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Why The Grassroots Need to Overtake the GOP

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>

COMMENTS

  • JadedByPolitics

    I have said it too many times to count and it cannot be said enough. I believe that if the grassroots just STOP and never send another dime to the National party apparatus that they can be BROKEN. I look forward to 2010 with an excitement I have NOT felt since well I cannot even remember the last time I personally felt as if the cards were being played my way politically but I absolutely feel that way about 2010! The TEA parties gave me that HOPE btw :)

    • http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

      so I will just repeat it here:

      Maybe what we need is a party within a party. A Conservative Caucus if you will within the Republican party. We could elect officers, and be dedicated to supporting only conservatives in the primaries, and then either supporting or withholding support in the general elections.

      That would be a clearing house for all donations. the money could go to the new caucus and not the RNC. In other words, by pass them completely.

      I am not sure how you could manipulate the campaign finance laws but I believe that a candidate can represent more than one party.

      I think it will take a few prominent republicans to begin something like this.

      • danasdaddy

        I think we don’t have the time to organize something like that immediately. We need to take action now. Many RedStaters have suggested withholding money from the national party organizations and donating directly to those candidates that best represent us and our conservative principles. THAT is how we will affect change at the national level…show them that we are strong, we are committed, and we will not just roll over and vote for whomever they recommend any more.

        It’s up to each of us to make a difference and we need to start outside the party organization. Only when we do that will they notice us and the effect we have. Then, and only then, will they take us seriously and begin moving in our direction.

  • redpens

    we have to be activists for the rest of our lives. We have to pass on our
    conservative activism to our children. They’ll have to continue the fight
    when we’re gone. We have to donate to candidates who have our conservative values.

  • Martin Knight

    You’ve written well about the need for the GOP grassroots to take over the GOP from the milquetoast “moderates”, consultants and compromisers. You even mentioned the precinct level. That’s all well and good.

    But you didn’t write much about how to do it.

    It is simple – become a Republican Party Precinct Committeeman. Note that simple doesn’t mean easy – simple doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be tedious, time-consuming, unglamorous work, but none the less important for that. There are about 200,000 slots reflecting the number of electoral precincts in America, and about 50% of them are currently vacant. And about half of the 100,000 that are currently occupied are occupied by the sort of Republicans who think that Olympia Snowe’s brand of compromising principle-free Republicanism – the Pale Pastels that Reagan warned us about – is the wave of the future.

    Precinct Committeemen, as members of the State/County/District Central Committees not only get to pick the members of Executive Committees (and often, the Party Chairmen), they get the first say when it comes to who will carry the party’s banner in any general election.

    The Party’s local (ward, county, town, city, district, state, etc.) level Central Committees (of which Precinct Committeemen are automatic members) control Primary endorsements at that local level, and their endorsed candidate’s name gets his/her name ticked and/or given pride of place on the Primary ballot. 95% of the time (or more), that tick mark guarantees victory.

    That is what got John McCain over the top during the Primaries last year. The “moderates” on the local state and county committees were able to unite behind him while the conservatives were split between Romney, Fred, Huckabee, etc. The fact is that most voters, even primary voters, not being politics junkies, rely on their local party to vet and recommend candidates for their Primary votes.

    So are you sick and tired of effete, milquetoast, principle-free, spineless, Democrat-talking-point-repeating weaklings carrying our banner because their Pale Pastel compadres have absorbed the perennial Beltway consultant conventional stupidity that a “Conservative Can’t Win!”?

    Then this is your chance to do something about it. Become a Precinct Committeeman. Dominate the Central Committees. Take over the Executive Committees.

    Gather as many of your conservative friends as you can and fill up all the empty Republican Precinct Committeeman slots in your neighborhood, town, city, county and district. Next, target any non-performing or liberal/milquetoast incumbent Committeemen for defeat. And finally, network with other conservative precinct committeemen according to your locale – facebook, myspace and all the other social networking sites exist; use them!

  • abeldred

    Amen! I am a precinct chair in my county as of a few months ago. We are still red where I live, and I intend to use my energy to keep it that way.

    If anyone wants to get involved, they start by getting on their state gop site and finding out who is who in their county or parish. Make contact and VOLUNTEER! If you can get inside, you start pushing right and bring others along with you.

    Conservatism always works when tried.