OPPORTUNITY SQUANDERED

A couple years back, republicans showed up at their voting booths and threw Gov. Davis out of office--recalled him. At the same time they installed Arnold as the new governor and things were looking up for California. Common sense changes to our state were within our grasp. That thinking is a thing of the past; we've lost all momentum and now it's back to the drawing board.

The turnout for last Tuesday's "special election" indicates, clearly, something we've known for a long time, and something that the "right" can't seem to learn from: Democrats in California are full-time activists and republicans, at best, are part-timers. Republicans failed to vote, thus missing out on a great opportunity to bypass the legislature and make sweeping changes within our state. This election was so important that it had national implications.

Had republicans made an asserted effort to vote, passed Arnold's propositions, Arnold would be unstoppable from this point forward. Since that never happened, I have to agree with Dick Morris' assessment of the governor's situation. And popular Sacramento talk-radio host, Mark Williams, gives us his view.

Two things to look for in California politics: Beatty and Reiner.