I told them I intend to put the money into specific candidates that share my philosophy, but not the party because it has too many RINOs in it.
Posted on 07/11/2006 6:12:14 AM PDT by Theodore R.
Open Letter to the GOP by Alan Caruba Posted Jul 11, 2006
I recently received a direct mail notice from Ken Mehlman, Chairman of the Republican National Committee saying that, “Our records show we have not yet received your 2006 Republican National Committee membership contribution.”
One assumes a lot of these notices have been mailed to folks like myself who have decided not to financially support the GOP this year. They won’t miss my donation because it’s always small.
It’s not that I won’t vote the Republican ticket in November. I probably will, but that’s because the Democrats in my State have made such a botch of its affairs I can’t imagine encouraging that with my vote. But I will not send the RNC any money. I will not renew my membership. Not now at least.
According to the notice, my membership and contribution “is urgently needed to support President Bush and give Republican candidates the resources they need to run effective campaigns and win.” But in most respects I don’t support President Bush any more because, for one thing, he has never vetoed a single spending bill conjured up by the Republican controlled Congress.
We have a huge national debt and, frankly, that kind of thing worries me, particularly when Ken Mehlman tells me that, “Our message of lower taxes, fiscal responsibility, and commonsense reform wins elections.” What fiscal responsibility? And what reforms?
The alleged reform of the educational system via the “No Child Left Behind” legislation is the creation of the most liberal legislator in Congress, Sen. Teddy Kennedy, and extended a previous piece of legislation imposing a federally controlled system from coast to coast. This is a terrible idea that does little other than to expand the size and reach of the federal government. NCLB has done nothing to improve the quality of education in America. It has degraded “education” into an endless series of tests around a rigid curriculum.
Why, having been in control of Congress since 1995, has the Republican Party been unable to muster enough majority votes to open ANWR to the extraction of oil? Why can’t the Republicans end the ban on offshore exploration for the massive quantities of oil and natural gas that we need to reduce our dependence on Middle Eastern and other energy resource producers? The recent House vote to end the ban is likely to be resisted and defeated in the Senate.
Why is the Environmental Protection Agency permitted to create and enforce an endless variety of restrictions and mandates that, among other things, increases the cost of gasoline to Americans and afflicts the farmers and ranchers who provide our food? This nation and the world have suffered greatly from the ban on DDT and on methyl bromide, an essential pesticide used in U.S. agriculture.
Why did the President nominate an avowed environmentalist, Henry Paulson, as the new Secretary of the Treasury? What was he thinking when he nominated Harriet Miers for the Supreme Court?
Why hasn’t the GOP been more zealous to rid the U.S.A. Patriot Act of some of its more noxious elements that intrude on the privacy of Americans and run contrary to the safeguards of Constitution?
Why has the Bush administration, under the Project Safe Neighborhoods program, attempted to federalize the possession of a handgun by a felon? Surely there are enough state laws to address this.
Why, in fact, have the Bush administration and the GOP pursued programs that would expand federal police powers beyond that which the Constitution would permit? I take very seriously the Tenth Amendment which says “The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”
Individual rights and privacy seem to be the last and least concern of the Republican Party these days. The expansion and intrusive powers of the federal government seem to be its first priority. Birth, end of life, and gender issues are personal issues. Both Republicans and Democrats need to respect that and leave such matters to the States as the Tenth Amendment requires.
Why has the President consistently refused to address the problem of the massive flow of illegal aliens from across our southern border and, at the same time, advocated what everyone knows is an amnesty proposal few Americans want?
And, of course, there is the issue of Iraq. An estimated trillion or more dollars has been allocated to free the Iraqi people and establish a functioning, modern government there. I have supported that effort, but my patience has its limits. There are some small signs of change in the Middle East, but the dead hand of Islam may yet succeed in defeating the hope of connecting it to the rest of the world and the twenty-first century.
These are a few examples of the failure of the Republican Party to fulfill the expectations of myself and others who have supported it in the past. It bares less and less resemblance to anything that once passed for Republican values and none to its famed Contract with America.
“If you have delayed your membership because you feel the RNC has let you down -- let me know. I need to hear from you.”
Well, respectfully, Mr. Mehlman, you are hearing from me and, apparently, a lot of other former and reluctant contributors. What you hear in November may be even worse news.
Mr. Caruba writes a weekly column, "Warning Signs," posted on the Internet site of the National Anxiety Center.
So, what do you see on the horizon: a repeat of 1974, 1982, 1990, or 1998? or just what?
I got one of those in the mail. I'm concerned that the RNC is running out of the time it needs to prove it knows what it is doing. I'll contribute to individuals, but not to the party at this point.
A warning from Robert D.S. Novak:
Republicans surely seem to need some birdies to keep Senate seats in 2006. Rick Santorum remains far behind in Pennsylvania. Conrad Burns is in trouble in Montana. Jim Talent trails in Missouri. Mike DeWine is threatened by a noxious Republican atmosphere in Ohio. Lincoln Chafee is endangered in Democratic Rhode Island. Jon Kyl faces a surprisingly tough race in Arizona. Despite excellent candidates in Minnesota and Washington state, no Republican challenging for a Democratic-held Senate seat is in the lead. Thus, a six-seat takeover capturing the Senate is possible.
This is of special concern for Republicans because the third of Senate seats contested in 2006 is more favorable to their party than what will follow. The long-term outlook troubles Graham, who sees a bleak Republican future north of the Mason-Dixon Line. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins in Maine and Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania may be the last Republican senators from their states. The rising Hispanic-American population not only has transformed California into a Democratic state; freshman Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar looks like the new political face of Colorado, and Arizona is no longer safe for Kyl conservatives.
I do not believe that Santorum and Burns can be salvaged, but I hope Talent may survive (doubtful in doubtful MO).
Get the ILLEGAL ALIENS out of my country anf I will donate again.
The Republican Party is out of touch with its base. Period. And it isn't the fault of the base. Like the author, I'll vote for the best candidate (99% of the time Republican), but Mehlman isn't getting my money until the Repubs start to deliver. We have the White House and both houses of Congress - and their production to date is minimal. No excuses, Ken.
My money and volunteer time instead goes to my local (R) candidates whose principles and records track conservactive. I think strong conservative candidates can win. RINO's have the most to lose.
Typo apology: "conservactive" = conservative.
President Bush could have deal with illegals better. Right?
Now think what a Teddy Kennedy and friends would do with the same issue.
Kennedy would swing the gates open -- and hand out social security payments to illegals as they crossed over. Bush could have done better on immigration, but his worst is better than we'd ever get from a dems.
I sent them a Bush Peso also. Are they getting the message though?
Actually, Pres. Bush signed on to Kennedy's plan and is endorsing exactly what you say Kennedy wants to do. I'm a Texan, voted for him twice. But he supported Specter (RINO) over a true conservative, and has marched with the liberals. I'm sorry. I'll support my local Reps, but not the national party.
From Polipundit this morning:
Reid Kennedy Bill Is Closet Racism
Last week, I read that Hotel Lobbyists had testified before Specter’s Senate Judiciary Committee field hearing in Philadelphia on June 6, 2006:
“The majority of my staff’s time, effort and our department’s budget are spent directly on the recruitment and hiring process to fill the approximately 45 job openings typically posted between our various operations on our weekly job opportunity lists,” Rossi said in prepared testimony. “These openings result in an employee reporting to work knowing that he will be understaffed by 10-12 percent on any given day. This is incredibly frustrating for both employee and employer. For both it means more work, longer hours, increased workplace injuries, increased guests’ complaints and the list goes on.”
The full testimony can be found here and you will find no mention of trying to fill jobs by increasing wages.
Two days after that testimony, we find that many Americans are available to fill those jobs:
According to the most recent state-by-state comparison issued by the U.S. Census Bureau, 49.6 percent of black teens in Indiana were unemployed in 2004, compared with 38.9 percent nationally. White teen unemployment in the state was at 18.3 percent, according to the study that gauged joblessness among teens 14 and older who were actively seeking work.
Until every American that is seeking work has work, there is no reason as national policy to import guest workers. I would implore Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton to speak out for all Americans, of every color, that need and are seeking work.
North American Union: Deconstructing the U.S.
North American Union: Coup d'état American Style
It was in today Front Page and is not only fodder for anger management enrollment but reflects very poorly on Pubs (for NOT informing us of this) as well as Dims.
Check it out.
"THE SENATE GUTS LOCAL IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT" http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=23292 Thanks,
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1663518/posts?page=1
The media, the politicians, and the intelligentsia may all be overwhelmingly on the opposite side but the people will prevail. That is how bilingual education was defeated at the polls in California and why the amnesty bill is now dead in the United States Senate. Make no mistake about it. The elites always think they know better, that the public's views are just mindless stereotypes or ugly prejudices.
No small part of the outrage over the immigration issue came from people's sense that their intelligence was being insulted by those they elected.
Three cheers for the Federal Government. END SARCASM:
Your Government @ Work - 3
A man was allowed to board a plane to Atlanta from Houston after all of the following:
a man with a Middle Eastern name and a ticket for a Delta Airlines flight to Atlanta shook his head when screeners asked if he had a laptop computer in his baggage, but an X-ray machine operator detected a laptop.
A search of the man’s baggage revealed a clock with a 9-volt battery taped to it and a copy of the Quran, the report said. A screener examined the man’s shoes and determined that the “entire soles of both shoes were gutted out.” No explosive material was detected, the report states.
A police officer was summoned and questioned the man, examined his identification, shoes and the clock, then cleared him for travel, according to the report. A TSA screener disagreed with the officer, saying “the shoes had been tampered with and there were all the components of (a bomb) except the explosive itself,” the report says.
…
The TSA issued a statement saying its screeners “acted in accordance with their training and protocols.”
– chron
Wow I’m getting warm and fuzzies all over thinking about the TSA’s 6 billion a year operation and all the great training and protocols in place. Apparently we do in fact need rocket scientists at the airports. I wonder if anyone will be smart enough to check this guy out if and when he leaves Atlanta on a flight.
You are describing the President's plan to a tee.
Never mind all that; some people are determined to hand this country back over the the liberals.
I return my request for funds letter with a reply and NO contribution.
FGS, find another thread to carp about that on.
People are sick of seeing that on every single thread.
I guess that shows how far we have come, because now if you can't hire help, it's everyone else's fault.
Pay more, dumb$hit!
What people are you talking about?
We pulled 40% of the Hispanic vote in 2004, so please tell me where the built in Conservative values are with Hispanics?
Somebody's head should roll over that one. Hopefully some of them that like to push people around so much.
Touche' BUMP!
I understand that the 10percenter's are tired of seeing this sort of thing, LOL! All more the reason to keep it coming. Blackbird.
Anyone who contemplates not donating to the GOP and becomming more vocal to the GOP about them acting like conservatives really needs to think which is worse. A Republican majority that has to be fussed at to act like the conservatives they were elected to be, or a Democrat majority that will be all liberal all the time, as a way of penalizing the GOP for not being conservative enough. Frankly, I'd rather have the former and NOT the latter. A Democrat majority only hurts the country, and proves nothing. Donate to and support the Republican party, but demand change and strong conservative behavior from them. THAT is the way to go. Not hissy fits and tantrums.
"Who's more irrational? The guy who believes in a God he can't see? Or the guy who is offended by a God he doesn't believe in?" Brad Stine
Yesterday Tom Delay refused to predict who would control Congress after the November election but, between the lines, suggested that the Repubs know they are going to lose both houses. Goodbye another sane SCOTUS justice. This will be perhaps Bush's greatest failure.
This isn't a thread about immigration. Take it somewhere else.
I've ranted for months here, and years before being here, about how frustrated I am with RINOs and the apparent lack of willingness of Republicans to reflect the majority conservative thought among Americans, but having a hissy fit and refusing to support the GOP will NOT fix the problem. It will only force already embattled Republican candidates to try and win with less money, and help create a Democrat majority. That's reality. Conservatives need to at some point get a clue about the fact that a weaker RINO in fested Republican majority is doing FAR LESS damage to this country than a liberal Democrat majority WILL do. I'm amazed so many conservatives can't see and understand that. It's so elementary!
This isn't a thread about Illegal Immigration. Either stay on topic or stay off this thread. Thanks.
DUH.
The war is increasingly better than the Democrats wish. What the troops say about it is totally different than the MSM and Democrats. That silently resounds with most Americans.
The immigration and border issue is solidly an advantage for Republicans, considering ALL those who are vocal about REAL immigration reform, REAL border security, and deporting illegals, are Republicans.
80% or more of Americans also oppose gay marriage and democrats support it. only 15% of gays support gay marriage, but the radical few flame on and seriously irritate the majority of the country. Don't believe for sone second people won't go vote for Republicans just to oppose gay marriage. They will, in droves.
Same with partial birth abortion. The overwhelming majority of Americans oppose it, and you can't hardly find a Democrat that will oppose it, or even comment on it, while most all Republicans oppose it vocally.
Democrats are against those things and 80% or more of Americans want them. So exactly what winning issue do the democrats have? There isn't one.
The democrats will not win the House, and it's a long shot that they'll win the Senate. When push comes to shove, this is still individual races we're talking about, and issues rule the day when people cast their votes, regardless of what the polls show, and there's nothing the democrats have been right about. The war, the economy, border control, immigration, gay marriage, tax cuts, partial birth abortion. The GOP is the only party with a shot to win that is on the winning side of those issues which is reflected by the clear majority of Americans. And how some long time democrats say they'll vote in polls, and what they actually do in the voting booth, when just them and God see what they're voting, well those are two totally different things. If I was a Democrat, I wouldn't be measuring any curtains just yet. They will not win the House. And they will not with the Senate. Unless most Americans wake up and decide to go vote for candidates that support the opposite positions than the voters support. That's the only way democrats will win majorities in Congress.
"Who's more irrational? The guy who believes in a God he can't see? Or the guy who is offended by a God he doesn't believe in?" Brad Stine
For hours the ACLU, People For the American Way, feminist groups, Latino groups, Asian groups and black civil rights loonies listed case after case where the administration, the GOP and this justice dept. has knocked down, thrown out and just walked away from the zillions of Democrat's socialist programs and leftist activist cases against the country.
I am truly disgusted with the constant complaining and head-holding...mostly because it's so uninformed.
"Who's more irrational? The guy who believes in a God he can't see? Or the guy who is offended by a God he doesn't believe in?" Brad Stine
If you're talking about his interview on H&C, DeLay said that if the elections were held today, the GOP might lose the House.
Of course, the elections are not being held today, and, Novak notwithstanding, the odds are very good that the Republicans will hold on to both houses.
The Democrats cannot be trusted with national security, and this election will be successfully nationalized.
The clear majority of Americans want strong border enforcement AND a way to deal with those already here. Mike Pence has the right approach, and his plan will become the basis for any negotiations between the House and Senate.
It clearly is not, but your boy Tancredo says it is, so you'll believe him.
You have no alternative to it, mysterio. There are not going to be mass deportations, and politicians are going to have to deal with hundreds of businesses and farmers who need the guest workers to survive.
They vote too, remember?
I vote Republican because I think a limited Government works better for the people. I don't like Teddy the U-Boat Captain writing an education bill.
I am 100% in favor of getting the bad guys and I truly do not give a rip whose feelings we hurt in doing it. So, when I get searched getting on a plane instead of the 2 Arab gents in front of me it makes me think that Homeland Security is more worried about Political Correctness rather than getting the job done. Both houses of Congress and the White House and this was the best that could be done?
I have friends deployed overseas in some rather nasty places. I truly believe they are doing the right thing. So, why does the GOP now have members "getting nervous about the service"? If you Support the troops, then you support the mission. That's it, end of story. If I can explain it to antiwar, dope addled professors - surely the GOP leadership and understand it. How about a "come to Jesus meeting" with some of the RINO folks and explain to this to them?
Send it in American Pesos.
"Why has the President consistently refused to address the problem of the massive flow of illegal aliens from across our southern border and, at the same time, advocated what everyone knows is an amnesty proposal few Americans want?"
I beg to differ per the statement above.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.