• Arnold Schwarzenegger,  California Republican Party

    California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger Considered Leaving the Republican Party

    arnold and crist feb 23

    California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger,right, huddles with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist as President Barack Obama addressed the National Governors Association regarding the economic stimulus package, Monday, Feb. 23, 2009, in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington

    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.


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  • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  GOP,  Mitt Romney,  Sarah Palin

    The Mitt Romney Response: Democratic Congressional Campaign Commttee Begins Anti-GOP ROBOCALLS About Economic Stimulus

    dccc-robo-calls

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

    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?


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  • Bobby Jindal,  GOP,  Sarah Palin

    Bobby Jindal, Exorcism, Creationism and the GOP

    Louisiana GOP Governor Bobby Jindal’s exorcism

    This is NOT good for the GOP.

    Everything the media tried to pin on Sarah Palin, [Bobby] Jindal actually did: he promoted and signed a creationism bill (with help from the Discovery Institute), he took part in an amateur exorcism and claimed it cured a woman of cancer, and possibly worst of all, he pals around with people on the extreme edges of fundamentalist Christianity, and at least one person who has associated with outright neo-Nazis.

    The details are here.

    Flap had the creationism worry earlier today re: Mark Sanford, Tim Pawlenty, and Bobby Jindal.

    And, to think, Flap was worried about Sarah Palin and her equivocation on creationism in the schools. Hell, Sarah looks pretty good compared to the others.

    And, Jindal?

    He will be eaten alive in a national campaign.

    Next……


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  • Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee,  GOP

    Democratic Congressional Campaign Commttee Begins Anti-GOP ROBOCALLS About Economic Stimulus

    dccc-robo-calls

    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.


  • Creationism,  GOP,  Intelligent Design

    Creationism and the Further Sinking of the Republican Party

    New Creationism

    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.


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  • Chris Matthews,  MSNBC

    Video: Why Chris Matthews Won’t Run for U.S. Senate Against Arlen Specter

    Ellen explains how dancing with MSNBC’s host of Hardball Chris Matthews got out of hand.

    Why did MSNBC Hardball Host Chris Matthews decide NOT to run against Republican Senator Arlen Specter for Pennsylvania U.S. Senate?

    Lack of focus?

    Guess so….

    Exit Answer: What are you going to do when you get there?

    Flap sticks with his original reasons.


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  • Cinema,  George W. Bush,  Mickey Rourke,  Sean Penn

    Day By Day by Chris Muir February 23, 2008 – Dreaming of Wrestling

    day by day 022309

    Day By Day by Chris Muir

    Mickey Rourke failed to win the Academy Award Oscar last night for Best Actor with Sean Penn winning the award instead.

    Flap wonders if Rourke’s comments about President Booooshhhhh deep sixed his selection?

    “President Bush was in the wrong place at the wrong time, I don’t know how anyone could have handled this situation,” Rourke told Britain’s GQ in the magazine’s February issue.

    Rourke said Bush wasn’t given much of a choice but to respond to the Sept. 11 terror attacks, and that the War on Terror goes way beyond his presidency.

    “It’s too easy to blame everything on one guy,” Rourke told the magazine. “These are unpredictable, dangerous times, and I don’t think that anyone really knows quite what to do.”

    Rourke, who won a Golden Globe on Sunday for his performance in “The Wrestler,” says that after 9/11 even he wanted to do something about terrorism.

    Or was it Hollywood’s obsession and preocupation with the homosexual lifestyle that propelled Sean Penn?

    Take your pick.

    Previous:

    The Day By Day Archive


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  • Del.icio.us Links

    links for 2009-02-23

    • “I have a number of responses to that argument,” Pawlenty said. “Minnesota ranks forty-sixth in terms of getting federal spending in relation to the amount of taxes paid — for every dollar we sent in to Washington, we get about 72 cents back. We’re a major payer of the federal government’s tabs, unlike many other states that I won’t mention. I say, when you’re paying to buy the pizza, it’s okay to have a slice. Now, if you were a liberal Democratic governor and you opposed military spending, are you not going to take National Guard funding? If you were a liberal who opposed No Child Left Behind, are you going to take federal funding in education? So I’m wondering why that standard is only being applied now to conservatives.”
      +++++++++
      Tim Pawlenty is maturing as a national pol as is Bobby Jindahl. Watch out Sarah Palin.
      (tags: Tim_Pawlenty)
    • California Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested that his party is out of touch with average Americans on the issue of health care.

      “You've got to listen to the people. If the nation is screaming out loud, ‘We need health care reform. We want to have universal health care. We want to have everyone insured. We want to bring the costs down. We want everyone to have access.’ I mean, that's what they want; that's what you do,” Schwarzenegger said on ABC’s “This Week.”

      Arguing that California Republicans were out of touch with the majority of Californians who wanted to raise taxes to fix the state’s budget crisis, Schwarzenegger said it is “the same nationwide.”

    • olorado is blowing kisses and singing love songs to California companies and talent, hoping to woo those fed up with the state's budget and political troubles.

      The Metro Denver Economic Development Corp. has taken to the skies, YouTube, snail mail and newspapers to tell Golden State execs that the grass is greener, the taxes are lower and the business climate is better in the Centennial State.

      The flirtatious $95,000 advertising campaign has garnered national media attention.

      It also comes as other states – such as Arizona, Nevada and Utah – also seek to capitalize on California's woes to lure jobs and workers.
      ++++++
      Many businesses will.

    • An interesting ramification from yesterday's news that President Obama will not seek to repeal the Bush tax cuts, and wait for them to expire at the end of 2010 — the justification for the policy shift is, "Officials determined that seeking to raise the taxes earlier during a recession was a bad idea."

      Many economists were saying they didn't expect the recession to end this year, and that 2010 was looking pretty bad, too. I, among others, suspect that if the economy is still in the dumps in November 2010, the midterm elections will be awful for incumbents — and there are more Democratic incumbents than Republican ones.

    • But left unsaid by the Administration is that the goal it set for the federal budget deficit, $513 billion by 2013, is nearly $60 billion higher than the highest budget deficit recorded during the presidency of George W. Bush. During the presidential campaign, Obama called the lack of spending restraint during the Bush years irresponsible, yet his Administration championed the $787 billion economic stimulus bill, and has proposed a $275 billion housing rescue program, all on top of the $700 billion Wall Street bailout that candidate Obama voted for and President Obama is now administering. That is a record of spending that would make George W. Bush blush, and which undercuts the president's new found fondness for budgetary austerity.
      Obama will also have to propose either a dramatic increase in taxes or an equally dramatic reduction in spending. With the appetite he has displayed for federal spending in the first month of his presidency, it is little wonder which he will likely choose.
    • Former eBay Ceo Meg Whitman held her first big press conference as a GOP gubernatorial candidate today..and sidestepped deteails and follow up questions on abortion, state spending cuts, immigration and whether she'll release her taxes.

      But she did have something to say about San Francisco: ''We need to secure our borders…ultimately, we must hold employers responsible for hiring…we must take a very hard look at sanctuary cities…what's happening in San Francisco and Los Angeles is just wrong,'' she said.

      It was an interesting presser, not only for what was said, but for what wasn't. Whitman was accompanied by former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who endorsed her, and Rep. Darrell Issa of Vista, who is also backing her bid.
      +++++++
      Meg Whitman is a rookie and hs not formed legitimate positions on the issues.

      (tags: Meg_Whitman)
    • Two wealthy Silicon Valley titans courted support for their 2010 gubernatorial campaigns Saturday before riled-up party activists angry over taxes, fed up with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and distrustful of moderate candidates.

      So state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner promised at a news conference that he would never raise taxes as governor.

      And former eBay CEO Meg Whitman carefully explained to more than 900 state party delegates why she registered as a decline-to-state voter from 1998 to 2007 before re-registering as Republican.

    • Likening California's budget troubles to an earthquake, Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday defended his decision to raise taxes and said his party's leaders in Washington should be "team players" with President Barack Obama.

      And if that means violating the GOP's principles, he said, so be it.

      "They should make an effort to work together and to find what is best for the people, because by derailing everything, it's not going to help anybody, and it creates instability and insecurity," Schwarzenegger said in an appearance on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

    • California Republicans cast about for ideas to revive their ailing party on Saturday, but struggled to define a clear vision for expanding their appeal beyond the dwindling ranks of older white conservatives.

      At a glum gathering of Republican faithful, GOP leaders hewed to the party's traditional call to scale back government, even as many voters demand just the opposite to stop the economy's downward slide.

      At the same time, the GOP leaders lamented their party's failure to win over more women, Latinos, African Americans and younger voters, a shortcoming that points toward more defeats ahead for a party long relegated to firm minority status in California.

      "Right now the party is pretty aimless," said state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, a candidate for governor in the party's June 2010 primary. "It's got no strong leadership, and that's got to be fixed."