Editorial: California Crushes Liberals

FrontPageMagazine.com ^ | 10/07/03 | David Horowitz

[kattracks]

The California recall election is a political earthquake. It is already shaping the political future not only in California but nationwide. The big losers in this election were California liberals, feminists, the politics of personal destruction, the myth that the press is not in bed with the Democrats and the image of Republicans as mean-spirited morality police. The Republican Party has suddenly become the big tent it has aspired to be but never quite achieved until now.  According to exit polls 55 percent of independents and 18 percent of  Democrats voted for Schwarzenegger – despite the fact that the Democratic Party threw all its big guns into the state including all its presidential candidates, Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Jesse Jackson. Thirty-nine percent of union households voted for the Republican and thirty percent of Hispanics – despite the fact the Democrat Bustamante would have been the first Hispanic governor in history if he had won. Moreover, the turnout of Republicans themselves was also obviously large with the overwhelming majority of conservatives and an even larger majority of moderate Republicans coming out to vote for him.

In short, the new governor inspires passion in the Republican base and yet hope among those who are often put off by that base. In California, Arnold has created a new Republican coalition that has raised the Republican Party from the dead and produced an electoral landslide in the process. In a state which Republicans lost by a million votes in the last presidential election (without the Democrats having to spend a penny in the state) the combined Republican vote may have exceeded 60 percent -- an electoral landslide. This is what is meant by a political earthquake.

This earthquake is far more important than the Jesse Ventura miracle in Minnesota five years ago, and only partly because California is a state many times the size and importance of Minnesota. Ventura accomplished his feat as an independent, running against the major parties. Arnold’s victory is a victory of the Republican Party with enormous potential for affecting Republican fortunes everywhere. The fact that in a special election he drew numbers of Republicans rivaling the presidential turnout is a marker for the Republican future. A charismatic Republican candidate who embodies the big tent aspirations of the Republican center but resonates with its conservative base can point the way to a Republican governing majority for the foreseeable American future. And that’s something to think about.

---

David Horowitz is the author of numerous books including an autobiography, Radical Son, which has been described as “the first great autobiography of his generation,” and which chronicles his odyssey from radical activism to the current positions he holds. Among his other books are The Politics of Bad Faith and The Art of Political War. The Art of Political War was described by White House political strategist Karl Rove as “the perfect guide to winning on the political battlefield.” Horowitz’s latest book, Uncivil Wars, was published in January this year, and chronicles his crusade against intolerance and racial McCarthyism on college campuses last spring. Click here to read more about David

[GeronL]

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[goldstategop]

I agree. Conservatives can win not by sacrificing their message but by skillfully shaping it to attract those who don't agree with us on everything. Most Californians want a fiscally responsible government that leaves the morality police out of their bedrooms. If we take advantage of this reality, we can relegate the Democrats here to long term minority status. Now THAT is what I would call a political earthquake.

[Tempest]

I've actualy always thought that the conservative position that wishes to legislate sexual behaviour amongest consenting adults to be rather contradictory to a true conservative value.

I mean isn't one of the main staples of conservatism to remove goverment out of our personal lives?!

[WaterDragon]

I take back every nasty thing I ever thought about Californians. They certainly proved themselves real leaders today!

[HitmanLV]

Indeed, and we should not blow this one!

[corkoman]

I've actualy always thought that the conservative position that wishes to legislate sexual behaviour amongest consenting adults to be rather contradictory to a true conservative value. I mean isn't one of the main staples of conservatism to remove goverment out of our personal lives?!

you can add to that substances that adults choose to put in thier bodies. Freedom and responsibility baby, thats what prinicples are all about.

[chicagolady]

Ahnold! Ahnold!

[John Valentine]

I've actualy always thought that the conservative position that wishes to legislate sexual behaviour amongest consenting adults to be rather contradictory to a true conservative value.

As far as I am concerned, those folks are far more idologically akin to the Libs.

Maybe their sprific agenda goals differ, but their tactics and mindset are the same. And it is based on the thought of themselves as an elite, better conditioned or better positioned to see the truth, and that all the problems of the world are "due to the shortcomings of others".

And a tip of the hat to one of the greatest among us here in America, the incomparable Thomas Sowell.

[Tempest]

"you can add to that substances that adults choose to put in thier bodies. Freedom and responsibility baby, thats what prinicples are all about."

Yes and no. Where as I do agree that freedom and responsibility need to go hand in hand. I must question the ability of an individual to maintain control over his/her level of personal reponsibility when under the influence of a control substance. I mean how do you insure that without placing a heavier burden on law enforcement agencies that need to make sure that the streets are safe from people that may decide to take the habit out on the road while still under the influence?

[lainde]

Whooppeeeee bump!

[sourcery]

Most Californians want a fiscally responsible government that leaves the morality police out of their bedrooms. If we take advantage of this reality, we can relegate the Democrats here to long term minority status. Now THAT is what I would call a political earthquake.

Agreed. Of course, what will work in California and what will work in Texas will not always be the same, especially with respect to the sociocultural issues.

Strategically, the key point is this: a much more powerful, broad-based and lasting coalition can be built nationally around free-market/small-government principles, than around the conservative/traditional sociocultural agenda.

Personally, I'd rather see culture and state kept separate. Not only is the depoliticization of sociocultural issues good policy, in California it's smart politics. It's also a way out of the looming trap caused by demographic trends that seers of the left foresee befalling Republicans.

The sore point remains abortion. Politically, it's up to those who feel that abortion is murder to convince a majority of the electorate to agree with them (I'm neutral.) Politicians have to get elected--otherwise, they don't get paid, and have to pursue some other line of work. In order to get elected, they can't be anti-abortion when clear majorities are strongly pro-choice.

The only way to change things is to change the majority opinion. Do that, and the elected politicians will follow (or else different politicians will get elected!) Most politicians are followers of public opinion, instead of shapers of public opinion. Public opinion is the lever. Learn how to shift it.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

"I take back every nasty thing I ever thought about Californians. They certainly proved themselves real leaders today!"

Not knowing all you said, I think that all the insults thrown at CA FReepers helped spur them into this highly ambitious venture. I'm even more amazed by what McClintock supporters achieved. Hopefully, there isn't much bad blood between Arnold and McClintock supporters.

[Tempest]

"As far as I am concerned, those folks are far more idologically akin to the Libs."

True, true, the majority is. But I'm not quite sure how that makes an arguement to the position that legislation of sexual behaviour amongest consenting adults is contradictory to conservative ideology?

I mean you must admit that there are many conservatives whom have taken the position which would absolutely not induce anyone in that demographic to find the conservative agenda appealing. These are people are well within their right of course not to pander to gays because I believe a persons morals are their own to decide as long as they don't infringe upon the rights of others. I'm just pointing out how I've always thought that legislation against the fact to be contradictory to a conservative ideology.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

"Personally, I'd rather see culture and state kept separate."

If you mean in part that employers no longer have to fear government regarding who they hire/fire... good luck. Most workers fear some unfair act by their boss, such as being replaced by some bumbling relative of their supervisor. They lack confidence in their own value to an employer.

Then again, I was in a job I've been held back from promotions due to prostitution, building extentions to the boss's house, and nepotism, even though I was a much better supervisor-- both tough and liked somewhat by employees. I might also have been held back due to race/gender, since all the promotions were handed to female/minorities for an extended period of time. It took me years to figure out what was going on. No law stopped my regional manager from doing all of that. It happens anyway.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

"...I was a much better supervisor-- both tough and liked somewhat by employees..." I was extra nice to hard workers and very much hated by the lazy ones, LOL.

[sandpit]

OK, so when does the rioting begin, egged on by Jesse "dat my baby daddy" Jackson?

[backtothestreets]

Commentary:

I watched Davis give his concession speech. There were 18 people around him. With Davis were his wife, his two sisters, and his brother. Of the remaining 13, nine were members of various minorities. That's nearly three-quarters of those in the picture. It was representative of the campaigns Davis and Bustamante ran.

Would it be too bold to say the Democrats have abandoned the majority of Californians?

I've nothing against minorities, but when their inclusion means the exclusion of the majority, there can only be one outcome.

It seems the message the Democrats deliver is "There are people with lots of money, and if you vote for me, I'll give you some of it".

I hope Democrats and progressives throughout the country watched our California Recall results. I hope it helps direct the party to a position that is beneficial to all, and not one group at the expense of another.

[corkoman]

I must question the ability of an individual to maintain control over his/her level of personal reponsibility when under the influence of a control substance. I mean how do you insure that without placing a heavier burden on law enforcement agencies that need to make sure that the streets are safe from people that may decide to take the habit out on the road while still under the influence?

you just failed the test of principle: we are too stupid to make decisions for ourselves so we have to rely on others making decisions for us. But if we are too stupid to make decisions for ourselves, how is it possible to make decisions for others??

if drugs were relegalized the impact on the highways could very well be negligible: access to these drugs is fairly easy right now.