Delaware GOP, Same Old Mistakes!
Nov 18th, 2010 by Frank Knotts
The New Castle GOP Committee has “SELECTED” former state Representative Tom Kovak to run in the special election to be the next New Castle County Council president. Mr. Kovak has just come off the loss of his state Representative seat in the recent election.
Many in the party see this as just another Delaware GOP backroom deal. They see his selection as just another in a long line of bad choices. The more conservative faction within the GOP see Mr. Kovak as a clone of defeated U.S. Representative Mike Castle, who was defeated in the recent GOP primary by the conservative Christine O’Donnell.
Even after the recent loss of Michele Rollins and Mike Castle in the GOP primary, both were the GOP endorsed candidates, the NCC GOP Committee chooses another left leaning “MODERATE”. Moderate has become code speak for someone the GOP hopes will appeal to Democrat voters. In the press release Mr. Kovak is described as a “FISCAL CONSERVATIVE”, this is code speak for moderate and someone who the GOP hopes will appeal to Democrats.
Unfortunately for the Delaware GOP and the Republican voters, the GOP never cares to appeal to GOP voters. The GOP just expects us to stand in line and do as we are told by the establishment. Not going to happen!
It would seem that the same party establishment that had their candidates defeated in the GOP primary have learned nothing. They have again chosen a party insider and someone who will surely alienate the more conservative faction within the GOP, and will leave them home. Some from the NCC GOP have asked for help from the lower counties. I wouldn’t hold my breath. Conservative voters who hold to their principles will not ride to New Castle to support someone who most likely doesn’t share them.
Again the state GOP and its county committees have missed the message of the recent election cycle. They think because the two conservatives at the top of the ticket lost, that this means that we should return to their losing ways of selecting moderate candidates. I will admit that Delaware in general got it wrong this election. If you look around the country conservatives candidates did very well, but in Delaware, not so much. Is this because conservatives can’t win in Delaware? I don’t think so. I feel that the problem was that the GOP establishment was not behind these two candidates with full force and commitment. So no change at the top of the party, no change in the type of candidates they choose.
Until the GOP establishment and leadership understands that they need the more conservative faction within the party, until they address the issues that effect all citizens across party lines, until they get it, that conservatism is not just about fiscal issues, then they are doomed to fail.
Let me try again to give an example of how I believe that the GOP should and can reach out to historically Democrat voters.
“As a fiscal conservative with a proven record of fighting excessive government spending and higher taxes, Tom knows how to hold government accountable. Tom’s candidacy will offer voters a clear and unmistakable choice between someone who will challenge the tired status quo that has led to conflicts of interest, shortsighted planning, higher taxes and a systemic budget deficit, and the forces that have been part of the problem.”
That was from the press release announcing Mr. Kovak’s selection. Please tell me what in that description will appeal to a struggling single mother. Tell me what in that will appeal to a family living in one of Wilmington’s poorer neighborhoods, who worries about their children’s safety as they walk to school? What in that addresses the drug problem in the county? Does the NCC GOP Committee really think that the people of NCC who are living in the poorest areas of the county care about , “a systemic budget deficit” ? Who is the GOP attempting to reach with this short-sighted message? Are they trying to reach out to rank and file Democrats and Republicans? Or just people who write checks?
We can never win in Delaware until we reach out to all people as citizens. We can never win using this narrow message of so-called fiscal conservatism. We can never win by compromising on core values and principles. A single mother in New Castle who is struggling to keep her son off of drugs, and trying to make sure that her daughter has an education before she has a baby, cares nothing about “a systemic budget deficit”.
Fine. The next time there’s a special in Sussex we won’t come down either. The leave it to beaver land you seem to live in
Never mind communicating with your 1950 whitebread world is a waste of my time.
Unbelievable. You all won’t be happy until the GOP is out of every office in the state.
“A single mother in New Castle who is struggling to keep her son off of drugs, and trying to make sure that her daughter has an education before she has a baby, cares nothing about “a systemic budget deficit”.”
And the New Castle County government should help her, Frank? Is it the New Castle County government’s responsibility to solve her problems?
Also, Mike Castle and Michele Rollins WON New Castle County in the primary. So why wouldn’t the New Castle County GOP select someone in that mold?
Frank, your bigoted teabagging bullshit doesn’t play up here, where the electorate is actually educated.
Let’s strike a deal. You and your O’Donnell thugs stay downstate, and don’t mind our business. And we Northern elites will just point and laugh at you from above the canal. Deal?
Deal.
Reality check, Kovach has zero chance against any democrat. He has no base in the party except smooching Castle’s butt and his legislative record is non existent. His district just threw his butt out on to the street.
His law firm has tons of conflicts which will be used against him in the race.
At least Protack who would have had a tough time also was independent and could have drug in some Reagan D’s and Independents but as we all know the current GOP HQ will always screw Protack and us. Fleming the guy who made the choice over a week ago gave Protack’s primary opponent $3,000 of New Castle County Committee money when there was no endorsement process.
Still, this is the best thing for the party and for Protack. Kovach is going to get beat badly and the Fleming type self absorbed idiots will all be gone and we can build a party not perpetuate the same losing ways.
Case in point in the week before 60% of primary voters favored Protack over Kovach, 40% in a poll by Founders values. Again, the leadership gives us the finger.
We will give them the boot, all R’s stay home and start the revolution.
Sunoco, Inc. is a client of Kovach’s. They have huge interests in brown fields and land use in NCC. They are huge polluters also. Kovach’s firm has been helpful in Sunoco skirting DNREC rules.
CONFLICT.
“At least Protack who would have had a tough time also was independent and could have drug in some Reagan D’s and Independents”
Why would anyone vote for a union R like Protack over a union D like Sheldon? The contrast here is between an intelligent, competent Republican who can be a check and balance and a not-too-bright, status quo union Democrat would would definitely not be.
Look people stop fighting with each other. The people below the canal are not incompetent, inbred idiots. Additionally, the people above the canal are not demon sheep.
Mr. Knotts makes some good points. First and foremost, appointing someone who just lost their own election to win elections is pretty stupid.
Second, when talking about fiscal issues people look at their lives and tell them why you are clearly better.
Let’s look at that struggling, single mother in Wilmington who wants a good education for her children. Tell her that Democrats and their union buddies have done everything possible to stop her sending her children where SHE wants to get a real education. Point out the issue of school choice and vouchers. Tell her about the new recycling law that will increase her taxes. Yes, even poor people pay taxes. They pay water tax, sewer tax, trash tax, gas tax, etc, etc, etc. Give them real-life examples of why you are better rather than talking in stupid soundbites.
Third, get involved in the GOP party by becoming a delegate or committee member. Stop complaining of how bad it is and make it better.
To Anon the basic moron, what do you know about unions? Nothing.
The rank and file are pissed right now because of the jobless rate which is about 30% for the trades. Protack went through a big pay cut and pension loss with his airline so yes rank and file would see him as one of them. Protack has been on strike and walked a picket line, he has credibility.
Sheldon is a double dipper, with a union position and the Council job, about 100 k a year total. No risk of unemployment for him.
Against Kovach no union people will jump ship, none at all. Instead they will rally against Kovach.
You really should engage your feeble brain before you open your mouth.
Kovach was so bright and up standing his own district said no thanks and he was easily beaten and then the man that Kovach is he blamed it on O’Donnell. What a wuss.
Anon, you always get your sorry tail handed to you , why do you persist?
“First and foremost, appointing someone who just lost their own election to win elections is pretty stupid.”
The choices were someone who lost a very close election in a Democratic district because the top of the ticket was incompetent, and someone who lost for the 8th time, this time in a Republican primary.
That said, you have the proper approach, Donna. The trouble is that people like Frank don’t want to work with people who aren’t hard-right “conservative” on all of the issues that he is. And it’s not just Frank. There are hundreds of them.
“Protack went through a big pay cut and pension loss with his airline so yes rank and file would see him as one of them.”
We don’t need “one of them.” We need someone who will fight them.
Anon the basic moron, you know the GOP scoundrels like you have wrecked the party. Do you defend that loser Fleming giving $3k to a primary opponent with out an endorsement, even Charlie Rangel would not do that. Fleming and Kovach together could not carry Protack’s jock strap.
Here is your weenie boy Kovach:
In the state House 6th District, Republican incumbent Tom Kovach lost to Democrat Debra Heffernan by 407 votes. Kovach, a loyal Castle supporter, was publicly critical of O’Donnell after she won the primary, refusing to say he would vote for her.
Hey Anon the moron, name one insider choice who has won anything in the last 15 years?
Lee in 2008? Ting in 2006? Copeland in 2008? Ursomarso in 2004? Burris in 2000? Rochford in 2000? Well? Well? Well?
The only things Kovach fought for in his brief time in the legislature was the gay rights bill and stem cell research. He was a total nothing in the state house except a liberal.
Fight who? The working people who are struggling because of crazy policies which prefer overseas companies to our own. No wonder moderate republicans are losing all over the place. In case you haven’t noticed, people are hurting and need one of them to stand up and fight for them not against them.
Anon the basic moron, you still are too stupid to get it. Protack has the credibility to speak and listen with union and Reagan D voters because of who he is. Kovach will turn them off big time.
Protack is not a lackey for unions but at least he can communicate with them, Kovach is a liberal Castle Clone with no backbone.
Your next dumb comment will be destroyed so please shut up.
Right now, I couldn’t care less who he voted for in November. We need to get beyond November if we are to move forward. If Kovach wins because of a huge conservative effort, what message will that send? It is practical politics people. By the numbers, he loses. Therefore we have nothing to lose by supporting him. If he wins, we get credit. If he loses, it was because no one could beat the union machine with a non-labor candidate.
The only part of the R party who cares right now just got dumped on. Why ? Because idiots like Fleming who has done nothing in his life subverted a process to kowtow to Castle and Rollins, the two losers this year.
Kovach is an elitist out of touch lawyer who is a liberal and not a moderate. His law firm lives off the government, here are some clients:
# Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Foundation
# Delaware Department of Transportation
# Delaware Economic Development Office
# Delaware Manufactured Homes Relocation Authority
Our tax dollars are paying Kovach’s salary. So how does Kovach play NCC Prez when his law firm is sucking dollars out of the tax kitty?
Don’t worry, he will get blown out and will be no longer viable for anything, even Dog Catcher. Sorry for the Ross pun.
If you support Kovach you only delay the day of reckoning and change for the Delaware GOP. After the total tragedy this year Fleming the clown still picks an insider with zero chance.
To all the R’s who want your party to revive, stay home or vote for a third party candidate if there is one.
Think long and hard how much the GOP leaders don’t care about us. That Founder’s Value Poll said it all Protack 60% Kovach 40% and they still said FU.
Never mind communicating with your 1950 whitebread world is a waste of my time...NativeBlueCrybaby
Good. Then shut the hell up and join the Democrats where you belong- with the perpetual whiners.
…your bigoted teabagging bullshit doesn’t play up here, where the electorate is actually educated.…Delaware Dum
Yeah, you can see all those ‘educated’ people hanging-out in the park in front of the Hotel DuPont and drinking beer in their cars at the DuPont plant. Sorry about your homicide rate- I guess you don’t equate ‘educated’ with civilized.
In case you didn’t notice, nationwide, the conservatives made great strides in the elections earlier this month. Northern Delaware isn’t ‘educated’- they are stuck-on-stupid. Same thing, over-and-over- up, up, up go taxes, and down, down, down we all go.
Running a Democrat with an ‘R’ next to his name isn’t smart- it’s capitulation. It facilitates a slow but steady drift to the political left. That may be fine for you in NCC who have a malleable sense of political identity, but it won’t work in Sussex where we actually have a fully developed sense of values.
Sussex County: RINO’s need not apply.
“Squeak”
“Fight who?”
Fight the government unions who suck money out of the economy for their county pay package which guarantees the doubling of their salary in 10 years and is bankrupting the county. If people are unemployed, having to pay increased taxes to fund county union fat cats is not helping.
What happened? Coons is a Marxist for raising taxes while O’Donnell is running, but now County government is A-OK because the GOP candidate isn’t a card-carrying member of the Delaware Taliban? How about some consistency?
And I’m ALL FOR the “real conservative” takeover of the GOP. Take it over. But be prepared to defend your 2012 results. No more excuses about a lack of establishment or party support. The fate of the GOP in 2012 rests SOLELY on the shoulders of the “real conservatives.”
There he (Rick) goes again… Always good for entertainment value at least.
Tom has a chance, albeit a struggle, to make inroads after the election we just witnessed. Turnout will likely be low and those still smarting from the ass-whoopin’ and looking to make a statement.
Mike better soften the rough edges and and look to unite vs. divide. He might be able to make a good run in the future but probably needs to take a race or two off so that folks can see a freshened and renewed candidate.
As for the above and below the canal debate… Really? is there no leader that can bring together the strong voices of the state’s conservatives? This is like one of those childhood brother hate-hate relationships. I keep hoping that the brothers are going to get through college, get their first taste of the real world and realize how much that the family has to offer – end up appreciating each other – even for their differences…
There he (Rick) goes again… Always good for entertainment value at least.…Independent
Did you find the last GOP primary to be ‘entertaining?’ Get used to it.
As for the above and below the canal debate… Really? is there no leader that can bring together the strong voices of the state’s conservatives?
Uh…hello. The ‘conservatives’ are together. Were you out-of-town on Nov. 2nd?
This is like one of those childhood brother hate-hate relationships. I keep hoping that the brothers are going to get through college, get their first taste of the real world and realize how much that the family has to offer – end up appreciating each other – even for their differences…
Tell that to the ‘moderates’…COD won the GOP primary, fair and square. And what was the reaction of Castle and his Mouseketeers? He and many of his followers didn’t support her candidacy.
“Creation out of Destruction”
“The ‘conservatives’ are together. Were you out-of-town on Nov. 2nd?”
What did the conservatives do in Delaware on Nov. 2nd?
I believe that I agree with David on this one. Although I don’t care for Kovac’s behavior during the election, I believe that Kent and Sussex should help with his campaign and learn to work with the moderates in New Castle County. If we truly want to be the “Big Tent,” party, why not start now a see how it works.
November elections are over and we should have learned a valuable lesson.
“What did the conservatives do in Delaware on Nov. 2nd?”
Depends on who you believe. if you believe the group of folks that supported COD – they ousted a RINO.
if you believe the other republicans – division lost a senate seat for the GOP.
Rick – You are one funny dude…
That was poorly worded. When I say “ousted a RINO” I mean that some Repubs believe that the value of ridding Delaware of a RINO even if the seat was lost by COD – was ultimately a good thing.
I just wanted to point out in response to Rick that neither the “real conservatives” nor the Republican Party as a whole gained any relevant ground on November 2nd in Delaware.
The GOP is as of this moment for the most part completely irrelevant in statewide government, New Castle County government and Kent County government, and the Democrats are hoping (while laughing) that we continue to fight each other.
“ousted a RINO” = translation:
Restored the meaning of the Republican “brand” by trying to rescue the reputation of the Republican Party from DISASTROUS periods of big-spending, big-government, big deficits, the “K Street project,” Bush supporting amnesty for illegal aliens, etc. etc.
If a restaurant gives a lot of people food poisoning, the first thing you may have to do to rebuild its reputation is fire the kitchen staff.
We cannot convince voters that “We’re not going to do that any more” if we re-elect the same people who voted for it.
And again, it is curious that those who claim to be fiscal conservatives, but NOT social conservatives, end up BEING NEITHER. They vote for big spending, more regulation, bigger deficits, while claiming to be fiscal conservaties.
The truth is they are simply afraid of being criticized. So they run away from social issues so that the news media won’t talk bad about them.
Then when the pressure comes, they cave on the budget as well. They are NOT fiscal cosnervatives. They are simply slaves to the latest newspaper op-ed and afraid of being criticized.
They are not fiscal conservatives. They are “thin skin” “please don’t say anything bad about me” Republicans.
And social conservatives did what when they were in charge during the Bush years? Spend, spend, spend, spend, spend.
Fiscal conservatives got it right during the Clinton years under Gingrich. They ran as fiscal conservatives, got elected as fiscal conservatives and governed as fiscal conservatives. Abortion and gay marriage were nowhere to be found in the Contract With America.
Why is it that so much of what you say is just wrong, Moseley?
Jonathon – Your “one-size-fits-all” view of Republicans is exactly why we are where we are now. Congrats – you win! Enjoy the spoils of a more Democrats in office across Delaware.
Somewhere the idea of the majority got rebranded. Now you end up with narrow views in a party with fewer members. Wonder why indpend/unaff. rolls are growing. The narrow views of the left and right pushing people out.
Also amusing to me how you quickly attack the “thin skinned” and “don’t say anything bad about me” republicans but weren’t you one of the COD defenders when anything negative was said?
How about pointing some of the high powered judgement and introspection at yourself?
There is no middle ground in the current ideological battle. One side or the other will gain hegemony. Since FDR, it has been the left. I detect a change. Delaware (NCC) is one of the few stuck-on-stupid states; slow to learn. Maybe we’ll have to wait until the Socialist-Democrats run the state completely into the ground with their tax, tax and tax some more (euphemistically called ‘fees’) ‘fiscal’ policies.
John: “Hey, a got a $50 speeding ticket yesterday.”
Mary: “Really? Did you pay it yet?”
John: “No, I only brought $50 with me. I learned that with ‘fees’ added, the ticket was $657.82.”
And it goes on, and on, and on….
Rick — You keep referring to New Castle County, when Kent County also has a relatively Republican-free government. Christine O’Donnell got just 50.6% of the vote in Kent County and Glen Urquhart got just 50.5%.
Is Kent County stuck on stupid, too?
Frank,
Please tell us how this selection is going to affect you and Sussex County? Maybe if you and Ayotte just played in your own sandbox and leave NCCo alone, the world would be a better place.
Hey Mosely, don’t you have some ambulances to chase now that Chrissie-pooh lost the election. Here’s some advice – you stay out of Delaware politics and we won’t interfere with Virginia. Schmuck.
INDEPENDENT in #29 needs some clarification.
Defending our nominee is what we are * S U P P O S E D * to be doing as a party.
We are proposing to take power away from Democrats. They are not going to give it up lightly. They are going to fight back. They are going to misrepresent our nominee — NO MATTER WHO IT IS — and “spin” things in their favor.
Our job as part of the party and campaign is to correct the record, expose falsehoods, and present our side of teh story.
The “thin skin” Republicans respond to * O U R O P P O N E N T S * and cave in to the other side.
While we are supposed to be advancing our candidate and our agenda, and refuting attacks on our position, the “thin skin” Republicans run away in terror at the first sign of criticism.
The “thin skin” Republicans do not try to set the record straight and advance the truth.
The “thin skin” Republicans RUN AWAY at the first time they are criticized. They do not join the battle. They run away in fear.
Their political strategy is to simply avoid being criticized in the op-ed pages.
RESPONDING to ANON in #28:
What you describe as the “right platform” is what Christine O’Donnell and Glen Uhrquhart ran on in 2010.
What you say you would wish, is exactly what Christine and Glen ran on as their platform.
The problem is not in your candidates, but in yourselves. You did not do your part. The Party did not unite and actually work on winning.
Meanwhile, the Republican victory in 1994 was mostly engineered by — wait for it — THE CHRISTIAN COALITION.
That was the time when the Christian Coalition was still effective and organized and powerful.
Although the Contract for America was focus on consensus issues, it did include the following:
Other sections of the Contract include
(1) a proposed Family Reinforcement Act (tax incentives for adoption,
(2) strengthening the powers of parents in their children’s education,
(3) stronger child pornography laws
And the Republicans elected in 1994 were mostly social conservatives — not fiscal conservatives only.
The 1994 take over of the US House was a result of the Christian Coalition and the religious right.
The following comes from Wikipedia, but look at the source citations to back it up, concerning the 1994 victory of the GOP in the US House:
Evangelicals were an important group within the electorate and a significant voting bloc in the Republican party. The national exit poll by Mitofsky International showed 27% of all voters identified themselves as a born-again or evangelical Christians, up from 18% in 1988 and 24% in 1992. Republican House candidates outpolled Democrats among white evangelicals by a massive 52 points, 76% to 24%.[1]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_1994#cite_note-0
According to a survey sponsored by the Christian Coalition, 33 percent of the 1994 voters were “religious conservatives,” up from 24 percent in 1992 and 18 percent in 1988 [CQ Weekly Report, November 19, 1994, p3364); in the 1994 exit poll, 38 percent identified themselves as "conservatives," compared with 30 percent in 1992.[2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_House_of_Representatives_elections,_1994#cite_note-1
Note that when the Christian Coalition fell apart and lost influence starting around 2001, when all of the original leadership left, the GOP in Congress drifted toward big-spending, big-government liberalism, and the GOP lost Congress in 2006.
When the Christian Coalition was strong, the GOP dominated. When the Christian Coallition faded, so did the GOP
I just cleaned the barf off my keyboard with Rick Jensen’s interview of Kovach, err Mini Mike Castle.
Kovach’s fate is now sealed. he offered Castle as a heavyweight in his campaign so thereby leaving out the Tea party , 9-12 ers and any conservatives who are the only active republicans these days. Kovach also said his election would not alter things too much, look for that to be on the Dem radio ads.
Also, many of Kovach’s clients benefited from the redevelopment code changes he now reports to be against? You are for jobs but you fight against the things will bring jobs? DUH.
Republican wrap up.
Luckiest Republican in Delaware-Protack, he would lost by a smaller margin but now he is free to man the broom and clean house between now and the convention.
Dumbest Republican in Delaware-Fleming, by having a sham process and going with the castle rollins wing of the party he gave in and now will be responsible for the blowout to come.
Most clueless republican in delaware- Kovach, who thinks the insider deal translates to real support in the county and for somehow saying on WDEL he has overwhelming support from democrats and independents plus republicans to run. Name one D or I who is pushing him?
The winner? Any Republican who wants the old guard out of the way. The coming loss will hasten the departure of the clowns who have brought us the loss of every major statewide office in 20 years.
Best opportunity? Any credible third party who can get some $$$ and man up the conservatives.
“Note that when the Christian Coalition fell apart and lost influence starting around 2001, when all of the original leadership left, the GOP in Congress drifted toward big-spending, big-government liberalism, and the GOP lost Congress in 2006.”
Bush got elected and especially re-elected on the back of SOCIAL issues. Remember “compassionate conservatism?” Remember gay marriage in Ohio in 04?
And then he and fellow “SOCIAL” conservatives like Bill Frist and Tom DeLay BLEW A HOLE in the deficit.
Protack – you’re such a sore loser. You’d think with the practice you’ve had, you’d get better at it.
Despite ths handwringing i gave Kovack 400.00 today to beat a tax and spend unionist.
What did you do to save our wallet?
Type.
I forgot – when Sussex has enough votes to win statewide: fine.
Until then it;s compromise or lose.
NATVIEBLUEHEN…. Ronald Reagan won large numbers of votes from Democrats and Independents.
Your choices are not compromise or lose.
If you compromise and fail to motivate the people who have to VOLUNTEER their time and money to support the candidate, you will lose anyway.
If you compromise, and then fail to run a good campaign, you will repeat the glorious victories of the Delaware GOP insiders who chose JAN TING and got 29% to Tom Carper’s 70% in 2006.
The real issue has nothing to do with compromising. The issue is learning how to run a good campaign.
Ronald Reagan persuaded Democrats and Independents to vote for him — with a hard-right platform and agenda, including a strong PRO-LIFE position.
SO the question is — being specific to New Castle County — how can you persuade large numbers of Catholics, Blacks, Italians, Independents and typical non-voters to cross-over and vote Republican?
o You have to convince them that your candidate is not everything they have heard BAD about the GOP
o You have to convince them that your candidate cares about them, even groups that don’t typically attract the GOP’s interest
o You have to persuade them that your candidate agrees with them more than they think, and hopefully more than they agree with the Democrat
o You need to run on issues that they care about.
SO, what if you ran a (let me see) working class, Italian / Irish Catholic woman seeking to be the first woman ever elected to the US Senate from Delaware? And you actually united around pursuing that goal isntead of destroying each other?
Oh, there I go again. You had your chance.
Ronald Reagan did it. Why can’t you?
Anyone who suggests that Michael Fleming ran a sham process is talking out of the wrong end of their digestive tract. He could have made this decision entirely on his own. That was his legal right.
Instead he thoughtfully reached out to many Republicans across the county to solicit opinions from both sides. As for all this Castle-Rollins-Castle-Rollins silliness, no one has any evidence whatsoever that either one had any undue influence on the process at all. Or any influence at all for that matter.
Yes, Tom Kovach lost his election. By a grand total of 407 votes in a heavily Democratic year statewide. Many other Republicans got wiped out by 20 or 30 points. If Mike Castle were at the top of the ticket in New Castle, Kovach wins easily. Along with Terry Spence, Ron Smith, Beth Miller, John Marino, Chris Weeks, Colin Bonini and more.
As for his lack of record, how surprising is that when you consider that of the 41 members of the House, only Tom Kovach and Mike Ramone have never served in the majority? And in the House, the only way you get to pass anything is if you’re in the majority.
What is this insanity about well…a fiscal conservative is really a moderate…and a moderate is a progressive…its all code speak!!! Nonsense! Pull yourselves together people! Not everyone is as conservative as I am. I’m willing to live with someone who’s with me three times out of four. Or maybe three out of five. There just aren’t enough people who agree with me nine out of ten times to win an election in this state with only those votes. So we’d better start learning that we need each other.
We need to stop this silliness. The choice is made by proper authority and with proper consultation. It’s time for this party to pull together, as we did for Joe Booth and for Ruth Briggs King. Without the help of New Castle Republicans, their is no Senator Booth and possibly no State Rep. King either. Without reinforcements from Kent and Sussex, there’s not going to be a Council President Kovach either.
All together…win together. Let’s go!
ANON:
“Compassionate conservatism” (W. Bush’s agenda) was an INSULT to conservatives and everyone know it at the time.
W. was saying that conservatives are mean, nasty, and hard-hearted, and he proposed a *NEW* kind of conservativism *INSTEAD OF* the Christian Coalition and traditional conservatism.
The Bush family has always been antagonistic to conservatives especially social conservatives. In 1988, Paul Weyrich released a book named “LIP SERVICE” detailing how Bush, Senior teased conservatives while in fact betraying them.
Bush’s election in 2000 brought moderate Republicans to power in Washington. However, 9/11 totally transformed the mushy moderate agenda of W. into a war footing.
The big-spending, big-government, big-regulation, expansion-of-government, amnesty-for-illegal-aliens, cave-in-to-the-Democrats Republican Congress that ruined the Republican “brand” came from the moderate side of the Party, not from social conservatives.
Moseley – I just heard another siren. Better go catch that client.
Michael, there are clearly fiscal conservatives. By no means would I suggest that fiscal conservatives do not exist or are necessarily moderate.
However, a lot of people *HIDE* behind the excuse “I am a fiscal conservative” when the truth is they are simply afraid of what the next op-ed will say.
In effect, the news media runs the Republican Party in Delaware (and not only in Delaware).
The possibility that some journalist might say something bad about them in the newspaper drives these Republicans and dictates everything they do and believe.
So it is curious that those who champion their true colors as a fiscal conservative — just not that social conservative stuff — end up voting for big spending, big budgets, big deficits, over-regulation, etc.
So I have to conclude that not everyone who claims to be a fiscal conservative truly is one.
“W. was saying that conservatives are mean, nasty, and hard-hearted, and he proposed a *NEW* kind of conservativism *INSTEAD OF* the Christian Coalition and traditional conservatism.”
You’re wrong. Again.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa3944/is_200003/ai_n8885527/
Bush ran as a born-again evangelical. McCain was the moderate. There is a library of stories about Bush engaging the evangelical community. To pretend otherwise is to prove, yet again, that you’re either a diabolical liar or you’re living on another planet.
I could care less about all of the Protack vs. Kovak stuff. I will leave that for those who do. My concern is about the direction of the GOP in Delaware. This answers MJ’s question in comment#32. With this selection we see that the old guard of the GOP is sticking to its losing ways. They talk about the last election and blame the failures on the top of the ticket, yet the GOP has been in decline state wide long before 2010 or even 2006 with Christine O’Donnell’s first run. So it would seem that it is due to the tactics of moderation that has lead to the death of the Delaware GOP. Maybe it is time to try a more traditional conservative message.
Now let me go back to the top of the comment page and address the first two comments. In #1 nativebluehen says,”Fine. The next time there’s a special in Sussex we won’t come down either. The leave it to beaver land you seem to live in
Never mind communicating with your 1950 whitebread world is a waste of my time.”
Nice racist insult there my friend. I ass-u-me you are referring to my statement, ” Some from the NCC GOP have asked for help from the lower counties. I wouldn’t hold my breath.” Well again, why would people who care deaply about social issues come north to support a man who voted for the homosexaul anti disrimination bill? When you so called fiscal conservatives come south to help Booth or King you didn’t have to put aside your beliefs in so called fiscal conservatism. I will address this more in a moment.
In comment #2 anon quotes me “A single mother in New Castle who is struggling to keep her son off of drugs, and trying to make sure that her daughter has an education before she has a baby, cares nothing about “a systemic
budget deficit”. And then asked this question, “And the New Castle County government should help her, Frank? Is it the New Castle County government’s responsibility to solve her problems?” Not in the way you are trying to twist my point into. I believe that if we apply the same principles to solving the problems of this single mother that we do to solving fiscal issues, then we can help her and hold true to our core values. The point is that if we want to win elections in New Castle then we must be able to relate to the problems that the citizens in New Castle face. Again I ask the question, what does this single mother know about a systemic budget deficit and how can she relate it to her immediate problems in life?
Now I have a question for all of you big time “FISCAL” conservatives. For years I have been hearing the same old song from so called fiscal conservatives. Always the same when it comes to talking about issues that effect our society. We are told not to talk about social issues. We are told that if a candidate is a fiscal conservative then we should just settle for that and be happy. We are told that if this candidate may have to vote with the liberals on things like homosexual anti discrimination bills, it’s okay because he will vote conservatively on fiscal issues. So what we are being told is that half a conservative is better than no conservative.
So here is the question for you fiscal only conservatives, if a GOP candidate came along, who was anti abortion and anti homosexaul marriage, but who was a tax and spend liberal on fiscal issues, would you support them? Would you tell your fiscal conservative friends that half a conservative was better than no conservative? Would you rally the troops to help them win? Would you sit quietly by as they talked about raising taxes on small businesses? Would you raise money for their campaign if they were suggesting laws to nationalize private corporations? After all half a conservative is better then no conservative, right? Hypocrites! This is what is costing the GOP in Delaware elections. You think that there is something called social conservatism, that there is something called fiscal conservatism. There is only conservatism, either you apply it in all cases or else you have abandoned it completely.
There is some serious divorce from reality going on with Jonathan here….
Bush? Moderate?
Before 9/11, Bush passed No Child Left Behind, the most far reaching and conservative reform in education in our nation’s history.
Before 9/11, Bush slashed income taxes, setting the stage for the recession to quickly end and enabling his administration to set an all time record for consecutive months of job growth (52).
Before 9/11, Bush put an end to the idea of federal funding for murdering embryos for their stem cells. Science later learned how to harvest other stem cells in non fatal applications and made embryonic stem cell research obsolete by 2007.
Then after 9/11, Bush showed Reagan a thing or two about conservative solutions to terrorism, a problem that bedeviled Reagan throughout his administration.
The issue of whether a fiscal conservative is a conservative if not socially conservative has always been a false one. Is a social conservative who votes for increased spending and defends earmarks for decades (McConnell) not a conservative? I have to laugh at so many who impose rigid litmus tests on candidates and declare those that can’t pass them to be RINOs. Ronald Reagan himself could not pass some of these tests.
Right now, fiscal conservatism is what counts. The only issues that matter to the people right now are jobs, taxes and debt. That’s it. When social issues are at the forefront, as they were in 1994 and 2004, then we bring them to the front of the agenda. In 1994, the Christian Conservative movement was critical. In 2004, multiple states voted down gay marriage and provided the Republicans with their largest majorities of the Gingrich-Hastert era. This Republican majority is built around fiscal conservatism. It’s what the people want to hear about right now. That’s what we have to sell. When people are working again, social issues will return to the forefront. It’s not that they don’t count.
They just don’t count as much.
Powerful, Frank. You and Faye are on fire today.
“So here is the question for you fiscal only conservatives, if a GOP candidate came along, who was anti abortion and anti homosexaul marriage, but who was a tax and spend liberal on fiscal issues, would you support them?”
You make the mistake of equating social conservatism and fiscal conservatism, when 90% of what government does is fiscal in nature.
Not true, especially if you understand how fiscal policy impacts social policy. Tax law, regulatory law, education, funding priorities are all colored by social policy.
[...] Yesterday he impressed me. Because it is exactly what I’ve been saying for two years. I just never put it as bluntly as did he…. [...]
Well Michael I had hoped you would answer my question, instead you answered it with the same question,”Is a social conservative who votes for increased spending and defends earmarks for decades (McConnell) not a conservative?” No they are not a conservative. How hard is it for people to understand that conservatism is not a la carte? It is a principle based ideology. If you do not apply these principles to all issues then you are not holding true to the principles you purport to believe in.
Michael you also say that,”The only issues that matter to the people right now are jobs, taxes and debt.” Maybe the people who live and work in your small circle, but let me tell you, a single mother on welfare trying to raise her child who is locked into a public school system because neither the Democrats or the Republicans will truly fight for vouchers doesn’t care about taxes, she most likely isn’t paying any. She doesn’t care about government debt, because she has her own problems. Are you saying that because she is only concerned with issues that effect society such as drugs, crime, and other social issues, that you are uninterested in reaching out to her as a citizen, as a voter? That is why the GOP in Delaware is losing. People at the top don’t care about all citizens, they only care about some small circle in which they orbit.
anon says,”You make the mistake of equating social conservatism and fiscal conservatism, when 90% of what government does is fiscal in nature.” No anon, you make the mistake of thinking conservatism is a puzzle made of many pieces. It is not, it is a principle based ideology. For too long we have allowed the liberals to define what conservatism is. This allows them to set the conversation. It allows them to create the image that issues effeting society are only about abortion. I am saying that if we apply the principles of conservatism to all issues, it is possible to attract more voters from all parties to our movement. In Delaware the GOP has abandoned these principles. They have said that they don’t believe they work, they have given up. They have become that which we should be working to defeat, liberal in their ideology. When the GOP candidates come to Sussex they should address the issues facing Sussex countians, but do it using conservative principles. When they go to New Castle and Kent, they should address the issues that most concern those communities, but again do it by applying conservative principles. They have to understand that people in NCC don’t have, nor do they care about the same issues as those in Sussex. The campaigns of these candidates have to be more fluid on issues, but not on solutions, the solution is conservatism. They can’t just select at the beginning of a campaign an issue like the deficit, and then try and sell that to every group they speak infront of. If they do, in many cases they will spend their time trying to convince people to care about the deficit, instead of trying to convince people to believe that they can solve their problems. What they should be doing is working to convince the people that they can solve their problems through the use of the principles of conservatism. But sadly first many of our past candidates would have to be convinced of that fact.
“Tax law, regulatory law, education, funding priorities are all colored by social policy.”
Even if I agreed with you, those are not the positions that are litmus-tested.
Christine O’Donnell got just 50.6% of the vote in Kent County and Glen Urquhart got just 50.5%.
Is Kent County stuck on stupid, too?…anon
Last time I checked, 50.6 and 50.5 is a majority.
“Last time I checked, 50.6 and 50.5 is a majority.”
A majority of the people who voted, but less than 25% of the population. And that doesn’t explain why there are only 2 Republicans in office in Kent County government.
A majority of the people who voted, but less than 25% of the population..
Yes, but since the rest didn’t vote, we don’t know what they think, now do we? Bottom line; a majority of Kent voters voted for O’Donnell and Urquhart.
NCC- stuck-on-stupid.
Actually, I can explain it pretty easily. Republicans in the county office ran afoul to the will of the majority in 2006 add to that the two cycles of displeasure with the GOP nationally –06 and 08. Every county republican left office or was defeated execpt for the sherrif. Eric Buckson came in 2006 with a diferent approach to join soon departing newly minted Rep. Blakey.
He became the lone Republican though he did have company due to 2008 .
Now let’s look at the facts. This year Glen Howell was added. Steve Speed and the libertarian won a majority of the vote over the Democrat in the levy court contest. The same was true in the Recorder of Deeds race where a highly respected Col. McVay was running as a libertarian ad pulled a couple of thousand votes. The GOP could have kept the sherrif’s office if Higdon would have stepped aside for say Hutch. His drunk driving came too late to primary him. The party in Kent also picked up two legislative seats which was the only county to do so.
The Kent party still needs to rebuild especially in Dover, but there is little doubt that we turned it around. Every statewide candidate won a majority in Kent and had a decent margin against the Democrats. We do need to pay attention to the leakage we are getting to third parties though. Those voters must be paid attention to. It cost us traction in 3 races levy court, recorder of deeds, and 32nd rep.
“Republicans in the county office ran afoul to the will of the majority in 2006 add to that the two years of displeasure with the GOP.”
Did they not run “afoul to the will of the majority” by promoting the conservative principle of property rights?
Some would say that. In reality it had to do with the failure of the livable Delaware “growth” zone concept. It concentrated the growth in stead of spreading it out. It also had to do with the fact the General Assembly neglected to make school district capital funds a partner in the original transfer tax legislation. It should have been 1/3, 1/3, and 1/3 not half and half state and county. So the county did the right thing expaning the sewer lines and library services. The state took the money from its share that was supposed to be used for roads and didn’t expand most of them as promised in the plan they approved and declared a model for the other counties. We got congestion, school referendums and the county guys were left holding the bag. They tried to address the issue with some bills to shift expansion costs to developers thereby new home buyer. The bills hurt building. The result was that they made both the pro-development crowd mad and the the anti-development crowd mad. Guess what happened.
A lot of it had to do with two factors. Not educating people to the facts and laid back GOP leadership. The Democrats where active, the Kent GOP had lackadaisical leadership in 2006 and never responded even though committee members stood up in meetings and asked them to do so.
The Dems outclassed us in 06. In 2008, the tide was so strong due to the economy, war fatigue, and Obama-Biden enthusiasm that no GOP chairman had a chance. The economy killed fundraising and any chance to counter the tide.
anon says,”Even if I agreed with you, those are not the positions that are litmus-tested.” anon, follow along here. The point I am making is not how to move forward the anti abortion agenda, though I have no problem admitting my concern over the number of abortions in this nation. My point is how do we as Republicans reach out to all citizens and move forward the conservative movement. My litmus test for candidates are whether or not they hold true to conservative principles on all issues. I will not support a so called social conservative just because they are anti abortion. If they are tax and spend liberals. Unfortunately the so called fiscal conservatives will abandone those conservative principles on so called social issues if a person says that they are fiscally conservative. Who has a litmus test here?
You also make the statement,”A majority of the people who voted, but less than 25% of the population” well my friend the world is run by those who show up. If they don’t vote they don’t have a say. And as Rick said, we don’t know what they think, but since they don’t care to voice that opinion where it counts, the ballot booth, then we will never know.
My point is how do we as Republicans reach out to all citizens and move forward the conservative movement.
Buy a radio station in Wilmington?
The problem with the theocons or “social” conservatives is they are simply not credible and pretty much blow the whole deal once they umask their statist obsession with abortion and gays.
The vast bulk of voters aren’t interested in government action on either issue except to get the government out of both if anything. The independent voters we need for victory simply don’t buy the nonsense from theocons who claim to support limited government and individual liberty……oh but except for ownership over your body and free, private choice in your most intimate personal, familial and filial relationships.
The theocons simply don’t understand how fundamentally their government-as-master positions on these two (pretty much irrelevant in the big scheme) issues undermine all their sloganeering claims trumpeting how they are for personal liberty and limited government.
Republicans took back much power this year by jettisoning all the God and gays blather. We won in spite of the theocrat 20%ers whose religious values socialism is as much a curse to advancing conservative values of limited government, constitutionalism and individual liberty as are the hard core leftists who want public power serving their social and ideological “values”. The leftists and the theocons are simply two sides of the same statist control coin – one secular one religious.
Anyone who says otherwise is ignoring reality. Delaware’s GOP candidate for US Senate was a hardcore evangelical bible thumper if nothing else. In fact she was nothing else really if you are smart enough to see through her shallow talking point embrace of liberty and constitutionalism (versus her whole previous shtick of ‘godly’ government and Christian militarism).
The result we got from having a dubious hardcore theocrat march to the head of the limited government freedom parade brewing in Delaware was a shameful blowout that reinforced and only further embedded the the power and dominance of the grotesque freak show called the Delaware Democrat party. Thanks a bunch there, Castle deranged socialist “conservatives”.
The “social conservative” theocrat stain blew it for the whole DE GOP ticket and dashed all the hopes and work of the limited government liberty loving tea party patriots. Many of us have a deep Christian faith but just as deep a belief that it shouldn’t be a matter of government enforced public policies subjugating individual freedom and choice. End of discussion.
So it goes. While the rest of the country was busy thrashing the socalist democrat enterprise Delaware’s theocrats hijacked our state’s tea party patriot movement and set us back immeasurably by fast tracking the careers of a whole new set of Democrat lifers incumbents who we could be stuck with for decades.
At least Castle was pretty much done and was on his way out. Sure he deserved nothing having left the party totally decimated in service to his weird nerdy clique of empty sportcoats always maneuvering in the wings obliviously pissing off/on the grassroots. Castle got what he deserved.
But it wasn’t worth all the collateral damage and long term setback no matter how much anyone relishes your bragging rights that you got rid of a liberal career politician with maybe 4 years left in office at most. No matter what the hatred of Castle’s squishiness he would certainly have shored up the prospects for excellent candidates we really needed to win, like Bonini, so we could establish just a shred of toehold moving forward. Castle could well have given Urquhart a real shot even.
It may be a nice national talking point that you would rather have a conservative loser than a winning Rino. But now we get to live with the ruinous fallout that is the reality that follows such glib single minded earth scorching.
Taxes, bloat, self dealing, corruption, incompetence all won the day in Delaware, like it or not. Beating down Castle and Rollins was a pyrrhic victory no matter how invigorating.
So please no more theoconish hardcore nonsense taking us down by masquerading as conservatism. But equally — please no more NC County insidery establishment so and so’s with their anointments, appointments and political gutlessness unmoored from any real republican principles.
We are smack dab in the middle of the voting public as a GOP that stands by and for liberty and advances the cause of constitutional limited republican government on all fronts with NO exceptions and contortions for either religious, secular or country club socialism.
It took long time to spew out that nonsense. Next time just say only I am the arbitar of what should count as important.
You have no clue where the people of the state stand on issues.
“My point is how do we as Republicans reach out to all citizens and move forward the conservative movement.”
My goal is not the advancement of the conservative movement. My goal is making the country a better place, and recognizing where government can and can’t help me achieve that goal.
Taxes, bloat, self dealing, corruption, incompetence all won the day in Delaware, like it or not. Beating down Castle and Rollins was a pyrrhic victory no matter how invigorating.…Not…Either
Electing Castle would have been a ‘pyrrhic victory,’ too- but it wouldn’t have been particularly ‘invigorating.’
We have just emerged from an unprecedented political maelstrom. And there may be more storms ahead. We’re battered, maybe even confused. But this is no time to abandon ship; the cause is just.
“Creation out of Destruction”
“the cause is just.”
Just so we’re clear, what cause is that?
Buying a radio station in Wilmington?
The cause?
Individual liberty and constitutionally limited republican government that serves to secure that blessing, above all. No?
Did I hit a nerve, David Anderson? Certainly it sucks to hear how your Achilles heel just happens to be your entire central nervous system, politically speaking.
One would think your prominent role in the Del GOP’s messy electoral Pickett’s charge might finally leave you a bit circumspect about whether you have so much as a clue where the people of the state stand on anything at all.
I may not know where they stand either. But I do know where they don’t stand. They don’t stand with your brand of politico-religious evangelism. In droves.
…whether you have so much as a clue where the people of the state stand on anything…I may not know where they stand either....Not…Either
Problem is, most of the people in Delaware don’t know where they stand, either.
True Rick or at least the application of where they stand.
Anon, you can not make this a better country without a conservative movement. It is the means to that end.
As for Castle, we as a nation are better off without him. His one seat would not have benefited us as much as it would have hurt us to have him dividing the minority caucus and dividing the tea party from the GOP. He would be more harm than good nationally. We dodged a bullet by not electing him. He also would have continued to slowly siphon the life out of the Delaware GOP. I think it was a good thing. I would rather that COD won but we are better off with Coons than Castle. I wasn’t ready to believe that was the case until the Disclose Act which was too radical even for Olympia Snowe. In war, friendly fire is worse than enemy fire because you can’t fire back to protect yourself.
Castle once free of the worries of a primary would have likely voted for DADT’s repeal. He would understand Carper’s gasoline tax. Can’t say how he would vote because he could hardly ever say until right before. Is that the leadership you admire?
Well it would “SEEM” as if we have a new coward, who comes here behind a screen name. And such an inventive one at that. “Not A Witch But Damn Sure Not You Either”. Maybe you should try and make your statements in your comments, instead of in your screen name. But I guess when you intend to hurl such hateful accusations, well you need a rather large wall from which to hide behind. Your chosen pseudonym actually speaks more about you than your rambling anti religious rant does. What your choice of title says to me is that you are exactly the type of GOP insider that has supported the leftist moderates of the party in lock step. You see any dissent as traitorous. You see any mention of caring about issues that effect society as being a theocracy. In a post and a conversation that I and others have made a point of saying that the issues that effect society are far larger than just abortion and homosexual marriage, you come here and focus on these issues, much in the same way that the hard leftist within the Democrat party does. You seem to be the person with some sort of litmus test. While you say I and others will not support candidates that do not support an anti abortion agenda, you clealy will not support one who does. Instead of having a civil conversation you instead call people names, another tactic of the leftist Democrats. But I do wish to thank you for joining in, you have been a more perfect example of that which we are attempting to change than any long winded paragraph I could have written. Please join in anytime. But could you maybe shorten your hiding place name to something like, “I’m Only Half A Conservative”.
anon wrote in #69: “My point is how do we as Republicans reach out to all citizens and move forward the conservative movement.”
How did Ronald Reagan do it, anon? (As if anon were a Republican, as we saw in another post in which anon rants against any Republican issue even in fiscal and business areas.)
Ronald Reagan ran on a pro-life (let’s rub it in ANTI ABORTION) platform, on social issues and on BOLD COLORS — no pale pastels.
Ronald Reagan did not try to simply accept and carve up the existing map, he rewrote the map. He used PERSUASION to convince Democrats that the country was heading in the wrong direction and that he shared more in common than Carter did.
Reagan won in a landslide — twice.
The only formula for sucess is PERSUASION, not cynical compromise.
But there is a problem. Persuasion is WORK. You have to think about it ahead of time. That hurts your brain. You have energetically and diligently implement it. You have to go out among the unwashed and talk to people.
If you want Democrats to vote Republican, how many have you talked to? Have you gone out and talked to Black churches about their disagreements on social issues with the liberal Democrat leadership? (Black church-goers agree more with the Christian Coalition than they do with Harry Reid or Nancy Pelosi — but no one has gone out to befriend them.) Have you gone out to the poor and asked “How is this really working out for you?”
Not A Witch But Damn Sure Not You Either posts in #67: The problem with the theocons or “social” conservatives is they are simply not credible and pretty much blow the whole deal once they umask their statist obsession with abortion and gays. The vast bulk of voters aren’t interested in government action on either issue except to get the government out of both if anything.
SO then why did Jan Ting lose only 29% to 70% when the moderates picked their darling in 2006? Christine O’Donnell got far better results than the moderate choice in 2006. In 2008, Joe Biden spent over $4 million against Christine O’Donnell. She spent about $119,000 (don’t remember exactly), and got the same percentage of the vote as MODERATE John McCain.
The truth is that Black and Hispanic Democrats AGREE with social conservatives on issues like gays, school choice, and those who are religious are against abortion.
Your premise is absolutely wrong.
Pro-life Republican candidates consistently do better in elections than pro-choice Republicans.
Your failed premise has been disproven again and again. It is simply not part of reality.
I wouldn’t be quite so quick to condemn ‘Not…Either.’ I thought he made some good points, particularly;
Taxes, bloat, self dealing, corruption, incompetence all won the day in Delaware, like it or not.
This is an apt description of what the Socialist-Democrat Party represents.
As to this;
Beating down Castle and Rollins was a pyrrhic victory no matter how invigorating.
There is an element of truth to this comment, obviously. However, as I posted earlier, electing Castle would also have been a ‘pyrrhic victory.’ I beleive that ‘Not…Either’ is frustrated, and I also believe that he’s not the only one who is- what conservative wouldn’t be? We all have a lot to access after the tempest.
The problem Rick, with the person hiding behind that name is that they are exactly what is wrong within the GOP. They cling to a proven failing tactic of moderation. Delaware’s GOP has been in decline for decades and these people who have been part and parcel of the problem want to lay blame on the last election. Then they want us to all to join hands and walk back into the same helicopter blade that they call fiscal conservatism. Fiscal conservatism has not been, is not, and never will be enough to win elections. It leaves to many people home on election day. It fails to reach out, not only across the GOP, but to also reach out across party lines. Only a straight line conservative message will reach the broader mix of citizens to win in Delaware. Until we change the direction of the GOP, we will end up in the same place, LAST!!! We keep hearing the fiscals talk about a “BIG TENT” and yet they would leave citizens whose concerns run more to a societal agenda standingm outside the tent. Why? Because they more closely relate to the leftist.
This has gotten beyond ridiculous. Now not only are we trying to drive apart the moderates from the conservatives, which to borrow a very tired phrase is “stuck on stupid,” we’re trying to seperate conservatives from conservatives. If we keep doing that in this state, pretty soon we’re going to be able to hold a Republican State Convention in a phone booth.
Remember that Ronald Reagan did not believe in a big tent party. He did not expand the party’s reach over moderates, but brought moderates to his tent. As Jonathan said, and as I have said here and on my own site many times, Reagan believed in painting his message in bold colors, not pale pastes. And he did. And won two terms. George W. Bush did too. He won two terms. Newt Gingrich did. And he ended Democrats 40 year stranglehold on the House.
Not everyone bought off on everything Reagan had to sell. But Reagan was smart enough to know that someone who agreed with him a majority of the time was a friend, not an enemy.
As long as this insanity continues, we will lose more elections. Splitting moderate Rockefeller Republicans from conservative Reagan Republicans is bad enough. Now we’re trying to say that some conservatives aren’t conservatives?
It’s almost enough to make one pick up the communicator, call the Enterprise and say “Beam me up, Scotty. There’s no intelligent life down here.”
Michael, I think we are in agreement. If I haven’t made myself clear, I apologize. I am not saying that those who are only fiscally conservative should leave the party. I am saying that we cannot afford to ignore people’s concerns about societal issues. For too long those people have been rated second best within the party. We have been told to just vote for a fiscal conservative such as a Mike Castle or a Tom Kovak. This type of candidate does not fully represent a person such as myself and many others. Am I to bow to the feelings of others based on some misguided party loyalty? I am told to compromise my principles. I believe that a straight line conservative message actually is broader not more narrow. I believe it is what Reagan did. By being a conservative on all issues he represented the feelings of all the factions of conservatism. It is what allowed him to bring citizens into his tent. May I say, I have always hated the “BIG TENT” phrase. This broader form of a conservative message makes it possible to relate conservative solutions to issues that have for too long been ceded to the Democrats. When we run from an issue such as crime, drugs, education and yes abortion, then we allow the otherside to define and to dominate that issue. And though many within the GOP don’t believe it, these issues are important to many people. Why do we abandone them? I don’t want to be just the “ANTI-ABORTION” party, nor do I want to be just the “ANTI-BIG GOVERNMENT”party, nor the “LESS TAXES”, party. I want to be the party that holds true to conservative values and principles on all issues. It is the narrow ideology that the Delaware GOP has been holding to in recent years that has led to people leaving the party.
Michael I can tell by your writing that you are both a loyal member of the GOP and an intelligent person, I know that you know that we cannot afford to alienate a single person, let alone a group of people, if we hope to take back control of the state. But that is exactly what is being done when the party supports candidates such as Mike Castle, Michele Rollins, and Tom Kovak. There is more in this wide world then just pocket book issues.
Splitting moderate Rockefeller Republicans…
There’s no such thing as a ‘moderate’ Rockefeller Republican just like there’s no such thing as a ‘moderate’ Bloomberg Republican. They’re liberals.
“So it would seem that it is due to the tactics of moderation that has lead to the death of the Delaware GOP. Maybe it is time to try a more traditional conservative message.”
Frank your approach ignores a 3 very basic facts.
1. In New Castle County both Castle and Rollins won in the Republican primary. They lost in Kent and Sussex.
2. In the General Election, Urquhart and O’Donnell won in Kent and Sussex and then were clobbered in New Castle County.
3. This race is being run ONLY IN NEW CASTLE COUNTY!
Now if someone from New Castle told you who you should run for a LOCAL office based on moderate ideology, I think you would be annoyed and rightfully so. Why choose anybody to be a party official of New Castle County if Sussex County gets a veto on the selection of local candidates???
Frank You say a Sussex type conservative candidate is what is needed to win in New Castle County. Where has that worked.
It did not work in New Castle County in either the General or Primary election.
[...] the Republican’s hand picked another loser, the Democrats established an open forum. Anyone who wanted to sign up to run [...]