CA: Restive GOP Activists May Stage Revolt (Dump Susan Kennedy by March 15th or else)

LA Times ^ | 1/20/06 | Peter Nicholas

[NormsRevenge]

SACRAMENTO — Republican activists disenchanted with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said Thursday that they will try to strip the governor of the party's endorsement unless he fires his new chief of staff, Democrat Susan P. Kennedy.

Restive Republicans said they would rally conservatives behind a resolution, to be offered at the state GOP convention in San Jose next month, that may give Schwarzenegger an ultimatum: Dump Kennedy by March 15 or the party will withdraw its backing of his reelection bid.

--snip--

"We've gotten to the point where we've just had it with the guy," said Michael Schroeder, an attorney from Corona del Mar and a former chairman of the California Republican Party. "It's become clear that he's no longer pursuing a Republican agenda."

Steve Frank, a conservative activist from Simi Valley who is planning to attend the convention, said: "I know who he is today. I have no idea who he will be tomorrow…. And we need some predictability as to which Arnold Schwarzenegger is governor."

Party members said they resent Schwarzenegger's recent efforts to woo Democrats and that he is appointing too many of them to judgeships. They also dislike his plans to borrow $68 billion for a sweeping public works program, and say that his state budget is fraught with spending that California cannot afford.

Schwarzenegger never positioned himself as a classic Republican.

Running in a predominantly Democratic state, he has always played up his wife's Kennedy family roots while touting his own socially moderate positions.

Last year, however, he pushed a more partisan Republican agenda, which was rejected by voters in a special election. After that, he hired Kennedy, apologized for calling the special election and made other moves that angered Republicans.

But an aide predicted that Schwarzenegger would ultimately retain the party's endorsement.

[NormsRevenge]

Schwarzenegger never positioned himself as a classic Republican.

---

or much of a Republican at all, for that matter, as his overall review of his actions have spoken much larger than his election hype.

[sully777]

I know, let's change the US Constitution so that foreign-born citizens such as Ahnold can become President--sarcasm

I wonder where all the FReepers are that made such an asinine request, you know the one's that scolded us on McClintock?

[The Old Hoosier]

Some of us saw it coming. Arnold was never realistic about the political or budget situation. He tried too hard to work with the California Soviet (ie, the legislature), and by the time he got around to his reform agenda two years later, the voters had lost their ardor and forgotten why the recall ever happened. Now he sees no alternative but to become a Democrat in all but name.

[pogo101]

Arnold could have won most of his truly conservative reforms IF he had pressed for them immediately, while he still had the public behind him. Too late now. I don't know what to do, but his becoming a more fully-fledged leftist probably isn't the answer ><

[Carry_Okie]

Arnold could have won most of his truly conservative reforms IF he had pressed for them immediately, while he still had the public behind him.

That's why I was calling Propositions 57 and 58 a squandered opportunity.

Arnold never had any intention of cutting spending; he was too busy fulfilling Wall Street's greed for commissions on bond auctions, for which they laid down a cool $300,000 in campaign contributions just after the start of the recall campaign and have since added over NINE MILLION more.

The sad part is, if the bonds had been underwritten and auctioned in California, then the taxes on the commissions would have been kept in State. As it was, Arnold's payoff to his early contributors cost the State over $250 million in direct tax revenue alone, not to mention revenue on the economic activity associated with retaining that kind of cash flow within Caliphoneya.

[calcowgirl]

Drafts of the resolution are circulating, and proponents of the idea are planning to meet in Palm Springs this weekend to discuss strategy.

Well, I hope they don't just focus on Susan Kennedy. She may have been the breaking point for many, but the other policies are much more destructive, imo.

Check out what Karen Hanretty wrote today in the SF Chronicle today:
Policy must triumph over process in state budget:

(snip)

The process in which the governor is engaging on the budget seems backward. One would expect a Republican governor to introduce a budget just right of center, giving himself space to negotiate to the middle. By starting just slightly left of center, with a budget that dedicates money to new spending that will increase the structural deficit, the governor leaves himself no room to maneuver -- unless Democrats decide to outflank the governor on the right as part of an election-year strategy designed to showcase their nominee as the fiscally responsible alternative to Schwarzenegger. But that seems about as likely as Sen. Ted Kennedy fast-tracking the confirmation of Judge Samuel A. Alito Jr. to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The budget policy seems backward as well. It was only two years ago that Schwarzenegger proclaimed in his 2004 State of the State address: "Never again will government be allowed to spend money it doesn't have." Never again, indeed. Today, the governor's budget spends $6 billion more than the state is expected to take in from revenue -- a structural deficit that the Legislative Analyst's Office predicts will increase in coming years.

If Republicans concerned that the governor's policy will not lead him to victory in November want to bring back Schwarzenegger circa 2004, I suggest that they take a chapter from the master's own playbook: Engage in the process. That includes sending a strong message to Schwarzenegger as well as to the legislative Republican leadership that the Republican base will not budge on taxes and on deficit spending.

Schwarzenegger reassured the California Republican Party board of directors in December that he is committed to moving in the same direction as the past two years and admonished them to "judge me based on my actions." The Republican base is not "overreacting" as they follow the governor's advice and judge his actions based on the budget and other issues. He and his administration should understand that this judgment is also part of the process, one that could very well determine the fate of the election in November.

[tubebender]

News Max has a similar article. I had the misfortune to come face to face with Senator Wes Chesbro at the annual Eureka Chamber of Commerce dinner last night. I have known Wes since he served on the Arcata City Council so we shook hands and I said "long time, no see" as he rarely visits his home district.

He is maxed out so he may be looking for opportunity here, like the Grand Potentate of the Greene Party...

[pabianice]

This is also the graph for Massachusetts state government. The developers have a death-grip on the Legislature and are slowly and surely eliminating all laws that help control over-building.

[John Lenin]

I am voting for the RAT candidate no matter what on the theory that it has to get worse before it can get better.

[MillerCreek]

For some of us, it was a process of realizing reality, or more accurately, of reality being revealed, as to who Schwarzenegger is.

Not that I ever scolded anyone on McClintock, nor others except for Huffington and that wasn't here on FR (d'oh), given that I voted for Simon but think McClintock, now, was the right candidate and choice (I regret not voting for him).

On the other hand, the Recall was mostly an emotional situation for voters in that there was great eagerness to not only get Davis out but also to avoid getting Bustamente in.

In my experience, even voters who weren't enthusiastic over Schwarzenegger at least showed up to vote for anyone other than Bustamente and Schwarzenegger just managed to get into office by receiving the largest portion of the smaller voting minority.

I think Republicans in CA need to demand far more than just removing Susan Kennedy from the Governor's cadre of human resources. I don't think, at this point, that any acceptable degree of predictability from Schwarzenegger is ever going to be, given that he's running and governing more on personality than program.

It's program we need in Sacramento, conservative, Republican program.

[MillerCreek]

I actually discouraged people from voting for Schwarzenegger, however, so my conscience is clear here. And for most of the reasons I suspected at that time are now clearly indicated about the person. In all due respect, he's a liberal in an extremely liberal industry influenced by among the most liberal socialist/marxist enclave in current American history: Maria Schriver and Ted Kennedy.

Schwarzenegger is REALLY influenced, let me say this, by both. Short of divorcing Schriver and refusing to take any more calls or visits from Uncle Ted, Schwarzenegger is, quite literally, in bed with the Kennedys. He's saturated in their concept of "fairness" and socialism.

I realize he thinks he's Republican but Tiny Tim thought he was playing well.

[NormsRevenge]

If one voted for the Gub, one effectively voted for a centrist democrat, imo, and a guy who just wants to be adored and admired by all; ie., the worst kind of politico in my book.

--

He's no Clinton but he ain't thru yet, at least Clinton created millions of new jobs and balanced the budget. (/Big Lie)

[John Lenin]

Rinold squandered a golden opportunity for some real change. The end result is he has propped up the RATS by adding more debt and caving in on quite a few issues. The special election was the biggest disaster of all. Had to be the worst campaign I have ever seen on issues that literally sold themselves if presented to the public right.

[MillerCreek]

Interesting opinion article there, thanks.

THIS part is key:

Schwarzenegger reassured the California Republican Party board of directors in December that he is committed to moving in the same direction as the past two years and admonished them to "judge me based on my actions."

Every Republican voter should remember this as they prepare to vote and then vote in the next Governor's election in CA.

I'm not alone in deeming Schwarzenegger a Trojan Horse candidate and at least the CA GOP is getting the message that voters in CA deserve representation. Even us Republicans.

[NormsRevenge]

The 15 billion dollar bond was the capper in my opinion.

It essentially let the big spenders off the hook and locked in outrageous increases that the dems and Davi$ doled out in the years leading up to the Recall.

[MillerCreek]

I understand and, in CA particularly, agree with that voting strategy BUT the end effect of Schwarzenegger's "process" is that the CA Republican PLATFORM AND PURPOSE is moved far to the Left, rather than Republicans being represented, we have been (or so it's been attempted) repackaged as "new" "more liberal" Republicans.

The LEFT hasn't changed. Like many who have lived and worked in CA for a while, even off and on, the Left there remains far into marxism, a socialist/communist/marxist dedication to anything and all that is, quite literally, conducted by public funding without permission to ensure socialist lifestyles and "re-education" and such of the population, denigration of religious beliefs and values, the whole Liberal trap infesting the state. THEY aren't changing, they haven't changed, they're not going to change if but become more dedicated to communist/marxist dogma and hate (my experience, it's emotionally driven) for anything that even mentions reference to Christianity and now, lately, to "Anglo Saxons."

It's a mistake of huge proportions to attempt to meet Liberals in some moderate middle because that does not exist. There IS no "moderate middle," there's just no moderation nor no compromise nor moderation to liberals, the Democrats in CA. They are all union, all the way, all socialism, all the way, and anti-Freedom of Religion, among other positions that are complete anathema to the rest of us, as voters and as Americans.

I don't mind people enthusing over unions and all the rest so long as it's alright that I don't. In CA, however, it's not an option not to...

If and when the CA GOP presents and backs a candidate, that candidate needs to be, yes, popularly electable (Ronald Reagan was) but also intellectually and academically and, yes, spiritually, committed to our Constitution and conservative support of it. The Left sure isn't. They're not going to be, and the sooner that CA Republicans understand that, the sooner we can leave the Left in CA in the dust behind us.

I just don't agree that there's some need to include them in the front seat, behind the wheel, towing the car even. Just don't open the door, leave them by the roadside. I think here of a boat alone on the ocean and who I'd trust to be in it with me and my decision becomes clearer.

[John Lenin]

As far a the special election. All he had to do was present a chart on spending for the next 15 years that would show the large jump in state spending and say, either we cut back on government spending or we are going to have to raise taxes to make up the difference, it's your choice in this election. I don't even remember what his theme was for the special election.

[calcowgirl]

In all due respect, he's a liberal in an extremely liberal industry influenced by among the most liberal socialist/marxist enclave in current American history: Maria Schriver and Ted Kennedy.

Now he is aiding and abetting envirowackos and Bobby Shriver (who he made the chairman of the State Park and Recreation Commission) in attempts at derailing completion of the 241 Toll Road in Orange County, despite all the lengthy and costly regulatoty hurdles having been met. Gotta protect those frogs, ya know?--no matter what the cost!

Governor Schwarzenegger To Seek 30-Day Delay on 241 Completion Vote

Enviro elements inside Governor Schwarzenegger's administration and family -- such as State Parks Director Ruth Coleman and State Park and Recreation Commission Bobby Shriver -- have been lobbying hard to stop the tollroad.

(snip)

The 241 completion is already projected to cost $875 million, and each month of delay tacks another $3 million on to that amount.

Can The Governor "Just Say No" To His Brother-In-Law?

In any case, Bobby Shriver, the chairman of the State Park and Recreation Commission, has apparently been grinding his brother-in-law, Governor Schwarzenegger, over the 241 completion. Shriver has been publicly campaigning to halt this project, and has gone so far as to state that no toll road should be built on any state park, anywhere.

Agency agrees to delay toll-road decision

MISSION VIEJO – The Orange County agency that is considering building a toll road through San Onofre State Beach honored the governor's request yesterday and delayed a decision on the highway for 30 days.

The Irvine-based Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency board had been scheduled yesterday to consider an environmental impact report that recommends a route through the park's northern edge, in San Diego County.

Two members of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration wrote to board Chairman Ken Ryan on Wednesday, asking for the one-month delay and saying the matter was "extremely complex."

The board voted 12-3 for the delay, although some members said they didn't like it.

"I'm frustrated and confused," said board member and Lake Forest Councilman Peter Herzog. "I'm puzzled as to why, with over 20 years of notification, there's some additional time needed."

[MillerCreek]

I had no idea that Bobby Shriver was now the "Chairman of the State Park and Recreation Commission."

He's one of those Santa Monica extremely left liberals who led some campaign recently to allow people to grow their hedges, or not grow them, now I can't recall which. Needless to say, he's a strange person, a very strange person, who has his good moments along with his bad like most of us but his concept of politics is to give everyone everything if he thinks they're "needy," all thanks to the immense comfort zone he has due to his millions of inherited dollars. Which he has not given away, not that he should, but the point is he's one of those liberal Democrats who thinks the taxpayers should pay more so he can "use" more of it to, well, be liberal with.

[truth_seeker]

"I think Republicans in CA need to demand far more than just removing Susan Kennedy from the Governor's cadre of human resources."

What is your proposed "vehicle" for your demands?

Is it these party "leaders" like Schroeder (former)? The "party" in California is a big joke. That more than any single factor is WHY Arnold came to be.

Show me facts that the party is organized, to take on any important task. Show me evidence of the last task they handled, with success.

I mean candidates elected, and/or proposition measures passed.

The point I am making: Based on performance of the "party" lately, Arnold is the best case which is achievable.

I know a lot of FR types get "psychic" pleasure from standing on principal, and losing.