Ahnold: A little to the left.

SirNitram · Post by **SirNitram** » 2004-12-19 10:50pm

BERLIN, Germany (AP) -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suggested in a German newspaper interview published Saturday that the Republican Party should move "a little to the left," a shift that he said would allow it to pick up new voters.

Schwarzenegger, a Republican, has taken an unorthodox approach since winning office last year -- standing by a promise to toe a conservative line on fiscal matters while veering leftward on social issues such as gay rights and the environment.

In an interview with Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung daily, Schwarzenegger said that "the Republican Party currently covers only the spectrum from the right wing to the middle, and the Democratic Party covers the spectrum from the left to the middle."

"I would like the Republican Party to cross this line, move a little further left and place more weight on the center," he was quoted as saying. "This would immediately give the party 5 percent more votes without its losing anything elsewhere."

Schwarzenegger was guarded on suggestions that he harbors presidential ambitions, saying only that a debate on whether the constitution should be amended to allow foreign-born citizens to run was "overdue."

Schwarzenegger became an American citizen in 1983, 15 years after he emigrated from Austria. He has said he'd consider running for president if such an amendment passed but has also taken pains to say it shouldn't be created specifically for him.

"I would like people to remember me as someone who raised standards, wherever I got involved." he was quoted as saying.

"I brought bodybuilding from nothing, I made the action film a genre, and the same goes for politics -- I want to do things that no one believed possible. I would like to bring people together as governor."

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-12-20 01:36am

Wow, he has balls.

Because he probably just got on the RNC Shitlist.

Chris OFarrell · Post by **Chris OFarrell** » 2004-12-20 01:38am

I love this guy.

He's rich so he doesn't have to pander or take crap from people looking to throw cash at him for his support.

He's horribly popular with the PEOPLE of the US which means he can freely express himself as a person and not be afraid of getting shitlisted by his so called backers.

And he doesn't take no crap from no one.

darthdavid · Post by **darthdavid** » 2004-12-20 01:40am

If he's capable of running in '08 (ammendment for foreign borns to run for prez) and does I'll vote fore him (unless he does something retarded between now and then). (boy does it feel weird to say that. hard to believe that i'll be old enough in the next election...)

Joe · Post by **Joe** » 2004-12-20 01:54am

I'm going to assume that he's talking about social policy here, because the Republicans aren't particularly far to the right on economic issues these days. Massive spending for new entitlements is a new item on the Republican agenda and not an economically conservative one.

As far as moving to the left on social issues...I might like it personally, but doing so may kill voter turnout among evangelicals. Undoubtedly it would grab lots of swing voters and even some of the Democratic base - I would expect a swell of support from gay voters if the GOP would abandon its generally hostile position towards them (and believe it or not, the national party platform for 2004 on gays was even worse than that of Presidential Candidate Bush). But if the new gains wouldn't be enough to offset the inevitable losses, it simply wouldn't be worth it from the perspective of a Republican strategist. Also, you'd have to worry about a small third party arising as a result of a more liberalized GOP social policy. It wouldn't be huge, but as Nader showed in 2000 you don't need to be huge to make a difference in Presidential elections.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2004-12-20 08:39am

I love him. He went Republican, but essentially subverts the neocons by going further to the left than some Democrats in America. And the guy's got the money, the guts, and the propularity to do it with total impunity.

If I was an American citizen, I'd vote for him.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-12-20 09:26am

Illuminatus Primus wrote:Wow, he has balls.

Because he probably just got on the RNC Shitlist.

What are they going to do? Slap him on the wrist? He's a big gun, and the Republicans are going to either learn how to deal with the recoil or lose him.

Post by **Vympel** » 2004-12-20 09:27am

I always thought it was Ahnuld, not Ahnold.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-12-20 11:27am

Vympel wrote:I always thought it was Ahnuld, not Ahnold.

Depends on how think your accent is that day.

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2004-12-20 11:28am

Personally, I think with the premier stars of the Republican Party being more and more of the moderate persuasion this only ups the odds of some one listening or the party splitting.

Durandal · Post by **Durandal** » 2004-12-20 11:51am

I'd be interested in hearing of what, if any, kind of pressure the Christian Right is applying to Ahnuld and how he is dealing with it.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2004-12-20 11:53am

Stormbringer wrote:Personally, I think with the premier stars of the Republican Party being more and more of the moderate persuasion this only ups the odds of some one listening or the party splitting.

We can only hope.

Big Phil · Post by **Big Phil** » 2004-12-20 11:55am

He's right about how extremist both major parties have gotten. I know an awful lot of people who are fiscally conservative (i.e., cut taxes, limit spending increases, downsize government) but are socially liberal (i.e., have no problem with gay marriage, want to keep abortions legal, are in favor of teaching evolution in the classroom), myself included. Who the hell does somebody like this vote for anymore?

Jalinth · Post by **Jalinth** » 2004-12-20 01:08pm

Durandal wrote:I'd be interested in hearing of what, if any, kind of pressure the Christian Right is applying to Ahnuld and how he is dealing with it.

He is a California Republican, so his support base is likely removed from the Christian Right. They'd have serious difficulty apply pressure against him within the state; for national groups, they have significantly more arm twisting power.

ARnold is obviously talking about social issues; fiscal conservatives in the US seem to be an endangered species these days. Both sides like the "spend" part - the Republicans have simply changed the phrase from "tax and spend" to "tax cut, go into debt and spend".

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-12-20 01:40pm

Durandal wrote:
Illuminatus Primus wrote:Wow, he has balls.

Because he probably just got on the RNC Shitlist.
What are they going to do? Slap him on the wrist? He's a big gun, and the Republicans are going to either learn how to deal with the recoil or lose him.

Oh they'll deal with him, but he's not going to climb the ladder making statements like that.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2004-12-20 01:55pm

prediction - repub party goes too far right, and thee is a backlash back to center in which ahnold is a major player.

Rye · Post by **Rye** » 2004-12-20 02:27pm

Durandal wrote:I'd be interested in hearing of what, if any, kind of pressure the Christian Right is applying to Ahnuld and how he is dealing with it.

In his home state? No idea, I did recieve this site from a christian in a chatroom though, about why arnold was eeeeevil. Though it doesn't specifically espouse christian beliefs, i find it highly unlikely it's by a nonchristian source, i mean look at this quote:

arnoldexposed wrote: Early on in his career, Arnold posed for nude pictures, Some suspect he was considering making extra money in the gay pornography industry, which was one way that some bodybuilders could supplement their income. Drudge reported this story last year. Arnold later lied and denied the existence of such photographs.

Arnold Admitted recently to previous use of marijuana , but lied about it when asked in an interview in the January 1988 edition of Playboy. He is now for legalizing the drug. He also smoked pot in the documentary film "Pumping Iron". He also admits to having used steroids . Some questions exist regarding his possible advocacy of or supplying to others illegal steroids.

Still think he should be considered for President?

and this one:

Arnold is an avid advocator of Abortion and stem cell research, which puts him at odds with the Republican position on the issue statewide and nationwide, indicating he has been influenced on the matter by outsiders. He recently backed a $3-billion stem cell initiative and a blanket primary in California .

It is possible that this crap is to just curry favour with the christian right wing, but i sincerely doubt that's the entire basis.

SyntaxVorlon · Post by **SyntaxVorlon** » 2004-12-20 02:47pm

Dammit why the fuck did he have to go and make me like him that little bit.

Executor32 · Post by **Executor32** » 2004-12-20 03:05pm

I just want to see him do this when another country pisses him off...

Justforfun000 · Post by **Justforfun000** » 2004-12-20 04:00pm

I love the man too. I was talking to people in Tahiti when I was singing on the cruise ship there. A few couples from California were there, and they were EMBARRASSED that he got in. This was right after the election. They were saying "We're the laughingstock of the States. Having an action hero voted in as Governer".

I told them, look I'll bet you he'll prove to be one of the best governers you ever had. He doesn't HAVE to enter politics for fame, fortune, etc. and he is about as close to a centrist as you can find. Mark my words, you'll love the man.

Looks like I was right on target.

Having prior fame and money is in my opinion, one of the best bloody prerequisites you could have for entering politics. It's rules out the two biggest draws for many people that have nothing to do with whether they will do a good job.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2004-12-20 04:05pm

Arnold's fame also allows him to skate away from accusations about womanizing and past drug use (as if either accusation should be meaningful coming from the people who support George "Cokehead" Bush anyway). No one takes them seriously as a criticism, because everyone expects Hollywood movie stars to engage in a certain amount of womanizing and drug use.

It's like the outrage over a televangelist being caught cheating on his wife, versus the ho-hum response if a Hollywood actor is caught cheating on his wife. When someone claims to be something he's not, that tends to cause more anger. When someone merely lives up (or down) to expectations, it's hard to get worked up over it.

Luzifer's right hand · Post by **Luzifer's right hand** » 2004-12-20 04:11pm

Illuminatus Primus wrote: Oh they'll deal with him, but he's not going to climb the ladder making statements like that.

I thought Governor is as high as you can climb in the goverment of the USA if you were not born there?

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-12-20 04:27pm

I thought Governor is as high as you can climb in the goverment of the USA if you were not born there?

At the moment there is debate over that. Afterall the Constitution can be changed, it's just damn hard to do.

And Primus, how the fuck are they going to stop the man?

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2004-12-20 05:09pm

Not appoint him to powerful cabinet positions, not endorse him for Senate races, not nominate him to the Presidency maybe someday.

Duh.

frigidmagi · Post by **frigidmagi** » 2004-12-20 05:50pm

You honestly think at the rate we're going that poeple are going to care if the RNC endorses him?