I was not a Steve Poizer’s swearing in yesterday, but I am hearing from folks who were there that it felt almost akin to a Schwarzenegger event—Poizer seemed to be dismissive of the GOP and immediately called to make his office non-partisan (after accepting loads of help from the GOP to get elected). Jon Fleishman writes today that he feels like a chump for believing Schwarzenegger’s promise not to raise taxes. The entire GOP, including GOP chair Duf Sundheim, should feel like chumps for pouring our time and money into Schwarzenegger’s and Poizer’s campaigns, only to have them reject our party immediately after gaining office.
January 9th, 2007 at 12:00 am
So you heard second hand that the Poizner event felt “almost akin to the Scwarzenegger event”…that he “seemed” to be dismissive of the GOP? Hearing it third hand that Poizner almost, sort of, kind of, maybe seemed to be dismissive of the GOP is hardly enough reason for me to feel like a chump for supporting Him.
January 9th, 2007 at 12:00 am
I was at his inauguration yesterday. It was funny when he told the story about how he met his wife and she took him out at second base, and when he said he had just gotten off the phone with the Governor who told him to “break a leg.” It was good when Steve said he would run the single best consumer protection agency in the country, and that he intended to become the state’s Chief Risk Manager. But when he said that voters had taken out a four year policy on him, and our ROI was (1) that he would push the legislature to make his job nonpartisan; (2) that he would drive down insurnace costs; and (3) he would make sure we are prepared for future emergencies and disasters…I couldn’t help wishing there was just one more thing he would say…something, anything positive about the GOP.
We’ve been battered and bruised, and that would have been a great pick-me-up for so many of us who admire Steve greatly.
But the born-again optimist in me says, maybe our GOP elected leaders plan to appeal to the Missourian in all of us…you know…the “Show Me” state. Perhaps it’s like the song in My Fair Lady that says, “Don’t just tell me you love me, SHOW me.” I’m willing to hope that their actions will speak louder than words.
January 9th, 2007 at 12:00 am
Does anyone think that Jack O’Connell is less of a loyal Democrat because his office is “non-partisan” in title? I didn’t think so.
Calling for making the insurance commission position non-partisan is not a rejection of Republicans. That’s a crazy attempt to defame Poizner without cause.
Did Poizner call for doing anything at odds with Republican principles? No. Does anyone disagree with Poizner’s agenda as listed? Does anyone disagree that if Poizner does run for Governor, it will be in a Republican primary on the Republican ticke?
This all seems like B-list celebrities who whine when not mentioned in a thank-you speech at yet another pointless awards show. How many years will CA Republicans continue to engage in circular firing squads like this?