If your prospect for political office seems to think he can speak for God, or that women who are raped shouldn't have abortions, or that a quarter-cent sales tax increase is a crime against humanity under any circumstances, keep looking.
This is California. You might have noticed, on the map of national election results, that the state is as blue as the sun-splashed sea.
In other words, you're out of step, GOP. We needed you to be the voice of reason to counter union-backed Democrats, and all you sent us was social troglodytes and Chamber of Commerce yes men.
Unchecked power can be a dangerous thing, and with a Democratic governor and two Democratic supermajorities, we could burn through the $6 billion to $7 billion in Prop. 30 tax revenue with nothing to show for it but a few new textbooks, a couple hundred windmills and a nice deposit into the prison guard retirement fund.
Who's going to scream when the bill for higher retiree costs is paid for by cutting road maintenance, raising park fees and shutting courtrooms?
I'm not exactly begging, GOP, but your state needs you. As your new consultant, let me say that there's only one way to get back into the game at some point in the future: You have to look to the past.
Your hero should be Earl Warren, not Howard Jarvis. The three-time Republican governor of California raised gas taxes to build highways, he put veterans to work on public works projects and helped grow the state's higher education system.
Or you could look to the guy who raised taxes in tough times and signed an abortion rights bill as governor, then amnestied illegal immigrants and nearly tripled the national debt as president.
What was his name?
Ronald Reagan.
Think about it, GOP. You've marched so far to the right, you practically make your party's conservative icon look like a card-carrying liberal.
Splash a little cold water on your face, remind yourself that the year is 2012, and give moderation a try.
Do it for the Gipper, if not for yourself.
