House Republican Leadership Aligns With ACORN: Support pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion, pro-big government ACORN endorsed candidate

By: Erick Erickson (Diary) | October 1st, 2009 at 05:01 AM |

RESIZE: AAA

In a disappointing sign that the House Republican Leadership has not earned and does not deserve to retake the majority in the House of Representatives, a bunch of people are confirming for me today that the House GOP has decided to sign on with ACORN and endorse Dede Scozzafava in NY-23.

As I reported the other day, Scozzafava has repeatedly been backed by ACORN in state legislative elections in New York. Scozzafava maintains a voting record the Working Families Party, ACORN’s political arm, supports.

Likewise, Scozzafava has serious issues on the personal front. To top it all off, Scozzafava would have voted for TARP, the bailouts, the stimulus, etc.

Doug Hoffman, the conservative candidate, would caucus with the Republicans. He is endorsed by Fred Thompson, the Club For Growth, and conservatives across the nation. Scozzafava was encouraged by the Democrats to run as a Democrat.

That the GOP would support a candidate who is more aligned with the Democrats on core issues than the GOP signals the GOP is in this to win at any cost, damn the principles. It is exactly that attitude that caused voters to send the GOP packing.

Republican Presidential contenders like Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee, and Sarah Palin should charge up to New York and support Doug Hoffman — he may not have an “R” next to his name, but he is a better representative of the party of Lincoln and Reagan than Dede Scozzafava could ever hope to be.

And Hoffman can win.

Tags: ACORN, Dede Scozzafava, Republicans

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http://www.theminorityreportblog.com/blog/loren_heal Socrates

Morons.

Was that not respectful?

Oops, sorry. I hope the world’s morons were not insulted by including Congress in their number.
astrolite

I guess that the statement that : “There isn’t a dimes worth of difference in both partys” is true! We need another party———-And not the socialist one!
gahazzah

Especially when you can win and show the (D)s that Statism truly is a bipartisan issue.

/sarcasm
http://hillbillypolitics.com Steph C

Not too long ago, somebody wrote a diary exhorting us to support these Republican orgs to back Republican candidates. I said then that I will back individual candidates but not the national orgs and that you were doing a bang up job of highlighting good conservative candidates.

I was right, wasn’t I?
http://hillbillypolitics.com Steph C

the worst candidate.(Not really but I’m not going to vote for their favored candidate.)

The media told us that John McCain was the only Republican who could win. The media ridiculed Palin, left and right (wings). Before her, they ridiculed Fred Thompson. NRO endorsed Romney who didn’t even last as long as Huckabee.

The media had as much to do with Obama’s win as ACORN.
sccrenny

when they last called begging for money that I was sending “their” money to NumbersUSA (TRUE Immigration reform… protect the borders, enforce the law, link immigration policy to the NEED for immigration).

Aside from that, I will send my money to individual candidates that are fighting the good fight.
jerseygalnny

The GOP failed to wake up on this one. Seems like they actually took advice from the Democrats, in nominating a ‘moderate!’

Time to show them they better wake up or lose in 2010! Elect Hoffman, the REAL Republican overlooked by the ‘party leader,’ and send the GOP the message…..again.

Really did not think we were that thick-headed!
The_Gadfly

Libertarian would be the third party by my count. I think of all the alternates they tend to get the highest consistent voter turn out, although usually still not enough to keep ballot access.

Then you have the Natural Law party. Good name and something that influences my thinking on issues, but after looking at one of their fliers, I think their on a first name basis with that broken up critter from Lewis Carol.

And of course you’ve got the Larouchites, Socialist Party of the USA (American Communist), the Greens, and the Constitutional Party. I’m not normally one to source wiki as authoritative, but this is one of the few places where their ad hoc methodology is as likely to be current as an authoritatively edited source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_political_parties_in_the_United_States

But yeah, it does seem like very clueless people at the national level keep trying to destroy rather than build the Republican party. And this would be one of those very rare instances in which the national party should not support the nominal candidate because the candidate in no way supports the goals of the party. In fact, in this instance I think the national party should explicitly endorse the Conservative party candidate as he is likely to caucus with the Republicans, where as the nominal candidate is more likely to go complete Specter on us.
RedBeard

As others here have wisely said, not one thin dime of campaign contributions should go to the idiots/morons/jackasses/insert-pejorative-of-choice who run the rudderless national GOP organizations. Donate instead to individual candidates who actually represent conservative values. And donate generously. PLEASE.

I am fed up to the gills with the House and Senate election committees and the GOP top brass as well. I know they are not trying to screw things up, but they could not be doing that any more effectively if they were trying.

One needs look no farther than the treachery of the NRSC trying to derail Marco Rubio in favor of Charlie “Blowin’ in the Wind” Crist. Shameful.

I am often called a Republican die-hard by lefties without a clue, simply because I vote AGAINST every Democrat to come along. They fail to grasp the concept. But I am sick to death of voting for the lesser of evils. I want people to vote FOR.
unfatmatt

of GOPers who support Scozzafava?
Duke

We need conservatives to join the Republican party and take a majority position within the party. A third party will do nothing but divide the vote on the right and insure the liberal Democrats win every time.

Remember how Bush #1 was defeated? It wasn’t the “Read my lips” comment at all. It was the Chihuahua from Texas that split the vote on the right and allowed Slick Willy to waltz into the Oval Office with less than a majority. Dividing the vote equally three ways works great. But it never works that way. The votes are always divided in half on one side or the other. Maybe if the RINOs started a new party called the “Compromisers” the vote on the left would be divided, huh?

And finally, I don’t give money to the Republican Party. I give it to the candidate’s campaign committee directly. I’ll never again throw hundreds of dollars down a hell-hole called “McLame-Feingold.” We here in Wisconsin could hear Russ Feingold laughing out loud at the fool that was the GOP nominee; the idiot that compromised on just about everything in order to go along to get along. “Hello my friend” McLame drank the kool aid that he and Feingold mixed up together.
mbecker908

Like the Green Party. Or maybe the “Healthcare and Other Free Stuff For Everybody Paid for By Rich People” Party.
scubadiver49er

Where is the RNC Chairman on this one??? Wake up and get going, Mr. Steele, before it is too late!!!!!!
dudette

The leadership at the top of the Pubs is a man who likes the moderate way—I forget his name—we ca’t blame this on Steele, it is not his power to change this. I think we need to shake them up. bUt forget a 3rd party unless ou want King Henry VIII Obama for life and Pelosi as Cranmer reincearnated.
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

There is an established third party, the Conservative Party, such that a candidate running for this party under the proper circumstances (such as a Republican nominee to the left of the Democrat, such as Scozzafava) has a chance to win – which means that Republican voters can send a message to their leadership that is not a free-pass to a Democratic win.

At least that’s my understanding of New York politics

Not to mention that the Republican nominee here was not selected by primary vote, which means that conservatives are not moving the goalposts after the Republican voters spoke, because these voters haven’t had a chance to speak.
.
Read Chesterton

… but the GOP is looking more and more every day like it won’t be retaining its place in that crucial Top Two for the 21st century.
TxCon

if the moderates want to kick conservative out, then so be it. The GOP would turn into a thrid party before you could blink.
TxCon

if the moderates want to kick conservative out, then so be it. The GOP would turn into a thrid party before you could blink.
shadowtax

The House GOP is supporting the GOP candidate. What would you expect them to do. I thought the diarists at this site were opposed to the national party imposing its will on the selection process of local parties.

If I were a NY voter, I would vote for Hoffman. I wish the local GOP had selected a conservative candidate for the special election. But I am not going to be angry at the House GOP for supporting the decision of the local party.

It is fine for conservative activists to endorse Hoffman, but it is ridiculous to expect the House GOP to disrespect the local party by ignoring the candidate or worse yet endorsing a third party candidate.

The obvious lesson is that when conservatives stand apart from the local GOP, the local GOP will not appoint conservatives for special election ballots. Scozzofava is not a cause for third partyism. She is the result.
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

should you jump off too so as not to “disrespect” him? Or is it better to use your brains and figure out a better solution.

That’s what’s going on here with NY-23.
AceInTX

that the GOP would support a candidate who is more aligned with the Democrats on core issues than the GOP signals the GOP is in this to win at any cost, damn the principles. It is exactly that attitude that caused voters to send the GOP packing.

They aren’t in this to win this or they wouldn’t continue doing what they’ve done in two losing elections in a row….I don’t think they care if we win…as long as long as they get to maintain their little social club and keep the mob at bay…they aren’t interested in being in the majority because governing is hard work…they like the status of king makers but don’t want to be responsible for the kings they create so they tread water…let us all rot where we hang while they make the cocktail circuit and wasting the oxygen in the room with their every breathless comment
AceInTX
AceInTX

it’s not about winning…just because they say it is doesn’t make it so…

If they were interested in winning…they wouldn’t keep following the same losing strategy!

They don’t like fly over country any more than the Dems do…it’s about shutting us up and maintaining their names on the invitation list for the Washington Correspondence dinner
AceInTX

Really did not think we were that thick-headed!

THEY ARE!!!
AceInTX

that made Perot successful enough to throw the election to Slick Willy…the problem then was what it is now…there was a huge swathe of Fiscal Conservative people in this country whop broke away because the Republican Party refused to represent them that made United We Stand America what it was…

and I would add…that same group feels even more alienated today and I contend the Tea Party rallies are an indication of that.

It’s time the Republican Establishment woke up to this because we’re about to see 1992 and 1996 redux!
AceInTX

for making him Chairman…it’s the way the system orks…the state parties nominate the RNC Chair…he owes them!
shadowtax

When somebody takes your car keys, do you get angry and foresake your car because it started up for somebody else behind the wheel? Do you swear to walk or ride the bus for the rest of your life? What would I do? I try to get my keys and my car back.

I really cannot fault the National GOP organizations for supporting the lawfully selected party nominee. This is a special general election. It is not as if there are other races that they should be focusing on right now.

I do not live in NY-23, but I believe that conservative principles have universal appeal. I hope that conservatives get involved in the local GOP. But the RNC has no business labeling any lawfully nominated candidate as a heretic.

Again, if I lived in the district, I would vote for Hoffman.
AceInTX

we can’t change this without changing the state party leadership. They decide who runs the national party…it’s the RPNY that is pushing Scarfacefava…its the RPFL that decided on Crist, It’s the RPCA that has decided on Whitman and Fiorina…it’s the RPIL who has decided on Kirk….

This won’t change till we change the state parties…third parties won’t do it! in fact…a third party serves to push the remaining part of the Republican Party farther left since it pulls Conservatives away from the party giving the liberals in the establishment more power
AceInTX

we don’t want the national party taking sides in ANY primary…

Where he misses the point is this…THERE IS NO PRIMARY in this instance…the Party has appointed this candidate to represent the party…were tis a private organization…the best way for the national Republicans to deal with this is to simply revoke the local charter of RPNY…as it is…we’re stuck with them as a party….and their stupid choice…but we as individuals don’t have to support either and shouldn’t
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

Here

Not to mention that the Republican nominee here was not selected by primary vote, which means that conservatives are not moving the goalposts after the Republican voters spoke, because these voters haven?t had a chance to speak.

So my point here is that I don’t expect the national party to repudiate the NY-23 candidate (though they would have grounds to), but they could more reasonably make the choice to keep a safe distance and let Scozzofava sink or swim on her own (along with her party supporters) – especially since this wasn’t a primary vote.

That is, they don’t have to endorse; they can stay neutral.

And yes, the national GOP should keep out of local primaries – in terms of endorsing one candidate over the other. On the other hand, keeping this caveat in mind, efforts by the national party to help identify and recruit new blood into primaries is good (so long as its equipping them to compete and not associated with an effort to clear out the field of opponents).
Scope

that is not quite as left as Obama/Clinton, but, a little more to the left than the Blue Dogs. That could/should keep the Democrats in the wastelands into the next century, just as any Republican/Conservative leaning third party would do to the Republican party.
http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

…but it is certainly reasonable to question the wisdom of endorsing Scozzofava, especially given a viable third party alternative, as opposed to keeping distance.

And yes, once we vent, we should work to get our “keys and car” back rather than to just stamp our feet. But I think this is exactly what RedStaters are urging that we do.

However, from what I’ve read earlier here at RedState about this process, I haven’t seen any evidence here that supports your charge in this paragraph of yours:

The obvious lesson is that when conservatives stand apart from the local GOP, the local GOP will not appoint conservatives for special election ballots. Scozzofava is not a cause for third partyism. She is the result.

It’s not that NY-23 conservatives have stood aside from the local GOP, but rather they just haven’t been able to gain enough strength to overcome the “old boys” network of NY Republican “moderates” who are stuck in an long-vanished past (if it ever existed) and haven’t adjusted to the new political realities. I’m not aware of prior scismatic behavior of NY-23 conservatives.
archer52

One thing I learned while on the job is people are people. They have limits and failings regardless of whether they wear a hard hat, a badge, a doctor’s coat or three piece suit.

One of those failings is the inability to change their perception of the world around them. I’ll bet money as sure as the ideological left is that THIS time they’ll get socialism right, the Republicans in charge think THIS time they’ll somehow manage to walk that razor’s edge of promoting moderate politicians without falling or getting pushed off. The obvious fact that the environment on the ground has changed a thousand times over in the last two years doesn’t impact their vision of reality. The only way we can stop this mindlessness is to hijack the party and simply re-direct it. Turn the party into a big tent run by conservatives which can hold anyone who wants to join. It is just the liberal wing of the party is assigned to the kiddie table. We’ve had enough of their bad behavior.
UpLateAgain

Not a bad strategy at all. Let the Dems get their party raided. I like it!
UpLateAgain

is among the various Tea Party groups. They’re not about supporting Republicans. They’re about supporting conservatives, and if the Rep doesn’t want to be conservative, he can go the way of all libs in 2010. I supect the Tea Party movement is just going to grow in strength between now and then, and liberals are going to be in for a MAJOR butt-kicking…. whatever party they are affiliated with.
AceInTX
Achance
Scope

Today, in the comments here on RS, I read “You do know McCain was the R nominee right? The only people who weren’t supporters of our nominee were RiNO’s.” So, therefore, no matter how Scozzafava got the R nomination, she is the R nominee, and if you don’t support her, you are a RiNO. Please get your logic together. LOL

In other words, I did not support McCain, but, I did vote gainst Obama. Therefore I am a RiNo, because I did not support him. Seems that there is a new meaning to the term RiNO. I guess McCain is not a RiNO after all, only those that didn’t support him.
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

Though perhaps you really should have put an apostrophe between the “r” and the “s”.

I like the image of you as a grizzly holding a smoking rifle.
Achance
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

I don’t accept your syllogism as valid.
http://andrightlyso.com/ civil_truth

True, definitely a stretch to find humor. But once the bear with a rifle image came to mind, I couldn’t resist

Of course, Ace meant “bears repeating”.

And I could have gone off on the image of “bares repeating” but didn’t want to go there today.
AceInTX

Sometimes I hate the English language
jerseygalnny

AceInTX, I should have been more clear, as my comment referred to those who make selections like the RINO in the 23rd! I am glad you got it, but some may not have. Many of the people who will be voting are beyond being thick-headed, we are fed up! This is my Congressional District at stake here, and I will work tirelessly for Hoffman! And I think he will win.
http://www.thecampofthesaints.com robertbelvedere

Quoted from and linked to at: THE STUPID PARTY RIDES AGAIN
gahazzah

I actually think it is about winning, they just don’t know how to win because they don’t believe in their own talking points.

If it wasn’t about winning they wouldn’t justify, to themselves, that they need to support folks like Scozzafava in the first place. The folks who are always the most indoctrinated, in this case in the idea that conservatism cannot win, are the indoctrinators (the party leadership).

I could be wrong, after all I’m trying to rationalize the stupidity of supporting Scozzafava so I could be way off base.
shadowtax

During an ordinary election cycle, there would be an option for the national party appartus to focus on conservatives in other races candidates. But that is not the case here.

There is a seperate Conservative Party in New York. I’m not saying that there shouldn’t be. I am saying that segregation from the local GOP necessarily has two consequences.

1) A local GOP which is more liberal to moderate in official composition.
2) Forfeiture of both the baggage and benefits of the GOP franchise and brand.

I made my point mostly in response to the posts that asserted that the Scozzofava support from the GOP is evidence that the GOP brand should be rejected. I am saying that such endorsements are a consequence of past rejection.

All that said, it would be great if Hoffman won demonstrating the value of the conservative brand to the GOP.
Deadeye

If you rule out a candidate because they don’t hold the right position on one issue, be it gay marriage, abortion or any other hot-button but basically irrelevant issue, you are part of the problem for the GOP, part of what keeps the party marginalized when it might be dominant based on its fundamental principles.

Stick the the principles of small government and individual liberty and the GOP can flourish, but we’ve got to stop getting mired down in personal issues and single-issue litmus tests for candidates.

The fact is that the woman with the unspellable and unpronouncable name in this article is not as bad as she is made out to be here and holds reasonable positions in most areas, except for a couple of social issues where the party would be a lot better off if it took a laissez faire attitude. She’s not anyone’s dream candidate, but she’s still better than Joe Lieberman.

There’s a good article on this controversy at NationalBroadside with some of the facts left out of this article.
http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

How many languages does he speak again?
cwilson

but I’ll just mention one: how can something be both “hot-button” and “irrelevant”? Your post basically boils down to “I don’t like those icky socons. They should all shut up and vote for people like me, and they shouldn’t care about any issues that make it difficult for me to fit in with the Brie Party set.”

Yeah. That’s a recipe for electoral success.
http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

and that is not BS. I rode around Houston with him, and he conversed with various people of differing ethnicities. He’s a really nice guy and espouses a sort of populist oriented libertarian conservatism that I mostly agree with.
http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

to have a party within a party. You have to form a full fledged political party but operate solely within one of the major parties. For instance, if the Libertarian party were not a bunch of cranks and losers they would have their own party elections, create their plaform, then thier representatives would all become part of the republican party and run in republican primaries with libertarian support.

This would give them legitimacy, and a powerful platform for their views, and they could move the party toward their positions. However, in order for it to work, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COMPROMISE!

And compromising is something that ideologues never want to do. So they just remain in the political wilderness.
http://impudent.blognation.us/blog kyle8

A Hungarian dish with noodles and fava beans and a lot of paprika.
sarge324

all the bad things acorn did and is doing this man,i use that word ligthly.i could only assume he is on their payroll.
http://www.hakubi.us/ Neil Stevens

RS

EDITOR OF REDSTATE

House Republican Leadership Aligns With ACORN: Support pro-gay marriage, pro-abortion, pro-big government ACORN endorsed candidate

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