Thu 6 Nov 2008
SA received an interesting email today from a confidential source that may reveal the machinations of the GOP over the next 90 days. We’re not willing to jump to conclusions and even agree about the unification of social and fiscal conservatives. That’s how you win elections and not by excluding social conservatives. What is most interesting is who the email was sent to AND who it was NOT sent to. And yes, the writer of the email is the same person who launched a barrage of personal attacks on Russell Pearce.
From: Nathan Sproul
Sent: Thursday, November 06, 2008 12:07 PM
To: ‘Tim J. Casey’; ‘Hugh Hallman’; ‘Sean Noble’; ‘Mike Haller’; ‘Kirk Adams’; ‘Lisa James’; ‘Andrew C. Pacheco’; ‘Jose Esparza’; ‘Jason LeVecke‘; ‘Cathi Herrod’; ‘Steve Voeller’; ‘Kevin Demenna’
Subject: Party Leadership
Friends,
I have spoken to or emailed many of you privately about my concerns for the future of our Party. Specifically, how does our Party in Arizona become a party that unites fiscal and social conservatives to put forward an agenda that moves Arizona in the right direction.
One of the most important aspects of this is electing a State Party Chairman who unites all factions of the Republican Party. I know this is extremely late notice, but I would like to invite each of you to join me for lunch at Monti’s on the corner of Rio Salado and Mill to discuss the future of our Party. I am paying for lunch, but as they say, there is no such thing as a free lunch.
Please let me know if your schedule permits you to attend. Thank you.
Nathan Sproul
Lincoln Strategy Group
80 East Rio Salado Parkway, Suite 814
Tempe, Arizona 85281
480-303-7175
November 6th, 2008 at 6:18 pm
Any party chairman candidate supported by Sproul is dead on arival with rank and file state committeemen. We will not soon forget his attack on Russell Pearce.
In reality, he just wants his party consulting work back from CQ.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I say take the free lunch, run home and shower, and then don’t return his calls.
November 6th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Sproul got to be kidding. I hope he isn’t trying to advance himself for party chairman, he was a horrible state party executive director. Look at some of the names on that list, Prop. 202 Chairman Andrew Pacheco, Wake Up Arizona Coalition members Lisa James and Jason LeVecke. I Know Kirk Adams was just chosen by the House Republican Caucus for speaker but he was also on that infamous host committee for a reception for Tony Bouie, along with Wake Up Arizona Coalition members; Mac Magruder, Jason LeVecke, Jim Click, and Gordon & Lisa James.
It looks to me like the cheap illegal immigrant labor people are planning an attempt to take over the party.
Someone should inform Mr. Spraul that we have a good state party chairman and his help is longer wanted by the GOP. I thought Spraul went as low as he could go with the character assassination attempt of Russell Pearce and direction of the Prop. 202 employer amnesty initiative, but now I see he can go even lower and orchestrate an attempted coup of the Arizona Republican party for the benefit of the greedy employers opposed to employer sanctions. What won’t these greedy bums not do to keep their cheap, illegal alien, labor? Maybe they would be satisfied if we brought back the ultimate in cheap labor, slavery.
Spraul, LeVecke, Magruder, Gordon & Lisa James, Jim Click and Pacheco can all go the h—, the Arizona Republican party is not for sale.
BOB HARAN,
LD 6
November 6th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Why is Cathi Herrod on that list? Is CAP a major partisan player now?
November 6th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
Why is Jose Esparza on that list? Everybody else on that list has done something, somewhere (except maybe Pacheco). But Esparza? Who is he to be on that list?
November 6th, 2008 at 9:39 pm
FYI…I am not attending this lunch.
Cathi Herrod
November 6th, 2008 at 10:05 pm
Gee no good deed goes unpunished.
Why is it so awful for anyone (including Nathan Sproul) to invite people to have a discussion about the future of the party ? No matter how you doth protest these conversations are going on everywhere right now in our counties, in our state and in our nation. It is time to get our house in order. I find it more telling that many of you seem to assume any discussion about the party would result in a kabal bent on replacing Pullen.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I have to agree with “Is it a crime.” It is not a crime to associate with others and discuss politics. I’m surprised that there are no other meetings being held to plan for the upcoming state meeting and leadership.
November 6th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Great job on Prop 102 Cathi!
November 6th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
Pullen represents the grassroots of this party and that’s who has to be represented if we ever want to be the party in power again. Sproul is just looking for some country club, establishment Republican for state chairman, who will not be in-touch with the people, and that will only cause friction within the party. Political parties are not corporations, they can’t be run from the top down, control has to come from the bottom up. Randy Pullen become chairman at one of the parties most difficult times and got us through. He is a good chairman in my book and I say keep him as chairman.
BOB HARAN,
LD 6
November 6th, 2008 at 10:48 pm
I’m no fan of Sproul’s by any means but Pullen is the worst chairman in the world. He has been in charge as this divisiveness has torn the party the party apart. Also, how is it that we get wiped out on the Corporate Commission!!! Unacceptable.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
If separate branches are good for government, then separate parties are good for government. And if separate parties are good for government, then factions within the parties are good for government.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
I think it is poor taste that Sonoran Alliance would post this e-mail. Who was the “insider” that forwarded this? What pettiness! If we want to get our party back in the right direction we need real conservative leadership, not childish stunts like this. I am glad to see that Nathan is doing all he can to build more unity. I am even more happy to see that Russell Pearce and JT Ready were not invited to this lunch. We need more leaders like Jeff Flake and Jon Kyl who aren’t one dimensional, but stand firm on all conservative issues.
We need leaders that can rally the grass roots. How did the 3 D’s sweep the CC election? Easy, they worked as a team, were all over the airwaves and their idea of yellow signs and solar team resonated very well with the average voter that doesn’t read SA or Espresso Pundit, etc. I received several robo calls promoting the “Solar Team” and to vote for all 3, but never received one such reminder to vote for all 3 of the GOP’s on the ticket. As a matter of fact my mother got only 1 robo call for the GOP about the CC election and it told her to vote for just 2 of the republicans!! Sandra Kennedy??? Try working with her!! Can you say nightmare!! Than you have Newman. What was he caught with in a government car on the border a few years ago? Who bears the burden of losing to them? It certainly is not Nathan Sproul.
How did we lose CD1 and not get back at least 1 seat from CD5 or 8? We picked up seats in the State House and Senate, so it wasn’t the political climate. Arizona is prime for those conservatives that can practice what they preach. Any ideas?
November 6th, 2008 at 11:21 pm
The 50/50 State Committeman split is no longer the issue here. Demographics have caught up with the AZGOP. Once again, District 11 laid another egg and gave up a Legislative seat to a Dem. The Corporation Commission candidates were sitting on the bench as precious AZGOP time and resources were spent on a X rated Saban hit pieces in a race that never materialized.
It really doesn’t matter what order you hold the cards in a poker hand, it is still the same hand ! Same organization, same result.
The truth is that there isn’t one magical person out there that can make everyone happy and unite the party, to search for such a person is a fool’s errand.
We need to recognize the differences in the composition of our party and work within our means rather than try to convert the “unwashed”.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
You might want to check your facts Chris. Sproul worked for the GOP candidate in CD 8 so ask him how a Republican lost there again.
November 6th, 2008 at 11:51 pm
If the GOP want to win these CD seats back, their candidates need to stay away from the Chris Bakers’ and Nathan Sprouls’. These political hacks can’t seem to win any big races but are making a whole lot of money.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:26 am
Don’t blame the State GOP for the ACC losses. Blame the three listless candidates who ran no race at all. The State GOP did a great job all across the state, even picking up wins in Dem Counties like Pinal. Folks who want to bash Pullen will do so anyway, regardless of the facts, but the fact is the State GOP built a strong grassroots and delivered wins.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:41 am
The state GOP does not deserve credit for delivering the big Republican wins this election cycle with the exception maybe of Montenegro in LD17…and any the affiliations of the state GOP “grassroots” army and their work in LD6. But that was all in the primary.
the wins in the general were more a factor of John McCain’s coattails and Prop 102 than anything.
Rob Haney is now 0-2 in his recruits.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:43 am
Please offer some support for the fine work of Mr. Pullen. Not generalities or more cliche’s. Real stuff….
How did the state party help anybody?
What grassroots effort?
How much money was raised?
How many more registered voters?
How did that early ballot campaign go….oh sorry, I forgot ….they couldn’t run one. No money or organization to pull it off.
But hey, that Saban ad was classy!
November 7th, 2008 at 12:44 am
State, try as you might, ignoring the RINOs in LD11 who continue to suck up energy and funds in their endless PC battles does the truth a disservice. So long as they divide the party, its going to be tough to get that other seat back.
Now, its not that you don’t know what you’re talking about, but take it from us on the West side, Montenegro won in LD12, not 17.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Relax Big Sis, like most Democrats, you think money is the measure of success. Well the Dems had the money and Pullen won the races. Its remarkable that with victory actually delivered, you’re still trying to convince folks that the GOP failed, then you ask for proof of their success? Nuts. 35 or 36 seats in the House and 18 in the Senate in this atmosphere? That IS success.
November 7th, 2008 at 12:49 am
Montenegro is in 12, he won because Weiers and Nelson carried him on their mailers and signs and the R turnout for McCain gave him extra push.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:04 am
Ah, give it a rest….we both know Pullen had nothing to do with the wins. Hard work by good candidates and the heavy R turnout gave us a victory. Success, for sure but it was in spite of and not because of any state party effort.
Money is part of successful party leadership. Nice try at deflecting the attention away from any accounting of actual Pullen accomplishments. Calling me a Dem is par for the course and very Obamaesque. Make it about me being “bad” rather than show evidence of any actual success attributable to your exalted leader.
Pathetic but all too prevalent.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:09 am
Sarah,
Chris is not wrong.
The DCCC outspent Sydney, David and Tim by 10:1. The State Party’s job is to help fund federal candidates first and then help at the state level.
They couldn’t do either and what they could do, wasn’t enough.
Blaming Nathan or any other political consultant is irrational.
The donors were not there. Arizona Republicans needs a party leader that can raise money. And, we need leadership that will excite the voters again.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:22 am
Read it again Big Sissy, no one called you a Dem, so quit playing the victim. Its pathetic.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:34 am
Now that we’ve cleared that up, how about that accounting of Pullen’s accomplishments? No generalities, please.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Read the scoreboard. Gains in both houses of the legislature and in counties like Pinal? Good stuff. The delegation wanted nothing to do with the State Party? Fine, they got their butts beat. Now maybe they’ll remember that its the little guys on the ground that make the difference.
November 7th, 2008 at 6:36 am
Folks,
The Dems and their union buddies hit us with everything they has and we picked up seats in the Legislature. In the worst political climate for Republicans we have ever seen.
CD1 is a tough district for a republican. CD5 and CD8 have incumbents in place, tough to beat an incumbent. The DCCC had a ton of money and used it.
When we point a finger at someone else, we have 3 still pointing back at us. Did we donate our time and money? Did we go door to door for our candidates? Did we make all the phone calls we could have to get out the vote?
Rather than doing the work and talking to the voters, I bet most of us sat at our computers hassling each other. I think some of us have forgotten the “personal responsibility” plank of our party.
November 7th, 2008 at 7:03 am
Some of you will never forgive Nathan for questioning God, aka Russell Pearce. Before you spend too much time patting yourselves on the back, remember that the Democrats retained four U.S. House seats and picked up one more.
November 7th, 2008 at 7:54 am
I’m sorry, but the comment “The State Party’s job is to help fund federal candidates first and then help at the state level.” is just flat wrong. The NRCC is responsible for our congressional candidates, and they have been inept and in the case of two years ago, destructive. I can see why a lot of Arizonans don’t want to write a check to them.
As far as specifics of what the state party has done, look at the Northwest office opened in 26. We got Vic Williams to replace Hershberger, and just about got Marilyn in as well. I suspect had she not been delayed by the long vote counting process in the primaries or the death of her husband, she would have won the seat back.
Oh and Al Melvin won, something “moderates” said was impossible. The Northwest office had a lot to do with that.
Additionally, the state was very effective in recruiting and training good candidates, even in areas that we wouldn’t traditionally contest. I would suspect that those complaining the most about Pullen never set foot in any of these new offices to volunteer, so I guess they wouldn’t know.
Randy Pullen isn’t perfect, but to not give him credit for the state legislative races, but hold him accountable for the corporation commission races is idiotic.
And as far as Constantine vs. Nathan, there is no contest. Constantine wins and Nathan constantly gets beat like a rented mule. I know, was a victim. Let Nathan win something someday, then start picking our leadership and strategy.
November 7th, 2008 at 8:09 am
losing 3 CC seats.
Dan Saban Ads.
Case closed.
By the way- had matching funds been restricted this would have been a bloodbath. The Party had very little to do with the State wins.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:17 am
Roger,
Dems would trade all 3 CC seats for even one majority in either chamber in a second. They lost ground.
Spending had little to do with it as well. Democrats dropped just shy of 2 million. another 2 million would not have made the difference. The message was wrong, the candidates were wrong, and the strategy was wrong. Republicans had better candidates and better strategy.
I just showed you how the party helped in 26, there is more, but I am not inclined to share it, as it will be useful again in two years.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:23 am
hahaha. Who is Constantine? I think that CQ is writing in under a bunch of names to promote his name ID
November 7th, 2008 at 10:29 am
Framer has wisdom that is being shared here
November 7th, 2008 at 10:30 am
Randy Pullen for Arizona Democratic Party Chair! Pullen has helped win more races for the Democrats due to his own pettiness and lack of strategic focus.
Saban Ads for an incumbant who is 20 points up with ads that make any family blush? Check.
Doing nothing to help retain Republican held CD-1? Check.
Fighting against the ‘business elite’ and then calling them and begging them for money? Check. (sorry, you can’t publicly bash your donors and expect them to give).
Saying you oppose McCain venemently and call him a traitor before wearing the sash of support? Check.
Losing three Arizona Corporation Commission seats (that have been historically held by Republicans)? Check.
Having a 1/4 full (I was volunteering) phone bank on Election Day? Double check!
November 7th, 2008 at 10:38 am
The party did nothing to help the ACC candidates. Nothing. Zero. Maybe because two of them are considered “RINOs”? You think?
November 7th, 2008 at 10:44 am
That’s no excuse Susan S. None.
November 7th, 2008 at 10:56 am
Susan you sum it up perfectly. Let’s give three seats to Dems running on a “solar team” ticket because two of them don’t drink the same kool-aid.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Vic & Al were relentless in D 26 and their victories were well earned.
November 7th, 2008 at 11:54 am
I find it very interesting how these comments have gone from being about Nathan’s invite, to a discussion about what the State Party did or didn’t do.
I believe that we all want to make the party better but the problem has more to do with the Republican Party becoming what we object to in the Democrats.
We have now become the party of big spenders, we have become the party of criminals, and we have become the party of big government.
We need to go back to following the constitution, and getting back to the principals that made us great.
When we went to the center and skewed our ideas with theirs we lost. Not because one candidate was better than another but because people saw no difference. They voted for the best orr irater
There was no McCain coattails for anybody in this state to ride on. McCain didn’t spend time or money.
He abandoned the state that elected him to office, which aloud him to run for President just like he is abandoning Sarah Palin now.
November 7th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
Mesan…Well said!
Don’t forget a large grassroots that has been knocking on your door. Many many Ron Paul supporters want to help the Republican Party get back to it’s roots. But we have been shut out time and time again. However, we are still here offering help. Will you take it?
When you believe in Party over principle, you lose every time.
November 7th, 2008 at 2:19 pm
Regardless of what has happened with the party, i know one thing for certain – Sproul is not the guy to get us out of this mess. Has ever even won a race?
November 7th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
Oh, and it appears that Good Guy Bob Stump has pulled ahead of Solar George. So that Democratic Sweep thing may be a little premature.
If everyone was so ready to blame Pullen over a Stump loss, will you give him credit for a win?
I’m sure there is a Republican Constable somewhere in Pinal county that got defeated. Perhaps we should castigate the state party over that as well.
November 8th, 2008 at 12:19 am
I’ve had about enough of Nathan’s memos.
There’s much more I’d like to say about this but I’m going to sink to his level.
November 8th, 2008 at 1:29 am
Update. Stump won. He came back and beat Sam George!!!
November 8th, 2008 at 5:06 am
I have yet to hear anything but a political party affiliation to describe anything the state party did to help anyone. If being a figurehead is all it takes to be considered a success…then hey, we have had a long line of very successful chairman.
Gotta give Framer props for having some post mortem class, he knows better than to appear whining and petulant. Next time might be better and you don’t want to alienate the powers that be.
I’m laughing out loud that it is considered a sign of solid action that an ACC candidate with a good resume’ squeaked by a guy who had to change his name to avoid being associated with a lurid past….and the other 2 seats went D.
November 8th, 2008 at 4:50 pm
I’d like to hear from the candidates on whether or not the state party helped them. Melvin? Stump? Anyone out there who can give us a clue?
November 8th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Here’s a partial list: The party provides access to the Voter Vault, which can do more harm than good, as it’s full of old data. The party gives candidates a few hours of training. They will hang a candidate’s sign inside HQ. They will let candidates use their phone banks. They will say nice things about them in emails in the general election. They will give them a list of PC’s mailing addresses for $10.
Can anyone else add to this list?
November 8th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
You’re an idiot Wood. Add that to your list. GOP candidates won in the face of a massive headwind and massive Dem spending. You would have us believe the State Party’s efforts for the last years in terms of recruiting, training, IEs, etc. had nothing to do with that success. That makes you an idiot.
November 8th, 2008 at 10:11 pm
I would have you and other SA readers believe what I wrote, but I did ask, idiot that I am, for others to add to the list.
To GGOP’s more important point, can anyone name one winning R legislative candidate that was recruited by the state GOP in the last two years, meaning they’d never run for office before?
I would like to hear from the R winners, or better, from the R losers, whether the party helped them at all, and with what. Don’t take my word for it, let’s hear from them.
If the party did what it was supposed to do, people like Nathan would be out of work.
November 9th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Every minute we’re pointing fingers means we’re not strengthening our hand.
Get to work.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
JOE G ………
SPEAKING WISE WORDS FOR ALL OF US TO CONSIDER.
WE MUST BEGIN TO CHANGE NOT WHO WE ARE OR WHAT WE BELIEVE BUT HOW WE DO BUSINESS.
November 9th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
C’mon Guys !!!!
GGOP, Joe & Bruce….Think of how great the AZ GOP could be in the future if ONLY there were valid discussions about what is wrong NOW !!
Bruce, we appreciate everything you do but don’t force us to live in DENIAL any longer. The UofA should’ve addressed the Lute Olson problem a long time ago. All of the fans, boosters and insiders know that.
General Motors is dead because they refused to admit to any mistakes and see what 99% of us could see…no future unless they adapt their business model.
The State GOP situation is no different.
Our Party will not rise from the ashes unless we decide who and what we are & who and what we want to be when we grow up. We already know who everyone wants to be when they grow old.
The AZ GOP is broken, bifurcated and embarrassing. Let’s don’t talk about the Maricopa GOP. They’re worse. We shouldn’t have to answer our friends’, family & neighbors’ questions about our AZ GOP leadership w/ verbal asterisks, winks and disclaimers.
Our children & grandchildren shouldn’t have heard the word “masturbated” in a GOP commercial during the early local news show.
I had to answer that one several years too early….thanks to my fellow conservatives – are they dirty old men masquerading as puritans??? Makes me wonder.
When explaining what the “M word” is…….at least I was able to use a good pun…..”It means when a man keeps ‘Pullen’ on IT until something happens!”
Sounds prophetic to me. Something has happened & it’s not a good thing. We all might go blind if we don’t stop.
November 9th, 2008 at 3:19 pm
Dear Inside–
MANY GOOD POINTS MADE.
BESIDES THE OBVIOUS AMOUNT OF MENTAL MASTURBATION THAT GOES ON IN POLITICAL BLOGS AND TALK RADIO YOU ARE RIGHT THAT WE MUST IMMEDIATELY BEGIN CHANGING HOW WE DO BUSINESS IN THE GOP.
PLEASE ALLOW ME TO AIR A FEW IDEAS OUT HERE……
I AM OK WITH GETTING THINGS STARTED HERE. I AM ALSO WORKING WITH OTHER GOP LEADERS ACROSS THE USA BECAUSE I FEEL THE SAME AS YOU WE HAVE NO TIME TO LOSE IN FIXING WHAT AILS US.
TOO MUCH OF HOW THE PARTY IS RUN AND HOW WE DO OUR BUSINESS HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR SOME TIME. WE THOUGHT WE MIGHT STILL BE ABLE TO HANG ONTO THE WHITE HOUSE BUT OUR PROBLEMS ARE DEEP ENOUGH THAT MORE SYSTEMIC CHANGE IS NEEDED.
OUR PARTY’S CORE BELIEFS CONTINUE TO BE AS VALID IN 2008 AS WHEN GOP ICONS LIKE T ROOSEVELT,B BUCKLEY, B GOLDWATER, R REAGAN WERE ALIVE BUT OUR EXECUTION , MESSAGE, OUTREACH IS OUT DATED. SOME OF OUR NATION’S ELECTED LEADERS HAVE LET US DOWN AS THEY HAVE GONE “NATIVE” AND APPARENTLY FORGOTTEN WHO ELECTED THEM AND WHY THEY GOT OUR SUPPORT. THE CURRENT CROWD RUNNING THINGS AT THE RNC LEVEL HAVE A VESTED INTEREST IN KEEPING THEIR JOBS. WE NEED NEW MANAGEMENT AND A NEW DIRECTION FOR THE GOP . ONCE WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS WE WILL BE IN A EXCELLENT POSITION TO SEND OUR NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS OUT TO REPRESENT OUR PARTY IDEALS.
DO HAVE HAVE SUCH LEADERS? YOU BET……..FROM SARAH PALIN IN ALASKA TO MIKE PENCE IN INDIANA , KEVIN McCARTHY IN CA, BOBBY JINDAL IN LOUISIANA, PAUL RYAN IN WI TO MANY OF OUR OWN STATE’S LEADERS. WE HAVE MANY NEW LEADERS READY TO TAKE CHARGE.
FIRST, LET US FIX OUR PARTY. GET THE PLAN IN PLACE. RETURN TO RELEVANCY, CONCENTRATE ON OUR CORE BELIEFS, AND ABOVE ALL MAKE THE ARGUMENT SUCCESSFULLY ONCE MORE WHY WE SHOULD BE TRUSTED TO GOVERN. WHEN WE DO ALL THIS HARD WORK WE WILL HAVE GOD FOLKS SUCH AS YOURSELF WHO GET PASSIONATE ABOUT WORKING FOR THE GOP AGAIN.
BRUCE ASH
November 9th, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I’m with you Bruce!
November 9th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Bruce hit it on the head…but it starts with cleaning out the old tired divisive leadership that has put the thumbs down to anybody with an idea that wasn’t in a straight line with theirs. Pullen goes first. LD chairs who love to stir up a fight within go next.
November 9th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Yes, the Party did not help the ACC candidates, because they likely did not get an illegal contributin to earmark toward them like they did for Arpaio.
That, or they were not idealogically ‘pure’ enough. Heaven forbid someone does not agree with Pullen 100% of the time. Pullen changes his mind so dang often, it is hard to keep straight which line of bull he is feeding us.
November 10th, 2008 at 12:23 am
Could it be? Have the real grassroots finally found a voice and it is crying out for a release from the stranglehold that has tried to snuff out any discontent? Two years of a self-serving, pompous, out of touch clotheless emperor and his minions may be near its end. The people have learned to work around the hateful rhetoric, in spite of the efforts to control and quiet their concerns, and will prove to be ready for a future that has promise. We do not desire and will not tolerate being rendered irrelevant because a handful of short-sighted, ego driven, incompetent bullies stand in the way of future success.
November 10th, 2008 at 6:22 am
The Republican Party needs to get rid of members that are “Democrat light”. People only have passion to work for something that reflects the ideals that the party was founded on. When you have so called Republicans advocating big government and not protecting life, gun ownership and self reliance, you have nothing worth fighting for. The party needs to get back to basics or sit on the sidelines for years to come.
November 10th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
DeAnn, Amen!
November 10th, 2008 at 4:31 pm
If you read the GOP platform, one of the ideals of the party is not having to believe all the other ideals.
November 10th, 2008 at 4:32 pm
DeAnn & Chris,
DeAnn’s statement of: People only have passion to work for something that reflects the ideals that the party was founded on.
Which Republican Party do you both miss? Are you talking about the GOP of 1854, 1860, 1864, the Goldwater Era, the Reagan Era or the Bush’s?
I found these little “pieces of the platform” from years gone by in case it’s one of these:
from 1856: Resolved, That we invite the affiliation and cooperation of the men of all parties, however differing from us in other respects, in support of the principles herein declared; and believing that the spirit of our institutions as well as the Constitution of our country, guarantees liberty of conscience and equality of rights among citizens, we oppose all legislation impairing their security.
[The GOP I've known my entire adult life doesn't believe in this. Not in AZ !]
from 1860: SIXTH. That the people justly view with alarm the reckless extravagance which pervades every department of the federal government; that a return to rigid economy and accountability is indispensable to arrest the systematic plunder of the public treasury by favored partisans; while the recent startling developments of frauds and corruptions at the federal metropolis, show that an entire change of administration is imperatively demanded.
[The GOP has tried to preach this over and over to us but easy $$$ is such a seducer & the GOP leaders all take it when they can get it....even if they break every rule doing so. Yes the Dems do it too....but it's our commandment.]
from 1864: 8. Resolved, That foreign immigration, which in the past has added so much to the wealth, development of resources, and increase of power to this nation, —the asylum of the oppressed of all nations, —should be fostered and encouraged by a liberal and just policy.
[I'm speechless on this one. Have Randy Pullen & Tom Husband seen this? Maybe they're charter members of the "Know Nothing Party". See below.]
from the Know Nothing Party of the 1840s & 50s (they merged w/ the GOP by 1860):
The Know-Nothing Party intended to prevent Catholics and immigrants from being elected to political offices. Its members also hoped to deny these people jobs in the private sector, arguing that the nation’s business owners needed to employ true Americans.
The majority of Know-Nothings came from middle and working-class backgrounds. These people feared competition for jobs from immigrants coming to the United States. Critics of this party named it the Know-Nothing Party because it was a secret organization. Its members would not reveal the party’s doctrines to non-members. Know-Nothings were to respond to questions about their beliefs with, “I know nothing.” The Know-Nothing Party adopted the American Party as its official name in 1854. The Know-Nothing Party quickly grew in popularity in the North, where most recent immigrants to the United States resided.
So…….SA readers……………
****** Which GOP should now reign supreme ???
November 10th, 2008 at 7:09 pm
Wow inside out…that is sobering research.
We need a “do over”
November 10th, 2008 at 9:22 pm
RE: Pullen, Constantine, Sproul et al.
I reserved comments on the various players until the results came in. Apparently the GOP kept one CC seat after all and there were clear gains in the state house and perhaps one in the state senate.
It is clear that the top of the party – ie the RNC and RNCCC – via direct aid and from the Cong delegation itself at least adequately supported the Bee campaign as evidenced by the long list of appearances in an earlier post. Locally the legislative candidates were asked/cajoled not to use the governor’s budget as an issue to cover for Bee on this issue and I believe most complied. I was also told that a big split amongst the three GOP candidates in 26 was causing a single shot war which all three denied. I followed that with a joint appearance with them on INSIDE TRACK and they got along amiably. I suspected that someone was trying to stir a pot and hopefully I helped turn off the burner.
The three principle Congressional campaigns were not apparently injured by the state party and resources from elsewhere – including funds channeled to the Pima County Party – were available. That we lost all three is clear. That the CD8 margin was as great as two years ago leaves you with three possibilities:
1. Giffords resembles Joan of Arc and cannot be beaten.
2. Bee was a bad candidate.
3. The Bee campaign sucked.
I personally reject the first two options.
The three CC seats, with all deference to the candidates, were hardly the most relevant items on the ticket. All three were of less strategic importance than one house or senate seat if it was the one that gave control.
After the Battle of the Marne in 1914 when the French miraculously held the Germans back everyone wondered who had won it for them. The French Commander, Marshall Joffre, replied that he didn’t know who won it but he knew who everyone would have blamed if it had been lost.
It is hard to beat up Pullen and company when you GAIN seats where needed in a tough year.
Sproul is another matter. 105, 202, the Pearce fiasco – why would anybody pay attention to whom he takes to lunch? His track record both from this cycle and the last two is pathetic. He’s just a money pit for business guys who should know better by now.
Please note that I failed to philosophically rail about who the real conservatives are. Most of those posting here are hardly liberals. But philosophy without a competent political framework is pointless. That many claiming relative moderation seem to lack ability even more than some of the hard-liners is evident.
EF
November 10th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I’ll take the Reagan Era of small government. Thank you. I’m all for immigration, just not illegal immigration (yes, I know Reagon made a mistake on amnesty). The main point is “should be fostered and encouraged by a liberal and just policy”. I don’t have a problem with letting a “liberal” amount of people in legally, but it is not “just” to let people come illegally into the county, take jobs, get free healthcare, etc.
I also welcome people into the party, but they should conform to the party platform, not pretend they are Republicans just to get elected in a Republican state. What is the point of having parties if we don’t have any beliefs in common?
November 10th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
Yeah, Steve Pierce beat O’Halleran but few here hold that example up because it was considered expensive. Why? If we can learn one thing from the 2008 elections, isn’t raising and spending every dollar possible is the very definition of “competent political framework?” If you want to keep pinching pennies and trying to win elections with public CCEC money go ahead, but if you want to be effective run a real campaign.
November 11th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Above from “Wooden teeth” a tad unclear, but dead on about the “clean election” crap. The recent court decision further diminishes its usefulness by eliminating the match for opponent’s funds. More important, it was wrong for some conservatives to game the system with it to begin with. They’ll have to learn to write checks and fund raise like the big boys do.
And congratulations to my good friend Frank Antenori, State Rep elect,R-30 a principled conservative who went all the way without ever taking a government handout, and further acted as a plaintiff in the above lawsuit.
Conservatives need to lead the charge on repealing this monster all together, instead of continuing to milk it.
EF
December 13th, 2008 at 10:26 am
[...] who was the driving force between Kirk Adams’ ouster of House Speaker Jim Weiers, and Nathan Sproul, each of whom spoke at length about what DeMenna called ““…a grassroots fight for the [...]