Nah. You can tell by close examination the photo that these people are dangerous right-wing racists.
Posted on 04/16/2013 3:03:15 PM PDT by Hilda
Just days after the Republican National Committee (RNC) rejected most proposed rules changes that would undo the power grab from last year’s convention, a number of grassroots activists stopped by to express their disappointment with party leaders and let them know that they would not give up the fight.
Shortly after 10am, around 50 activists (pictured above) showed up at RNC headquarters in Washington, DC to present a representative from the party with a open letter to Chairman Reince Priebus that hit at the heart of grassroots’ frustration with the party.
“As grassroots fiscally conservative activists from states across the country, we are stopping by the RNC Headquarters in Washington today to express our disappointment in the Party’s continuing marginalization of the individuals who are driving the only credible ground game to combat the progressive liberal political machine,” read the activist-signed letter to Priebus. “After reading the 100-page Growth and Opportunity Project, we had a glimmer of hope that the Republican Party was going to make a sincere effort to make the Party process more bottom-up and transparent in structure.”
“The opportunity to repeal the ‘Tampa Power Grab’ last week was your first big shot at beginning to mend the relationship between the Party and the principled, small-government grassroots activists that you’ve disenfranchised,” the letter continued. “And you blew it.”
At issue are two specific rules — Rule 16 (A) (1) and Rule 16 (A) (2) — which grassroots activists consider unfair.
“Rule 16 (A) (1) was upheld on the floor, giving national leaders the power to dictate how states bind delegates,” the letter stated. “This rule puts underdog challengers to the establishment at an immediate disadvantage with fewer delegates sent to the convention. This is only made worse by 16 (A) (2), which prevents principled challengers from growing their delegate count on the convention floor.”
The activists say that Rule 16 (A) (2) was “a watered down version of a power grab.” They also note that the changes made at last week’s RNC meeting “fail to restore the authority to state delegations to enforce and create their own rules.”
“In fact, it strengthens and reinforces the RNC power grab that outraged the grassroots last summer by giving the RNC Secretary full authority to ignore the delegates’ wishes,” the letter explained. “The language may protect delegates from being stripped of their titles for switching support to another candidate, but it still restricts them from changing their vote at the convention. If you have to make up your mind and cast your vote of support before you even step on the convention floor, then why have a convention at all?”
The letter also brought up the way the rules were adopted at the convention, which only highlights the distrust the grassroots has towards establishment.
“We played by the rules, but when we started winning you changed the rules from behind closed doors in Tampa to shut us out,” the letter added. “We haven’t forgotten that the ‘aye’ result of the voice vote on the convention floor was pre-scripted on Speaker Boehner’s Teleprompter, moving the changes forward despite an objection sufficiently strong enough to force a vote.”
Activists who signed the letter made a clear statement that expect inclusion, not to be shut out of the process through a power grab.
“This is our Party too, and we are going to continue to show up and fight for fair representation in the Party’s political process,” the letter said in closing. “The Republican Party answers to its members on the ground, not the other way around.”
The activists who made the trek from the Hyatt Regency in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC expected to be heard by someone from the RNC. However, they found out when they arrived that the party that they work so hard for every election year wasn’t willing to listen to their grievances.
As you can see in the videos below, Jackie Bodnar, Communications Director of FreedomWorks, was told by security guards that her and the two activists — Drew Martin and Corie Whalen — presenting the letter to Priebus and some 12,000 petitions signatures against the RNC rules would not be allowed in the building.
“We’re a bunch of fiscal conservative activists. We’d like to come in and drop off an open letter, will someone let us in?” Bodnar asked the two security guards standing behind the closed glass door. “I just kind of feel like we’re getting shut out again.”
Rev. C.L. Bryant, a fellow at FreedomWorks, spoke to the security guards, but was unable to get any answer from them. “Let them see a black face,” Bryant said as he approached the door, telling the guards, “We want to come in. We need to come in. We want to come in.”
“Well, this is an example of power, and it’s gone unchecked for too long. And we the people, we’ve come to make a statement,” Bryant told United Liberty in the video above. “And the elected officials that we have placed in this building are ignoring a statement from the people who elected them.”
An older gentleman from Indianapolis, whose name isn’t clear on the video, called the RNC to ask why they were being locked out.
“I’m standing outside your building here, and it says ‘Dwight D. Eisenhower National Republican Center,’” he told the staffer on the other end of the call. “That was my father’s commander in World War II, and my father walked half-way across Europe trying to represent freedom and you’re not letting us in.”
“Hello? Hung up on me,” he said into the camera as he closed his phone in frustration.
After an nearly a half-hour of standing outside the RNC, Bodnar laid the letter and the petitions at the door. There was eventually some indication that the RNC would send someone down, but they were taking their time in getting to the people who work the ground every election year. As they waited, more and more activists signed the open letter to Priebus.
As time continued to passed, Bodnar again talked to those inside. “Just so you know, this is the grassroots calling and you’re not picking up,” Bodnar said. “So when you wonder where we are, it’s because you locked us out. This all we want to deliver — it’s just an open letter and a petition.”
After a few more minutes, she was eventually allowed to meet with a representative from the RNC who told her that they would be willing to meet if she made an appointment.
Interestingly, a woman approached the group of activists on the street while all of this was happening. She wanted to know what we were doing. After the situation was explained, she identified herself as the spouse of a Republican Congressman who wouldn’t have been elected without grassroots support. A similar story would not doubt told time and time again by Republicans in Congress.
Nevertheless, the experience at the RNC was frustrating for these activists. They’ve already been shut out at the convention through the rules process, and now they’ve found themselves shut out at the RNC headquarters and ignored by tone deaf party.
Conservative Party
RNC = Really No Convictions
Sounds good to me.
This is one of the most important reasons Romney lost. The Republican Party does not know how to deal with anything, or anybody, they do not agree with.
Best name for it, IMO.
Nah. You can tell by close examination the photo that these people are dangerous right-wing racists.
Some of them may even be flag-waving, constitution-defending, bible-believing, gun-owning veterans, ie, domestic terrorists.
In the past I have said it is our duty to reclaim the GOP, not to fracture the party. But hell, if we get turned away at the door and dismissed whats the point in trying? I like the name Conservative Party. It will be harder for the people we elect to FORGET who the heck they are and what they are suppose to be doing when they get to Washington.
So do I and The Patriot Party is fitting, also.
No worries mate... the RNC has left us; we should feel free to organize and become a voting block more willing to spit on them as we walk away, than they are to neglect us. Washed my hands of them, I have... want my vote? from now on it goes to the most conservative/ Godly person running, and if there are none, I aint votin!
In 2004 I bit my tongue and pulled the lever for GW even though I was very dissatisfied with the direction he was taking the country.
In 2006 virtually every candidate on the slate I voted for lost.
In 2008 I cringed, bit my tongue (getting sore now!) and voted for the sake of the country. I told myself I was voting for Sarah Palin and the what’s~his~name.
In 2012 I told myself “never again” but voted for mittens because I just couldn’t stomach the notion of another day with Duh Øne.
With all the dunderheaded moves I’ve seen coming from the GO (Goofy Old Party) I’m done with them. So it’s either sit it out altogether or vote 3rd party. Either way guarantees a walk in the wilderness for the right.
We may as well start building something because the old deal just don’t cut it anymore.
You may want to exclude some states however where the local Republican organization is too weak.
I figure the first meeting should draw delegations from over half the states. The second meeting will, of course, draw delegations from all the states ~ and the RNC will be out of business.
Is this part of Karl Rove’s scheme ..??
I wouldn’t put it past him.
COMMON SENSE PARTY!!! Who can disagree with COMMON SENSE??? Only the LEFT!!
The changes at the RNC convention were Willard’s ratty work...
BTW Willard is busy running hard for 2016
His boy Tagg-Gagg-me-with-a-spoon was on FOXNEWS yesterday with “a message of inspiration”...
How cool is that ???
Taggy Boy had been in Boston for the marathon...
no word if he bothered to help the victims...
Romneys dont do that sort of thing...
Unless they can be guarenteed their white button down shirt wont get dirty...
and if theres a LIVE camera around...
You know who the RNC is? Something I’ll never send a dime to.
It also happened in Illinois....................
Republican grassroots drove to the Illinois Republican Party State Central Committee’s meeting at the Tinley Park Convention Center to express their views on the party’s future and the party chairman Saturday, only to be chased out of an executive session that lasted nearly three hours.
http://illinoisreview.typepad.com/illinoisreview/2013/04/il-gop-scc-meeting-photos.html
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.