I don’t normally read the Flash Report, but a current story caught my eye, while I was cruising the BNN headlines.
Jon Fleischman, the editor of the Flash Report, is at the California GOP convention, where he listened to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as he told the audience that the CA GOP needs to stop pushing social issues that most Californians don’t care about.
You can read the rest of Schwarzenegger’s remarks at my previous post.
Here are a few excerpts from Fleischman’s post:
In short, the Governor came before us, declared that the State GOP was in trouble, and in essence prescribed that the ‘cure’ for our party’s ills is to move to the left on major policy issues in order to capture the political center.
Frankly, and to be honest, I couldn’t disagree more. First and foremost, the purpose of a political party is to achieve it’s public policy goals. No where in our goal is a massive and costly government ‘intervention’ in California’s health-care delivery.
Anyways, pretty much everyone I spoke to tonight feels that the Governor was dead-wrong in his remarks and it certainly cast a pall on evening from those who were expecting much more uplifting remarks.
Fortunately two other Republican Governors spoke at the dinner, Governor Christ of Florida and Governor Perry of Texas. While I was not there for their speeches, I understand both were met with rousing applause and accolades. Perry specifically defied Schwarzenegger by talking about the importance of the GOP sticking to its guns.
Typical response from a guy who in a year or two won’t be able to find any work in California.
Has Fleischman forgotten what happened in the last few elections? Schwarzenegger’s conservative ballot measures a few years back completely tanked. And the Governor and moderate Steve Poizner were the only Reeps to win in the last statewide elections. The conservatives never had a chance.
But guys like Fleischman can’t let go of the glory days of yesteryear, when they all had nice jobs in Sacramento. Those days are long gone – and they won’t be back in our lifetimes. Had the CA GOP stuck to the sort of issues that Schwarzenegger is pushing, it would be totally different, but too many moderate Republicans have lost faith in their sinking party and gone independent.
And of course guys like Fleischman won’t let independents vote in the presidential primary – a move that will be the last nail in their party’s coffin.
Hang on to your dreams of yesterday Fleischman, that’s all you have left. Eventually you won’t have a reason to get out of bed anymore (see picture above).
Shhhh! Art, don’t tell them they’re wrong! Please let them continue down the path of irrelevance! Your country’s future depends on it.
Gila,
LOL! Don’t worry – if they won’t listen to Arnold, they sure won’t listen to me.
Flash and his GOP homies appear to have their hearts set on going down with the Titanic, even though Arnold keeps trying to throw them a life preserver.
RIP, CA GOP…
It seems like those who control the Republican party in California prefer to perpetuate the “ain’t it awful” writings and prognostications of their most conservative electeds – often in op-ed pieces in a given newspaper. McClintock, Spitzer -, and John Campbell at the federal Congressional level, etc. often write about the perceived awful things the other party is doing. (though Spitzer primarily focuses on crime/law eforcement philosophy). While these conservative writings that bemoan what is or is not going on in government play to the voting public in the areas from which these office holders are elected, they are out of step with the masses in California overall. The question, then, seems to be whether to play to the pockets of California where the “ain’t it awful” message strikes a chord, or to moderate and try to at least have some meaningful impact on public policy. A major consideration has to be a judgement call on which approach has the highest likelihood for getting elected/re-elected. Ultimately, all this is up to the voters. So no one thinks these words are the rantings of a liberal, be advised they come from a lifelong Republican who more often than not agrees with the “ain’t it awful” crowd.
Arnold is correct to want to remove the issue of abortion from the platform of the California Republican Party.
Propositions 73 and 85, which many expected to pass, actually failed, the second time around by even more than the first time. Californians made it clear what direction that want when it comes to abortion rights and a woman’s right to choose. The majority understands that it is a private decision between a woman and her doctor. Californians have made it clear the path they want to take is prevention, not new laws and madates restricting a woman’s ability to control her own reproductive health.
Of course my party, or soon to be former party, would rather take an approach of “we know whats best for you and we can care less what you think.” Democrats finally learned that approach does not work, I think the Republicans in California are determined to learn it the hard way.They complain that Dems are creating a nanny state, they are just as bad, if not worse, as Democrats. Pleae Republicans, stop insisting on cramming your morals down my throat. There is a reason Arnold and Poizner won by resounding margins, it was not an accident. There was a reason that, in a year the Dems’ top ticket candidate sucked, they still stomped you in other statewide races.
McClintock is 0-4 in statewide races, there is a reason why. Strickland lost to an unknown, there is a reason why. And we could have had Secretary of State as well, but instead you Naderized McPherson because of his pro-choice stance by voting Libertarian in big numbers, while the Dem base was excited about Bowen(as opposed to Angelides and Bustamante). I remember hearing from a Republican activist that she would vote against McPherson because he believes in upholding Roe V. Wade. Yes, thats the first thing I think of when I vote for Secretary of State. You imbisiles. You sacrificed a good qualified moderate inthe name of your so-called morals. Good luck in 2010. It is pretty sad that virtually your entire bench of Republicans would likely lose the governorship to a San Francisco mayor who sleeps with his best friends wife.
There is a reason that, in a Democratic district that Dunn carried by 25 points just four years ago, that Daucher came within a few votes of winning. There is a reason why she would be the best choice to run for Gary Miller’s seat. Wake up folks, the moderates are our future in California if we want to survive. Pretty soon, coastal Reps here in OC will defect in droves. It has happened in other mega wealthy coastal areas in San Diego and the South Bay. Coastal OC is next if you all don’t repent your ways, pun intended.
Right on, Moderate Republican.
This photo looks perverted, like Fleishman is about to snap one.