Conservatives lose fight (Mercury News)

[Up2Late]

(I hope this isn't too California related, but it's such a great headline, and I do love news of Republican dis-unity.)

Posted on Mon, Feb. 27, 2006

Conservatives lose fight

GOP CONVENTION DELEGATES REBUFF RESOLUTION CRITICIZING GOVERNOR
By Kate Folmar
Mercury News Sacramento Bureau

Delegates at the California Republican Party convention in San Jose on Sunday rejected a resolution pushed by conservatives that was considered a veiled criticism of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Facing re-election this year, Schwarzenegger has been grappling with unrest in the GOP's right wing. Some activists are unhappy that he has a Democrat as his chief of staff, supports raising the minimum wage, and advocates $68 billion in borrowing as part of a $222 billion plan to improve the state's levees, schools and roads.

The discontent manifested itself as a resolution that the party yank its endorsement of Schwarzenegger. That measure died Saturday. The discontent also led to another measure that spoke against raising the minimum wage and in favor of balanced budgets and infrastructure spending that does not require borrowing that would be repaid from the state's general fund. That resolution reached the convention floor for a vote Sunday, even though a committee opposed it Saturday.

Depending on who spoke, the debate was either about holding fast to core Republican principles or ensuring party unity so Schwarzenegger and other statewide GOP candidates win in November. Schwarzenegger "is going to be gone someday," said delegate Mike Spence of West Covina, president of the conservative California Republican Assembly. "So this is about our future: Are we going to be the party of fiscal responsibility or not?"

But delegate Michael McSweeney of San Diego County, saw another motive. "This isn't about helping Republicans; it isn't about policy discussion," he said. "It's about how can we spank the governor and form the circular firing squad."

(more at link below)

<http://www.miami.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/13972252.htm?source=rss&channel=mercurynews_politics>

[yellowcanine]

1. Ahhhh. I love the smell of GOP infighting in the morning!

[Jack Rabbit]

2. The Republicans stopped being the party of fiscal responsibility in 1980

. . . when they endorsed Ronald Reagan and his funny-money "supply side" economics and his borrow-and-spend fiscal programs.

[ShockediSay]

3. SoWhat happened to theConstutional Amendment4 alien Presidents?

& what about robot terminators?

[AX10]

4. The last fiscally responsible Republican was Eisenhower...

and some will say that he was not really a Republican even.

[David__77]

5. There's something endearing about the CA GOP's incompetence.

Perhaps it just makes them less monstrous than if they were effective. Smart rightists saw that Schwarzenegger was a cheap "lifeline" to the GOP, that would cost them more in the longer run then they could ever get out of him. If anything, he has solidified California's identity as a more social democratic state that will not return to the fold of sink or swim.