Republicans can learn from Arnold

Governor Schwarzenegger has proven himself to not only be a very sane, moderate or better yet liberal Republican, but also as a very pragmatic, practical and even progressive politician. Schwarzenegger represents the Republican Party of old, of yesteryear when it was led by practical centrists such as Dwight D. Eisenhower and even Richard M. Nixon. Now it's essentially become the party of Limbaugh, a rather tight knit camp of knuckle-dragging, mouth-breathing neanderthals, religious fanatics who believe they'll see the apocalypse in their lifetime, don't believe in climate change, evolution, and essentially reject science. Besides from being the party of "no" who are doing pretty much everything they can to be an obstructionist party, all they really have to offer are tax cuts, tax cuts, deregulation, and more tax cuts. Anyways, Schwarzenegger isn't a religious nut and not only acknowledges science and climate change, but is also seriously concerned with this environmental crisis. He actually believes in reaching across the aisle. He also recently contemplated becoming a Democrat. But what has also turned many heads in the last year, which has also caused many heads of conservatives and Republicans to explode, is his endorsement of starting a debate on the legalization, taxation and regulation of marijuana in California. Given the state's current financial crunch and budget crisis, this makes perfect sense and hat's off to Arnold.


Arnold: Time To Talk About Legalizing Pot

Ryan Grim l HuffPost Reporting From DC
05/05/09 07:17 PM

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger called on Tuesday for an open debate on legalizing and taxing marijuana. A recent Field Poll showed that 56 percent of Californians support taxing and regulating marijuana as a way to address the state's fiscal crisis. Schwarzenegger was asked at a press conference if it was finally time to legalize marijuana.

"No, I think that it's not time for that, but I think it's time for a debate," he said, according to a transcript provided by Schwarzenegger's office. "And I think that we ought to study very carefully what other countries are doing that have legalized marijuana and other drugs, what affect it had on those countries, and are they happy with that decision."

It gets better.

In November last year, Schwarzenegger was interviewed by George Stephanopoulos, and he pretty much admitted that the majority of Americans want the government to focus on progressive policies and initiatives, and that they don't want, or are not interested in the current incarnation of the Republican Party. In fact, he outright criticizes his party and harkens back to Eisenhower.


"I think you can also make it very simple, and that is, you know, that Republicans have not provided for what the people need. And I think that's why Jindal is partially right on that, or he's right on that, because, you know, it is all about what the people of America need right now, and have we provided that as a party?

Let me tell you something. When it comes to building roads and people driving on the roads -- it's Democrats, Republicans, independents, decline to state --everyone wants to use those roads. Everyone's kids -- Republicans' kids, Democrats' kids -- everyone is in the school. They want to have great education. When it comes to clean air and protecting our environment and fighting global warming, everyone in America wants to be part of that.

Remember that so many times there's dialogue about, you know, we have to go back to our core values. What is that? What is core? How far does core go back in history in America, the word core? Does it go back 30 years? Does it go back 50 years? Because we know that Teddy Roosevelt talked about universal health care. So they're off the core for a long time ago already. He has talked about protecting our environment. So they've been off for a long time on that. I mean, let's be honest. Ronald Reagan -- let's go to Eisenhower, for instance. Eisenhower has built the highway system in America and he's poured billions of dollars into infrastructure. Where Republicans today say, well, that's spending. We shouldn't spend. That's not spending. That's investing in the future of America.

So there's a lot of things that they have been off on, if they want to go and talk about the core values. But maybe their definition of core values is maybe different. But I mean, so I think it's all nonsense talk. I think if they just talk about one thing, what do we need now? Now, America needs to be rebuilt, because we haven't really rebuilt America for decades. So we need to rebuild America, fix the bridges, fix the highways, fix the buildings, tunnels and all of those kind of things we need to do. And then we have to go and create great relationships with our partners overseas, with the world, and to build those relationships again. And we have to take care of health care. We have to take care of our environment. And we have to build an energy future. Those are the things that people want right now. And I know in the poll numbers in America -- I mean in California, that's what the people want."

And it gets even better.

Governor Schwarzenegger not only supports President Obama's health care reform initiative, but just recently signed two pieces of legislation honouring the late San Francisco City Supervisor Harvey Milk, and recognizing same sex marriages performed in other states.

You have to admit, as a Republican, Governor Schwarzenegger is providing a great example to those in this party.