Republican in name only "RINO"
Posted on 05/10/2009 1:08:11 AM PDT by Ron C.
Warning – this is a long and ‘windy’ post – not recommended for the semi-conservative or casual reader.
Lately I’ve ran across many a post and comment on FR that made me decide to again post about politics - for the sake of many of the newer Freepers – and for this nations sake. This post by Jim Robinson is corollary to what follows. Read it – Jim defines what I call a complete conservative.
Now, the first item of business - the definition of the 'Republican Party,' a.k.a., the GOP. A few members of Congress, a couple of state governors and a few past candidates for high office generally prompt the greatest amount of disparagement of the GOP on this website. Their voting screw-ups and lackluster comments are often used to denigrate 'the GOP' in general and often followed by statements such as, "Screw the GOP, I’ll never vote Republican again." That insults many, and proves that writers know little to nothing about party maintenance, or have any clue as their own responsibility for it. Yet, it is literally the voting public at large that determines what a political party becomes – it’s strengths and it’s weaknesses are a direct result of the level of public oversight and involvement in all aspects of party function and activity at the local level. Ignore that, and you get ever-poorer performance at the top – on par with the poorer performance of the citizenry in general at the bottom (local level.)
First - what the GOP is not. It is not defined by, nor do sitting members of Congress solely constitute ‘the GOP’ – yet that is the most common perception. Nor is the RNC, with a mere 165 members 'the GOP.' (All of them count in the national total, yet they are a distinct minority, very much outnumbered and at the eventual certain mercy of the total. Oh, sure – they are a powerful minority – but ultimately irrelevant in the face of the majority.)
"The party," - all political parties are made up solely of elected and appointed members within each State of the Union, along with a few chartered party club members which are by charter are allowed to join the party, pay dues, and allowed to vote in state and local party business. In California, the most populous state, there are only about 3,000 dues-paying party members qualified to vote in party business meetings and in State Party Conventions. The huge majority of GOP members in every state are elected district party representatives in local district 'central committees' – aka, 'wards' in eastern states. Of course, any elected state GOP officeholder is a member, as are any alternates or those they are allowed to appoint as members of the state party. In smaller States, the number is much less. An average per state would be perhaps 1,000 party members in the more numerous smaller states.
There is no published figure of what the 'total GOP party members nationally' is, nor is there such a figure for the 'Democratic' Party. The entirety of the GOP is not more than 62,000 members nationally.
So, lump all the RINO’s you can think of that currently serve in state and national government together, and add up the figure. Lets say you know a lot of RINO’s in Congress, and in State legislatures – and you can come up with as many as 100 of them. That would be .19% of total GOP membership – hardly representative of the huge majority at the local level, most of them quite conservative.
The second item of business here is wrapped up in what it means to be 'conservative.' You’ll not find a better definition of it than what Jim Robinson had to say in that link above. But I would go quite a bit further than Jim did – particularly in using that word 'aggressively.'
If you are under attack and faltering, and the GOP is – and if you really want to aggressively alter the makeup of the GOP – you become part of it. I did, and I have made a big difference (admittedly in the somewhat past) – by being a key force in routing RINO’s from State party leadership positions in droves. If you are really conservative, you join the war – where it counts. Either true conservatives help keep the party conservative – or you fail the final test of conservatism itself. That failure became ever greater after Ronald Reagan was elected – to the point that today less than .01 percent of GOP affiliated voters ever darken the doors of GOP meetings in their own neighborhood – and many that do are not conservative. That low number is a measure of the knowledge of the pubic in general, and of Conservatism wisdom in particular. Yet that door is THE most critical place where conservatives can help ensure the level of conservatism within the party. It seemed that once Reagan was in office, conservatives felt that their presence in the system was no longer needed. Also distressing has been the steep decline in the number of the 'faithful' – which should understand being 'watchmen on the wall' far better than those without wisdom. Sadly, today the level of Church involvement has declined to its lowest point in US history – yet, in stark comparison, during the Founding Era ministers were literally among those at the forefront of political activity.
Third - one thing needs to be understood clearly. Conservatives are extremely unlikely to ever prosper outside of the Republican Party. They must either fight to keep it pure (that is, socialism / socialist free) at the local level – or haul up the white flag of surrender. Third parties have done nothing to prosper conservatism, throughout this nation’s history. In fact, the few that have claimed conservatism (and largely aren’t) have repeatedly succeeded in doing nothing more than electing Democrats in the districts where third party candidates drew 1 to 2% of the vote – the margin by which the Democrat won. When any do gain office, they generally prove far less than conservative.
In fact the largest 'third party' vote ever recorded in US history was that of the 'Progressive Party' under Theodore Roosevelt, which drew 27.4% of the vote. But, note well - in the early 1900’s Democrats were the conservatives, while Republicans were the first to drift off into ‘progressive’ socialist politics. Unfortunately for us today, early 1900’s 'progressive' Republicans radically altered our political process, by co-opting political power to the top of the political ladder from the local level where it had resided for over 130 years. That single action helped send the party into the wilderness for near 50 years, and while it was there Democrats turned socialist and the Republican Party slowly became conservative.
Ultimately the degree of conservative success rests with conservatives themselves. And, if you’re like me – you’re a working stiff with a job somewhere or you’re working your buns off keeping a home together, caring for your family. You don’t have a lot of time – or a lot of money to sink into political activities, so if you’re going to do anything – you need to know how to be most effective with what little time you have. And believe me, you can be very effective, if you know what to do – and that is, walk into the real political arena nearest to you – at the local level, and figuratively, put on your political brass knuckles.
It is probably less than twenty minutes away from the front door of most Freepers. And, quite likely, you can gain a voting seat (without election) – simply by showing up – once or twice a month. (That is, if the local district committee is a few people shy of their allotted number of seats filled.) But, even if all the seats are filled, they all need alternates to sit in for them when they cannot attend for some reason. So take a friend or family member with you. It is worth noting here that quite often only one or two people will actually go to the trouble of getting the few signatures that it takes to get on the ballot for the Central Committee in a California district. When that happens, they are ‘elected’ by default. The position and their names don’t even appear on the ballot! Then, THEY get to appoint the remaining people to bring the district committee to its allotted number. That is a stark difference from public oversight – or 'conservative' attention to what makes up the party they choose to affiliate with. It is such apathy and indifference that has produced the squishy nature of the GOP in the largest and most populous states, and has led to ever greater pollution in even the most conservative states.
For over two decades, I voted many times per month – at the local district level, and at the county level. And, as a dues paying elected or appointed member of the state GOP, I voted often at all state conventions. I worked hard to purge liberals from any power in the state party, and I became highly effective at it. Ask RINO Pete Wilson how effective I have been. Ask Arianna Huffington, and her millionaire switch-hitting ex-husband Michael (with a very obvious case of aids) who both came lurking around the CA GOP, claiming that they were staunch Republicans. (Luckily, I knew about Arianna’s deranged past long before she came in the door – thanks to early use of the then brand new Internet.) Neither one got far, and both eventually left the GOP after being exposed for what they both were.
Bottom line, if Freepers really hope to see a GOP that harks back to conservative principles, and want to aggressively pursue such a goal - the only process that is effective begins at the most numerous level of the elected party – a few minutes away from your home. If we cannot be guardians at these most important gates to the political arena – forget about it at the state and national level. It is within this arena that conservatives can effectively block RINO’s from moving higher up the political ladder – by identifying them through personal contact, listening to their conversation, finding out what they believe and would like to see come to pass in future legislation. It is in this arena that you can identify the best – and help promote them toward higher office – and easily stop the worst of the worst.
The Reagan Revolution was initially energized by thousands of conservatives that had begun with Barry Goldwater a few years prior. In those days, back-yard political gatherings attracted literally thousands of local teens and college youth – and their parents – all of whom provided an energy level beyond any seen prior or since.
Conservatives could easily make that all happen once again – if enough of them decide they really want to become aggressive at making a political difference. Absent such an effort – conservatives will have only themselves, and their personal lack of effort to blame. Samuel Landon, one of our Founding Fathers, said it best. "On the people, therefore, of these United-States it depends whether wise men, or fools, good or bad men, shall govern them; whether they shall have righteous laws, a faithful administration of government, and permanent good order, peace, and liberty; or, on the contrary, feel insupportable burdens, and see all their affairs run to confusion and ruin."
Samuel Langdon is also quite famous for the following quote, from the same sermon. (spelling here is as in the original.)
"From year to year be careful in the choice of your representatives, and all the higher powers of government. Fix your eyes upon men of good understanding, and known honesty; men of knowledge, improved by experience; men who fear God, and hate covetousness; who love truth and righteousness, and sincerely wish the public welfare. Beware of such as are cunning rather than wise; who prefer their own interest to every thing; whose judgment is partial, or fickle; and whom you would not willingly trust with your own private interests. When meetings are called for the choice of your rulers, do not carelessly neglect them, or give your votes with indifference, just as any party may persuade, or a sordid treat tempt you; but act with serious deliberation and judgment, as in a most important matter, and let the faithful of the land serve you. Let not men openly irreligious and immoral become your legislators; for how can you expect good laws to be made by men who have no fear of God before their eyes, and who boldly trample on the authority of his commands? And will not the example of their impiety and immorality defeat the efficacy of the best laws which can be made in favour of religion and virtue? If the legislative body are corrupt, you will soon have bad men for counsellors, corrupt judges, unqualified justices, and officers in every department who will dishonor their stations; the consequence of which will be murmurs and complaints from every quarter."
Sorry my rant is so long - but, unfortunately in some ways it is not nearly long enough. For those that have never really entered the political arena, there is a world of things you should know, and will have to learn on your own, and from others that have gone before you. I can not say it more bluntly than this - if you do not go, learn, and fight - then who will?
May God bless you...
Ron
Which is why we need to WORK! Hence this thread. You aren't seeing the forest for the trees. Welcome to FR.
I always enjoy your posts. You are an asset to FR.
Enemy? We’re all Americans. Democrats (especially these days) are taking us down the the very wrong path but they still think they’re doing the right thing. Misguided and wrong but they’re still Americans.
2006 and 2008 were disasters for Republicans and Conservatives mostly because too many stayed home or voted third party. That gave us what we have today so how did it help?
Motivated conservatives can sway the mushy “independents” and “moderates.” That is what Reagan did. Last election the mushy middle bought the hopey-changey drivel. Couple that with all-or-nothing conservatives staying home or voting third party and here we are. That’s the FACT.
Why does your signup say 2008? And even if you were, does that give your opinion more weight.
Get over yourself.
Really?
If one wants conservative government established, then one obviously needs many conservatives becoming the establishment.
I always thought my posts were kind of lame. I have touble writing down my thoughts. Much easier to speak what I'm thinking.
What I meant by that is how the republicans became the "establishment" once they attained the majority in both houses. You know how conservatives go to DC and come home "moderates"?
Of course that's what you meant, now why don't you address what the poster meant. More cosnervatives becoming part of "the establishment!" I would think means that more real conservatives should become part of the establishment and not just the phoney politicians who claim to be conservative.
Does anyone know: Is it the state parties or the legislatures that set the rules regarding primaries as far as dates/open vs closed?
Great post and echoes what I believe as well. We need to fight to shape the Republican Party and root out RINOs rather than take the 3rd party route and essentially give up but sanctimonioulsy believe we are true to our principles. The latter is a cowardly way out IMO.
On that we agree.
bfl
State legislatures set the rules.
This was recently challenged all the way up to the Supreme Court by I believe the Virginia state Republican party and I believe they won.
So we now have the power to change this, if we (as the article suggests) organize in enough numbers at the local Republican party levels.
I would also like to thank Ron C
I have joined my local party meetings an am considering a run for office (small and local)
Its amazing how many newbs feel free to attack you few in the class of 98 before they even get there feet wet on this site.
The hell you say. I plan on savaging anyone who does not agree with me 100%. My ideas are the right ones and anyone who disagrees with me is a MORON who deserves to DIE DIE DIE. Everyone is my enemy. This country will not be right until I am dictator for life.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who thinks Glen Beck looks - and acts - like a clown.
He's a shameless self-promoter with an IQ scarcely higher than room temperature, but skilled at parroting others' ideas.
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