← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · yummybear
Thread ID: 9033 | Posts: 8 | Started: 2003-08-14
2003-08-14 17:28 | User Profile
[url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/08/14/MN40816.DTL]http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?.../14/MN40816.DTL[/url]
**Schwarzenegger's liberal views leave GOP flummoxed Actor is pro-choice, pro-gun control and pro-gay rights **
Marc Sandalow, Washington Bureau Chief Thursday, August 14, 2003
Washington -- As Arnold Schwarzenegger explodes onto the national political scene as California's great Republican hope, conservatives are increasingly voicing concern over his lack of right-wing credentials.
From talk radio to the pages of conservative journals, Republicans are openly struggling over whether to rally around a man who may break the Democratic lock on state government, or keep their distance from a candidate who appears to be at odds with their core ideology.
Pro-choice, pro-gun control, pro-gay rights -- and yet to identify a single cut he'd make in the state's deficit-ridden budget -- Schwarzenegger would put a new face on the Republican Party from coast to coast.
"It's very split," said Rich Lowry, editor of the conservative National Review. "Some think anything you can do to smash the political establishment in California is a good thing. Others say (Schwarzenegger) is not a conservative, and we don't support liberal Republicans and it's folly for us to do so."
The dilemma is apparent even among those regarded as unwavering, red-meat conservatives.
"Arnold Schwarzenegger is not a conservative -- period," talk show host Rush Limbaugh told his millions of listeners this week.
But as Limbaugh later explained in an interview, "That does not mean that he is not worthy."
Limbaugh said his words had been widely misinterpreted as a rejection of Schwarzenegger.
"When Schwarzenegger decided to get into this, conservatives were doing back flips. I just cautioned them: He's not a Reagan conservative," Limbaugh said, holding out the possibility that he might ultimately endorse him. "There are some practical realities you have to consider. What we have to deal with here is what we can get."
WE'RE NOT IN SOUTH CAROLINA Christian Coalition President Roberta Combs displayed a similar pragmatism. Though banning abortion is vitally important to the coalition's members, she said California's more liberal views on social issues cannot be ignored.
"We're talking about who can win in California, not who can win in South Carolina," Combs said.
To understand the conservatives' dilemma, consider the situation turned on its head. If Democrats suddenly had a presidential candidate who led President Bush in every poll, they'd be bursting with enthusiasm. If that candidate turned out to be pro-life, pro-gun, and anti-gay rights, they'd be hard pressed not to abandon him or her in an instant.
"I don't think, at this stage, that most conservatives require a 100 percent litmus test," said David Keene, chairman of the American Conservative Union. "They do require a sense that the person they are supporting is someone who is with them, and not against them most of the time."
Schwarzenegger has yet to detail any policy positions since he announced his candidacy last week, leaving his aides to speak in generalities about his ideology.
"He's a fiscal conservative and social moderate," said Schwarzenegger campaign spokesman Rob Stutzman, who said the candidate would elaborate at a time of his choosing.
"His belief on self-reliance and allowing people the opportunity to be entrepreneurs and having people pursue their dreams flows from his fiscal conservatism."
BEMUSED AND DISMAYED That is not enough for many conservative leaders, who winced during interviews last week when Schwarzenegger refused to rule out raising taxes.
"That makes him a social and economic moderate -- or liberal," Keene said, noting that most conservatives are "either bemused by the Schwarzenegger candidacy, or increasingly dismayed by the public positions he is taking."
"I'd have a hard time voting for him," Keene said. At the same time, he acknowledged that getting rid of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis would be a big victory.
"Very few conservatives would say that electability and winnability are things that can be ignored in this equation," Keene said. "Is it more important -- having thrown down the gauntlet to Davis -- to get (a conservative) in there or is it more important to get someone in there who can win."
The editors at the National Review, a magazine founded by conservative icon William Buckley Jr., are grateful to Schwarzenegger for bringing the recall "to a boil."
But in an editorial written for its upcoming edition, the magazine concludes that "Schwarzenegger, it seems clear, does not merit conservative support."
"If Schwarzenegger comes out with a real brave plan to take on fiscal problems and take on the regulatory state in California, then he deserves some conservative sympathy," Lowry explained. At the same time, he said he could never vote for a candidate who supports legal abortions.
"I understand the desire to rid the state of the Davis regime," said Gary Bauer, president of American Values, a conservative think tank based in Virginia. "But I think as details come out, it's going to be a real leap of faith for a lot of conservatives, given that there are good alternatives."
Many true believers talk about Republicans Bill Simon, the party's candidate against Davis last November, and state Sen. Tom McClintock. Neither has the name recognition nor the momentum of Schwarzenegger. But neither leaves any doubts about his conservative credentials.
ACTOR'S POSITIONS Schwarzenegger's positions have largely been gleaned from scores of interviews spanning two decades.
"I'm for choice," he said when asked about abortion on Fox TV's "The O'Reilly Factor" in May 2001. "The women should have the choice. The women should decide what they want to do with their bodies. I'm all for that."
On guns, he told a Berkeley-based youth radio station last year: "I don't run around every day with a gun in my hand. So I want kids to understand the difference; one is make believe, like we do in the movies. But in reality, I'm for gun control. I'm a peace-loving guy."
And on gay rights, he told Cosmopolitan magazine, "I have no sexual standards in my head that say 'this is good' or 'this is bad.' Homosexual -- that only means to me that he enjoys sex with a man and I enjoy sex with a woman. It's all legitimate to me."
Still, as a man who keeps a bust of Ronald Reagan in his office, and who leads the field in the polls and the free world in media attention, Schwarzenegger remains an option even to many who disagree with him.
"The only people I've ruled out (endorsing) are the Democrats," said Limbaugh.
2003-08-14 18:40 | User Profile
Originally posted by yummybear@Aug 14 2003, 12:28 * "The only people I've ruled out (endorsing) are the Democrats," said Limbaugh.*
Not entirely true. A purely imaginative occurence of course, but 10 bucks says that if the race was between a Democrat and say, a hard-core nationalist well to the right of Pat Buchanan, then Mr. Limbaugh would back the Dem all day long.
All in all though, Arnie looks like the quintessential national convention type Republican to me. Which is why I quit the GOP years ago.
2003-08-14 19:54 | User Profile
Arnold is a 'compassionate conservative.' I see you guys STILL don't get it.
2003-08-14 19:58 | User Profile
kosher kahnservative?
2003-08-14 21:54 | User Profile
Don't Rush and Lowry et al realize this is the future of American politics - not just 2003 California? As Sailer noted in an article, the future could be choosing between a race-baiting minority and a white lefty-loonie.
Conservatism is pretty much dead, and the GOP is next to go. Rush needs to tell his audience that with mass immigration, your choices (or your children's choices) will be between Art Torres and Arnold Swartzeneggar types - even in rural Alabama.
-Jay
2003-08-15 05:14 | User Profile
With the exception of a few prized holdouts like my old compatriot FWI conservatism in the states is dead. The truth is that the neo-con movement will be dead as well along with the GOP (on a national level) within 10 years or so do to America's degeneration into the third world. Basically, what passes for conservatism, incleuding mainstream paleo, in the states (and Europa as well) conserves nothing because it has surrendered all the core arguements to the left and as a result promotes societal destruction while decrying the effects of doing so and hoping for a return to a golden age that never was.
I enjoyed the bit about Limbaugh saying he (Schwarzenegger) is not a conservative but "that doesn not mean he's not worthy". Also funny is how when a Republican embraces cultural Bolshevism he's "a social moderate" rather then a "liberal" and that Schwarzenegger is "fiscally conservative" inspite of failing to recomend a single budget cut . Most telling of all was the comment: "If Democrats suddenly had a presidential candidate who led President Bush in every poll, they'd be bursting with enthusiasm. If that candidate turned out to be pro-life, pro-gun, and anti-gay rights, they'd be hard pressed not to abandon him or her in an instant." The situation mentioned above never confronts the Democrats because they are upfront and honest about wanting to destroy post-America while the GOP pretends to be other wise. While the conservatives that don't conserve speak of rights and free markets they ignore the reality that those things can only exist within the confines of societal norms long gone. By compromising on everything that matters they are left looking for institutional solutions that never could do anything other then reduce the rate of decline slightly while seeking comfort and acceptance from those that wish to destroy the things they cherish.
Perhaps the best thing to happen is for the worst possible candidate to be elelcted as that would force the somambulant to awaken and get a bit of polorization under way.
2003-08-15 15:04 | User Profile
Trisk: I totally agree, and it never ceases to amaze me that conservatives really think they are "winning the battles" Just look around you - what battle has the conservative movement (if you can call it that) won?
Abortion? Lost. Immigration? Lost. Prayer in School? Lost. Gay marriage? About to lose. Drug legalization? About to lose. States Rights? Lost long ago.
The bigger issue is what you said about making friends with your enemies. It's really perverse, and yet conservatives can't help themselves. "Beautiful Losers" they are.
-Jay
2003-08-15 15:48 | User Profile
Originally posted by jay@Aug 15 2003, 09:04 * It's really perverse, and yet conservatives can't help themselves. "Beautiful Losers" they are.*
If we examine the legislative record the term "Ugly Traitors" is proven more germane than "Beautiful Losers". Conservatism is dead, time to roll that bloated, jewfly-ridden corpse out nationalism's path.