new CAGOP is lean and mean. They are ready to shift gears, if need be, from socialism to fascism to maintain power and enrich their benefactors. They are acting Republican.
As for myself, I do believe it is possible to achieve a "devolution" (to borrow a term from Amerigomag) within the CAGOP although it will take a lot of time and work. And it probably cannot be done without some corresponding changes at the national level (RNC/NRCC/NRSC, et al). In fact, it will be necessary to just about destroy the present Big Tent GOP before we can restore order. Won't be easy--wasn't it Andrew Card that said something like "screw the conservatives--they have no place else to go"?
At present, the outlook does not look good and I must confess that I am not optimistic. Theoretically possible to be sure, but realistically so difficult as to be well nigh unachievable.
Sorry for the frustration, that certainly was not my intent.
I once went back to look at who donates to the CAGOP. From my recollection, during the time period you describe (Aug-Nov 2003), it is quite obvious that the party was bought and sold.
You offer much food for thought--thank you. I agree with most, if not all, of what you posted and will continue to ponder it.
As to being a hindrance to the Party's new persona, I will wear that label proudly.
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