State Party Chairmen Air Issues at Forum

The chairmen of the state Democratic and Republican parties made a friendly joint appearance at the Richard Nixon Library’s ’98 California Issues Forum but clearly differed on a variety of issues.

Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres declared that the Democratic Party was better able to deal with the issues that most concern Californians these days--the economy, crime and education. “More people have more confidence in us to handle those programs than the Republicans,” Torres said.

But California GOP Chairman Michael Schroeder predicted that the state’s voters would show otherwise when they go to the polls in 1998, which he said would be a very good year for Republicans. Historically, he said, when a president is reelected, by the sixth year of his term voters tire of the party that has been in power.

The Republican Party is committed to dealing with issues of education, crime, jobs and government spending, Schroeder said.

In the area of education, Schroeder said that Republicans favor charter schools and are stressing public school choice: empowering parents to chose the best schools for their children to attend, and giving them the right to move their children elsewhere if they are attending a failing school.

Torres said the Democrats are also zealous about bettering education opportunities: “We’re trying to address issues of working-class families to allow their sons and daughters to have the best possible education.”

Citing crime and gang problems as another top priority, Schroeder said that “voters are very hungry for solutions in this area.” He said Republicans are calling for tougher laws dealing with gangs, truancy and people who sell liquor and tobacco to minors.

Crime incidence is down thanks to Democrats, Torres said, adding that his party has been in the forefront of “getting criminals off the street and more police officers on the street.”

Democrats have also made a dent in crime by reducing access to weapons and tightening laws, Torres said.

Both men vowed that their parties will work hard at garnering the votes not only of women but of Latino, Asian and black voters as well.

Torres charged that the Republicans have an image problem among minority groups, that the party simply does not like Latinos.

Minorities “don’t feel welcome or represented” in the GOP, he said. “Republicans have a very uphill battle. . . . People feel that the Democrats care about them more than the Republicans do.”

But Schroeder said the GOP is out to change that perception and vowed to do a better job in ethnic outreach.

“We have to show up; we have to be in each of these communities and make it clear that each of those communities are important to us and that we care about the issues that concern them,” Schroeder said.

On illegal immigration, Torres said it is an issue of economics, and that it is a complex problem with no simple answer.

“I don’t know why it’s so complicated,” Schroeder countered. “If somebody is here illegally, they’re supposed to be deported--and they shouldn’t be voting in our elections.”