Some in GOP push for test of loyalty
Posted on 06/04/2002 6:54:36 AM PDT by MeekOneGOP
Some in GOP push for test of loyalty
Critics say plan will fracture strength of Republicans in state
06/04/2002
AUSTIN - Supporters of a political purity test plan to bear a distinctive logo at this week's state GOP convention aimed at ridding the party of what they call RINOs - Republicans in Name Only.
The logo featuring a slash through the word RINO will appear on signs, buttons and brochures to illustrate a demand that candidates pledge allegiance to the party platform as a requirement to be on the ballot.
"I am sick and tired of Texas Republicans going to Austin and Washington and not representing Texas Republican values as enunciated in the platform," said David Carter, a delegate from Nederland.
Robert X. Johnson of San Antonio, who is leading the effort, says the party should set a rigorous standard for candidates to keep moderates off the ticket.
Opponents warn that such a litmus test would hurt the party, noting that George W. Bush and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison didn't agree with everything in past state platforms.
Mr. Bush dismissed questions about the state party platform during his 1998 re-election race, saying he hadn't read it.
Delegates to the state GOP convention convening Friday in Dallas will consider a proposal to require all GOP candidates to accept the platform's "core principles" and put into writing whether they agree with each plank.
In the platform adopted two years ago, the party advocated returning to the gold standard, getting out of the United Nations, denying the custody of children to homosexuals and outlawing abortion without exceptions such as to save the life of the woman.
State Republican Party Chairman Susan Weddington called the effort "misguided" and said past attempts to impose an ideological litmus test on candidates have failed.
"I expect the same results with this effort," Mrs. Weddington said. "At the end of the day, the vast majority of Republicans believe strongly in candidates campaigning in an open process."
The proposal has sparked a vigorous debate among delegates, including a furious e-mail exchange among the party faithful over whether such a rule would be advisable or even legal.
"I'm 110 percent in favor of ridding the GOP of every single RINO," Mark Wallace of Austin wrote in an e-mail forum on the issue. "They have infiltrated our party over the years like Trojan horses."
David Astwood of San Antonio wrote that the requirement "will definitely discourage closet Democrats and liberals from leaving their losing party and empty causes and joining our party."
Other delegates who oppose the rule say the party should be more inclusive if it wants to grow.
"I know of no better way to make Republican candidates look less legitimate than by making them publicly display a laundry list of any disagreements within the party," said Kurt Hyde, a delegate from Denton County.
"For heaven sake," wrote Sue Karcher of Rockport, "why aren't you spending your time trying to make the Republican Party of Texas more inclusive and welcoming instead of trying to keep people out?"
Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, said such intramural squabbling among the party faithful usually has little impact on regular voters.
"This is a debate about who's most faithful," Mr. Jillson said.
"Parties are for the purists, the people who care a lot and work hard," he said. "These are the sweat on the brow, 'I care to the depth of my soul about these issues' people. So they develop platforms that really can't stand public scrutiny and exposure."
Mrs. Weddington sought to play down the fight, saying the party was going into the convention united and optimistic that it would hold all 28 statewide offices, control the Legislature and win down-ballot contests.
"As often happens," she said, "it's the bad kids who get the most attention, and all the good kids get forgotten."
E-mail wslater@dallasnews.com
I think there is a difference between a moderate Republican and a RINO.
For example, here in CT we have Nancy Johnson and Chris Shays. They both have the same liberal voting record. Johnson is a moderate Republican, that's what she believes, it is what she always has beleived, and it is what she was elected on. Although her votes annoy me sometimes, she support the leadership and the party. She does not go to the press to blast the party. She is welcome in the party in my opinion.
Shays, on the other hand, is a RINO. He hates the party, he hates the leadership. He feeds off of the press he gets from the NY Times when he bucks the party. He is a RINO who harms our party and should not be welcome in it.
How come I can count the DINO's on one finger (Zell Miller), but there are scores of RINO's?
Why don't they just run as Dems in the first darned place?
I guess we should give out annual "Jumpin' Jeffords" awards, but we'd run out of awards pretty quick.
You have a problem with setting standards?
Let me guess, NEA, right?
Echos of Bobdole - so much for 'working within the system'. The elephant has morphed into a RINO. Find a third party that responds to the grassroots and help it grow. It's the only way for your voice to be heard.
Because they would have no chance in Hades of winning in a conservative area. So they fraudulently pass themselves off as conservative to win office and promote their liberal agendas against the will of the people they said they would represent.
These guys have a great idea, I hope they have alot of success with it. The Republican Party does need to set standards for it's candidates.
Spoken like a true liberal.
When it comes to some social issues, I am not with the Republican mainstream. But the fact remains the GOP is the one major party in the U.S. that supports the free market. Therefore, I am supporter of the GOP.
Maybe some would classify me as RINO, but I sure as Hell am not a Democrat.
She just got here (member since 6/3/02) and batters Republicans and Christians in the same sentence!
(Maybe a slow day over at DU?)
Are we for or against term limits? Are we for or against straight party voting? Are we for or against mandatory sentences? How do we feel about aid to business including the multi-nationals, the UN, and my Congressman taking trips with lobbyist? Where are we on trade with the Arabs, student visas, home schoolers allowed to compete in sports with local high schoolers without regard to where they live?
While we are at it how about the guys who say one thing and do another? How about my state rep who SWORE he would only run for 4 terms and is now in his fifth race? BTW He is the most conservative member of the Texas House.
Problem is we can't agree on very many core issues and the party in Texas looks very little like the people who attend conventions. If you hold everyone to the platform that's fine, you will get the 20% of the vote that agrees with everything you write.
This will be fine with that segment of the party who loves to lose while not giving an inch on anything. My Baptist city councilman told me at lunch Monday that most of our problems were centered in the Catholic and Methodist Church. He will be a fine member of the 20% ...........
Wow, you mean following all the commandments of God, not just the ones that make us feel good, but also the ones that move us toward being more holy? That's some tough standards there < /sarcasm>
RINOs are destroying the Republican party. We've been told, even here on FR, that we are supposed to hold our nose and vote for them to 'win back the Senate'. I for one WILL NOT do it. I'm not voting for Giddy Dolt under any circumstance
Those people are a little slow, anyway.
They don't run as dems because they are back-stabbers. I remember Rush crowing about all the dems who were switching to the repub party. He couldn't even figure out that they were not changing their colors, only their party.
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