Schwarzenegger: GOP, take down that small tent

[There Is No Spoon]

...

I've been writing my memoirs recently, and looking back at how I came to my political identity has reminded me that this election cycle marks my 44th year as a Republican. I can't imagine being anything else.

That's why I am so bothered by the party's recent loss of two up-and-coming Republicans: San Diego mayoral candidate Nathan Fletcher, currently a state assemblyman, and former assemblyman and current Congressional candidate Anthony Adams, both of whom left the party to become independents. On the one hand, I respect their standing up for principle. On the other, I hate to see them go.

I'm sure they would have preferred to remain Republicans, but in the current climate, the extreme right wing of the party is targeting anyone who doesn't meet its strict criteria. Its new and narrow litmus test for party membership doesn't allow compromise.

...

As president, Reagan worked very well with Democrats to do big things. It is true that he worked to reduce the size of government and cut federal taxes and he eliminated many regulations, but he also raised taxes when necessary. In 1983, he doubled the gas tax to pay for highway infrastructure improvements.

Today, that would be enough for some of the ideological enforcers to start looking for a "real" conservative to challenge him in a primary.


... http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/edit...8448.story

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Interesting article - Schwarzenegger is like one of 3 Republicans in the entire country who have the gut to speak out against their treasonous "anti government" party.

[Catzmaw]

Ahnold is correct in his assessment of the deleterious effect of right wing extremism on the GOP brand, but that part where he starts talking about Reagan "shrinking the federal government" just can't be left unchallenged. Reagan may have cut parts of the government, but he's responsible for an explosion of big government unmatched in recent times. Just saying.

[janedrake]

(05-05-2012 06:31 PM)Catzmaw Wrote:  Ahnold is correct in his assessment of the deleterious effect of right wing extremism on the GOP brand, but that part where he starts talking about Reagan "shrinking the federal government" just can't be left unchallenged. Reagan may have cut parts of the government, but he's responsible for an explosion of big government unmatched in recent times. Just saying.

Indeed. Overall, I agree with the tone of Schwarzenegger's piece, and am glad to see it -- BUT -- it seems one of the prime qualities that makes one a Republican is to keep oneself delusional - to deny the reality of certain facts that don't fit the narrative of GOP=Good.

Another problem is, the Republican Party has become so dangerous that it's at the point where I completely don't trust ANY Republican pol -- even the rare one who appears moderate -- once they take office, they become little tyrants whose main aim in life seems to be to make their constituents suffer as much as possible.

[jaxx]

The article was interesting, and also for Arnold saying people asked him to leave the party. I bet he gets plenty of grief for writing this too.

[OptimistesMaddie]

he and others like him allowed this to happen to their party. They embraced the Tea Partier mentality by either saying nothing or embracing them. Arnold and others ensured that an moderates were pushed out of the party.

So to Arnold and his ilk I hope your party continues this self destruction to obliteration.....it will be well deserved.

This country could be in a much better shape and moving forward if it weren't for the party of No.

[KonaKane]

Arnold was all about the elephant when it meant he could make his cute little pokes at the "Democratic girlie men" in the Californis State House. Well now that his party is imploding thanks to extremist nutcases, and he's looking at going down with the ship, he wants off.

Maybe there aren't any lifeboats left, Arnie. Shoulda thought of that one earlier, neh?