Craig,

I know you like your little office in the capitol. The Speaker lets you have some staff, a computer and she is kind enough to allow a few of your boss’s bills to make it to the Governor's desk. Plus, you get a nice paycheck and a very generous PERS package. (Are you vested yet?) Plus, once a year, you get to feel relevant in the budget process. If I was you, I would enjoy being in the minority too. Plenty of benefits and no real responsibility. (Except to make sure your boss presses the red button on the way to a 43-32 passage of most bills.)

But the rest of us have to live by the laws passed by the majority. Maybe if we had a few more moderate republicans, we could have a majority in the state legislature. Then, we could have internal policy debates as to what is good policy and what is bad policy. As of now, it’s totally irrelevant because Republicans can't blow their nose in the capitol without permission from the Speaker.

Every time I put on my hands free headset, hide in a dark alley to smoke a cigarette while eating my Trans fat FREE french fries, I thank you and all the other "true conservatives" for doing your best to remain alienated lap dogs of the CRA.

Democrats are supposed to propose crappy legislation, that’s what they do. But we as Republicans are supposed to really fight them, not just howl at the moon and say we did our best.

See you at Chops!

To My Party,

You wrote "Democrats are supposed to propose crappy legislation, that’s what they do. But we as Republicans are supposed to really fight them, not just howl at the moon and say we did our best."

I agree! But what you are proposing is to elect RINOs who would offer up the same "crappy legislation"- hihger taxes, more regulation and bigger government.

No, I’m proposing that you put together a coalition that can actually govern rather than whining about what the majority is doing. You would rather be irrelevant than allow moderates a seat at the table.

Banking on ballot propositions is a cop out. We should be doing our business on the floor of the Senate and Assembly.

As I have asked you before, when have I advocated not working with moderates?

What is your definition of a moderate vs. a RINO? What is the litmus test? Once you define that, then i will believe that you support moderates.

Come on Craig...what is your definition of a moderate and what is your definition of a RINO? You said you support moderates, lets hear what you think a moderate is.

Thank you Mr. DeLuz for posting my comment.

I will freely admit I'm a win at all costs conservative. I'm an A-type personality with a very competitive spirit, AND I HATE TO LOOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I assumed that since this is a trait of CEO's and other succesful individuals who typically vote republican. That the party would reflect those individuals in personality traits as well. I apparently am mistaken.

Intra-party debate spurs new ideas and is therefore beneficial to the party as a whole. Just like debate between Democrats and Republicans should spur new ideas that benefit America as a whole.

Unfortuately the left has taken a dramatic turn towards a globalist agenda putting America in the back seat. Mr. Obama's speech in Germany when he refered himself as "a citizen of the world." epitomizes where his administration will take us. The stakes are to high to let the left continue with this anti-American agenda which will trickle down to the state level. You accuse me of "support(ing) diehard liberals and their policies." We'll I accuse you and your lack of competitive spirit, of enabeling said liberals and their poilicies to thrive because of relying on a conservative platform that is out of step with the majority of Californians, that leads us to defeat after defeat after defeat.

It appears to me that republican elected offcials and their staff have become "self servants" rather than "public servants," which they falsely present themselves to be during election time. As a member of the public who is too is self serving, in that I love America, California and the "center-right" platform. Why should I contribute $1 and my vote to a loosing effort?

"what is your definition of a moderate and what is your definition of a RINO? You said you support moderates, lets hear what you think a moderate is."

The best example I can think of in California was Former Secretary of State, Bruce McPherson. He was pro-choice and during his tenure in the legislature his vote was often not consistent with his caucus.But you could easily convict him of being a Republican.

Other examples would be Asm. Bonnie Garcia, Sen. Jeff Denham and Former Congressman Tom Campbell. These are all folks who have from time to time taken positions that are outside of the GOP mainstream. But what I like about them is that they are not hostile to conservatives. They understand that they need us as much as we need them.

While I may not agree with every vote they have taken, I could easily support them if they were GOP nominee for any office.

And I apologize for taking so long to reply. We are in the final push of the legislative session. And there are a lot of bad bills to kill, along with a budget to not pass. :-)

RINO,

An "Anything to Win" Conservative is an oxymoron!

Like you, I want to win. But if winning means being just like the Democrats, it would be easier to just become a Democrat.

If we are going to implement Democrat policies and support the Democrat Agenda, we would be nothing more than jackasses in elephant suits; not Republicans; and definitely not conservatives.

I'm going to shed my republican colors mometarily for somthing greater. My American colors.

Mr. De Luz
There really is no grey area with you is there? The majority of the population is centrist and independant and prefer choice above all over their politicians. That way they feel empowered.

Instead politicians have germandered districts to give Californians a two party dictatorship that are both more inclined to act on their (your) interests rather than the people who they alledgedly represent. Hence we the people feel disaffected and helpless towards our goverment. Because the system is riged to keep incumbants in. No accountablity to the population or oversight.

Do you not see something inherently un-American about this. We fought the Nazi's held the Soviets in check for 50 years. Now our government has consoldated power within itself excluding the people and become the very enemies our fathers and grand fathers burried at Arlington and Normandy died for. One party, two party. A dictatorship is still the same when they don't listen to and act on the best intersts of the poplualtion as a whole.

What is a RINO? I have heard conservatives like you (i've seen you at Republican events with these people) list at least 2 of your moderates as RINO's. Thought they should be thrown out of the party. What is the difference between a moderate and a RINO? Personally, i think they are fluid titles and folks like you use either when the suit your conversation.

Who would you list as a RINO?

BTW - Tell the boss to vote the opposite of the majority leader and follow Villines the rest of the time. No need for you to stress, we don't really have a say in what actually happens. I guess we had the PVC bill, but i can't think of any other non-budget bills where our opinion actually mattered.

Rino & My Party,

You two are really funny.

No matter what I say, you have decided that I am the enemy. You have used innuendo to misrepresent what I say in order to make yourself feel like it is ok to hate me.

Here it is that I have given you what you asked for; several examples of moderates that I say I could support and yet you still attack me. During this entire debate, I have not mentioned one social issue (ie. abortion or marriage) and have focused strictly on fiscal issues (positions with which most moderates agree) and yet you still attack me.

You call me intolerant when in fact you are the ones who are intolerant. You claim that it is I who want you out of the GOP, when in fact,it is you who want me out... in the worst kind of way.

I pity you two.... Because as the saying goes, those who don't stand for something will fall for anything.

Mr. De Luz
Did you not post?
"If you moderates don't agree with this commenter, please say say something! I find it hard to believe that you are so desirous of winning, that you would be willing to throw ALL GOP values out the window."

Ok, thats what I'm doing.
I have never met you. How can I hate you on a personal level? I just disagree with your position, which I feel is an obsticle to achieving greater success against the left.

As a fiscal and social conservative (I'm not a moderate) nothing would make me happier to see California as red as Wyoming. But that is not a goal that can be realistically achieved in our lifetime. But we can set the ground work for our kids to achieve that goal and in the process obtain more leverage and get more of the things we want and prevent more idiot liberal legislation in the process.
To attract more voters in a system where majority rules. We need to adopt a more populoust platform that appeals to that silent majority of independants, swing voters and centrists. So how can my position throw ALL GOP values out the window when in fact I seek more than we currently have?

I don't want you out of the party. We need good men like you in the party. What I want is a sharing of the reigns of power for us RINO's and moderates. A 50%-50% colaboration between us and you, with the objective to obtain more leverage against the left. The alternative is a party that continues to tear itself apart. From one conservative Republican to another, I'm asking for your help?

While both parties share a common cord of trying to satisfy their 'base' and be elected/re-elected, I see 2 primary platform differences:
1) regulation/open markets/capitalism
for at least the last 30 years Republicans platform has been driven towards less regulation, and less enforcement of existing regulations.
While not a party platform, Democrats generally move towards more regulation.

2) 'welfare'
while not a correct term, what I mean is the the collection of tax dollars and the redistribution of those tax dollars. Democrats generally tend towards fewer taxes, and more tax distribution at the middle and lower end of wage earners.
Republicans generally lean towards a top down distribution of wealth.