Dear Friends: Those of you who are regular readers know my accounts of being a Tea Party Democrat quite well. It’s an adventure!!! 🙂
Today, I have a collection of stories that explain why I have remained one, despite the antics of some of my party membership. I am going to outline some of my key reasons for staying so as I cover these pieces.
Reason #1: Better an honest enemy than a deceitful friend.
When I started my citizen activism, I was under no illusion that Obama, Pelosi, Reid, or any other key Democratic leaders would develop a taste for fiscal responsibility OR limited government. In fact, when a Democrat does something RIGHT, there is much joy. However, my Republican friends often expect their GOP representatives to actually act that they like their involvement.
Sadly, it seems that this is NOT the case: GOP Empire’s Plan to Crush Tea Party Rebels. An Atlantic Wire article details the thoughts of Republican consultants and fundraisers, who have the goal to subsume the Tea Party movement:
- Step 1: The first rule of the establishment is: Do not admit you are part of the establishment!
- Step 2: Disarm them with praise.
- Step 3: Moderate whoever they pick as the 2012 nominee.
- Step 4: Teach them about compromise.
- Step 5: Never forget reality. This one is so sweeeeeet, that it needs to be quoted in full — Say all the nice things you want about the activists, but don’t forget who’s really running the show. Lobbyists and former House aide John Feehery told Bai, “The thing I get a kick out of is these Tea Party folks calling me a RINO … No, guys, I’ve been a Republican all along. You go off into your own little world and then come back and say it’s your party. This ain’t your party.”
SoCal Tax Revolt Coalition has experienced attempted takeovers and dismissals prior to this piece. However, it is harsh to see the Republican version of the “Alinsky Rules” spelled out in black and white.
Reason #2: In California, Democrat elites are corrupt; Republican elites are corrupt and incompetent.
Which brings me to San Diego GOP bigwig, Tony Krvaric. Readers may recall my last post on Tony, who skipped out on rent to move the SD GOP headquarters to his business office suite (with the Republican Party paying a porting of the rent). I prepared that piece so my GOP friends would be fully informed as to how their donation dollars were being spent — as it isn’t as if they are being spent on winning campaigns.
Now, I have an update on some thrilling new political strategy from Krvaric: Manipulating Twitter accounts! From the San Diego Union Tribune: Twitter accounts of county GOP, chairman yanked
Twitter apparently yanked [Krvaric’s] accounts after county Democrats contacted the company to complain about four handles purporting to represent Democratic San Diego City Council candidates — @SherriLightner, @ToddPhilips, @MatKostrinsky, and @MartiEmerald — in addition to @sddemocrats and its chairman, @JessDurfee.
“I applaud Twitter for acting quickly to shut the deceptive profiles down,” Durfee said on Wednesday. “Childish and unethical conduct online is nothing new, but I am disappointed to see that my Republican counterpart and his party may have been behind it.
Playing games with new media is really not a great idea (just ask Anthony Weiner). I can’t imagine my Republican Tea Party friends much appreciate the corrupt and incompetent use of a key tool in social media, especially with the 2012 elections looming large on the horizon. (Note: Krvaric has had a history of being involved in internet piracy; Twittergate seems to be a continuation of his approach).
Reason #3: California will be a one party state for the foreseeable future.
Tony’s Twitter antics reveal why that California conservatives are not being well served by the state Republican Party. I have heard that the rules and bylaws have been amended and enforced to keep newly minted citizen activists from making changes that could ultimately result an effective second party that could actually significantly challenge Democrats in this state. This leads me to give this warning to my Republican friends:
Do not believe that Diane Feinstein can be defeated in her Senate run in 2012.Don’t be played for donations. Don’t fall in line with “establishment” choices.
I will remind everyone that Carly Fiorina was the only electable candidate in the battle for Babs Boxer’s Senate seat in 2010. The big red wave stopped at the Sierras, and Boxer remains as the demon pixie. This was a 10% point defeat, after being told how close the election was for months.
I have not forgotten that the real conservative candidate, Chuck Devore, was demeaned by the state GOP elites as being “unelectable”. He would have done at least as well, and given the grassroots passion that was out there for him, maybe even better. The people of nationally-known HillBuzz, who assisted Scott Brown during his historic MA run, were poised to go all in for Devore if he had one the primary. That aid could have meant the CA election would truly have gone national, and might have been really winnable.
Feinstein is a quietly politico who doesn’t gin up the negative emotion that Boxer does. If Democrats in this state kept “Call Me Senator” Boxer, then they will keep Feinstein.
So, here is some advice from a friend: Pick a senate candidate in the GOP primary you actually like — they are all equally “electable” in this state. In fact, radio talk show host AND experienced judge Larry Elder offered to run last time. He would “Hermanize” the CA senate race AND make lefty heads explode. See if he will run this time. Win or lose in this race, it would really make this election interesting and ultimately both the national and state Republican party could benefit.
Also, unless you get a candidate you really like, save your donation dollars to races in swing states that could counter Feinstein’s vote in the senate.
Reason #4: I don’t get to vote in the Republican primary
Of all the reasons I am not a Republican, this is the one that contents me most. While Gen. Eric Republican continues to make gains against Obama, none of the actual candidates are all that appealing to me. That being said, this leaves me with an easy choice on Nov. 6, 2012:
Obama or Not Obama.
I view Obama and his administration as an existential threat to our Constitutionally-centered Republic. I just hope that my Republican friends select someone who is at least respectful to members the Tea Party movement, even if they don’t actually fully embrace free-market, limited-government, fiscally-responsible orientation of our ideas.
This represents the last statement I will make about the Presidential race, at least until the primary season is over. I won’t get involved in the backstage dramas. I just hope that the winner is ready for a media/Obama onslaught that will give new meaning to the term “scorched earth” politics.
Temple of Mut 