OK, I’ve checked all the birth certificates in the Shantytown Hall of Records, and can’t find a single child named Reince born to anyone in the lower 99% of American income levels, although I did find several Dawg’s and even a few Jedidiah’s. And just one Vassar. Probably got picked on in school, too.

But I digress.

There is speculation right now as to whether Reince Priebus is an actual contender for Michael Steele’s RNC chair or there is actually a deal with Mike to keep the job “in the family”.

Michael Steele came to the RNC a professed conservative, but is now a disappointment of undetermined origin.

Priebus is also a professing conservative. (Question: Why do Republicans seeking leadership positions always profess to be conservative? That’s a rhetorical question.)

Anyway, he had been General Counsel for the RNC until recently, working hand-in-glove with Steele, also the GOP chair of a Blue state, Wisconsin, plus a member of a prominent law firm in Milwaukee. (That’s pretty close to Chicago, FYI.) In the Johnson-Feingold race, one of the big stories was the way in which the Wisconsin state GOP (mis)treated local Tea Parties. Not a very conservative thing to do. And his law firm is up to its ears in accusations of Stimulus support, in which Priebus claims he wasn’t involved, as well as some pretty damning comments about the constitutionality, and overall goodness, of Obamacare. Again, not very conservative things to do.

In the words of Chico Escuela/aka/Garrett Morris of the old “Saturday Night Live” show, Obama “have been berry, berry good” for Priebus’ law firm.

But the issue had been raised here earlier as to whether an attorney should be held accountable for the political meanderings or leanings of his firm, and on the whole, I say “no”, just as the author suggested. But during the 90′s I worked with (hired) some of the larger litigation teams in Chicago, where I noticed that the turnover of partners in those firms was often associated with political changes Downtown or in Springfield. I found that partners in larger downtown firms were apt go out to form 10-15 man firms on their own, just so they all could agree that the mayor was a crook without having to take the argument out into the back alley.

In that sense, the stimulus is a tough call, but Obamacare should be a deal breaker for a real conservative. If a partner-colleague of mine said is was “constitutional”, or “good”, it would be pistols at dawn. One of us was leaving.

So, what we know is that Priebus has stayed with a law firm in Wisconsin that sorta benefits from Obama, approves of Obamacare, and heads a “law firm” in DC that is in the tank financially, in part, because of loans and “projects” that were passed through his office instead the Budget Committee…with nary a discouraging word.

Should any conservative care?

Actually, no. I’ve always assumed that the word “conservative” is used inside RNC headquarters more as an epithet anyway, and carried in public much as Bill Clinton carried a Bible.

But it would be nice to see the GOP and Conservatism once again join hands. There must be something magic in the name if they’re going to go out on the public street proclaiming it everyday. We both know the brand sells. Why not its substance?

And we can do so many good things together. Just imagine. But the only way that can happen will be to have a conservative chairman, and a conservative TEAM, on board. Both Saul Anuzis and Ann Wagner seem to carry conservative credentials into this race for chairman, which ends with a vote on January 15, just two weeks away. I like Saul, probably even nudge a little his way, but with women bearing so much of the weight in the last election cycle, and most of the ‘hones, Ann would be a good pick too, it seems.

In fact, putting a conservative in the RNC chair two years in advance of a second wave of conservative congressman and senators, and a REAL conservative president, would be a real boon for the cause of restoring the Constitution, which I argue, is the THE overarching issue of all politics for the next twenty years at least. Besides, imagine all those Lefties and media types (but I repeat myself) having to go back and learn all those really old, hard words, they used “over a hundred years ago”, words like “We the People…” (h/t to Ezra Klein for the “Joke’s-on-me of 2010″. You go, girl!)

It would be better if we could sweep away all but the vestiges of the old ruling class elites sooner than later.

Follow the Money

Bringing conservatism back into the inner sanctum of the RNC wouldn’t do the GOP any harm either, since they’ve been all about the money anyway and are losing it almost as fast as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

What I’m having a hard time getting my arms around is just what the RNC is good for anymore…I mean with guys like Steele and Priebus in charge? All they ever seemed good at the past several years was to launder money. You give them a million, they keep 20% for admin fees; company car, gold cuff links, silk regimental ties, a golf-conference in Nassau, then distribute the rest, mainly to people who are more apt to re-appoint them to this really sweet gig over on 1st Street the next time around. Somehow, Priebus-Steele sounds more like Skillings & Fastow…and Cornyn (NRSC) makes three.

The Fly in the Buttermilk

But these sweet dreams of candy canes all began to fall apart in 2009-2010 when conservatives, in droves, decided not to give the RNC a dime. Instead they gave directly to candidates all over the country. Sure, they came in at $50-$250 a clip, but the candidate got it all and not one cent went toward the house man’s cut. The GOP’s planned revenue’s dropped.

To make matters worse, those “free-booter” candidates mostly won, (giving us the new freshmen who Lindsay Graham says the GOP now “fears” most) while some of our most heartbreaking losses (Angle, Buck) had been because of tepid support from the RNC and NRSC, who had backed the wrong ponies in the primaries, demonstrating in the process what will forever be remembered as “Mike Castle classlessness”. They backed Charlie Crist and Lisa Murkowski, (who finally stole her seat back fair and square), and threw Christine O’Donnell a few table scraps in her campaign against an avowed Marxist…but who also buys his shirts at Everard’s on Wisconsin Avenue…which is the only connection I can make.

Right now, at year’s end, the GOP is $15+ million in the hole, and you have to scratch your head and ask, How can you go that far in debt and still not be able to get the snow plowed, Mayor Bloomberg? Er, Mr Steele, ?

So, if you’re Steele-Priebus, what’s to win here? One last hope that the ruling class can get it all back in Ought 12? Or to captain a giant ship, and grab that one last long swig of fine Napoleon Brandy, as the Titanic slowly slips beneath the lapping waves?

It’s a mystery, for with Steele, or any Steele lookalike or acolyte in charge, RNC revenues will go down even more, not up the next two years. That’s a fact. Unlike the government, with revenues dwindling, but no ability to print money or borrow from China, staff will have to be cut, elbow patches sewn on those Hart, Shaffner Marx blazers, and the company fleet reduced to used 2002 Hyundai Elantras.

I’d say “Reince in cold water” and hang out to dry.

But revenues can and will grow by joining hands with all the constitutional groups out here. Change/reduce the staff anyway, top to bottom, to reflect, if nothing else, a simpatico with the rest of a country that’s struggling with its own budget problems. Invite innovation and creativity in, then embrace them, hell, kiss them, then kick process out. For what? First, get the “new” GOP message out, then get GOP candidates who have been selected by the people elected, and third, as a necessary by-product of that effort, (and not the principal raison d’etre), raise the money to accomplish those things. In other words, design your plans first, then seek money for targeted operations and projects. Finally, declare an unrelenting war against the Left (which we’re already doing out there, thank you) as it wages its own war against the American people and the US Constitution. And make sure the American people, not just crusty old party members, know what you are doing, and why. There’s a lot of black folks in the inner city who want to know you’re coming to save them.

I’d also like to see you meet or talk with some special people every day, people like Ken Blackwell and Erick Erickson. Every day. Keep them on speed dial. And speaking of Mike Castle, I’d “de-castle-fy” relations between the national HQ and the state headquarters. New sheriff in town.

And yes, toning down to Shoe Carnival and Steinmart may be a good idea, too. Just keep the Regimental ties, though. I like them. Just make sure the stripes come down over the right shoulder, not the left. It’s a Euro-commie thing. Secret handshake and all that.