It only hurts the movement when we as conservatives see these people as the savior of our movement on the local level. You see, what many people forget is that the reason Republicans tend to go with people with means to run for office is that in many cases we have failed to build a workable bench in order to have candidates ready for battle. If Hovde, McMahon and other “self-funders” are at the top of the ticket, it gives Republicans, conservatives, and fellow patriots the opportunity to channel funds to candidates on the local  level. This leads to Blackwell’s other maxim: “Unless you have money, you are not a candidate.”

For too long, Republican leaders in many states have sent out candidates out into the field of battle with great fanfare and a pat on the back, saying “You the Man/Woman!”. And….that is it. The candidate is left on his or her own. The party disappears. With them, the hopes of raising money. Then, the agony of defeat. This leaves the party apparatchiks wringing their hands saying, “That seat was not winnable.” How can it be? If the GOP refuse to build  districts that are “fight-able”, how can you make any district “winnable”?  And, if you do not pump money into seats that are winnable, how do you build a bench? This has been our movement’s biggest Achilles heel: We focus to much on the cherry up top, but not on the ice cream and the hot fudge under it! In order to build a movement, we have to help those candidates in districts that are fight-able. Even if they lose, they set the table for someone else to take the seat. Furthermore, it builds an army of committed loyal soldiers to the cause, which eventually creates your Block Captains, District Leaders and State GOP Officials. As committed conservatives, the only way to engage in the houses of power is to fully envelope the houses of power. This is how we can establish the true conservative movement as our philosophy on the local level.

However, this strategy has a risk. Hovde may be another Maes or Paladino. Hovde may turn out to be another Romney. But, the question remains: Would you rather another Romney in the U.S. Senate? Or, Tammy Baldwin? Now, in no means am I conceding the Primary to Hovde. Not by a longshot. But, remember, if you have a self-funder, you have money to build strong bench around him. This is why New York (where I live) and California have become such black holes. Everyone concentrated on Pataki and Wilson (forget Schwarzenegger, the atrophy set in before he came to power), and forgot the bench to the point where both states GOP organizations must start from scratch. Hovde may not be perfect. However, for long-term conservative growth, he may be the good.

Now, do not get me started on Blackwell’s “Jackass One and Jackass Two” story

This is my first diary entry on Red State. Might as well start with a bang

We need to get a hold of reality here. Roberts looked at this as a tax. Granted, nobody in their right frame of mind is going to campaign on raising taxes. However, we live in a “Gimme” culture, which are dominated by both liberals AND conservatives alike. Furthermore, it does not matter who gets elected, they are members of the “Re-Elect me!” Party. That means, if they move one iota in changing things that is popular among vast sums of voters, even if they are a minority, they are a threat to the incumbent members of the “Re-Elect Me!” Party members re-election to Congress. This thing, even if the Senate has 100 clones of Jesse Helms, and the House has 435 clones of Bob Dornan, will never get repealed. Period. Those in Congress likes the perks of power too much.

Face also another fact: The American people are absolutely clueless in what they want. They do not know the difference between “need” and “want”. They want programs, but do not want to pay for them. They want rights, but no responsibility. They want American jobs, yet shop at Wal-Mart to buy cheap garbage from China. They want cheap gas, yet they demand no oil exploration in America and drive Hummers. They scream to protect the environment, but only in their neighborhoods and force us working folks to live like sardines.

In plain and simple English, the culture of the Protestant Work Ethic is gone. It was taken long ago when people thought they were entitled to everything even if they did not work for it, and those in power indulged those indulgences to stay in power.

We have seen the enemy…..it is in the mirror.