Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger struck his then customary
conciliatory pose with his party’s anti-government faction at last
January’s state Republican convention, in this NWN video.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t exactly solved his Republican problem. In many ways, of course, it’s not a problem for him. California’s Republicans, out of step with the state’s mainstream, and in some cases their own voters, are contracting rather than expanding, locked into a permanent and in many ways self-selected minority status.
The California Republican Party is in the grip of the state’s anti-government faction, even more than California’s Democrats are dominated by the state’s ultra-government faction. They cleverly refuse to allow independent voters, the state’s fastest growing political tendency and the future of California politics, to participate in their presidential primary, and have fallen so far as to have to cut back their own local organizing efforts due to the party’s incipient anemia.
Writing last month at the Flash Report, a right-wing web site with few comments that nonetheless has become a clubhouse for politicians from the Republicans’ far right faction, one of the faction’s leading theoreticians, Fresno insurance man Mike Der Manouel, noted that his party’s cutbacks point up the fact that it has become “a party with nothing to do. California’s demographics,” he lamented, “have stampeded right over the top of the GOP and there is nothing we can do about it.”
Which is the sort of thinking that Schwarzenegger derides as a “losers’ mentality.”
Of course, had the former action superstar paid more attention to dealing with his party’s anti-government mentality, and to reining in the Democrats’ ultra-government faction, he might not be facing the latest outbreak of California’s chronic budget crisis.
When Schwarzenegger came into office four years ago following his landslide victory in the spectacular California recall election, he had a mandate to kick ass. But he had, let’s say, an incomplete plan. On the then enormous state budget problem, actually bigger than today’s, he had a soundbite and polling data indicating that most voters thought that as much as one-third of state spending was waste. Which, as it happens, is false.
He also had a commitment — thanks to the championing of the concept by state Senator Tom McClintock, the distant third place finisher in the gubernatorial replacement election and darling of California’s far right — to cut the state’s car tax. Which Schwarzenegger promptly did.
Today that cut amounts to about $6 billion a year. Absent that, the state government doesn’t have much of a fiscal problem.
What Schwarzenegger might have done in 2004, as I pointed out, was drag his party out of the 19th century and the Democrats into the 21st by adopting a temporary tax hike and a ruthless effort to root out governmental inefficiencies.
Instead, he placated the anti-government faction and the ultra-government faction. Though he insisted he would not, he let his own California Performance Review die — with nary a peep from Republicans, mind you, in fact killed by Republicans in his administration — and passed on the tax hike. Though he had the clout to do both.
Instead, he constitutionalized, through passage of a popular initiative, massive deficit borrowing on the bond markets already undertaken by the Legislature and former Governor Gray Davis.
Then, from a political standpoint, he alternated between indulging — to the extent of nearly ending his political career in 2005 with his ill-conceived and disastrously executed “Year of Reform” special election initiatives — and ignoring the right-wingers who make up most of the Republican apparat in California.
As recently as this past January, as seen in the NWN video above, Schwarzenegger was still placating the purveyors of a politics that can’t win and which he had already eschewed. Only earlier this fall, when he addressed the party convention outside Palm Springs, did he air his obvious differences with the anti-government faction.
Not that that has affected their behavior. With the state’s chronic financial woes deepening in the midst of an economic slowdown driven by a housing crisis and near record oil prices, the anti-government faction calls for big cuts in state spending.
What do they want to cut?
They won’t say.
Were this coming from one of those Young Americans for Freedom conventions, it would be irrelevant. Coming from a still major political party which does have relevance — thanks to California’s highly unusual two-thirds legislative vote requirement on fiscal matters — it is absurd.
Schwarzenegger could have short-circuited these highjinks in 2004 and 2005. In 2007, he’s been busy elsewhere, with climate change and, of course, the year-long effort to produce a universal health care program for California. Along with a decent start at reforming California’s long ridiculous prison system and a so far fruitless bid to jump-start the state’s stalled water policy.
Yesterday, Schwarzenegger at last got a version of universal health care through the state Assembly. Along with a number of business and labor leaders — including, most notably, national Service Employees International Union chief Andy Stern — there was exactly one Republican politician, Fresno Mayor Alan Autry. Schwarzenegger doesn’t really need Republican pols to reform health care, though he is still far away from actually doing that with the current Rube Goldberg contraption. And perhaps he should have settled for “merely” providing health care to all children and stopping the insurance companies from denying care to people with pre-existing conditions.
But because of the state’s anachronistic requirements for super-majorities on key fiscal matters, he does need to bring more Republican pols into a governing consensus. That hasn’t happened. So unless the right-wing Republican pols are hiding their light under a bushel with regard to their refusal to spell out the massive program cuts they are insisting on — in other words, unless they have identified the governmental efficiencies that the California Performance Review they so meekly let die was not allowed to ferret out but for some odd reason have chosen to become Alfred Hitchcock’s successors as masters of suspense — California is going to be subjected for at least part of next year to a particularly absurd form of deadlock.
** NOTE: NWN is on a reduced holiday publishing schedule. That doesn’t mean there won’t be some columns and updates and videos; just not nearly so many. The Forum will of course be open. The relative break is coming sooner rather than later because of the frankly insane presidential campaign schedule, which sees Iowa and New Hampshire within a week of New Year’s Day. For some perspective, when I did first-in-the-nation Iowa for Gary Hart, it was on February 20th.
Two days after Christmas, NWN throttles back up full bore through the February 5th presidential primaries in California and elsewhere.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel.
You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND U.S. ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Crude oil is trading around $92 per barrel on reports of a Turkish military incursion into northern Iraq. Northern Iraq, which really is not governed out of Baghdad, is one of the world’s major oil sources and a safe haven for Kurdish separatist guerillas who carry out attacks inside Turkey.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum.
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| Comments (0) |
Schwarzenegger would have won the GOP nomination in 2006.
For the simple reason that nature abhors a vacuum.
The Republicans had, and have, no one else with anything remotely approaching the firepower.
>James- The Historian :
The California Republican party has in recent years been held in a massive choke hold by the doctrine driven right wing.
Their attitude has been and continues to be, ‘Do it our way or the electoral loss to be suffered will be the lesson everyone deserves’. In other words their approach is to constantly ‘teach lessons’ in a state where few sign on as devotees of their marginal agenda.
Frankly Arnold would never have been able to get that party’s nomination in a normal electoral cycle. He won the governorship only because it was via a recall vote which was beyond the control of party aparatus. The right wing would have rather had a Dem in office so that they could teach the state a lesson.
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
Actually, I didn’t write that …
>Brasky :
“Here’s a picture of Romney at a Planned Parenthood pro-abortion fundraiser.”
A classic “Meat” Moment!
Dec 18, 2007 02:01 PM
Yeah, I see that, too.
He probably shouldn’t be blaming his beautiful spirit wife he’s been married to for eons.
>Len :
The Mittster “doesn’t remember” donating to Planned Parenthood. He blames his wife. I want him as the Reepster candidate.
Dec 18, 2007 01:15 PM
Yeah, its from Gilligan’s Island. The Professor said it.
Or was he quoting some other Bill?
>Bill Bradley :
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
Actually, I didn’t write that …
FLUSH Report fulminating today. Total comments today: 2. lol
FLUSH Report fulminating today. Total comments today: 2. lol
That is like shooting fish in a barrel.
Exactly, Dana.
That’s from the scene where the Pan-Am Clipper had to overfly the castaways’ island because it was on a secret mission for Indiana Jones …
>Dana :
Yeah, its from Gilligan’s Island. The Professor said it.
Or was he quoting some other Bill?
>Bill Bradley :
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
Actually, I didn’t write that …
Dec 18, 2007 02:20 PM
Perata says ArnoldCare is DOA.
I want to see somebody try to defend the California Republican Party.
I believe that the only Republicans on Mt. Rushmore Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln would be Democrats today.
Someone prove me wrong!
I believe that the only Republicans on Mt. Rushmore Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln would be Democrats today.
Someone prove me wrong!
I just received a statement from Senate Leader Don Perata in which he says that he is all for universal health care, the statement you referenced was from before yesterday’s California Assembly vote, and he merely wants an assessment from the Legislature’s budget office.
>Capitol Boy :
Perata says ArnoldCare is DOA.
Dec 18, 2007 03:16 PM
If you are looking for something beyond vague, hyperpartisan rhetoric, you are bound to be disappointed.
As the record of many months here amply reflects …
>Jack Aubrey :
I want to see somebody try to defend the California Republican Party.
Dec 18, 2007 03:29 PM
I think that TR and Lincoln would definitely be Democrats, given their politics and the politics of today.
>harold barkin :
I believe that the only Republicans on Mt. Rushmore Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln would be Democrats today.
Someone prove me wrong!
Dec 18, 2007 03:34 PM
Just read that Steve Westly has come aboard on Prop 93…he’s going to campaign for it.
Just read that Steve Westly has come aboard on Prop 93…he’s going to campaign for it.
Yep, I know. Since I’m on vacation, don’t have time to get to that right away.
Hey, this is fun. Love you guys!
I am not in the legislature. It is not up to the minority or the citizens to specfify the cuts. It is up to the Republican Governor and Democrat legislature to outline the cuts. That is why we pay them $100k a year, plus expenses, to work roughly three days a week……… out…….
PS – I cannot be offended because I love all of mankind………
It is interesting that Westly would jump on a sinking ship. It may be a desperate attempt to build union/establishment support for his run against Jerry Brown in 2010. We know how that support won the primary for Angerlides, but it may not be enough to overcome Brown’s strong support…
Considering that I know what is actually going on with all the players, I must tell you that you are quite … wrong!
Considering that I know what is actually going on with all the players, I must tell you that you are quite … wrong!
In other words, Mike, you are not to be taken seriously at all.
You are simply part of the supposedlly knowledgeable yet ultimately, um, not, ideologue sphere.
Let me toss you a clue, Mike.
Either you know what can be cut, which you should since your insistence that multi-billions in program cuts is your only contribution to the debate, or you don’t.
Since you clearly have no idea what you are going on about, you are not to be taken seriously.
And the camera fades to black.
>Michael Der Manouel, Jr. :
Hey, this is fun. Love you guys!
I am not in the legislature. It is not up to the minority or the citizens to specfify the cuts. It is up to the Republican Governor and Democrat legislature to outline the cuts. That is why we pay them $100k a year, plus expenses, to work roughly three days a week……… out…….
PS – I cannot be offended because I love all of mankind………
Dec 18, 2007 04:12 PM
This clown Der Whatzel is even dumber than Jonny Flashman. lol
By the way, Mike, let me thank you for providing me with months of quotes.
You should know that your friend Jon Fleischman has touted you to me for the past 2 years as some sort of oracle on California.
Since I’m on vacation, I can’t even begin to deal with that …
BB-
“I must tell you that you are quite … wrong!”
Then what is the scoop? Why is Westly supporting a sure loser? I am very suspicious of Westly’s strategic thinking because if he had written a bigger check for the Open Primary initiative, he would have easily won the 2006 Democratic nomination.
BB-
“I must tell you that you are quite … wrong!”
Then what is the scoop? Why is Westly supporting a sure loser? I am very suspicious of Westly’s strategic thinking because if he had written a bigger check for the Open Primary initiative, he would have easily won the 2006 Democratic nomination.
KK, you want me to explain California politics to you for free, on my vacation?!
We’re in a situation in which there are, perhaps, 5 Republicans in California who understand what is going on …
… You know, from my current vacationing distance, let me give some advice to everyone.
Take 7 or 8 deep breaths, listen to the Eagles’ Christmas song.
And know that late in this decade and early in the next, things are likely to be better in California than not, whatever your ideology (whether you are able to admit it or not), and, ah, you know, Merry Christmas!
And Happy Holidays to you as well!
Mike,
I will tell you this…BB’s blog is the one place where you will always be quoted and acknowledged properly. I know this from personal experience and thats why I really enjoy reading what Bill has to say — and having the freedom to comment. More importantly, unlike so many folks in the blogosphere, Bill has actually run and worked on political campaigns — particularly on the national level. He gets it!
Bill Bradley :
Everyone is correctly quoted on NWN, Mike, whether they like it or not.
CADTS:
Nice…but he’s still not buying us presents or having a real party!
CADTS:
Nice…but he’s still not buying us presents or having a real party!
At a certain point, it gets a bit old.
Actually, like most folks in the yaposphere, Mike Der Manouel does not want to answer obvious questions about what he has been saying with assuredness for many months, he just wants to rant away.
>CADTS :
Mike,
I will tell you this…BB’s blog is the one place where you will always be quoted and acknowledged properly. I know this from personal experience and thats why I really enjoy reading what Bill has to say — and having the freedom to comment. More importantly, unlike so many folks in the blogosphere, Bill has actually run and worked on political campaigns — particularly on the national level. He gets it!
Bill Bradley :
Everyone is correctly quoted on NWN, Mike, whether they like it or not.
Dec 18, 2007 05:05 PM
If that’s intended for me, sorry about that. Shall now exit stage left.
You’re not that person.
You’re not that person.
>For the simple reason that nature abhors a vacuum.
>The Republicans had, and have, no one else with anything remotely approaching the firepower.
All true but the doctrine driven right wingers simply do not care about such details and they control the party aparatus.
Thank you…thought I had pissed you off with my playing around. Was looking around to see if I could find a good protection program!
Exit stage left for dinner and other stuff. Play with you folks later.
Listen to the Eagles and all is well.
Well, except for the obvious …
Gosh…I hope he wasn’t talking about me…I thought I was being complimentary.
Gosh…I hope he wasn’t talking about me…I thought I was being complimentary.
So, if we were to engage in a hypothetical that Arnold is running for the 2006 Reep nomination for guv, are we to believe that Arnold’s tens of millions and his near universal name recognition and popularity (and what would then have been enormous freshness and newness and excitement) would have been beaten by some uninspiring, Flash Report-endorsed nobody backed by the almighty “party aparatus (sic).”
Uh-h-h, I don’t think so.
>All true but the doctrine driven right wingers simply do not care about such details and they control the party aparatus
There was absolutely no Republican to beat Schwarzenegger in 2006.
McClintock was a non-starter. In fact, he needed Arnold’s help to get re-elected to the state senate. That’s before we deal with his whacky ideas.
Nope, not referring to you …
>CADTS :
Gosh…I hope he wasn’t talking about me…I thought I was being complimentary.
Dec 18, 2007 06:00 PM
Against a major figure, the California Republican appartus, which can barely garner the resources to avoid falling down over its own shoelaces, doesn’t mean much.
>James- The Historian :
>For the simple reason that nature abhors a vacuum.
>The Republicans had, and have, no one else with anything remotely approaching the firepower.
All true but the doctrine driven right wingers simply do not care about such details and they control the party aparatus.
Dec 18, 2007 05:44 PM
Against a major figure, the California Republican appartus, which can barely garner the resources to avoid falling down over its own shoelaces, doesn’t mean much.
>James- The Historian :
>For the simple reason that nature abhors a vacuum.
>The Republicans had, and have, no one else with anything remotely approaching the firepower.
All true but the doctrine driven right wingers simply do not care about such details and they control the party aparatus.
Dec 18, 2007 05:44 PM
… And that is before we get to the fact that the latest Republican leadership fails to reflect Republican voters on a number of key issues.
As I’ve reported a few dozen times …
I suppose I’m fated to repeat myself endlessly for newbies and those who didn’t get it the first few dozen times.
Who will be your President? Is unfortunate Arnold can not run. We know who will be Russia’s leader for very long time.