Yesterday I received an e-mail from longtime FR friend Jeff Greene. Jeff and I are both alumni of Young Americans for Freedom (the conservative youth organization founded by William F. Buckley, Jr. that played an instrumental role in the development of the modern conservative movement) — in fact we each served as Chairman of California YAF at one point in our lives. I had the honor of voting for Jeff in the Republican primary for Governor in 1990 — though most people didn’t realize there was a primary, since Jeff didn’t get too many votes compared to his primary opponent, incumbent U.S. Senator Pete Wilson! (You have to love the moxie of YAFers!).
Anyways, I digress. The e-mail that Jeff sent was in response to this article by Carla Marinucci that ran in the San Francisco Chronicle over the weekend, in which the Governor, again, makes the case that if Republicans want to win in California, we need to "cross over the center" (his words) — and I guess be more like Democrats… I suggest you click through and read the article before continuing to Jeff’s response.
Without any further intro — here’s what Jeff penned (reprinted with his permission):
I agree with our esteemed Governor and many other critics both right and left that the GOP is a rudderless disaster and out of touch with the general voting public (especially in CA), or at least incapable of expressing themselves in a way that is both heard and understood by the great unwashed masses. But while he gives a lot of examples of where we are "wrong", he has no examples whatsoever of where we are right. No examples whatsoever of how we can successfully distinguish ourselves from the Dems and become a winning party.
Assuming we listen to the standard voices for "reform" in the GOP, and specifically the Governor, and abandon the pro-family groups, embrace an environmentalist regulatory regime, be more flexible about taxes and gun control, support some form of universal health care, back off on immigration enforcement, and pull out of the Mideast, what exactly is left?
The only semi-reliable veto from him has been on some of the more radical labor issues, when both large and small California businesses have been united against them, but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t expect us to become the anti-labor party, either, since they were the ones who kicked his ass in the special election he called, and I haven’t heard him really go after them publicly since then.
**There is more – click the link**
May 19th, 2008 at 12:00 am
The best thing for Republicans in California is to stop donating money to losers…
When a company employs losers it gets rid of them…what is needed in Republican leadership is a complete house cleaning….
Poor performance, no ideas, chubby waist lines….out of here!!!!
May 19th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Complaining about the Governor’s and the state’s left turn doesn’t accomplish anything other than make us feel good. The U.S. is becoming less completive with other countries due to things such as high taxes, high labor costs and environmental regulations (environmental extremism.) California is becoming less competitive with other states for the same reasons. The party needs to update Reaganomics to today’s problems. We need to offer specifics on free market solutions on health care, the environment (environmental extremism), taxes, etc. CRP or an independent group should bring in people from business, small and large, medicine, high tech, and other economic segments to define the problems. We should bring in P.R. and advertising people to do the wordsmithing.
This isn’t an original thought, but still true. The way you say it is as important as what you say. It needs to be clear, simple language. We spent hours on the CRP platform talking about philosophy, but didn’t offer any solutions to the problems. Our time would have been better spent offering solutions.
May 19th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Republicans have excellent tax records.
Republicans have a better platform for expanding healthcare, not embracing universal care.
We all want care for everyone, of course Jeff. But we simply can’t afford it. Just expanding a few programs, has helped generate the budget gap we have now.
I also agree with the Republican stance on Health Savings Accounts and Social Security Partial Privitization.
Although I am helping Hillary Clinton to campaign in the Executive Branch for her role as President, it is because I know later on Congress will balance out with a better number of Republicans once more because of it.
Democrats should rule the executive branch, so the public can see what is real in iraq or not.
there has not been a concurrent resolution offered yet in Congress.
which would remove the troops and isn’t subject to presidential veto.
but there was a concurrent resolution offered on the troop surge by nancy pelosi.
there are good things going on in both parties. and democracy depends on having both parties.
Where would we be with a one party system?
Nowhere.
So, I am glad we have two parties.
And as far as Arnold goes, he really should be a Democrat and change his title, eh?
He’s certainly not representative of Republican’s main interests any more. He’s pooped out, and become himself, which is fine.
He’s not a bad guy.
However, he forgets he is representing millions of Republican people, who do not share his stance. And they need representation.
A lot of Republican people will be lining up to overturn the judges decision on gay marriage.
Tolerance is a far cry from gay marriage. Arnold really is forgetting who butters his bread.
Titania Jones
bubbamail@operamail.com
May 24th, 2008 at 12:00 am
As I remember in a philosophy class about 50 years ago….an avoid/avoid decision making conflict leads to a remarkable decision….do nothing!
The Democrats are divisive praying on human failings, the “seven greatest sins”, and will get ya wiped out by terroists or the tax/ regulation ghouls….AVOID.
The Republicans are only in it for the money and are really globalist 21st century slave masters who only tolerate middle class urban serfs for their donations and naive votes…AVOID.
Guess who sells out? The “moderates” love such a decision scenario. They make their own illusionary UTOPIA taking itsy bitsees from each party in hopes “We can all get along and goom-bye-aahh together”.
So what is one do… be patient and true to your values… leaders rarely emerge until you really need them! It appears we ain’t there yet in California or on the national scene.