the evangelical outpost: Slouching Toward Cimmeria

[Note: Since Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger expected to cruise to a reelection victory, I thought it was fitting to dust off this prediction I made two years ago.]

After Gov. Schwarzenegger's incredible speech tonight at the Republican National Convention, I thought it was fitting to update this prophetic post from February:

The stages in the regress to barbarianism…

The Absurdly Impossible

From the movie Demolition Man ( 1993):

Stallone: "Hold it! The Schwarzenegger Library?"
Bullock: "Yes, the Schwarzenegger Presidential Library. Wasn't he an actor?"
Stallone: "Stop! He was President?"
Bullock: "Yes. Even though he was not born in this country, his popularity at the time caused the 61st Amendment…"

The Satirically Implausible

From Jean Hampton’s Political Philosophy (1997):

Now while it is undeniable that some people are smarter or more virtuous or stronger than other people, these differences by themselves do not seem relevant to establishing political domination. Think, for example, of all the ways in which people are different from one another, physically, mentally and temperamentally. If someone has greater muscle strength than another, does that mean that he gets to rule the other? No: Arnold Schwarzenegger is not considered, by virtue of his physical prowess, a political authority. (p. 19) (Via: Crooked Timber)

The Suddenly Possible

From the New York Times (Feb. 23, 2004):

Mr. Schwarzenegger, who immigrated to the United States from Austria 35 years ago, on Sunday endorsed an amendment to the Constitution to allow immigrants who have been citizens for at least 20 years to run for president. Mr. Schwarzenegger became a citizen in 1983.

The Suprisingly Probable

From NRO's The Corner (Aug. 30, 2004):

ARNOLD SPEAKS [Andrew Stuttaford]
27th amendment! 27th amendment!

The Assuredly Inevitable