Has the GOP Establishment Forgotten about the Grassroots?
August 29, 2012 at 11:25 am in News by Tea Party Patriots 25 Comments
Last week, it came to light that the Romney campaign and the leadership of the Republican National Committee (RNC) was intent on disenfranchising delegates from a number of states that Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX) did well in or won. As described by Jazz Shaw at Hot Air at the above link, while the RNC understandably desires a single, united voice against President Obama, undercutting state voters is not acceptable:
But the idea of allowing the nominee to “vet” the delegates from each state party and essentially hand pick the most compliant is certainly disturbing. In the end, the convention is not the show for the candidate to run, but rather the time for the individual state parties to officially anoint the winner. And if they have comments to include or issues to debate, that’s their right.
While the RNC did backpedal, this process has infuriated many in the Republican grassroots. In discussions with a delegate at a Tampa restaurant two nights ago, I was told that Maine was disenfranchised even though the RNC ranked the Maine process a 9 out of 10 in the quality of the election process. Additionally, there are several examples of quid pro quo where state-level RNC officials supported the RNC’s efforts, and were given certain positions shortly afterward.
Unfortunately, even after walking back its initial efforts, the RNC still hasn’t gotten the message that it needs the conservative grassroots. This was shown in a speech by RNC Chairman Reince Preibus last evening, when Preibus gave full credit to the Republican resurgence in 2010 and 2012 to Republicans allegedly holding to campaign promises once in office. Never mind the inability of congressional Republicans to cut spending, or fight for legitimate tax reform, or the Senate minority leadership’s unwillingness to fully challenge the health care law. All despite campaign promises.
One has to wonder if Preibus was paying attention for the last three years. Yes, Republicans won in 2010. But more importantly, conservatives won in 2010. The Tea Party’s grassroots protests were turned into effective political action. In 2010, millions of Tea Party conservatives led to the largest turnover in the House of Representatives in over 50 years, and partially upended the bipartisan establishment in the Senate. This was not because of an overwhelming support for Republicans – not by a long shot. And this year, Republicans are not winning because they are “holding to principle.” They are winning because Tea Party Patriots and other grassroots groups across the nation recognize the importance of overturning the health care law, and stopping the insane level of debt that has accumulated under both President Bush & President Obama.
One of the major goals of the conservative grassroots this year is to overturn the President’s health care law. It is not to kowtow to the corrupt wishes of the Republican National Committee. Holding both parties accountable to principle and promise is a non-partisan issue, and one that Tea Party Patriots takes seriously.
Just as Jesus endured hardship and opposition the Tea Party must endure…not throw a tantrum and stomp our feet. Trudge on. We have made huge progress in the last 3 yrs. We know what we stand for and nothing worthwhile comes easily.
Finally, an intelligent response/reaction. We can get to the GOP problem later. This is not the time to grab our toys and go home.
I agree. The RNC was wrong to in their effort to disenfranchise delegates. Even though the person may not have won the election they should have been represented by their delegates. It shows manipulation and an unfair policy. I realize they want the people to support the party in a united manor, but attempting to shut out the supporters of other candidates is sending the wrong message. The Grass Roots effort is what changed things in the last election and the Party needs to pay heed to our abilities. We are tired of the ways of the past and the Candidates NOT representing the people, but rather just their party.
This really upsets me- however, revenge is dish best served cold. We need Tea Party Patriots to run for office at all levels and win! Many PCO slots around the country go unfilled. We can (must) take over the Republican party from within, and make it more responsive to the grassroots!
We must either Focus on taking administrative control of the RNC or take all Conservative support and money away from it and shore up the Conservative party or go Nationwide with a new one.. gut the RNC and leave them to march the way of the Whigs
The RNC must realize they do not speak for the Tea Party, common sense Conservatives. The progessive liberal democrats and the drive by media (I know, one and the same) thought the tea party was dead and evidently so did Preibus, well they are all wrong. There is no more status quo, they either change with us or get out of our way. Look at the convention speeches yesterday, that was a different Republican Party, the party of the future. Tonight will be the status quo RINO’s, they are on their way to extinction. We, the people, are fighting for our Republic and we are not going away. “Vigilance is indeed the price of Freedom.” George Washington
Don’t forget, the Paulbots don’t speak for the Tea Party, either. Nor should the Tea Party be punished for the actions of the Paulbots.
Ron Paul would not have gotten my vote and many others have said the same and we are supporters of the TEA Party. I thought Mr. Paul was rather ridiculous in his interview on Fox News.
Stop causing problems and take Baby Steps.
I believe that what the Republican part is trying to do is unify conservatives. I think people have their positions in life and in politics all backward. I am a Christian first, an American second, a Republican third, and a Tea Party supporter fourth. A collectively speaking a conservative. As such our mantra must be OMG – Obama Must Go! Let’s get our collective act together and get Romney in the White House, we can work with that. We can’t work with Obama. Rhetoric inciting further division within our party while the other side is SUCCESSFULLY creating a larger voter base of govenment dependent citizens WILL NOT WORK!
Unify conservatives??? That is laughable. If they were trying to unify conservatives, they wouldn’t have had a RINO-fest of a convention. After the election, this party is over.
I never felt that any of Ron Paul’s success was TEA Party related – he has had his backers before the TEA Party came to light. Though I agree that in this election, we have do everything we can to defeat Obama, the TEA Party needs to overhaul the GOP or gut it and create a new conservative party. I am sick and tired of RINOs like John Boehner and a bunch of others that kowtow to the left in the name of “compromise”. Giving up the citizen’s fundamental rights is not compromise, and the GOP has tended to go along with a lot of that over the last 20 years. It has to stop and it has to be reversed – the pendulum has swung too far to the left.
Now that the RINOs are being defeated election by election, the RNC establishment pulled this tactic that makes them more in line with the Soviet Central Committee, where only the elites get to choose what our choices are.
It’s time for us to bring the actions of these people to light and send them packing. Give them no rest, no quarter, no peace, force them OUT!
As long as they can present elections as a choice between ONLY the two major party candidates, and convince people to vote for the lesser of two evils, the ‘Republicans” (who are actually ‘progressives’) can ignore everyone except their core supporters.
That’s not a very big percentage of the electorate anymore, but lots of Independents, Libertarians and Constitutionalists will hold their noses and vote for whatever lame RINO ‘progressive’ the “Republicans” nominate.
This enables the “Republicans” to continue ignoring everyone except their ‘progressive’ core.
It also ensures that we will see more growth in the size, scope and cost of government, and more loss of our liberties.
This is the reason i am here, and joined today. This country was built on the concept that freedom was possible, this latest act has made it clear to me that $$$$ and influence will try to trump that freedom every time it gets a chance. To reach down and take one of the fundamental freedoms away with a voice vote that sounded EXTREMELY equal to me but was decided before it was ever taken makes my blood boil! The reps. have gotten my vote EVERY time till now, they will get my vote in the future as well unless there is a tea party candidate that has a chance but i will never again know who i am voting for before i know who the candidate is! This country is a next step of the 1000s of years path toward freedom, it would be unthinkable to me to be part of a group that set that path on a backward path
TEA PARTY TO GOP: WE BUILT YOUR MAJORITY !
Tuesday’s theme at the Republican National Convention was “We Built It,” but the night’s speakers did not reference or mention the Tea Party movement that built the current Republican majority in the House during the 2010 midterm elections and infused a party that seemed all but moribund after the 2008 elections and the latter part of George W. Bush’s presidency with enthusiasm, life, confidence, money, manpower, purpose, and a little swagger.
On Wednesday, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who, like his father, Ron, is one of the most prominent symbols of the Tea Party movement that revolted in part against the spending habits of Republicans and Democrats during the last decade, addressed the RNC.
But even Paul did not explicitly mention or make note, by name, of the Tea Party movement.
This has left many Tea Partiers to wonder if the Romney campaign and the RNC are deliberately trying to disassociate the Republican and Romney brands on the national stage from the Tea Party brand that has given them momentum against Obama. Tea Party members were also perturbed, to say the least, that the RNC passed rules concerning delegate selection and convention rules that stripped power away from the grassroots on Tuesday.
“Their words and their actions speak for themselves,” Jenny Beth Martin, co-founder of the influential Tea Party Patriots wrote. “The term ‘tea party’ appears to have been banned from the convention.”
This strategy is very risky for Romney and Republicans for three reasons. read the rest of this story at:http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/08/29/Rand-Paul-Tea-Party-To-GOP-We-Built-Your-Majority .
By not inviting Sarah Palin to speak at the convention, it is percieved by many that the RNC is giving the giant middle finger to the TEA Party Movement.
I think that the 4 senate candidates who won their seats due to Tea Party support, Rand Paul, Ted Cruz, Scott Walker and Nikki Haley (and even Marco Rubio to a smaller extent) should at least have mentioned the smaller government values of the Tea Party. I feel pretty disillusioned that the Republican Party is still conducting business-as-usual.
Has business-as-usual changed at your local GOPs? Don’t expect any change Nationally until you get local and state GOPs on board. I know it is difficult to do. We are not yet fully in-synch but we did manage to get our old fart stubborn County Chairman voted out. Our new chairman is a member of our Tea Party and is open to building a relationship between our organizations. This is going to be a long process and we need to persist.
We must stand up for our US Constitution. We must push for limited government, Free markets, Fiscal responsibility! This is what is important. The social issues are important don’t get me wrong, however, we need to unite in upholding the Constitution, Free markets, fiscal responsibility, limited government! UNITE AND WE WIN!
We must write, email, call and visit our Congressmen, Senators and let them know how we feel and what is important to us.
Have a great day!
Please help me to understand why all the members of the different Tea Parties are not livid over the Republican voter suppression laws. At last count, there were 11 states and 4 pending. Isn’t the Tea Party all about protecting the US constitution? Come on, show some backbone. Live up to your ideals. This is about as anti-US constitution as you can get!!!
Will this action finally be the action that spurs the third party split initiative? So many in the Grassroots movement fought to keep that idea at bay until the 2012 election came and went. Does this Convention action result in the official end of the two party system for 2014? Just asking friends…not letting on to my opinion here.
Having new and fresh ideas are the life blood of the American democracy. Holding steadfast to the ideals born of those fresh ideas is a position worthy of being honored. But, not listening to all positions and making informed decisions based on that knowledge as an electorate is a descent into madness. To not be able to talk with respect and dignity to our fellow Americans, to not be able to find common ground may be the single biggest threat to our democracy and this country since it’s birth as a nation. Not some perceived threat from this president, or any president, from left wing Democrats or from right wing Republicans. When sane, rationale compromise between two disparate groups as are our politcal parties, is somehow cast aside as conspiracy by one side or another all of our freedoms are at risk. Want to end tyranny? Reach accross the aisle, walk accross your streeet and shake your neighbors hand, find out what they think and why they think it. Have a discussion. It is why this country has always been the great melting pot of not only people, but of great ideas. We are all Americans, and this is why we fight for and have always faught for this American dream, this real american Dream.
Has anyone heard about that new movie Blood Bodies and Oil, it blames France and Germany for the Iraq war?
It also accuses Obama and the Dems of being Euro Socialists losers. I saw the trailer should I buy the movie and play it for my Lib friends? It gets lonely being a real Conservative amongst a bunch of pan handling liberal friends! I saw the trailer at this website here… http://www.bloodbodiesandoil.com
Did you know that “Social” Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Hospitals and Military Hospitals are socialist programs? Did you know that rule by the rich is called a Plutocrasy? Did you know that is also called an Oligarchy? Did you know that austerity is destroying the European economy? Are you really a conservative, or do you just not know what the heck is going on?
What are you doing to protest the voter suppression in various states by the mainstream Republicans? What are you doing to help promote the Tea Parties in forming a real party with their own candidates, rather than be the lap dogs of the GOP or “Knuckle Draggers” (Troglodytes) as Boehner refers to you as being?
I recently learned of a candidate that seems to be perfect for all the different Tea Parties to unite behind. His name is Virgil Goode of the Constitution Party. Find out more about him. If you like him, write him in this November, because he may not appear on most ballots. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgil_Goode
Thanks, “Wake Up Call”, Republicans just need us to go out and knock doors. They have no intention of doing anything we want. We are being used. We need to totally not support any party and just work to push both parties towards sensible resolution of this counties problems. I am going to look for independents to vote for.