In race for plurality, compromise is needed

Paul Marian asked the question, “Will the Real Reagan
Republican Please Stand Up?” (“McClintock clearly the
better choice,” Viewpoint, Sept. 26). Well, Mr. Marian, I
heed your call and here is my stance.

Marian’s opinion is correct inasmuch as this is a
Republican primary election between Tom McClintock and Arnold
Schwarzenegger. Unfortunately, this is not a real Republican
primary and McClintock and Schwarzenegger are not the only two
candidates.

Most intelligent people realize this is a two-party, three-horse
race and there is a chance that there is just not enough feed to
guarantee a Republican victory if there are two Republican horses
in the race. On all issues fiscal, Schwarzenegger and McClintock
are virtually the same. So why does Marian call Schwarzenegger a
liberal? Is it because he is pro-choice? In his short-sightedness,
Marian missed the whole point of the recall. Californians are not
angry because Gray Davis is pro-choice.

To steal a line from James Carville, “It’s the
economy, stupid.”

Davis turned a huge surplus into a huge deficit. That in itself
is not the problem. For example, Ronald Reagan was known for
deficit spending and he arguably had one of the best economic booms
in recent history.

The difference is Davis recklessly spent money. He negotiated
shoddy energy contracts, and many believe the state taxpayers were
overcharged by as much as $10 billion. And the state may even have
sold some power at a loss (according to John Woolfolk of the San
Jose Mercury News, California sold thousands of megawatts of power
at a loss in spring 2001).

Davis also padded the pensions of numerous unions at the expense
of the taxpayers. Some state workers can now expect to retire at
the age of 50 with 90 percent pensions.

These are only a few of the grievances that can be levied
against Davis, and which led to our huge deficit ““ but all we
get from Davis are lies about the state of the economy and
increased taxes.

The recall is as much about Davis as it is about his policies.
Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, or as some would say, Gray Davis Jr.,
would not change the path of this ship. That is a dangerous
prospect. We have a tripled car tax, higher UC fees and aside from
property taxes, we are among the most taxed states in the
union.

So what is Bustamante’s solution? “Tough love”
taxes? A continuance of the policies that got us here? In a race
between Bustamante, McClintock and Schwarzenegger, it is quite
possible McClintock is the most qualified candidate to do the job.
But politics are about compromises.

For most Republicans, voting for McClintock would be ideal, but
in a race for plurality it could also mean giving the governorship
to Gray Davis Jr. It is very important to know your vote does
indeed make a difference and there is only one ideal conservative.
But there is also only one candidate with a realistic chance of
winning who will change the course of this ship gone awry. Vote
wisely.

Garthoffner is a third-year computer science
student.