GOP needs new chief: Steele's not getting job done

NY Post ^ | April 3, 2010 | Linda Sanchez

[Scanian]

GOP Chairman Michael Steele is a talented guy: smart, affable, telegenic, with a gift for gab. He ran a great race for US Senate from one of the toughest states for a Republican to win, Maryland.

I should know, I lost my own Senate race there in 1986 and no Republican has won the seat in 30 years. But the best thing Steele could do now for the GOP is to step aside as chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Steele has gotten a lot of bad press this week for gross (in every sense of the word) misspending of donors' money. First, the story broke that RNC money paid for a night out for a group of young donors and staff at a bondage-theme nightclub in West Hollywood, Calif., aptly named Voyeur.

Steele didn't attend the party, and the RNC staffer who approved the reimbursement of the expenses has been fired. Nonetheless, other stories have leaked out suggesting Steele has his own problems, namely very expensive tastes. During his tenure, he's spent RNC money on private jets, limousines and four-star hotels on his frequent travels -- nearly $9,000 at the Beverly Hills Hotel on one stop.

[alloysteel]

“Steele’s not getting the job done”

Aw, ya think?

Now, Michael Steele is a fine person, in many ways, but this is a job unsuited to his capabilities. He is by nature a self-promoter, used to marshalling the agreements necessary to get himself moved into positions of relative strength, but not so much as a cheerleader and getting the troops on the ground to fan out through the neighborhoods, building a base for committed candidates.

The national Republican Party fell for the “affirmative action” politically correct thinking, when they needed somebody like Karl Rove to fill the seat, an organizer who had the firm objective of putting suitable candidates into suitable races, those which were winnable, and who would represent the Republican message, so we would not have a repeat of the Arlen Specter fiasco.

And Lord knows, we cannot stand many more such “victories” just to put somebody in office who is only keeping an “R” beside his (or her) name as a convenience. To themselves.

[Brent in TN]

I agree. Steele is wasting the most valuable opportunity the GOP has had in practically 20 years to drive us forward in a strong, popular and conservative direction. By being conservatives, we would easily become the political choice of a majority of Americans.

[Recon Dad]

The GOP needs to reevaluate all their top leadership. None are representative of the conservative, small government drive it will take to get this country back on track. Mitch McConnell and John Boehner are blocking the way right now. The GOP need their idea men up front leading the way, the leadership now is there to ride the wave not set the course.
Let the revolution begin and get leaders that don't all look like a flavor of Lindsey Graham or John McCain.

[ishabibble]

When it comes to Steele, all anyone needs are two words: DeDe Scozzafazza.

[TigerBait]

Yet another reason why true conservatives are leaving the Republican open borders anti-capitalist government bailout party for the Tea Party.

[Joe Boucher]

Cause steele is not a conservative.
He is one of those inclusive types who wish to grow the party by being dem lite.
DUMP steele.
Like our marxist p.o.s. president, were they not black neither would have their current jobs.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

He needs to go now. The opportunity of a lifetime is at hand come November.

[Paleo Conservative]

Don’t donate money to the RNC. Find candidates you like and donate to them directly.

[Lion Den Dan]

I disagree. Steele is doing a fine job for the Democrats. He fosters contempt, ovesees fraud, wase and abuse of money, resources and good will. Best friend the Rats ever had.

[Columbia]

Who should replace him?

[jmaroneps37]

I pegged this fraud 13 months ago when he first took office:
http://www.collinsreport.net/2009/03/03/michael-steele-you%e2%80%99re-an-affirmative-action-choice-who-can%e2%80%99t-cut-it-stop-embarrassing-us-and-resign/

I still stand by what I said.

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Will someone educate me please.

How does one become leader of the RNC? If they are elected, who elects them and how?

Thank you

[Scaaty]

I have been wondering the same thing- we participate at the local level and see how the good old boys want to keep doing things the same way they have done them for years, even thought it‘s not working.. We have not supported the RNC for quite some time, but rather support individual candidates. I know this is not an efficient answer, nor the way to win national elections but we are not willing to continue to support RINO’s because the are the lesser of the evils.
I think if we want to sweep the Nov elections the obvious choice for party leadership would be Sarah Palin. She’d bring back the conservatives without being the polarizing force she’d be as a candidate. If she proved herself in this position she’d have a great chance to head the ticket in ‘12 if that’s what she want’s to do.

[HANG THE EXPENSE]

Conservatives certainly didnt have a say in steele getting the chairmanship.Rinos all the way.

[reefdiver]

I don’t donate to the RNC either. But that is because of McCane, Steel, Romney etc. Who is leading this party? Did McCane appoint Steel? This process needs a good look and airing out. Some of this mess the country is in can be laid at the feet of RINOS. I just cannot support a moderate, with cash or votes.

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

They should have taken Ken Blackwell for the job. He was the perfect conservative for the position. But alas, the same “establishment” boneheads who told it us it was Bob Dole’s “turn” and John McCain’s “turn” and, soon enough, Mitt Romney’s “turn” fear true conservatives. So, Steele got tabbed.

[nathanbedford]

One year ago and the more I wrote the following reply at about the time Michael Steele won the job as chairman of the Republican National Committee. In the year which is passed it has become clear to any honest observer that Mr Steele is not up to the job. It is not necessary to recite his gaffes which in the fullness of time are not nearly as significant as his failure affirmatively to fill the role which history has assigned to him.

In this reply I tried to define the job at a time when the Republican Party was absolutely broken and dispirited. Fate dealt us a card as Obama overplayed his hand and the country has become increasingly appalled at the naked thrust to govern against the people. Nevertheless, the Republican Party is still leaderless and that gap has opened the way for a potential third party movement which would be fatal to any chance unhorse Obama and the Democrats' supermajority.

In the seven months remaining until that midterm election, it is the task of the Republican Party to become the natural home of the conservative movement and the tea party and to give voice to the grassroots' visceral reaction to the excesses of the Obama administration. The job is to nationalize the election and make it in a referendum on Obama. We have no spokesman to do this and we have no man in charge of the Republican National Committee in whom the grassroots of America can park there confidence for the season. No man to organize, no man to provide a theme, no man to inspire new candidates, no man to raise money. A great opportunity to save the Republic can be forfeit.

At a time when the Democrats are cynically trying to portray any opposition as hate filled and racist, our black chairman has not even adequately stepped up to the plate and put pay to this calumny.

Here is the reply from a year ago:

I think the position today is unique in its historical context. The chairman will become the default spokesman of the party. I suspect he is also going to be the leading policymaker-if he has the stuff for it. He must carry his policy with his rhetoric and he must contrive a policy which will justify the rhetoric. I see no one else on the horizon at this time who can step up to that role. By virtue of their offices the minority leader of the Senate and the minority leader in the House might offer themselves. Mitt Romney might evolve to a party spokesman but that will be awkward for an undeclared candidate. By default, Michael Steele will be the face of the party and probably its brain.

As you point out, his responsibilities include the nuts and bolts of running the party and that means herding cats but also a host of other duties: although he inherits $20 million, he must raise tens of millions more; the entire IT footprint of the party must be adapted to the Blitzkrieg introduced by the Democrats in the last two elections; candidates must be found who can wage credible campaigns at least in a few areas where we might regain some ground; a strategy must be developed to penetrate the red states and that implies selling something that the voters want to buy; legislative strategy must be coordinated with our minorities in the House and Senate so that the party speaks with one voice; discipline must be established and ruthlessly maintained; and finally, a sense of urgency and destiny must be imparted so that the whole country knows what is at stake and what must be done, they must believe it can be done, they must believe that it will be done. They must believe that only the Republicans can do it.

In sum, he must define conservatism and throw down the gauntlet to the creeping statism represented by Obama and his ilk. He must define the limits; this far and no further!

These responsibilities call for a Winston Churchill or a Newt Gingrich. They beg for charisma. The Republican Party might have only one more chance for survival. We need a wartime leader not a conciliator. The best analogy I can think of is that of England in 1930s reluctantly shaking off Neville Chamberlain, its exponent of appeasement, for Winston Churchill whose warnings had been so terribly vindicated that no one now could gainsay him. He told him what his policy was: to wage war. to wage war on land, sea and air. He told them what his aim was: victory. Victory at all costs, victory whenever the price, victory no matter how long or hard the road.

Since the Republican Party is that it position analogous to Great Britain after the fall of France, anything short of this level of commitment dooms the party which in turn shelters and nurtures conservatism and that ultimately dooms the Republic.

This is no time for business as usual. Can Michael Steele grasp the nettle?

[Gatún(CraigIsaMangoTreeLawyer)]

Thank you for your replies.

It sounds to me like a behind the doors, with backroom crooked deals made lead by RINOS; but I wish I knew for sure as well as certainly yourselves.

Thank you.

I do think we are on the right track because something has always smelled/stunk about this.

[Forward the Light Brigade]

STEELE OUT NOW! We can find someone else who can do this job? Even Huckabee could do a better Job or Mitt Romney. Ideal person would be Jon Vought. Someone who can speak without putting his foot in his mouth.