Mon 10 Dec 2007
Independent candidate for CD-8 Derek Tidball was kind enough to send us this clarification on his view of the current state of the Republican Party.
My remark that the Republican Party had fallen from what it used to stand for was based largely on the Contract with America written in 1994. People wanted, and still want, a group of leaders that would care about the citizens’ needs and be loyal to the charge as public servants. The paper was a blueprint of conservative Republican values that touched a nerve with the populace, resulting in a sweeping change in voting behavior and handing Congress to the Republicans.
The very first promise made by this contract was to reign in government spending and to return to fiscally conservative legislation. Is there any question as to whether this is the case?? The contract also promised to end fraud, waste, and abuse in Washington. We have multiple “no-bid” contracts inflating the charges for services in Iraq as well as for natural disaster cleanup in Louisiana and California. To follow this up there is always the subject of multiple resignations and indictments that have plagued this administration. The subject of corruption has become synonymous with the days of Republican domination in Washington.
The general mood behind the contract was one of transparency, honesty, fiscal responsibility, and action. I believe that all of these ideals have died in our politicians in general and the Democratic wave of 2006 has only resulted in gridlock. The Republican Party was overwhelmingly empowered for half a decade to change this country and it did nothing of historical precedence. The fact that they did so little with so much opportunity sickens me. What has happened in the last year to make us change our mind?
Lastly, I view the idea of smaller government as another ideal of true Republicans that has been abused in our recent history. The actions of this administration and Republicans in general have been anything BUT conservative in this regard. We now have a bloated list of government programs and departments that accompany a large list of unfunded federal mandates that are above and beyond anything our founding fathers would have considered. State rights have been trampled more by this administration than any other in recent history. The Republicans in Congress have upheld the conservative value of lower taxes at the federal level, only to create a long list of unfunded mandates, which force the state to pass the check on to its citizens.
I believe that the Contract with America would light a fire in Americans today just as it did a decade ago. That is, if people didn’t recognize that the Republican Party has already squandered a chance to make history and solidify its position at the top of the power ladder. The Republican Party as it stands now will not regain power for many years to come if it does not change course and start addressing the issues that swept it into power back in 1994.
I am running as a candidate that will exemplify hard work and action, transparency in works, and straight forwardness in word. I am running as a candidate that will work towards illegal immigration reform, fiscally responsible practices, and limited federal government interference in state affairs. I ask how many legislators, Republican OR Democrat, have given true action and energy on any of these issues?
At the end of his remarks Derek added, “I am running because I love this country, I fought for this country, and therefore believe I have definitely earned the right to do so. There are no staffers writing my letters for me or polling my responses to determine their likeability. I say what I say, when I say it, because it is what I truly believe.”
December 11th, 2007 at 11:27 am
Have fun costing Tim Bee the election. This candidacy makes Gabby’s life immeasurably easier.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:05 pm
Publius is right (Oh…is Tim Bee running???? ).
More seriously, Tidball sounds pretty impressive, not someone a person can just write off as some kind of crazy independent that no one would want to vote for.
December 11th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
Hmmm. Sounds like Tidball disagrees with the White House policy that the sole purpose of the nation is to make money for Dick’s friends.
He might even stand for truthfulness. Can you imagine? The “I cannot recall” administration can’t even pronounce the word.
Derek occurs like a local Ron Paul.
For six years, our currency should have read, “In Oil we Trust” and the pledge should have said, “One Nation, under Oil, with limitless profits for its producers, and justice for none.”
The backlash begins.
Without question Tidball hurts Bee more than Giffords, just as Paul will hurt the GOP presidential nominee if he stays in the race as a Libertarian or Independent.
Paul is not going to get the GOP nod.
December 11th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
He should run as a Republican if his goal is to advance Republican ideals. His ideals are GOP ideals, so he belongs in our party. No, he won’t likely win the primary, but that’s where he belongs.
Otherwise yes, he is Gabby’s best friend.
December 11th, 2007 at 10:38 pm
Tim,
Maybe he doesn’t want to be a Republican any more. Has is ever occurred to the establishment within the party that people actually believe in what the party stands for and then get disappointed when elected officials from the party stray from the stated values of the party?
For the record I have nothing to do with Derek being or not being in the race. I am just reporting on developments in CD-8.
December 11th, 2007 at 11:18 pm
I have met Derek Tidball and he is a very convincing young man. He and I served together in the same community along with Frank Antenori. He is a resident of Sierra Vista and works on the Fort of which we have many of the same acquaintances. I respect Derek’s sacrifices he has made in service to the nation.
However his candidacy makes me question his judgment and his commitment to conservative values.
First, let’s be frank. Derek is not running as a conservative or even as a libertarian. He is running as an Independent. When you pin him down on his values on the environment you discover, he is a liberal. That is what CD 8 doesn’t need is another nuanced liberal.
Secondly, Derek wants Republicans to vote for him, but he doesn’t want to pay his dues. Derek told me that the Party snubbed him when he announced his ambitions to run. Instead of proving the party wrong and running in the primary, Derek is running this destructive campaign for revenge.
Derek is quick to criticize the Republican Party which authored most of the beliefs he espoused. Derek wants to run against George W. Bush. But news flash Derek, Bush isn’t running for CD 8, Gabby and maybe Tim is.
Further, Derek then conjures up ghosts of Christmas past with vague references to scandal and indictments. But Derek won’t tell you that most of the Abramoff crowd got voted out last cycle. Therefore, Derek, buddy your campaign is a year too late.
On the issue of scandal, let’s clear the air. Derek might not remember this, but to say this Administration or our Party is filled with scandal and criminal activity belies 8 years of Bill Clinton. From Bimbo-gate, to Chinese Missile programs, FBI files to the failure to put a cap in the biggest threat to human progress since Adolf Hitler, the Crooked crowd from Arkansas makes fake scandals of Scooter Libby and Tom Delay look like Sunday morning.
Oh yeah, Derek is very reluctant to criticize Tim Bee. Because he can’t. I asked Derek why is running against Tim Bee, a man we all admire. He told me that he thought Tim Bee did not want the job. Then he had a meeting with Tim Bee’s campaign in early October. It was clear that Tim Bee was still somberly weighing a run against the well heeled Gabby but that Tim was not being coerced. Derek would not back down and would not back out even though I told him he had no chance of winning.
For Derek to make the centerpiece of his campaign an attack on the two party system – a tradition that has served this nation for over two hundred years is not just the heights of naiveté but egoism on a Napoleonic scale.
Good luck Derek.
December 12th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
James,
You are just angry that he is going to sink Tim Bee and his campaign .
By the way, this independent finds plenty to criticize in the two party system.
Also, Derek isn’t running against Tim Bee, he is running, like Tim Bee, against Gabby Giffords.
Neither will beat her though. For Derek, it will raise his name recognition and probably put him in a nice place for future public service.
For Tim Bee, a loss is much much more critical. A loss means, essentially, the end of his political career. Losing to Gabby Giffords will not win him points, will disappoint a LOT of people, and will brand him a loser. Any future as a Governor or state-wide is also sunk. While he claims a S. Arizona person could not win the Gov. nomination because of Maricopa, just look at the track record of those who have run in Maricopa as of late…he has better name rec. and a better record by far than Munsil, Salmon, and Goldwater…etc. etc.
However, A LOSS would sink him with Maricopa GOPers forever. The mantra will be “You couldn’t even win a district that was built for you….how can you win statewide.”
December 12th, 2007 at 9:37 pm
…and a loss for Gabby would punch her ticket to Houston.
December 12th, 2007 at 9:55 pm
Kral, do you live in the district? Are you a Republican? Do you know Derek?
December 12th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Bob, Houston we have a problem . . .
December 12th, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Is James A. Bretney the “*****” that we so commonly see frequenting drinking establishments throughout Sierra Vista, often telling stories of his Special Forces days, when in fact he was SF SUPPORT….stop posing, hit some AA meetings, and most importantly:
GET A LIFE……
*Josh, thanks for commenting. We will let James tell us who he is when he is ready.
December 13th, 2007 at 6:59 am
Josh,
Your comments about Mr. Brently are most harsh. I am so glad to see civility go out the window. I do not know James Brently but unlike us, he is using his full name to attach to his comments. I guess it is people like you who committ character assasination that make people like you not use your full name in your posts.
December 13th, 2007 at 9:38 am
Everything I wrote about Derek Tidball is true. One thing I didn’t know but soon discovered is that Derek is a defeatist. Posting on AZconservative.org
http://www.azconservative.org/Letters.htm
our Independent candidate writes:
“The rants by this poster [David Diego Martinez de Lopez] seem to be the exact reason why the GOP could very possibly not control any of the Legislative or Executive powers by next years end”
Then Derek expounds on his beliefs on failed policies using alternative energies. He doesn’t believe in domestic oil exploration, production or oil infrastructure improvement, nuclear energy, coal of which we have an abundant supply, shale oil of which we have a 500 year supply, or repealing the gas tax. In a time of high gas prices, increasing energy demand, precarious energy suppliers, why is Derek wedded to ideas that don’t work?
But hey I am not running for Congress Derek is. As to Josh’s accusations, who is this Josh? Is this “Josh” Derek? Well we don’t know do we?
I might have a lot of flaws and people need to weigh comments offered from the character of the sources. This is true. But whatever my flaws, at least I am loyal and I believe we can win.
Maybe “Josh”, you and I can get together sometime. Famous Sams on Fry is a good place. Derek lives not to far from there. He likes to drink light beer. Me, I prefer scotch.