Cynthia Tucker: Schwarzenegger just plays a Republican

[CShine]

Given the GOP's relief over the California victory, I'm a little reluctant to point out that they poured the champagne too soon. But here it is: Schwarzenegger's win means little to the Republican Party. Under that taut skin, the Terminator is a moderate Democrat.

He supports abortion rights; he backs domestic partnerships for gay couples; he supports several gun control measures, including trigger locks, a ban on assault weapons and restricting the sale of guns at gun shows. All those positions are anathema to Republican regulars, whose party has shifted to the far right during the past two decades.

Commentator George Neumayr, writing in the conservative opinion journal American Spectator, described Schwarzenegger as a "middle-of-the-road Democrat." And conservative columnist George Will recently fulminated: "These Schwarzenegger conservatives -- now there is an oxymoron for these times -- have embraced a man who is, politically, Hollywood's culture leavened by a few paragraphs of Milton Friedman."

The recall was tailor-made for Schwarzenegger because it allowed him to leapfrog the traditional process of a party primary and appeal directly to the general electorate -- which is always more moderate than the extremes of either the Republican or Democratic party. And the short campaign season allowed him to make maximum use of his celebrity -- his greatest asset.


http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/tucker/index.html

[joeybee12]

1. True, but watch him turn right in 2006

If he doesn't get recalled before that--he'll need to go through the primary, and he'll soon start appealing to the whackos that comprise the base of the Nazi party.

[John Barleycorn]

2. Well put Cynthia

He is indeed a moderate Democrat.

[Skittles]

3. no he's not

he's a f***ing republican and a g.d. Bush whore. Just watch.

[Dagaz]

7. Some are in denial out here

Arnold's first hire was Jeb Bush's budget director in Fla. She's also worked with Pataki and Engler. Any anyone who was a fan of deregulation will love Arnold's new plan..Deregulation on steroids.

[newyawker99]

6. Hi John Barleycorn!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[dutchdemocrat]

13. Why did he meet with Ken Lay

And why is he doing this then? He's a whore to deregulation and bushco's cronies.

----------

Just as his worst critics feared, Governor-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger is planning to settle the state's pending lawsuits against several price-gouging power companies. "For three years, California has been engaged in a costly legal battle against dozens of energy companies it said ripped off the state by purposely withholding much-needed electricity from consumers, creating an artificial shortage while boosting the companies' profits. Federal regulators ordered electricity refunds for California totalling about $3.3 billion, but Davis said the state deserves at least $9 billion and 'not a penny less.' ... Schwarzeneggeer aides said the lawsuits are deterring energy companies from building power plants in California, which could lead to another energy crisis in 2006, and the legal wrangling alone is costing the state millions of dollars. 'It's time to settle and move on,' a top aide to Schwarzenegger said. 'We don't want to inherit litigation.'"

http://www.scoop.co.nz/mason/stories/HL0310/S00087.htm

[joefree1]

4. Nobody really knows what Aunald will do

But with Pete Wilson cronies on his staff and the meet up with Bush next week I've got my suspicions. Then there's the Ken Lay give away.

Let's keep the preasure on this guy.

11x17 size free download on my web page:
http://darrias.com/small_art/smallart.html

California Democrats for the Recall of Aunald meet here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=106&topic_id=3018

Totally Recall Arnold Schwarzenegger Petition
http://www.petitiononline.com/schwarze/petition.html

Yahoo Group for the recall of Arnold
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/RecallArnold/

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. no, no Cinthia he is a

puppet, don't pay attention to the pupetter elect, yes, that Pete
Wilson.

[candy331]

10. How could anyone

not know he has to be a puppet? Surely no one believes he is qualified/or can the job do they? He will take marching orders because he does not have the stuff needed to command. Being in govermental power is a long admired ego trip for him. I wonder where he got that admiration from?

[mark0rama]

8. I'd like to believe this,

but anyone who's seen one of his films can attest that she's grossly overestimating his acting ability.

[teryang]

9. A lot of people believe this

I don't.

[Cha]

11. But ..I read that "jamie lee curtis thinks that

swartzengroper is going to surprise us all"!

[Eloriel]

12. She is so clueless I'm ashamed she's a journalist

And a Georgian, to boot.

Eloriel