GOP California dreamin'...

As native born Californian I find this thought provoking, if not, a bit downright frigthtful commentary from Outrated Citizen:

California, with its 55 electoral votes, is a prize the GOP has lusted after for years. The Golden State has voted Republican before, sending two of its Republican governors to the White House, and rumors fly of efforts to change the Constitution in order to send another. But even without a presidential candidate from California, the state's electoral votes are worth spending time and money to pursue. And if they can't be won through the persuasion of Think Tanks and charismatic candidates, perhaps they can be won with the help of corrupt energy companies, recalls, rigged elections, and smear campaigns. It makes no difference to the radical Republicans currently in charge of the party. These men and women of very little conscience will lie, cheat and steal to win, because winning is all that matters. Governing wisely, protecting the common good, and preserving our democracy certainly don't seem to matter.

Winning California appears to be the top Republican priority for 2006 and 2008. They put Florida securely in their pocket with the 2000 presidential election, and they locked up Ohio in 2004. They know they'll never get New York, so they really aren't trying there. They don't even have a viable Republican Senatorial candidate running against Hillary Clinton. But California is a different story. California could possibly be flipped with a combination of propaganda and manipulation of elections, especially now that it has a Republican Governor and Secretary of State. (And I haven't even mentioned the influence of the growing number of mega-churches in California.)

California is the current battleground and the next battle is the 2006 election. With their lock on the Southern states, as well as Florida, and Ohio, all Republicans need is California to ensure control of the federal government indefinitely. And if California turned red, the next Republican presidential candidate could stop worrying about troublesome states like Pennsylvania, New Mexico, and Iowa. In addition, the party could kiss off the entire Northeast, which they have probably wanted to do for a long time.

If the Democratic Party doesn't realize that and get as much money and as many volunteers as possible out here to defeat the Republican Governor and Secretary of State in 2006, by margins so large even rigged voting machines can't determine the outcome, they might as well forget about the presidency in 2008.

As goes California, so will go the nation.

Many of my friends think we are immune from the 'Red State' mania gripping the so-called heartland. We feel secure in the thought that shit can't happen here. We're for live and let live. Yet the home of FreeRepublic.com is based in California, Fresno to be exact. Our progressive voting patterns are clustered along the coast and major urban population centers. There is the rest of the state that listens to Talk Radio on those long drives along Hwy 5.

The Schwarzenegger crowd is bringing in DC heavyweights to fight this battle. They'll promise to be moderate but will eventually be just as reactionary as the DeLay crowd, actually they're all of the same ilk.


And if they win, if big business wins, they'll soon be saying serfs up....

(via Smirking Chimp)