"As for politics, Republicans seeking the presidency in 2008 would do well to tear a page out of Ford's playbook: Move to the middle and stay away from the far right."
Posted on 01/13/2007 2:45:11 PM PST by calcowgirl
Things are goofy in California. I mean, goofier than usual.
Republicans are afraid they've lost influence with the governor, which wouldn't be so strange if the governor wasn't also a Republican.
What's even stranger is that -- in a true blue state such as California, where Democrats control the Legislature and most of the top offices in the executive branch -- Republicans haven't figured out most Californians no longer care what they think, and this includes the chief executive from their own party.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger was sworn in for a second term on Jan. 5 after coasting to re-election.
Now, Republicans are pleading with Schwarzenegger to pursue a more conservative agenda -- even if he has no chance of getting any of it through the Democratic-controlled Legislature.
These are folks who see the value in fighting the good fight, even if they go down swinging in the first round, as they often do.
Instead, Schwarzenegger is fighting for a compassionate but controversial plan to provide health insurance for 6.5 million uninsured Californians, including illegal immigrants. He insists that, under the current system, the uninsured levy a hidden tax on everyone.
Faced with an otherwise gloomy future, the state Republican party has one bright star -- Schwarzenegger. So, naturally, the instinct among Republican ideologues is to try to drag him into the darkness with the rest of their cohorts.
Luckily, having beaten his Democratic opponent by 17 points, he is much too smart to fall for it. Just as you'd expect from someone who came to this country with empty pockets, worked hard, bought into the American dream and amassed a fortune of several hundred million dollars.
In a stirring inaugural address, Schwarzenegger made clear he's his own man, and he believes the future of American politics is right smack in the center.
"Centrist does not mean weak," he said. "It does not mean watered down or warmed over. It means well balanced and well grounded. The American people are instinctively centrist. So should be our government."
Schwarzenegger's brand of centrism means two things -- shunning extremes in search of common-sense, middle-of-the-road solutions to difficult problems and reaching out across the political divide to incorporate the best ideas your opponents have to offer while giving them credit in the process.
We desperately need more of both, not just in California but all around the United States.
If you want to know why our politics are broken in this country, this is the reason. We've reached the point where so much of the debate is all or nothing and dominated by the shrillest and most extreme voices, where people are afraid to acknowledge the other side is even half-right and where being a moderate is considered the equivalent of being squishy or indecisive.
Meanwhile, political parties aren't interested in results or solutions, as much as expanding their reach and enhancing their fundraising by taking potshots at the opposition -- even on those days when there is no real disagreement.
That doesn't make much sense, not when -- on abortion, gun control, stem cell research, immigration, the death penalty and a host of other issues -- most Americans have mixed feelings.
And not when it's the case that no single politician or political party is right on every issue.
Straight-ticket voting is a thing of the past, and the future lies in the kind of cafeteria politics that allows voters to pick and choose what they like from what the parties have to offer and discard the rest.
That's what Schwarzenegger is talking about. Still a relative novice at politics, he hasn't had time to learn bad habits that hamper most career politicians.
In his inaugural speech, he spelled out a vision of "post-partisanship" that searches out a "creative center that is not held captive of the left or the right or even the past."
The California governor is onto something, and he knows it.
He's even thinking about taking his centrist message on the road, say his aides. He might drop into New Hampshire and Iowa during the 2008 primaries to try to convince presidential candidates the middle of the road isn't a bad place to be.
Bravo for him.
Who knows? Maybe he can convince a few of them to join him there. Our politics would be better off.
Navarrette is a columnist for the San Diego Union-Tribune. His e-mail address is ruben.navarrette@uniontrib.com.
That's because he is being led around by the nose by his dimwit wife.
Anything from Navarette should come with a Barf Alert. He doesn't get it.
Navarette hits a home run with this article. No one cares about the jackasses who shriek "Rino" everytime they don't get their purity test met.
ROFL!
Opposing socialization of healthcare is "purity"?
Opposing taxpayer subsidies for Al Gore's global warming nonsense is "purity"?
Opposing bigger and bigger government is "purity"?
Supporting the constitution, including the right to bear arms and private property rights, is "purity"?
Whew! Who knew?
"There are two sides to every issue: one side is right and the other is wrong, but the middle is always evil."
"The spread of evil is the symptom of a vacuum. Whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be no compromise on basic principles."
AYN RAND
Oppoaing taxpayer-supported health care for illegal aliens is "purity"?
And don't forget opposing needless, worthless, un-Constitutional RINO GUN-GRABBING (arnold's .50 cal grab).
I tried to cover that under the "constitution" and "the right to bear arms."
I figured MovementConservative would get the idea... but then again, maybe not. ;-)
Apparently opposing any betrayal of conservative principles by Arnold is "purity".
You're a foul-mouthed nit, aren't ya? Wouldn't you be more at home at DU?
When folks snap out of post partisan depression and battered Republican syndrome (or action hero worship),
we may have a real conservative movement.
Until then, the Farabutto brothers will still be considered great tailors. ;-)
“We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all.” --Ronald Reagan, 1965
Navarette says that taxpayers are taxed for illegal alien health care. The real front in this battle keeping the illegals out, and booting out the ones who are here. No illegals = no citizens being taxed to pay for them.
Name them!
Billions in unconstitutional borrowing? Record growth in Government? Minimum wage hikes? Global warming regulation? Prescription drug programs? Taxation for illegal alien healthcare? $3 billion in rate increases to subsidize solar roofs? A 25 million acre land-grab? More gun regulation? $3 billion for embryonic stem-cell research? Liberal judicial appointments? A couple vetos of GLBT legislation while signing a dozen pro-homosexual bills? Please do tell me about all those "important victories" we've won.
While you're at it, why don't you tell me which part of the Republican platform you actually do support As all of the things I listed above, as promoted by the Conciliator are clearly contrary to the very principles of conservatism and the Republican platform. "Shared Responsiblity" for healthcare isn't any better of an idea today than when Karl Marx uttered the same mantra.
Just tired of people violating Reagan's 11th commandment.
Wouldn't you be more at home at DU?
Those guys over there are even more vaccuos than some of the fools who run around FR calling every Republican a RINO. Fortunately there are enough of us who are tired of the nonsense and want to get back to advancing conservative principles, even if it means taking 90% instead of 100%. Outside of Hastert's nutty earmark spending, GW Bush has been a great president. Now we get nothing because we are busy trashing our own instead of trashing the Democrats.
Well, he vetoed the Democrat's universal health care for illegal aliens plan...
...shortly before he unveiled his own universal health care for illegal aliens plan.
They're just SWARMING FR!!! Somebody turn on the bright lights so they'll run back under the baseboards!!!
By violating it using profanities? Hypocrite.
“We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all.” --Ronald Reagan, 1965
“Join me in a dream of a California whose government isn't characterized by political hacks and cronies and relatives--an administration that doesn't make its decisions based on political expediency but on moral truth. Together, let us find men to match our mountains.” --Ronald Reagan, 1966
One last thing, if you want Barbara Boxer re-elected in 2010, keep bringing Arnold down. Regardless of what you think about how he has to do things now, he'd be a much better US Senator than that shrill embarassment Californians keep sending to Washington.
Yet you support Navarrette slamming our Republican legislators who are trying to fend off liberalism, excessive spending and ever-increasing taxes? Yeah, right.
He's working hard to screw it up as much as he possibly can.
BTW, drop the act. You're transparently DU.
You said Califonria was "winning battles and important victories". I ask again, please name them.
I gave you examples of the battles we are losing, most while the Governor stood with Democrats in opposition to Republicans.
Based on your response, it tells me that you know very little about what is happening in California.
Aw (bleep!) What a fabulous (bleepin) "BOOBY PRIZE!"
At lot of good that's doing ANYONE in Cauleeforneeuh!(/sarc)
He's thrown the Party and especially it's platform (principles) out with the bathwater, but you're too wisdom challenged to see it!!!
Has anyone got that picture of the roadkill that the Department of Transportation just blindly painted a centerline right over it's flattened dead body??? (complete with maggots and flies buzzin around it?)
"domestic tranquility"
To me that's totally repulsive.
... why don't you tell me which part of the Republican platform you actually do support.
Huey Long! Iszat you??? Populist tranquility? Iszat what we be wantin??? Well then why don't you just give us all a big vat of Kool-Aid loaded with valium? That oughta git us all nice an tranquil... excuse me whilst I doze off... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
That's an understatement! These folks used to be zotted in minutes!
YOU SAID IT!!! There it is!!! It came right off your own danged keyboard, typed by your own moderat typecast fingers!!! (I can't help noticing the characters typed by your left hand strangely showing a considerable emphasis, however. I guess one would call that an accent, right?)
Oh! I so hope it was!!! So ya dove in here on November 11, 2006 to straighten everybody out by holding yourself up as some kind of an example of an actual, factual "movement conservative?"
Gimme a (bleepin) break!!! You really need to learn some basic manners if you hope to convince anybody around here of anything!!!
We've chewed up and spit out more interlopers like you than you can even dream of. You should've lurked a little longer to size up the opposition to your attempted pejorative attack on people who care much more about California than just your version of partisan posturing!!!
As for your insipid attempts at baiting me, don't waste your time. I could care less what you have to offer because like the Dinosaur Media, you whiners are up to your ears in tar.
Smart money is on embracing Arnold in California and building a bench for the future. You are not Idaho. Instead of grousing the whiners could be shaping the bench, but that takes work they don't seem willing to commit.
Must be a reincarnation of a past life as "Vowell Movement CONservative!" See reply#23. A copied "ping list" is already being deviloped!!! (Check out the FR home page for laughs)
I sincerely wish there were some way possible to send him back to your pathetic state so's you could wallow in the leftist manure pile with him and his leftist first lady!!!
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
California Teachers Association money? MALDEF money?
Refer to post #40 for a response.
All that and a professed political expert on California.
We really should be impressed...
Indeed they are.
Remember back when FR really was a conservative site for conservatives?
Obviously not an expert on California. In fact, may not know much about the Republican party, either. Crickets abound when asked about all of Arnie's "victories" (twice) and on what part of the platform the poster might actually support (twice), lol.
Just another uninformed out-of-state troll, IMO.
You mean, say, like those bond propositions, the taking of public lands by "conservancy", healthcare for children, including illegal aliens? Those kind of "toned down" issues?
"...he'd be a much better US Senator than that shrill embarassment Californians keep sending to Washington."
And you expect the regulars around here to take you seriously?
ROFL! Your'e on to something gsp. That's about what Navarrette is selling -- anyone who actually believes in what the founders laid out, or the Republican platform, is an extremist. Heck, Reagan was called a right-wing extremist too. I guess we're in good company.
I'm all for compromising--but I'm against raising the white flag.
Ah, yes -- another "Movement Conservative" is she not?
Okay, I scanned the preamble and read the part about "domestic tranquility". It talks about preventing armed rebellion in the streets. I don't want anarchy. I don't want gang-ridden neighborhoods killing innocent people in drive-bys. I don't want hoodlums shaking down businesses for protection money. I don't want 500 thousand foreigners marching in the streets demanding special rights for non-citizens. Etc.
I think everyone could probably agree to that (except for the illegal alien part), but you cast it in a much broader vein. "Domestic tranquility" in the Constitution is certainly not supportive of "shared responsiblility" for healthcare, unless its the Communist constitution, of course.
BTS, where the heck did all that come from?????? That is so far opposite the DaleReed that has been posting on these threads for years, I don't even know where to start? You MUST have him confused with another poster!!!
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