Republicans sell out principles for nothing

Gore Vidal once said, "It makes no difference who you vote for – the two parties are really one party representing 4 percent of the people."

For the last couple of months, California Republicans have been urged to abandon their principles in the Oct. 7 recall election for Gov. Gray Davis in order to replace him with a GOP standard bearer.

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From the moment actor Arnold Schwarzenegger threw his hat into the ring, members of the political establishment begin telling voters that he was their only hope. We have heard this line so often – it appears to be taken as gospel by Californians. The latest USA Today-CNN-Gallop Poll has Davis out and Schwarzenegger easily winning the race to replace him.

However, thanks to that very same poll, we now know that this well-worn line simply is not true. It was never true. It was a big lie, a siren song by those who want the GOP to abandon its pro-life principles and embrace politically correct issues like homosexual rights, illegal immigration, gun control and big government.

In that poll the question was asked, "If the choice were between [Lt. Gov.] Cruz Bustamante, the Democrat, and [state Sen.] Tom McClintock, the Republican, who would you be more likely to vote for: Cruz Bustamante or Tom McClintock?"

Among registered voters, 49 percent said they would vote for McClintock, while 42 percent said they would vote for Bustamante. Among probable voters, 56 percent said they would vote for McClintock, while only 37 percent said Bustamante.

The rap against the conservative McClintock by the self-appointed party kingmakers is that he doesn't have the ability to raise "BIG MONEY."

This is true. However, McClintock certainly has raised a lot of "little money." Since the first California debate, McClintock has been raking in an average of $40,000 a day over the Internet, mostly from small contributors. Last weekend, he traveled to Colorado where he raised more than $100,000 at a gathering of some of this nation's best known and most respected conservative leaders – people who have no interest in running for political office themselves, therefore they cannot be controlled by national party leaders.

Look who is backing Arnold Schwarzenegger. Members of California's GOP congressional delegation, members of California's Republican Party leadership and those who take pride in being invited into the backroom where the movers and shakers decide who is in and who is out for the rest of us.

The conversation in the backroom goes something like this. "You may think you are a big shot because you hold a public office, but don't look for any support from the party in Washington when you are up for re-election or you want to move up the ladder. If you don't play ball with us, you are political toast!"

Look who is supporting Tom McClintock: Dr. James Dobson, Bruce Herschensohn, Dr. Laura, Gary Bauer, Phyllis Schlafly and Terry Jeffrey – men and women of principle who aren't willing to throw the things they believe in overboard just to win the next election.

It isn't right and it never pays dividends.

Many California conservatives have short memories. In 1990, they were persuaded to hold their noses and helped elect Pete Wilson – Schwarzenegger's mentor – governor of California. What did that get them? The largest tax increase in the state's history. To add insult to injury, Wilson pulled the rug out from under conservative officeholders in the state by withholding party money from them and organizing primary opposition against them.

What do the insiders really mean when they say Tom McClintock can't raise BIG MONEY? Unlike Schwarzenegger and the other GOP hopefuls who have now seen the light and abandoned this race, McClintock doesn't have the ability to write himself million-dollar checks. Furthermore, he isn't likely to get the support of a lot of big businessmen who run large multinational corporations because these people will not support anyone they can't control.

So, how about it Californians? Are you going to vote for the candidate the party insiders picked out for you – the movie star who memorized a few lines about taxes – or are you going to think for yourselves and vote for the real deal – a man whose values aren't for sale, a man who has proven he can be trusted, a man who already understands California's budget problems and knows how to fix them?

Think long and hard before you decide, because, if Schwarzenegger is elected governor of California, those who want to gut the Republican Party of its principles will have won a major victory and, 10 years down the road, you will not recognize it.