You probably have seen this article in the Politico today. Basically, the American Conservative Union, the organization that brings us CPAC each year, appears to have involved itself in a “pay to play” expedition with FedEx and UPS.
For the $2 million plus, ACU offered a range of services that included: “Producing op-eds and articles written by ACU’s Chairman David Keene and/or other members of the ACU’s board of directors. (Note that Mr. Keene writes a weekly column that appears in The Hill.)”
The conservative group’s remarkable demand — black-and-white proof of the longtime Washington practice known as “pay for play” — was contained in a private letter to FedEx , which was provided to POLITICO.
You can read the whole thing here.
First, throw no stones at Mike Allen. I know the inclination of some of you will be to attack the messenger and not the message. But what Mike Allen is reporting on is a dirty little secret among a number of organizations, both right and left, in Washington, D.C.
Second, for perspective on the FedEx v. UPS fight and why ACU should have gotten behind FedEx without charging a penny see George Will.
The swamp is not getting drained because the corruption and money is damning up the drain. (spelling was intentional)
And it is not just the American Conservative Union. Left (I’m looking at you MoveOn.org) and right, our progressive and conservative “grass roots” organizations in Washington, DC are a hotbed of “pay to play” scandals waiting to boil over.
Before you decide to purge me from the conservative movement, read on to find out what I’m talking about.
Let me be up front — I like the organizations on the right about which I am writing and have many friends involved with them and on their boards. This post will not make me popular, but it needs to be said.
The American Conservative Union partly violates “Erick’s Rule of Stable Organizations”. To remind you, the rule is simple: if the leader of the organization were to die tonight, would the organization be able to continue on tomorrow?
I say it will be difficult. Like Paul Weyrich’s organization, when Dave Keene kicks the bucket ACU is going to collapse like a house of cards. Unlike Weyrich’s, ACU can be restructured and reinvigorated given the ancillary involvement of people like Tom Winter, Morton Blackwell, Larry Hart, Lisa de Pasquale, and others. But it won’t be the same. Let’s remember that ACU was founded in 1964, but Dave Keene has been the Chairman since 1984.
Dave Keene is not just the leader of the organization, he is intrinsically linked to the organization given his years of service there. When Dave Keene lends his name to a project, whether right or wrong, the implicit understanding is that ACU is backing the project.
It was, you will recall, this method by which Dave Keene and ACU helped sink Pat Toomey’s bid against Arlen Specter the last time. ACU stayed out of the race, but Dave Keene made sure everyone knew he was supporting Arlen Specter and that he was the head of the American Conservative Union.
So then we come to this:
ACU’s executive vice president, Dennis Whitfield, said that neither the group nor David Keene, the chairman, took any money from UPS. Whitfield said the group has never received a response to its original proposal to FedEx. He said Keene endorsed the second letter as an individual, even though the letter bore the logo of ACU.
“Our position hasn’t changed,” said Whitfield, who was a deputy secretary of labor in the Reagan administration. “It won’t change. I am fundamentally, philosophically opposed to doing what the Obama administration wants to do [to FedEx], and so is our organization.”
It’s the same with me and RedState. I am more and more mindful — and I used to be oblivious to the fact — that when I endorse a candidate or support a position, the implication is that RedState does too. In fact, it is why I expressly refuse to endorse a lot of things I’m asked to endorse. I know people don’t want my endorsement so much as they want the implication of RedState’s endorsement.
Let’s be clear: Dave Keene and ACU knew the game they were playing because I’m comfortable saying they’ve done it before.
Just as troubling, Americans for Tax Reform appears to be in on the game.
ACU Chairman David A. Keene was one of eight conservative leaders who signed a letter to FedEx Chairman Frederick W. Smith, a champion of capitalism who in the past has been a favorite of conservatives.
The letter accuses FedEx of “falsely and disingenuously” labeling the rules change a “bailout” for UPS, since FedEx would become subject to the same arduous union structure.
The letter is also signed by Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, who is also on ACU’s board.
Putting it plainly, there is no justifiable support for UPS’s position against FedEx in this. For Grover Norquist and Dave Keene to say FedEx’s position is ““falsely and disingenuously” labeling the rules change a “bailout” for UPS, since FedEx would become subject to the same arduous union structure,” is itself false and disingenuous.
Both organizations repeatedly take the position that once a tax break even for a single company putting that company at a competitive advantage is removed from the tax code, that is a tax increase that should be opposed. Similarly, here, FedEx has a competitive advantage through its own smarts that the government seeks to take away. ACU and ATR are supporting the government and unions against FedEx.
The whole thing is noxious.
From here on out, if not before, everyone on the right and left can legitimately ask if money changed hands before ACU, ATR, and a host of other organizations took a position. Through their actions not through coverage of their actions, they have made it a legitimate question.
David Keene and Grover Norquist are, whether they like it or not, intrinsically linked to their respective organizations. If they come out in support of a particular position, people believe that their organizations support that position too.
Keene and Norquist do not have to say publicly that their pockets were lined to take a particular position. But in doing so, their organizations are linked. And they and everyone else know it.
This is happening more and more in Washington. At a time when every conservative is under the hot light of media and Democrat scrutiny, the movement leaders cannot afford to do stupid stuff like this.
When we cannot trust the supposedly leaders of our movement to do the right thing without cash, we have lost the moral clarity we need in the fight. Consequently, we must either encourage these organizations to reform themselves and stop these pay to play games, or we must burn the organizations to the ground and start over. The rot and termites cannot be left to destroy us all.
Let me leave you with the words of my very good friend Ben Domenech. Last year, in the Washington Times, he wrote:
conservatives in the post-Bush era must acknowledge a difficult truth: if conservatism is to have any future, it is as a movement that does not put too much faith in the individuals who claim to espouse shared ideology. Unearned trust begets scandal and betrayal, and the coalition that won in 1980 and 1994 will only survive as a coherent movement in this century if it embraces the reality that conservatism is larger than the politicians who invoke its principles.
And we need to embrace a conservatism that can be expressed without the weight of dollar bills first pressing into pockets.
ACU
tomllewis Friday, July 17th at 11:03AM EDT (link)I heard this story on C-Span this morning as I was getting dressed and assumed there MUST be some mistake. What a disappointment. I’ve met David Keane a few times and always thought he was only motivated by principle.
And people who shoot the messenger for this are, well.. foolish.
tomllewis
Burn the messenger!!!
Steph C Friday, July 17th at 11:09AM EDT (link)I’m talking about me, not Allen. Everybody keeps talking about the impossibility of a successful third party run by any candidate. Last election, and many more before that, you were right.
I don’t think it would be correct today. People voted for Obama for change. They want change alright but they let him get away with not specifically addressing what he would change. It’s changed in Washington, that’s for sure, but it’s not change anybody really wanted.
The way people (I mean ordinary hard working Americans) are looking at this is neither party, R or D, is worth spit. Indepedents seem to be the fast growing voter block.
The visceral response is to say, vehemently at times, there’s no way a third party candidate will ever be successful. I’m not so sure of that these days but nobody seems to be seeing the warning signs.
If we don’t pay heed, the GOP is a sinking ship and the only good thing about that is, the Dems will go down with us.
“[I]f the public are bound to yield obedience to laws to which they cannot give their approbation, they are slaves to those who make such laws and enforce them.” –Candidus in the Boston Gazette, 1772
Hillbilly Politics
Arrgh! GOP does not = Conservative!
bantamwait Friday, July 17th at 2:22PM EDT (link)That’s the whole point, and one of the reasons why the ACU revelation is so disturbing. One hoped that they honestly stood for conservatism, rather than being shills for a party, or worse, for mammon.
A set of political principles is an enduring truth; a political party is an electoral vehicle that may or may not embody those principles. The GOP of 1980 did a pretty good job of embodying them; the GOP of 2004 fell off a cliff. I am an American first, a conservative second, and only then a Republican–currently most reluctantly. I think most people on this site would agree (although some might reverse the first two–entirely defensible).
Parties are created by men; principles are imprinted on the human heart by God.
This is why the house must be cleaned
jccbin Friday, July 17th at 11:13AM EDT (link)The entire political system has become corrupted. At one level or another it is all about bribery, extortion or enslavement.
The lobbyists and McCain-Feingold must go. EVERYthing to do with dealing with the government must be public record, published in real time.
Secret?
Toneman Friday, July 17th at 11:19AM EDT (link)Does anyone really think pay-to-play in the issue advocacy universe is a secret? As much as I wish it could, the VRWC can’t exactly fund itself - and if you think every group at the Wednesday meeting isn’t competing for donor and client dollars, you’re gravely mistaken.
Follow your point to its logical conclusion:
bantamwait Friday, July 17th at 2:28PM EDT (link)there is no such thing as principles, and everything and everyone is for sale. Enjoy your world; a walking shadow; a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
We never seem to catch a break.
penguin2 Friday, July 17th at 11:24AM EDT (link)Isn’t there something going on in an upcoming special election race, I think NY23, where the ACU has endorsed a Rep. candidate that is pro-union and same sex marriage, Dede Scozzafava? That candidate is only one of nine for the primary, why are they doing that?
If we keep shooting ourselves in the foot, we’ll never have a leg to stand on. And I think I’ll leave that comment as is.
Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.
Benjamin Franklin
I Agree 100%, Erick
ATLconservative Friday, July 17th at 12:28PM EDT (link)And I will continue to say these two things:
1) If you’re doing something illegal or even borderline-unethical, assume you are going to get caught, even if everyone else around you is getting away with it.
2) No one person will save this party (and therefore, this country). Not Palin, not Huckabee, not DeMint, nobody. We should all believe and rally around ideas, not people.
"No one person will save this party..."
Pomme Saturday, July 18th at 1:20AM EDT (link)I beg to differ. The revolution starts with you.
“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views” William F Buckley Jr.
What does the letter say?
miken Friday, July 17th at 1:34PM EDT (link)Could someone point me to the letter signed by David Keene?
ACU VP is saying that ACU supports FedEx. The 2-3 million was for a grassroots mailing campaign. I’d rather groups do this than sell their mailing list.
Letter on behalf of UPS
miken Friday, July 17th at 2:11PM EDT (link)The letter says don’t use the word bailout.
So we have a bunch of groups implying support for UPS, but not saying so explicitly. On the other hand ACU says they support FedEx. Better question is to ask if UPS bought anything.
This is a courageous post, Erick.
bantamwait Friday, July 17th at 2:39PM EDT (link)I hope people understand that this is a shattering development. It is a stunning indictment of the culture of Washington: after enough years there, the American Conservative Union becomes no better than the Washington Post.
Perhaps this explains the Specter endorsement: maybe the Club for Growth didn’t pony up.
On top of the string of arrogant, self-obsessed adulterers camping out at C Street, this really paints a picture of the cesspool our capital has become.
I don’t see a silver lining here.
The culture of Washington is like a deathly disease.....
JadedByPolitics Friday, July 17th at 2:58PM EDT (link)it starts off slow but then spreads like a cancer until it consume’s the very soul of the people it entraps. I read this and was throughly disgusted.
Erick you are correct that from this moment forward when ACU says anything it will be tainted by the question “how much were they paid”. They now have ZERO credibility!
Whoever has his enemy at his mercy &
does not destroy him is his own enemy
Great post, Erick
6eorge Jetson Friday, July 17th at 3:03PM EDT (link)This is one of the struggles that requires eternal vigilance on the conservative side.
Graft pushes government to become larger to sweeten the pot. Graft is aligned with liberal ends, but contrary to conservative ends. Unfortunately, the fallible individual conservative lines his or her own pockets by “dabbling” in graft. And like when eating potato chips, it is hard (impossible?) to stop at just one.
I don’t know if I’d call it a “silver lining”, but our efforts here at RedState on the margin transfer influence from the Washington insiders to the people through the power of sunlight. It’s a very big job.
Reminders like this suck.
Washington society is a corrupting influence
Hi, I'm a retread of diakrioi. Friday, July 17th at 3:01PM EDT (link)We now have the technology to allow our representatives and senators to work from their home districts or states. They can debate, vote, conference, etc. from their district office and never have to attend a DC cocktail party or lobbyist gala.
Let’s bring them home.
An interesting idea...
bantamwait Friday, July 17th at 4:44PM EDT (link)but not until we have a secure enough internet to keep the Chinese from hacking into the system!
As opposed to a political system that they can't break into? nt
Hi, I'm a retread of diakrioi. Friday, July 17th at 5:15PM EDT (link)It's about time
viennaprelude Friday, July 17th at 3:07PM EDT (link)Well done. I’ve had my suspicions for a long time. I’m glad that at least someone is interested in real transparency. I’m tired of organizations that simply troll for dollars instead of just doing the right thing - and that goes for REPUBLICANS as well!
About Grover...
bantamwait Friday, July 17th at 4:51PM EDT (link)This story sets off all sorts of alarms that what Michelle Malkin, Frank Gaffney, and many others have charged about Arab influence on Mr. Norquist may be true. It points to motive. For a refresher, see this article from Front Page: http://www.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?ARTID=15084
Not only that, but
Rapunzel46 Saturday, July 18th at 4:14PM EDT (link)the article David Keene wrote a week ago totally trashing Sarah Palin… now I have to ask what potential 2012 candidate is feeding him money to do that?
Resignations are in order
KCarpenter Friday, July 17th at 4:55PM EDT (link)Let me start by saying that the ACU and the RNC are not the same organization, so I am not sure why the GOP is being blamed for this. But that always is the case for some folks who do not know the difference.
Either way, I have already emailed the ACU demanding the resignation of Keene and Whitfield. These guys need to be removed from office immediately
Great post, Erick.
asleep06 Friday, July 17th at 5:01PM EDT (link)Thanks for your integrity.
Small is beautiful.
But Eric, according to Kessler, Keene is one of the country's most astute political observers
Scope Friday, July 17th at 5:33PM EDT (link)I would find it hard to believe that many “Conservatives” would not have questioned Keene’s Conservatism when he endorsed Romney in the last election. I’ve read many comments on this site, just recently, raking Romney over the coals (I think justifiably) that Romney only claims to be a conservative, and it was newly found right before he decided to run in 2008. I made that point in my only diary posted here.
I consider Keene to be an as$inine political operative, willing to sell his soul to the highest bidder, and he knows Romney (deep pockets) has already said he is going to run again in 2012. Why else would Keene find it necessary to even comment on Palin’s resignation, and tried to make her out to look like more of an idiot that DailyKos has done. I thought his comments were the height of unprofessionalism, not so much because he doesn’t agree with her, but, in his schoolyard way of saying what he did.
I’d say that if he has been in the first position at the ACU since 1984, he is more than entrenched in the Inside the Beltway Kingmakers Club. Time to be put out to a very brown pasture.
http://www.newsmax.com/kessler/sarah_palin_cpac/2009/07/09/233604.html
Palin made a mistake in going after the media???????????
Hmm...I thought Keene was keen on Palin...
Aaron Gardner Friday, July 17th at 6:02PM EDT (link)Here
Yeah he clearly isn’t a conservative….he a witch!!
And he turned me into a newt….I got better.
The point I am making is that Keene is disagreeing on tactics not principles with Palin. He still believes that she has a great future and that she is a conservative rock star. For you to automatically decide that Keene is a “Conservative” rather than a conservative is nothing more than spite because he disagrees with Palin, on tactics.
That said what Keene did with the pay to play was a mistake, but I won’t crucify him for it. I will urge him to reform his ways.
Aaron’s Archive
conform and celebrate diversity….or else!!!
Aaron- Respectfully
Scope Friday, July 17th at 7:50PM EDT (link)I believe that you have proven a point with your above highlight of Keenes comments when Palin was selected by McCain. In particular-”I predict any conservatives who have been lukewarm thus far in their support of the McCain candidacy will work their hearts out between now and November for the McCain Palin ticket.” Even he knew that McCain was anything but conservative, however, he endorsed the “newly minted” conservatism claimed by Romney.
On the point of the diary by Eric, that Keene has participated in a “Pay to play” scheme, you forgive him for making a “Mistake.” Aaron, it wasn’t a simple “mistake.” A three page letter, with 6 signatures, had to have some real thought put into it. This is about a company that is not a part of the union organization, that will be forced into unionazition with Card Check, if they can survive the Obama Administration. It is against the Capitalism that FedEx has fought long and hard for, and not unionizing has kept it a major player. To back a unionized company, over a non-union company is anti-Conservative. Soon enough we will be seeing Union Parcel Serice, and Obama and the Libs will be regulating that sector also.
As Eric so well stated, any organization head, that supports a particular project, is considered the position of the entire company, organization, group and etc. To back UPS over Capitalism is like backing GE’s Jeffrey Imelt.
I would be interested in hearing how you would get Keene to “reform” his way?
BTW- Is there any particular reason that you seem to be obessed with my posts?
Scope I didn't say I forgive him....I said I am not going to crucify him....
Aaron Gardner Friday, July 17th at 8:00PM EDT (link)And the reason I responded to your post is that you dragged Palin into a post (that had absolutely nothing to do with her) to try and prove that Keene wasn’t a conservative. Take Keene on for what he did not for his disagreement with Palin on political tactics.
I thought I was rather clear with my intent.
By the way the part in the middle was a parody of a Monty Python scene.
BTW - Is there any reason why you can’t manage to spell Erick’s name correctly? I mean I know your “k” key works…you managed to type “Keene” after all.
Aaron’s Archive
conform and celebrate diversity….or else!!!
You really have to get over your obsession Aaron
Scope Friday, July 17th at 8:54PM EDT (link)with always showing up at my posts. It surely can’t be something only I have noticed. I won’t be drawn in to your devils advocate game yet again. There are plenty others that may want to engage you. That is not my choice.
nope, scope, he shows up whenever he is needed....
DONTREADONME Friday, July 17th at 9:01PM EDT (link)just like I did right now. I also think it has something to do with the time of the day. I am joined by the same crew it seems every night so it may be that you and aaron are on the same biorhythm.
“The UN is right? you can’t be any more “un”; Than you are right now, the UN is undone, Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun, The threat is real, the Locust King has come, Don’t tell me the truth; I don’t like what they’ve done, Just give me ammo for the United Abominations”-Megadeth
btw, I am just joking with...
DONTREADONME Friday, July 17th at 9:03PM EDT (link)you. I just read my post and appeared there was no real sense of kidding around so I had to post this followup.
“The UN is right? you can’t be any more “un”; Than you are right now, the UN is undone, Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun, The threat is real, the Locust King has come, Don’t tell me the truth; I don’t like what they’ve done, Just give me ammo for the United Abominations”-Megadeth
Right Scope...keep telling yourself that....
Aaron Gardner Friday, July 17th at 10:15PM EDT (link)I respond to quite a few people here on RedState…you ain’t special. I just wondered why you inject Palin into a article that had nothing, I repeat nothing, to do with her.
Bottom line, stop using Palin as a fricken weapon against other conservatives and you will stopp seeing me reply to your comments. It doesn’t do Palin or the conservative movement any good.
BTW Previous to this posting the last time I responded to you I was in agreement. Too bad you appear to be a grudge holding twit who can’t separate one debate from another.
Seriously, you shouldn’t be so self absorbed, it will only cause you trouble.
Aaron’s Archive
conform and celebrate diversity….or else!!!
It's not a "devils advocate game".
mbecker908 Friday, July 17th at 11:43PM EDT (link)It’s called a discussion.
But then again, I’ve read most of posts on Baghdad Bob’s 10,000 word diaries. Probably a good thing you don’t engage. You’re not up to it.
Unlike DTOM
mbecker908 Friday, July 17th at 11:44PM EDT (link)I’m not kidding.
I need to sharpen up my mbecker908 skills...
DONTREADONME Friday, July 17th at 11:55PM EDT (link)I think I am becoming a little soft in my young age.
“The UN is right? you can’t be any more “un”; Than you are right now, the UN is undone, Another mushroom cloud, another smoking gun, The threat is real, the Locust King has come, Don’t tell me the truth; I don’t like what they’ve done, Just give me ammo for the United Abominations”-Megadeth
No dog in this fight...
lthurwitz Friday, July 17th at 9:25PM EDT (link)But I welcome any Python reference at any occasion Aaron.
Ithurtwitz....anytime...;^)...nt
Aaron Gardner Friday, July 17th at 10:16PM EDT (link)Aaron’s Archive
conform and celebrate diversity….or else!!!
I admire your undying Palin loyalty...
StandardCandle Saturday, July 18th at 6:52PM EDT (link)in coming out against:
Keene
Kessler
Romney
and the
“Beltway Kingmakers Club”
I am happy to see that your enthusiasm is not curbed by the fact that you’re now a “marked man” working against the “tyrannical system of conservative elitists in washington”, and their cronies on this site… (yes that’s some sharp cheddar snark)
What i’m confused about is what does this have to do with Erick’s post?
Please, just write a diary, no need to threadjack brother.
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. “ -James Madison
Great post Eric!
NC_Red_State Friday, July 17th at 5:33PM EDT (link)Discouraging realism, but a great post.
Stranded in a blue section of a former red state.
Thanks, Erick
aesthete Friday, July 17th at 6:23PM EDT (link)This is one of the reasons that I love this site: the moderators, contributors, and of those who represent Redstate aren’t afraid to admit when they’re wrong, or to call out leaders in the conservative movement.
Guilt is a rope that wears thin.
-Ayn Rand
“I am a freeman in a free state!”
-Last words of Dumnorix, chieftan of the Aedui, 54 BC
Perhaps people will begin to take seriously my call to move
Achance Saturday, July 18th at 4:14AM EDT (link)the Republican Party out of NYC/DC/LA. We don’t get any votes there. We get ourselve in all sorts of compromises and scandals there. So, why do we continue to try to please the denizens of these corrupt places?
If you’re a Republican, you make your news and make your deals back in the home state or in another Red States and you make your press releases to the local and regional media. One of the funniest things I’ve ever seen was all the big city reporters in Alaska trying to find somebody, anybody, or anything about Sarah Palin. Too bad Wasilla is so close to Anchorage, they could get too comfortable in ANC. If the DC media wants to follow a Republican, they should come to think of a Holiday Inn Express as a luxury hotel. Unless you’re running for President, it really doesn’t matter if you’re in the National news, ’cause nobody outside the district can vote for you and if you’re raiseing money outside the district, you’re probably doing things you shouldn’t.
In Vino Veritas
I appreciate it. I'm exhausted.
Erick Erickson Saturday, July 18th at 9:44AM EDT (link)I appreciate the very positive feedback on this post. This stuff tires me though. To quote the hymn, “I am weak and I am weary” of fighting on this front.
I don’t like throwing stones at my own side. Not at the RNC. Not at the NRSC. Not at ACU or ATR or any of my friends out there.
I don’t like it and don’t care to do it.
At the same time, I am more and more mindful of the position I have come to stand at in the movement. It’s not a big one. But it’s not a small one. And I know we may not be as large in terms of readers as some other sites, but that those who do read RedState are the influential people.
So it descends to a point that I must say something in the absence of others willing to say it and hopefully to embolden others with a louder voice than mine to echo what I say.
But it wears me out.
Who will stand on either hand and keep this bridge with me?
Thanks for being willing to stand up and say the truth.
janis Saturday, July 18th at 10:16AM EDT (link)Can well understand how difficult it must be to have to do it, but RedState benefits from it as does conservatism. What are we worth if we are willing to turn a blind eye to corruption on our own side?
I would imagine the really painful part was discovering that this happened in the first place and was propagated by people you formerly respected and trusted. That’s been the theme of this whole summer so far what with Ensign, Sanford and co. It’s made all the more distressing by the fact that there’s never been a time more perilous in our nation’s history for its survival as a free and prosperous country. It’s enough to have to constantly fight the other side without having to start gunning for your own.
Small comfort though it may be, Erick, we stand with you.
It speaks to your character and what you have established at RS.
penguin2 Saturday, July 18th at 10:58AM EDT (link)Though we may seem small in the big picture, it can all add up. You have set yourself a difficult task, at times not aided by our own side, especially when the people involved are friends and professional peers.
But, you are an individual with a conscience and that makes you the man you are. I bet you would not have been able to sleep at night if you had let it go. I have thought about the Founding Fathers and I would think that they too, had foibles and failings, they were human after all. Yet, they recovered and went on, correcting their course as needed.
Anyway, thank you Erick, and as Janis said we stand with you and I’ll add that we pray for you and all who strive to do the right thing.
Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God.
Benjamin Franklin
Oh Erick you have no idea how proud we here....
JadedByPolitics Saturday, July 18th at 11:11AM EDT (link)at Redstate are for your ability to extract yourself from the “machine” of the Republican Party and speak “truth to power”. You and we are well aware of the corruption that is the cesspool of DC and those that feed off of it. That you stand with We The People and NOT the vultures says more about your character than you know.
I suppose you will take some heat but the GRASSROOTS are much bigger and more powerful than those insider’s and they can be made or broken by their character. In this instance the ACU has lost all credibility and as someone who donate’s to a lot of Conservative causes this is one that will never get another dime from me along with the NRSC. That BTW is a GREAT thing because it means more money to those who not only espouse Conservatism but actually walk that talk.
I thank you for these post’s holding these jokers to account! To be a fine citizen of the United States of America and holding those dreams close to your heart gives you more integrity than they and makes you someone that not only your children can look up to but someone we can look up to. You are blessed to be able to look at yourself in the mirror and know you are a man of character.
Thank you!
Whoever has his enemy at his mercy &
does not destroy him is his own enemy
Erick...
StandardCandle Saturday, July 18th at 7:24PM EDT (link)This is a great post…
I think you’ve proven to me you’re conservative at the core on more than one occasion… for what that’s worth… I commend you for your courage.
On a lighter note:
I think you should create a new Erick rule… called something like the “Is this endorsement gonna come back and bite me in the ass?” rule…
A conditional question process:
Are you not just a leader in the organization, but are you intrinsically linked to the organization given your years of service there?
Are you being asked to endorse a candidate or support a position, where the implication is that your organization does too?
If yes, Will money change hands for your endorsement before your organization takes an official position and shall be consequently implicated, whether accurate or not?
As a consequence of your endorsement, will you be accused of pay to play games by the media, or will some prominent principled blogger be forced after careful consideration to call for the burning of your organization to the ground with a fresh start?
If you had to answer Yes to 3 or more questions…
WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN ASKED TO DO HAS FAILED THE INTEGRITY TEST…
Please do not go forward with said endorsement.
“Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. “ -James Madison
Pay now, or pay later
tracycoyle Sunday, July 19th at 12:51AM EDT (link)Just once I wish that big money would drop into Conservative organizations that allow them to work, research, get their message out. Everywhere you turn, conservative organizations are starved for cash.
Then, stupid people try to short cut the work and effort to get people to part with their hard earned money. I think Keene has been part of the ‘establishment’ for too long. Either he just accepted the ’standard operating procedure’ or he got tired of spending 75% of his time raising money. Whichever it was, he compromised principle for money.
Erick, I understand the issue. I spent last year facing chronic funding shortages and hoping for a little money to get a message out. And, on occasion someone or some group would offer a little support for endorsements - things I avoided.
Until Conservatives begin supporting organizations that are at the forefront of conservative activities, lesser people will try shortcuts. Whatever their self-justification, it will always do more damage than good.
Tracy Coyle
Founding member, Former Chairwoman
American Conservative Party