WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Ripon Society today praised California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Inaugural Address, in which he embraced centrism and bipartisanship and stated the days of political gridlock must come to an end.

“It’s been said that trends move from west to east in this country,” stated Lou Zickar.  “If that is indeed the case, then let’s hope Governor Schwarzenegger’s speech sets a tone and marks the beginning of a trend that soon makes its way from Sacramento to Washington.

• “It’s a speech that embraced a simple concept — mainly, that good ideas can come from anywhere on the political spectrum, and the best way to turn good ideas into reality is for Republicans and Democrats to work together to get things done.  This is a concept the Ripon Society has long endorsed.  It’s also something that most Americans would consider common sense.”
• Zickar is the Editor of The Ripon Forum, a journal of political thought and opinion that has been around for over 40 years and is now published bimonthly by the Ripon Society.   The Ripon Society is a public policy organization that was founded in 1962 and takes its name from the town where the Republican Party was born in 1854 – Ripon, Wisconsin.
•  One of the main goals of the organization is to promote the ideas and principles that have made the GOP – and America – great.  These ideas include keeping our nation secure, keeping taxes low, and having a federal government that is smaller, smarter, and more accountable to the people.
• For more information on the Ripon Society and to view the latest issue of The Ripon Forum, please visit www.clu.ccw.mybluehost.me.  A link to Governor Schwarzenegger’s Inaugural Address can also be found on here:http://gov.ca.gov/archive/speeches.