McClintock best choice in recall

Hollister Free Lance ^ | September 16, 2003

[TERMINATTOR]

Back when a gubernatorial recall election was just a gleam in U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa’s eye and an ongoing drain on his bank balance, we editorialized against recalling Gov. Gray Davis. We urged readers not to sign Issa’s petitions on the grounds that a recall would be a waste of taxpayer money and just reflected political sour grapes from the party that can’t seem to field an electable gubernatorial candidate.

But now the recall election is a reality - whether it be Oct. 7 or next March, we believe it is important to revisit the issue. On Monday, a federal appeals court postponed the election, ruling the historic vote cannot proceed because some votes would be cast using outmoded punch-card ballot machines. Recall backers have vowed to appeal the ruling.

By the slimmest of margins, we now endorse a “yes” vote on the recall ballot.

Why the change? Because voting no won’t prevent the state from spending millions to hold the election, the more important issue becomes whether or not there is a better choice than Davis to lead California. We think there is.

Deciding which of the 133 candidates is the best choice was difficult. Like most Californians, if you believe the polls, we had little consensus on who is the best choice to replace Davis if he is recalled. We limited our discussion to the top five candidates, with much gnashing of teeth over the withdrawal of Republican Peter Ueberroth, a fiscally conservative, socially moderate candidate.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, a Democratic many describe as to the left of Davis, is basically more of the same, most of the editorial board agreed. And the same isn’t working. Bustamante’s fund-raising tactics, while technically legal, are grossly reminiscent of Davis‚ strongarm, pay-to-play politics, and his status as a longtime Sacramento politician means many hold him as responsible as Davis for the state’s problems.

What we need now is a fix for the major hemorrhage going on in California. It’s about the money - the jobs that are fleeing the state, the long-term energy contracts Davis signed which are pickpocketing every Californian, the skyrocketing costs of workman’s compensation and the shrinking tax revenues causing cutback after cutback throughout the public sector.

Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, is the fiscal conservative California desperately needs. Though we’re concerned about some of McClintock’s conservative social views, we believe his no-tax-increase pledge and plans to cut state spending make him the best candidate.

Like California, our board split deeply. Bustamante is the choice of one editorial board member. Green Party candidate Peter Camejo and independent progressive candidate Arianna Huffington were considered seriously before being eliminated because with both candidates polling in the low single digits, it seems likely that a vote for Camejo or Huffington is a vote wasted.

Then there’s Arnold Schwarzenegger. His initial appeal - a wealthy political outsider who doesn’t need to take money from special interests, who tells the people the truth - has been diluted by his reliance on Sacramento political handlers, refusal to attend the recent debate, shifting stories about his now-infamous Oui magazine interview, acceptance of money from businesses and individuals and confusion about businesses being special interests. Sadly, Arnie’s no Ronnie.

Schwarzenegger, who would need the leadership and charisma of a Ronald Reagan to be effective in Sacramento, falls short.

Those who won’t vote for McClintock say that, like Bustamante, he is a longtime Sacramento politician who shares responsibility for the state’s energy and budget crises, and that his far-right social views make him unacceptable.

McClintock advocates counter that a liberal statewide electorate and a Democratic-controlled state Legislature will limit his ability to advance a conservative social agenda.

In this wide-open, frustrating and unprecedented race, McClintock garnered three of five votes on the editorial board. We recommend voters choose Tom McClintock to replace Gray Davis.

In a field of 133 candidates, garnering 20 percent of the vote in the recall balloting might be enough for McClintock to pull it off.

If he does, he just might right an economic ship that is floundering and restore the lustre which paved the way for California to be known as the Golden State.

[ConservativeMan55]

Thats a no brainer.

[kingu]

In a field of 133 candidates, garnering 20 percent of the vote in the recall balloting might be enough for McClintock to pull it off.

Pull off what? A win? 35 percent for Bustamante, 35 percent for Arnold and 20 percent for McClintock is a win? Maybe I should mail a calculator to the editorial board of the Hollister Free Press.

[TERMINATTOR]

There are 132 liberals to split the vote, and only one conservative - Tom McClintock. Do the math!

[Weimdog]

"When I talked to Tom even before he got in, he told me a couple of things that when you have these kind of conversations you never forget," Issa told Hannity.

"He said, 'Look, I'm not going to be in this race if it's not a crowded field. I know the numbers for a conservative. And I'm not going to stay in and be a spoiler.'"

[kingu]

Yeah, let's do the math. You have three people who are polling with more than 80 percent of the vote. That would be Bustamante (28-34 percent), Arnold (26-38 percent) and Tom (14-18 percent). The next closest challengers are Huffington (2-4 percent) and Camejo (2-3 percent). If Tom gets 20 percent of the vote, Huffington gets 3 percent, Camejo gets 3 percent, and say random other votes gets a whopping five percent. That is 31 percent of the vote. The other sixty nine percent is shared between Bustamante and Arnold. Where does twenty percent win?

You can include the 132 other candidates however you want, but still, twenty percent is a loss when faced with reality.

Beyond, if this race looked like it would be won by someone with twenty percent of the vote, do you imagine that the recall would succeed? People would trash it faster than Bill Clinton can write down a woman's phone number.

[sanjacjake]

I voted..for Arnold......McC may be good conservative
and great guy..but this situation demands an immediate
solution. It is not a Democrat or Republican issue..
it is all about..Economic stability. All Californians
are being hammered ...Bustamonte will exacerbate the
situation..MCC may eventually do it..but the real answer
is short term with guy like Arnold who will immediately get some answers and something done. Sad..that the party
vote is being split....If Bustamonte gets it...state will be permanently busted...Jake

[zencat]

Arnold has a significant lead over McClintock, so it's silly for McClintock to stay in this race.

All of you TomBots out there in California better get ready for Bustamante's $8 billion in promised tax increases and more open borders.

[TERMINATTOR]

(R)nulled HAD a lead over McClintock before he broke his promise not to raise taxes except in an "emergency". He's now in favor of raising taxes on Indians. For Rnold "Emergency" must be whenever you want to spend more than you've got.

[sanjacjake]

Correct..that's the gist of my statement..if you took
time to read it cvorrectly...Jake

[sanjacjake]

You' re juust playing the Pol. game....When your guy runs
against Boxer...then you can get it done....He is behind
Arnold and won't catch him,,puts him in a MCain like
position...he can turn it to his advantage and move
on or stick around and forever be called...the spoiler.. Jake

[DoctorZIn]

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[scabbage]

McClintock best choice in recall? But Arnold is the terminator and he said he is going to terminate taxes. on the other hand being that he`s attatched by the hip to the Kennedys, he could be the 'taxinator'. "Asta la vist baby to your paycheck"

[KellyAdmirer]

This was posted when it originally came out a couple of weeks ago. Why post it again? It is not breaking news.

[TERMINATTOR]

Gotta link? Nothing by this title has been previously posted. No one mentioned breaking news, except you.

---

"Gun controls should be stiffer." --Arnold Schwarzenegger

Principles before politics

Tom McClintock for Governor of California!
Freedom and Firearms -- A Speech by Senator Tom McClintock
Western Conservative Conference, Los Angeles, June 9, 2001

Molon Labe!

[KellyAdmirer]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/984265/posts

[going hot]

Bustamante’s fund-raising tactics, while technically legal, are grossly reminiscent of Davis‚ strongarm, pay-to-play politics, and his status as a longtime Sacramento politician means many hold him as responsible as Davis for the state’s problems.

I wonder just how long has Cruz been in sacto politics vs Tom?

Then,how about Tom's fundraising practice (indian gaming money)

[thoughtomator]

If you don't know that Tom has no control over what the Indians are spending, you're not paying attention. If you do (and you probably do) then you're simply being dishonest.

[WOSG]

They had me up to this point...


"In a field of 133 candidates, garnering 20 percent of the vote in the recall balloting might be enough for McClintock to pull
it off."

baloney ... Cruz will get 30% of the hard-core die hard Democrats/Mechistas... To beat Cruz you need more than 30%.

That's the GOP dilemma - rally around ONE candidate who can beat that percentage, or Cruz will win and Cali will lose.