Flap's Blog – FullosseousFlap's Dental Blog

The Governator may as well have pulled the switch because after the latest California State Budget with it’s massive ($14 Billion) tax hikes, his credibility with California Republicans is ZERO.

A few months ago, Arnold Schwarzenegger and a few close associates discussed whether he should leave the Republican Party, according to two people familiar with the conversation. His friend Mike Bloomberg, the New York mayor, had become an independent. Maybe Schwarzenegger should, too. But the governor and his people quickly concluded that Californians already saw him as independent of the Republican Party. So what would be the point of a switch? (A spokesman for the governor declined comment.)

To people outside the state, Schwarzenegger’s recent battles with Republican legislators over a budget and his criticism of GOP governors and Congressmen for their opposition to President Obama’s stimulus package might sound jarring. Schwarzenegger once was “Conan the Republican” (the first President Bush’s nickname for him), a politician who declared in his 2004 convention speech, “I’m proud to belong to the party of Abraham Lincoln, the party of Teddy Roosevelt, the party of Ronald Reagan and the party of George W. Bush.” Now he is on ABC News saying that “it doesn’t really mater if you’re a Republican or a Democrat.”

Arnold has the ego of a movie star celeb and  has a crying need to be popular. Popularity has served him well in bodybuilding and movies. In politics – not so much

Making difficult decisions as California Governor has placed Arnold in a situation he abhors – making some voters dislike him. Thus, he doesn’t make any decisions unless pressed and then the Republican Party be damned. IT is all about Arnold.

Flap hopes the California GOP has learned a lesson. You can take a popular figure from Hollywood and make him governor. But, if he does not have the requisite skill set to actually govern, then you have a problem.

Mitt Romney who undoubtedly is running for President in 2012 writes some checks today in response to the DCCC.

Former Governor Mitt Romney’s Free and Strong America PAC today sent $1,000 checks to a group of House Republicans targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for their votes against the wasteful $800 billion stimulus bill.

Said Romney: “What Republicans wanted was a bill to strengthen the economy. What the Democrats passed was a bill to stimulate government. We are committed to helping these courageous Republicans defend their position and fend off political attacks.”

Romney called the President’s stimulus package “a missed opportunity to make this country stronger.” Referring to the 12 House Republicans as the “Undaunted Dozen,” Romney praised them for “standing up for fiscal responsibility and saying no to spending abuse.”

Mitt is trying to be the good party man and ingratiating himself to threatened GOP House members:

The GOP List:

• Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois
• Rep. Ken Calvert of California
• Rep. Michael Castle of Delaware
• Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania
• Rep. Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania
• Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois
• Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri
• Rep. Dan Lungren of California
• Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan
• Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida
• Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington
• Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas

Now, will SarahPac do likewise?

The DCCC (Democratic Congressional Campaign Commitee) has gone on the attack in an opening theme for the 2010 elections.

A dozen House Republicans are targeted in a new House Democratic political campaign that criticizes the GOP lawmakers for opposing the $787 billion stimulus package.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee will contact voters this week by telephone with a recorded message saying that their Republican congressman voted “against the largest tax cut in history,” and against a stimulus bill that the business friendly U.S. Chamber of Commerce supported.

The campaign also includes “emails and text messages directly to targeted Republicans’ constituents,” a DCCC official tells CNN. House Democrats have also created a Web site to explain how they believe the stimulus bill will affect individual congressional districts.

Only three congressional Republicans, all senators, voted for the final passage of the stimulus bill.

The script (for Congressman Pete Sessions):

Hello, I’m calling on behalf of House Democrats with an important message about the economy.

Did you know Congressman Pete Sessions voted against President Obama’s economic recovery plan, endorsed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce? Sessions’s empty rhetoric can’t hide that he voted to raise the AMT tax on 22 million middle class Americans and against the largest tax cut in history.

Call Sessions at XXX-XXX-XXXX to ask why he voted to raise taxes on middle class families.

The GOP List:

• Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois
• Rep. Ken Calvert of California
• Rep. Michael Castle of Delaware
• Rep. Charlie Dent of Pennsylvania
• Rep. Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania
• Rep. Mark Kirk of Illinois
• Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer of Missouri
• Rep. Dan Lungren of California
• Rep. Thad McCotter of Michigan
• Rep. Adam Putnam of Florida
• Rep. Dave Reichert of Washington
• Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas

But, there is a risk coming out early by the DCCC even though they have the money to do so. The Democrats own the Obama Economic Stimulus Bill and if it fails to stimulate in time for the 2010 election cycle the GOP will hit them over the head with it.

A bold move this early but risky and for minimal gain.

Charles has a definite point.

Here’s an Associated Press article on three Republican governors who are being looked at as front runners in the 2012 presidential election: Mark Sanford, Tim Pawlenty, and Bobby Jindal.

All creationists

The GOP should LOSE the New Creationism nonsense and concentrate on other issues.

40 years in the wilderness will be just the start if the Republican Party doesn’t lose another issue that “ALIENATES” voters.

Day By Day by Chris Muir