Should Republicans criticize Governor Schwarzenegger when we disagree with him? That was a topic discussed over the weekend at the California Republican Party Convention. What do Republicans in California think?

American Viewpoint, a GOP polling firm in Virginia asked 800 likely California Republican Primary Voters that question and several others from February 21-23, 2006. Margin of error is 3.5 %

“I would like to read you to you two statements and have you tell me which
statement comes close to your own personal point of view. Some people say that
to be a loyal Republican you should not criticize Republican Governor
Schwarzenegger publicly if you disagree with his policies and actions because
Republican criticism of the Governor could help him and elect a Democrat
Governor. Other people say to be a loyal Republican you should criticize
Governor Schwarzenegger publicly when you disagree with his policies and actions because Republican criticism of the Governor when he takes actions contrary to the views of the Republican Party is necessary to protect our party’s ideals of lower taxes and more accountable government.” (emphasis added)

Here are the results

18%- Strongly do not criticize
8% -Not Strongly to no criticize

That totals 26% in the do not criticize category

24% Not Strongly to criticize
41% Strongly criticize

That total 65% in the total criticize category

Look at a couple of the other questions.

From the poll that began

I would like to read to you several positions taken by the California
Republican Assembly, a conservative statewide Republican volunteer group.

Republicans should oppose Governor Schwarzenegger’s $222 billion
infrastructure plan and support instead the alternative plan which would
dedicate 1% of the state budget to building roads, schools and flood control
projects and would not require a tax increase or increased state borrowing.

Agree 67%
Disagree 23%

"Republicans should oppose the state budget that Governor Schwarzenegger
submitted to the state legislature because it is unbalances, contains increases
in fees and taxes and does not cut any wasteful government spending."

Agree 56%
Disagree 45%

Who really is the mainstream of California Republicans?

Yup. It has finally happened... Moderate Republicans like to brag about their fiscal Conservatism.

The Same Moderates named Lincoln Chaffee (wait, he is a mis-registered Democrat)... The Same Moderates named John McScam (who thinks he should be president), Susan Collins, Olympia Snowe and Mike DeWine that voted against Budget Cuts to reduce the defecit they have been whining about.

Excuse me, Fiscal Conservatism equals smaller Government. While I have taken umbrage about W's big spending ways the first few years he was in office... what now!?

In California at our "Spring" Convention the same Moderate hypocricy was on display. Moderates rail on us Conservatives for being Bible thumping Theocrats. Okay, let's put the social issues aside...

The "California Congress of Republicans" is the major Moderate group in California. They endorsed Arnold's re-election. No Problem there... but where the problem starts is what the Governor is proposing this year for his budget.

Arnold wants to borrow $222 billion to build infastructure. First off, the REPUBLICAN Assembly has proposed an alternative plan that will 'live within our means' and pay as we go for infastructure projects. I brought a resolution to the California Republican Party Convention that said, let's look at alternative proposals before taking out a huge mortgage. Given California's lousy credit rating, this seems to be a sound idea...

My Brother brought a resolution calling for a balanced Budget. This is pointed as we still have structural defecits of about 4.8 Billion in our budget according to Arnold in his speech at the CRP Convention.

The Kool-Aid was flowing big time. If it was Abel Maldonado giving his sob story speech about his father that came to America under a guest worker program... or it was CRP delegates trashing Mine and my brother's resolutions as attacks on the governor. Check out my personal Blog http://www.rosevilleconservative.blogspot.com for the exact text of the resolutions. You may have to scroll down a bit, but they are there.

George and I wrote our resolutions in a manner to affirm Republican Principles, not to attack Arnold.

What this means is that those Moderate Republicans are now squishing on Fiscal issues, led by their bretheren in the US Senate. If you are not Fiscally Conservative, then what seperates you from the Democrats!!!

However, Arnold's people mobilized and saw to it that our resolutions were killed in committee and on the floor of the convention.

The fact thatArnold's people saw fit to supress debate... there was some debate, but it was lame... Is a clear indicator that Arnold is not secure in his position as Governor. This is bad news.
There is a reason why Tom McClintock and Arnold are running as a ticket... they need each other to win.

This convention was an absurd display of delegates drinking the Kool-Aid. Many good Conservatives voted against the CRA on the floor and I was appalled.

The unfortunate fact of this convention is that Arnold dosen't get it. His star is tarnished, he looks like he is going to run another campaign like the special election where it is vote for me, I am Arnold.

The definition of insantity is to try the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. this is a frusterating thing as a GOP acitivist... watching my guys implode...

Damn it anyway Arnold... pull your head out! McClintock can't save you if you continue to be stupid!!!

Like I said, this was the Kool-Aid Convention... slam the Arnold Kool-Aid and shut your brain off. (sigh)

Posted by CRA Sgt at Arms Aaron F. Park

RC: Drumroll please...

Senator Abel "Maldo" Maldonado...Yup, I could have sworn I saw the Kool Aid ring stretching from his lips while I was at the convention.

Maldo ran all over the convention telling a sob story about how his Father came to America on the "Vaquero" program. (I could have the name wrong)

He shared how his Dad bought a house while working for minimum wage. WHAT!!!

Even in the 50's and 60's there was no way in hell you could buy a house let alone a car on the Minimum Wage. My own Father told me a story about his first job being for $.75 an hour. Tell me how you could buy a $3,500 new car on that kind of wage?

Come on Maldo... what's worse is that he told that same sob story in efforts to kill mine and my brother's resolutions to the CRP, because mine, George's and one against the minimum wage were all combined into one resolution package.

I talked to my good friend Craig DeLuz that told me that every time Minimum wage goes up, those who lose their jobs are single Black and Latino people. He cited studies that he has read.

At the Resolutions Committee meeting, two black members of that committee got up and incinuated as did Maldo that if you oppose a minimum wage increase, you are racist. Really? Given what Craig Said, the racist position is raising minimum wage.

Me a racist? Go ahead and cuss me out in Spanish and tell me what a racist I am... If you don't speak or write Spanish, then what's your problem?

Maldo, you blew it... get out of the Controller's Race and go back to your Senate District and serve us there. I don't have an issue with you being a liberal Republican... your district dictates it. I do have an issue with you being a political opportunist and carrying this minimum wage bill is just that... you should have let Jackie Goldberg Carry this bill.

The Controller's office needs someone with conviction and core values that will see through auditing all areas of our bloated state Government. Having a political opportunist in that office is bad news.

Abel Maldonado, winner of the Grand Kool-Aid Award of the California GOP Convention Winter 2006! Considering that this Convention will go down as the Kool-Aid Convention for the ages... Maldo has really earned a dubious award.

Posted By CRA Sgt at Arms Aaron F. Park

Rather than comment under the CRA President's excellent letter about whether or not we, as republican's, should be critical of the governor, I thought I would just post my own diatribe here. I feel it is paramount that we should criticize any politician who strays from our fundamental beliefs, core values and our CRP planks. Clearly this is what both the Governor and the majority at the CRP convention have done. They have sold out to the philosophy that we have to out democrat the Democrats. The majority of the delegates said screw you to Ass. Chuck DeVore and the Republican Assembly Caucus in passing a resolution which would directly undermine their effort to do the infrastructure program without raising taxes or increasing our bonded indebtedness by using "Pay As You Go" instead. If we hope to have any credibility with the general public (and with our friends in the legislature), we must show our integrity and consistency as to our core values.

Mark Zappa
CRA-VP

I am tired of being concillitaory. I see what the Liberals are trying to do to my party and It infuriates me, especially after this convention...

Tell me if I am wrong for this post...

Read HERE

After your Sgt. at Arms and your Voter Registration Secretary got thrown under the bus at the CRP Convention... Steve Frank and Tom Hudson rush in to save the day...

Every Liberal Measure got defeated on the floor of the CRP Convention.

So this begs the question... Arnold defeated all debate over his econimic policies but those that wanted to carry his water got shelled in the process... what price victory?

I posted it here

Posted by CRA Sgt. at Arms Aaron F. Park

I like to think of CRA members as team players. We often compromise, not for expediancy but instead for conviction. There are some in the party of Lincoln who believe we must all be automatons in the collective. We must be assimilated, resistance is futile. I think it is important to those who think they hold all the cards, may find themselves facing a royal flush in June. If we are to all get along within the party, we must truly allow a free and fair debate. Slight of hand is hardly free and fair when you stack the deck. No Kool Aid for me please.

Mark Zappa
CRA VP

President Bush has promised to veto any legislation that Congress passes that prohibits the turning of control of several ports to a foreign company based in a country where two of the 9/11 Hijackers came from. Read the story here.

All the increases in fed spending, all the pork, McCain-Feingold and the like and a Republican President uses his first veto on a national security issue. Karl Rove, where are you?

The campaign on behalf of the tax increase to fund universal preschool benefited by using tax dollars allocated by a commission headed by the initiative’s author. Want to see how you tax dollars are used click here. Where are all the campaign reform zealots when liberals are skirting the system?

As printed in the Los Angeles Times 2/14/06 By CRA President Mike Spence. Reprinted with permission.

ONE YEAR AGO, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared at his State of the State address: "We don't have a revenue problem. We have a spending problem."

But what has he done about it? Within two months of failing to persuade voters to "live within our means" in last year's special election, the governor has now raised the white flag of surrender to the spending lobby by proposing a $222-billion infrastructure plan, which would include a record $68 billion in bonds, various fee increases and a $2.6-billion operating deficit this year, with another $29.3 billion of red ink projected for the following four years.

It seems we still have a spending problem.

Certainly California needs much of the investment in roads, schools, flood control and other items outlined in Schwarzenegger's recent State of the State speech. Sacramento's governing class has collectively ignored the problem of building infrastructure and created barriers to construction by increasing regulation and mandating above-market wages, all while raiding funds dedicated for these projects to cover still more budget shortfalls. But maxing out the state's credit cards is not the solution.

What would the governor's plan mean for average Californians?

Interest on bonds usually ends up matching the principal, so the $68-billion price tag probably would become $136 billion. Debt service would add to the state's structural operating deficit, increasing pressure for a general tax increase to bridge the gap — after the 2006 general election, of course.

Day-to-day fees also would go up. At least $21 billion of the $222-billion spending plan is to be generated by "revenue bonds," which are designed to retroactively fund projects with the revenue paid by those who use them. Schwarzenegger also is proposing new fees on transportation carriers, plus a new household water tax to fund levees and other water projects.

These debt-financed projects would intensify demands for tax increases at the local level, because state bond rules require local governments to match any Sacramento money with bond issues of their own. Those who live in the largest communities — the ones most able to issue massive bonds — would receive a disproportionate share while burdening their overtaxed citizens even more. The Los Angeles Unified School District alone has passed four bonds over the last few years.

Without changes in the law to streamline the regulatory and construction process, taxpayers also would bear the extra costs created by unnecessary red tape and other building delays.

The governor does not have to capitulate to bigger deficits, debts and fees to invest in infrastructure. The Assembly Republican leadership recently proposed dedicating 1% of the general fund toward capital projects. That plan could produce about $35 billion for infrastructure without the costly interest payments, in part by enforcing Proposition 42 rules that were supposed to devote gas taxes to roads. And Schwarzenegger could use his emergency powers to waive some of the regulations that increase the cost of flood control projects.

The governor has other options. He should dust off the California Performance Review and implement some of its many sensible reforms. One of the 1,200 recommendations, for example, would consolidate healthcare licensing into one agency, saving an estimated $4.6 million every year. Schwarzenegger should point to each individual reform and say "implement this, so we can build one more school this year." And so on.

Instead of attempting to appease his insatiable tax-and-spend opponents, Schwarzenegger should stay true to his "Austrian oak" nickname on the principles he articulated just a few short months ago, rather than build a legacy as the French willow that bent as soon as a breeze blew in another direction.

RC: This is good stuff, Mainard.

As an Insurance Broker, I have seen firsthand the results of Work Comp reform.

I have a client who installs Phone Systems and wires Phone Jacks and the like... Their rate has gone down for 7.07% two years ago to less than 4% with their renewal coming up 3/1/2006.

I have another client who is a podiatrist. His rate has gone from 4.34% down to 1.95% with his renewal this year!

Now, Assembly Democrats under pressure from trial lawyers that are feeling a pinch in their cash flow, want to repeal Work Comp reform.

Like the minimum wage increase, repealing Worker's Comp reform would send California right back to the Goobernor Dufus Economic disaster.

I wonder if Arnold would sign this garbage. With his appointment of former Goobenor Dufus COS Susan Kennedy, these are things that make you go hmmm...

Your Article is attached below...

Insurance reforms boost state

Since 2003, California has saved $8.1 billion in workers' comp costs

By Gilbert Chan – Sacramento Bee Staff Writer
February 4, 2006

California's dubious distinction as the nation's most expensive state to treat job-related injuries is history.The state's overhaul of the once-ailing workers' compensation system has driven insurance rates to the lowest level since 1996 and generated $8.1 billion in savings since 2003, according to a new study released by the state Division of Workers' Compensation.

Moreover, employers in Montana, Florida, Alaska and Texas now pay higher insurance rates on average than California. Florida's rates, for example, are 27 percent higher than California's. That's a dramatic reversal when in the early 2000s the state's premiums far outdistanced those in the rest of the country.

"Since the reforms, the California insurance market has become much more competitive" and has made "workers' compensation a profitable line of coverage," said the study conducted by Sacramento-based Bickmore Risk Services. The study analyzed the effects of the sweeping legislative changes enacted by lawmakers in 2003 and 2004.

Without the overhaul, employers would have experienced a $15 billion increase in the cost to provide benefits and treatment for injured workers, Bickmore found.

Read the full text at: Sacramento Bee Article

Posted By California Republican Assembly Sargeant at Arms Aaron F. Park

RC: For your information, I am the Author of a Resolution that the CRP will be taking on the Infastructure Bond that Arnold is proposing.

Bonds are not the way to fix our crumbled infastructure, let's live within our means and pay as we go rather than taking out a mortgage and paying tons of interest for stuff we have the funds to build without going into debt.

The alternative plan is laid out in the below posted article...

---------

Lawmakers chart own course on construction

Assembly Republicans propose pay-as-you-go method to funding

By VIC POLLARD, Bakersfield Californian Sacramento Bureau
February 5, 2006

SACRAMENTO -- When it comes to building new roads, schools, sewers and dams, Republicans in the state Assembly are marching to a different drummer than Democratic lawmakers and even GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Led by Kevin McCarthy of Bakersfield, Assembly Republicans have called for setting aside a small percentage of the state budget each year for a pay-as-you-go construction program.

By contrast, Schwarzenegger and Democratic legislative leaders are proposing a series of bond issues to borrow the billions needed for a massive public works program.

Read the full text

Posted By the California Republican Assembly Sargeant at Arms Aaron F. Park

Just a day after a Democratic lawmaker killed the Governor's Water Tax, (Yes I do realize how horrible that sentence sounds) it is back. Read the story here.

RC: This whole debate is absurd and disgusting... first, it was a bill introduced by Openly Gay Assemblymember Mark Leno about making 100 pieces of Child Porno a Misdemeanor!? I won't draw any connection between Mark's sexual preference and his desire to de-criminalize child porno, but what I will comment on is the absurd mind of a soft on crime liberal.

Fortunately, AB50 was ammended so that 1 item of child porn is now a felony. This was done because of massive public outrage. So ferverent are the left in their disdain for our Three-Strikes and Your-Out law, that they are willing to let people who purchase Child Porno off the hook! Thanks to those in the legislature being watched by the bloggers and pro-family groups AB50 was fixed and now Jessica's Law is gaining traction.

On a seperate, yet equally disturbing issue... tracking Sex Offenders, we have an equally ridiculous turn of events. Again, soft on Crime Democrats are interfering with bills designed at cracking down on Sexual Predators. Bonnie Garcia, a Moderate Republican from a Majority Democrat District in San Diego / Imperial County has given her best shot at trying to get something passed thereby avoiding us having to go to the initiative process yet again for California. (sigh)

With all due respect to Bonnie Garcia who averages a CRA score of 55% since she has been in office... your bill is a good attempt and probably the best we are going to get out of the legislature. It looks like it is time to invest in supporting Jessica's Law and getting it onto the ballot. This initiative is not going to be forced to face millions of union dollars distorting it's objectives, because they have candidates that they have to prop up.

Below is a story that was sent to me by the California GOP on Bonnie Garcia's Bill...Garcia's plan to track sex offenders so far is the best one out there

The Desert Sun Editorial
February 2, 2006

The old saying "Something is better than nothing" certainly applies to Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia's bill creating special enforcement teams that would visit sex offenders at their homes. While state Democrats and Republicans can't seem to agree on a plan to track more than 17,500 missing sex offenders, Garcia's bill appears to be the best proposal lawmakers now have to address this problem.

The Cathedral City Republican's bill would spend $15 million to establish Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement teams statewide. She proposes competitive grants of up to $1.6 million for regional teams. They would collect DNA samples and update pictures of offenders while making sure they are living at their registered address and not violating terms of their release. Call it a parole program on steroids. Such teams already exist in four counties, including Los Angeles and San Diego.

The bill comes as Democratic lawmakers last year blocked passage of a state "Jessica's Law," which would have required Global Positioning System monitoring of all sex offenders not in jail or prison, strengthened sex offender penalties and increased the zones where sex offenders cannot live within 2,000 feet of schools and parks.

Full Text Here

Posted by CRA Sgt. at Arms Aaron F. Park

The biggest liberal in the party of big government, Sheila Kuehl has done something not one Republican State Senator had the guts to do. She has at least temporarily stopped the Governor's Water tax increase. See the story here. For those who don't understand the fee or tax difference Please read Jon Coupal's article located here.