Schwarzenegger “Furious” Over Republican Support for Ind. Religious Freedom Law

Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger blasted Indiana's controversial religious freedom law, saying he was "furious" Republicans supported it and that it's “bad for the country” and bad for his Republican Party.

“As an American, I’m incredibly concerned about what happened in Indiana this week and the threat of similar laws being passed in other states," Schwarzenegger wrote in a Washington Post op-ed published Friday morning. "As a Republican, I’m furious. Divisive laws like the one Indiana passed aren't just bad for the country, they're also bad for our party."

On Thursday, lawmakers in Indiana and Arkansas approved revisions to the laws to include protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals from discrimination, after a widespread outcry from businesses and gay-rights groups.

Schwarzenegger, who served as California's governor from 2003 to 2011, said focusing on such measures “neglects” a large number of “critical” voters. As an example, he noted that since the battle over California's Proposition 8 in 2007, the percentage of registered Republican voters dropped from 35 percent to 28 percent today.

“Maybe that’s a coincidence,” the action-movie star said. “But there is no question that our party is losing touch with our voters, especially with the younger ones who are growing the registration rolls.”

Schwarzenegger said in order for the GOP to grow, the party must focus "on real solutions to problems Americans are facing," like infrastructure, cost of airport delays, the need to higher graduation rates and clean air.

Schwarzenegger cited the social media response to Indiana’s measure, saying it didn't just come from “eccentric” California but rather from across the country: "According to Zignal Labs, as of Wednesday night, #StandWithIndiana had been tweeted 5,571 times. Meanwhile, #BoycottIndiana was tweeted 430,728 times."

He urged the GOP to learn from NASCAR, the NBA and businesses like Wal-Mart who opposed the legislation.

"Those businesses are doing the right thing, but they have also done the math. As a party, we need to take a similarly realistic look," Schwarzenegger wrote.

"What happened in Indiana should be a teachable moment for us," he added.

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