GOP: It Ain’t About Reform, It’s All About Position
California Republicans have left no doubt that their interests in this year’s special election lie in “positioning” for a power grab, not “reform”.
At Brooks Firestone’s annual GOP retreat a week or so ago, the speakers “concentrated on the special election, saying their party's future and Schwarzenegger's political prospects hinged on the outcome. ‘If we all come together, those initiatives will pass, and if those initiatives pass in November, we will have a lot of statewide officeholders the following November in the year 2006,’ said Republican state Sen. Abel Maldonado.” (Associated Press, June 13, 2005)
This after “Senate Republican leader Richard Ackerman on [May 18] said his caucus is less likely to acquiesce to Democrats' demands during budget talks this year because a long fight could benefit Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's political position in a special election.” (Sacramento Bee, May 19, 2005)
This past weekend, at another Republican political event, Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said “he views the upcoming special election as one way to win back grassroots support… ‘We have not seen this type of excitement since the recall,’ he said. ‘The Republicans are in a very good position.’” (San Luis Obispo Tribune, June 27, 2005)
Well, maybe wasting $80 million of the taxpayers’ money on a power grab is what passes for “excitement” among hard-core GOP circles, but it’s hardly the word the rest of California would use.
According to the latest Field Poll, “More voters oppose (52%) than favor (37%) the Governor’s call for a November special election….” And, “when voters are informed of the special election’s estimated costs, voters reject the idea overwhelmingly [61% to 28%]”. (Field Poll, June 21, 2005)
Regardless of their collective tin ear, it’s refreshing to hear the truth from Republicans for once about the special election. For the Minority Leader and his crew it’s not about good policy, or helping the people they were elected to serve -- it’s all about “position.”
Fortunately, Californians see right through the GOP bait-and-switch. Voters are catching on to the fact that if the Chamber-driven, Republican-supported ballot initiatives pass, they could find themselves in another, less-flattering, position…
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At Brooks Firestone’s annual GOP retreat a week or so ago, the speakers “concentrated on the special election, saying their party's future and Schwarzenegger's political prospects hinged on the outcome. ‘If we all come together, those initiatives will pass, and if those initiatives pass in November, we will have a lot of statewide officeholders the following November in the year 2006,’ said Republican state Sen. Abel Maldonado.” (Associated Press, June 13, 2005)
This after “Senate Republican leader Richard Ackerman on [May 18] said his caucus is less likely to acquiesce to Democrats' demands during budget talks this year because a long fight could benefit Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's political position in a special election.” (Sacramento Bee, May 19, 2005)
This past weekend, at another Republican political event, Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy said “he views the upcoming special election as one way to win back grassroots support… ‘We have not seen this type of excitement since the recall,’ he said. ‘The Republicans are in a very good position.’” (San Luis Obispo Tribune, June 27, 2005)
Well, maybe wasting $80 million of the taxpayers’ money on a power grab is what passes for “excitement” among hard-core GOP circles, but it’s hardly the word the rest of California would use.
According to the latest Field Poll, “More voters oppose (52%) than favor (37%) the Governor’s call for a November special election….” And, “when voters are informed of the special election’s estimated costs, voters reject the idea overwhelmingly [61% to 28%]”. (Field Poll, June 21, 2005)
Regardless of their collective tin ear, it’s refreshing to hear the truth from Republicans for once about the special election. For the Minority Leader and his crew it’s not about good policy, or helping the people they were elected to serve -- it’s all about “position.”
Fortunately, Californians see right through the GOP bait-and-switch. Voters are catching on to the fact that if the Chamber-driven, Republican-supported ballot initiatives pass, they could find themselves in another, less-flattering, position…
###
posted by Roger Salazar & Andrew Acosta at 3:26 PM
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