How Will The Rift Be Healed?

Since the November 2nd election, which resulted in a supermajority for the GOP, the fur continues to fly in the fight for the Speaker’s seat.  Within just a few days, the issue will be decided and the business of dealing with the needs of Texans will ensue.  However, the venom that has been spewed and the anger that has been ginned up by a small but vocal group of disgruntled Republicans will forever change the face of the Tea Party and the grassroots movement in Texas.   Just as there are those who have never recovered from the loss by Debra Medina to Rick Perry in the primary, there will be those who will be bitter and resentful if their guy doesn’t win.  And for what?  Why has this gotten so out of control?

I am a pro-life Christian, a fiscal Conservative and, along with many others, have sweated blood over the past few years as I have become active in the political process.  I have stood up and spoken my mind on with regularity, but I have chosen not to take a position on this issue.  It isn’t that I am disinterested in who serves as House Speaker, but I am unwilling to participate in a campaign, which is so unseemly.  As I have observed the escalation of the “Oust Straus” movement, I see a personal attack on one man in a fashion that Saul Alinsky would hold up as a prime example of his method.  The manipulated information used to assassinate this man’s character would make anyone in the mainstream media proud.  It makes one wonder what the true agenda of the opposition really is.

It is likely that many of the Tea Party people and genuine grassroots just want to have someone for Speaker whom they believe is truly conservative in his values and principles.  However, it seems that the instigators of the movement (backed by big money I might add), have chosen to play on the emotions and inexperience of the people to regain their own lost power.  I remain unconvinced that it is based solely on principles or values, as the viciousness reflects none.

In doing my own research on this topic, I have sought out information on all sides and done my best to learn a bit about how the Texas House works.  I found out (which I believe to be very relevant)  that the House in Texas is not at all like the U.S. House.  The Speaker in Texas does not wield the power that the U.S. Speaker does, and the agenda is much more driven by the Calendars Committee and the body of legislators.  This year, with 101-49, it should be a no-brainer as far as getting the conservative agenda moved forward regardless of who has the gavel.  Additionally, I discovered that many of the agenda items that did not make it through the ’09 session were held up due to the “chubbing” efforts of the Dems on Voter I.D.  As the legislative session is short, it doesn’t take much to stop a bill from moving forward if the numbers play out the right way.  So, it is my opinion that much of what Mr. Straus is being accused of is being blown out of proportion or simply misrepresented.  Finally, after speaking personally with my own State Rep., I have made the decision to trust him to do what he believes is right, as he is much better qualified to understand the dynamics of the House than I.   I would recommend that others who are concerned about this issue take a similar course.  In the end, each will resolve how they would like to see the Speaker’s contest decided, but it will be the Reps who actually make the decision based on their best judgment.  We elected them to do a job and we should let them.  They know the consequences if they fail to respect the will of the constituents.

As the Texas House goes into session, it is likely, based on the information I have been able to garner, that Speaker Straus will remain in place.  That said, the threats from the grassroots (both real and manufactured), lobby groups and other Straus opponents will serve only to generate more mistrust between legislator and constituent and create friction among the members of the House.  All this in a year which we must overcome a huge budget shortfall, take on a massive redistricting process, deal with border issues and fend off the Federal government.  This fight has been unnecessary given the numbers in the House.  Sadly, the damage in the aftermath will be difficult at best to repair.  So the rift will grow and it will be much more challenging to have unified citizen participation in the legislative process or anything else.  Too bad.

There comes a time in the sequence of life when one comes to understand that all human work has been done and yet evil still prevails.  As I reflect upon the state of our nation, I clearly see that the evil in our midst is at the pinnacle of a major victory over our citizenry.  As our founders understood, God alone grants human rights and it is by His mighty hand that our country and her liberty will be preserved.  What is left to do is to is pray.

We must pray without ceasing and ask for intercession by Him to smite the darkness and bring the nation back into the light.  It is with that in mind that I appeal to all readers of this post to pray and to ask those they know to pray.  We must bring the walls of Jericho down.

TO THE RNC, NRSC, AND THE NRCC:

We’ve had tea parties, formed 9-12 groups, held countless rallies across the nation, gone to town hall meetings and marched in masses on DC.  We’ve called, we’ve faxed and emailed, we’ve written letters on colored envelopes and postcards,  signed and delivered hundreds of petitions and read and researched legislative language til our eyes bled.  We have come together on websites all across the internet to connect with one another and share our thoughts, frustrations and ideas .  Why?  To deliver the message that we want to have our conservative principles and ideals revived, respected and brought to the forefront of the political debate.  To shout that we don’t want our country fundamentally changed by the Marxist group of thugs who are currently employed at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the Capital Building.  To insist that our government become fiscally responsible, morally sane and allow the free market to function as it should.  We are demanding from Congress, on both sides of the aisle to honor the oath they took and  RESPECT THE CONSTITUTION.

Have we  been heard?  You betcha!   So much so that polling and pundits alike are now looking at 2010 as potentially a really big year for the GOP.  And why is that?  Well, because they assume (something one should never do), that we, the aforementioned Teaparty patriots and 9-12ers, are going to flock to the polls and vote for anyone with an “R” because we are so anxious to take the control from the liberals.  However, that is where they are wrong.  The time is long overdue for elites in the beltway and the leadership of the Republican Party to embrace our sentiment and return to the principles that once made the GOP a force to be reckoned with.

I watch amongst Conservatives the support for and the confidence in the GOP continue to erode; not just because of their past mistakes during the Bush years, but because of their continued mistakes now.  They don’t seem to understand that we have no affinity for a party which continues to support candidates that don’t support the Republican Party platform much less conservative principles.  The RNC, NRSC and NRCC just seem to continue to think that we need “moderate” (which equals “democrat lite”) Republicans.  Gee, how did that work out for us in 2008?  They make this stupid kind of judgment even in areas where the electorate is running blood red.  The latest in this comedy of errors comes in NY District 23 with a candidate who seemingly belongs to the left not the right.

The candidate of choice in NY23 is Dede Scozzafava, who according to Michele Malkin (a reputable source amongst us Conservatives) says that Ms. Scozzafava is a “an ACORN-friendly, big labor-backing,  tax-and-spend radical in GOP clothing”.  Her husband is a union boss, she’s pro-choice and supports gay rights.  I’m just guessing on this one, but I bet she walks in lockstep with traitor Lindsey Graham and believes we need to “cure” global warming.  Her reputation is one of pro-taxation and support for liberal enterprises such as “card check”.   (Gee, could that be the husband union boss thing?)  She has also garnered the respect of such reputable  publications like the Daily KOS.  Just right up the old Conservative alley, eh?  And this is the woman that the RNC has chosen to throw their money behind in lieu of the conservative candidate Doug Hoffman.  To add insult to this injury, now “Mr. Conservative When He Wants to Be” Newt Gingrich has endorsed her!

So, the question must be asked “When will the GOP get it?”  We don’t want their moderate Republicans…we can vote for democrats and get the same.  We don’t want compromise with the left or any of the bi-partisan reaching across the aisle to achieve legislation that “isn’t as bad” as what the liberals offer.  If they want our vote, they will have to do much better than that, because what is at stake far exceeds “politics as usual”.  This is about whether America, as she was founded, will survive.  “Moderate” (what a joke) Republican candidates and the RINOS, who currently hold office do us little good in this particular war.  We want people with spine, with courage and resolve to do the heavy lifting.  We crave representation by  men and women who are willing to put it all on the line for the preservation of a nation.  OUR NATION!  And while there are a few who are doing this, most still aspire with merely a politicians mindset…get re-elected and the people be damned

So, will the GOP get it?  I don’t know.  They certainly act like they are listening to us when it serves their purpose, but they continue to make the same mistakes over and over and spit in the faces of the American people. Elephants have a reputation for having great recall, but these elephants seem to forget their promises and assurances within moments after they ask for your vote. Even more importantly, they forget what you said to them. My recommendation:  Lift up those big elephant ears and hear us, or pay the price of defeat.  The time is coming.

It has long been my contention that if we are to return to some sort of sanity in our government, it would be up to those of us on the ground to do so. There is plenty of talk on the web and elsewhere about 3rd parties and going Independent etc., but the reality is that, in order to retake control of the House in 2010, we must utilize the structure and the money of the GOP. However, it is high time that we do what the progressives did to the Democrat party in the early 2000′s. We, the grassroots, must TAKE OVER the GOP, and get rid of the bought and paid for politicians who are willing to sell their soul just to get along, get a favorable media report or to not be controversial. These folks only harm us and have long forgotten the oath of office that they took lo those many (or not so many) years ago. They serve no purpose except as a placeholder. And while we have seen some improvement in recent votes, we must remember that many of the same politicians have voted against the people time and again. So, with this in mind, we either force these incumbents to get on the same page with the folks, or we find leadership that will.

The 2010 elections are critical to the future direction of our nation. These elections are perhaps the last best chance we the people will have to preserve our Republic as it was intended to be. Each of us must be willing to step up and step out to engage in the process of re-shaping the GOP to a party which actually represents the people. If we don’t, we will again be defeated, not by the left, but by conservatives who feel they are not being heard and choose to vote with a 3rd party. There are so many who already feel that way and they must be won over by a GOP that “gets it”, not the current elitist mentality that “assumes” all conservatives will vote for any old candidate with an R because we need to win.

Erick Erickson (Redstate.com) said the following for an interview with the Politico: “For some, supporting insurgent campaigns or waging primary bids just isn’t a strong enough signal to send to a Republican Party that has abandoned core conservative policies.” He has urged Tea Party activists to “put down the protest signs” and stage takeovers of local Republican parties. “Grassroots activists need to start infiltrating the party,” said Erickson. “The only way to start getting [the establishment] back is to start pounding them with every fist we have.”* I agree. We start locally by getting involved at the precinct level and forcing change. We get the 9-12 groups, the Libertarian groups, the independents and the Tea Party folks on board by implementing the change which is essential to recognizing that the PEOPLE must come first. We must, absolutely must, move past party politics. This ain’t your daddy’s run of the mill election, this is choosing freedom or tyranny. This is protecting our future (and that of our children) from the oppression that will surely follow the passage of Health care reform, cap and trade, hate crimes legislation, stimulus after stimulus, take over of private industry, salary caps, communists in the White House, etc., etc, etc.

It is prime time right NOW people. As Mr. Erickson so aptly put it, it absolutely is time to put down the protest signs and SIGN UP with the local and state Republican party and return it to the people. If you reject this notion because you have been disappointed with the GOP and are disgusted with them, then you become part of the problem. We cannot afford to lose in 2010, and we can win if the hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of regular folks push the Republicans to return to it’s conservative platform and run candidates who are willing to stand up for the Constitution and who are not afraid of the mainstream media. This is the time that we have, and the opportunity we can take to exercise our strength and fortitude with a vehicle that gives us the tools we need to win. However, should that opportunity be squandered by those who refuse to look rationally at what is ahead of us, we the grassroots, will defeat ourselves and hand the country over to those who wish to forever change our Union.

* <a href=”http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28157.html”>Tea partiers turn on GOP leadership – Alex Isenstadt – POLITICO.com</a>