Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Chafee Wins Primary
I watched closely last night as the returns poured in from Rhode Island's precincts. As I had predicted, Lincoln Chafee survived, much to the chagrin of conservatives like Save the GOP who supported his opponent, Steve Laffey.
I have a couple of comments. First, if conservatives want to challenge moderates (which might be generous in the case of Chafee), they need to present actual conservatives as opponents. Laffey was not exactly a conservative, as I have pointed out on several of the national blogs over the past few months. He has a record of raising taxes, and that does not represent a conservative philosophy of governance. I didn't support Laffey because he looked like a moderate to me. He might have been more conservative than Chafee, but that still doesn't make him conservative. We could argue over whether Hillary Clinton or John Kerry is more conservative, but that still doesn't make either a conservative.
Second, Laffey's record isn't stopping the media from framing this as a major conservative defeat. Of course, that's what they want. Whatever...
Third, any conservative who ever gives a dime from this point on to the Republican National Committee is a traitor to the very ideology that makes him or her a conservative. The RNC's involvement in this primary was disgraceful. The White House, Elizabeth Dole, the NRSC - they all should pay for specifically targeting what they believed to be a conservative challenge to a man who proudly refused to support the War on Terror or the Bush tax cuts. Whether Laffey is a conservative for this argument is irrelevant; the RNC thought he was one, and we saw how they made every effort to take him out.
Am I mad? Extremely. It makes me think that conservatives might have to suffer short term losses to free ourselves of the shackles that the RNC has placed on us. The only way that the RNC can be taught a lesson is through the loss of political power, and that starts with the balance of power in the Congress in 2006.
Funny. RNC involvement in Rhode Island might be the tipping point as to where my vote is cast in Tennessee in November.
Defeating the liar Harold Ford is an important cause. Ousting the establishment that has corrupted the Republican National Committee and made conservatives the slave class of the Republican Party may be a more important goal.
I have a couple of comments. First, if conservatives want to challenge moderates (which might be generous in the case of Chafee), they need to present actual conservatives as opponents. Laffey was not exactly a conservative, as I have pointed out on several of the national blogs over the past few months. He has a record of raising taxes, and that does not represent a conservative philosophy of governance. I didn't support Laffey because he looked like a moderate to me. He might have been more conservative than Chafee, but that still doesn't make him conservative. We could argue over whether Hillary Clinton or John Kerry is more conservative, but that still doesn't make either a conservative.
Second, Laffey's record isn't stopping the media from framing this as a major conservative defeat. Of course, that's what they want. Whatever...
Third, any conservative who ever gives a dime from this point on to the Republican National Committee is a traitor to the very ideology that makes him or her a conservative. The RNC's involvement in this primary was disgraceful. The White House, Elizabeth Dole, the NRSC - they all should pay for specifically targeting what they believed to be a conservative challenge to a man who proudly refused to support the War on Terror or the Bush tax cuts. Whether Laffey is a conservative for this argument is irrelevant; the RNC thought he was one, and we saw how they made every effort to take him out.
Am I mad? Extremely. It makes me think that conservatives might have to suffer short term losses to free ourselves of the shackles that the RNC has placed on us. The only way that the RNC can be taught a lesson is through the loss of political power, and that starts with the balance of power in the Congress in 2006.
Funny. RNC involvement in Rhode Island might be the tipping point as to where my vote is cast in Tennessee in November.
Defeating the liar Harold Ford is an important cause. Ousting the establishment that has corrupted the Republican National Committee and made conservatives the slave class of the Republican Party may be a more important goal.
Permalink posted by Rob Huddleston @ 8:05 AM 
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Rob,
I can appreciate and sympathize with your anger and frustration. I have started three different times today to write an entry about the disallusioned and disheartened state of the DNC. Each time I have gotten too angry to continue. Both parties are beginning to disintegrate before all our eyes, under the guise of misplaced short-term goals. Even I agree that you should not toss aside your integrity to make a statement at the polls this November. Fried Green Tomato Vote for the right reasons, then rebuild your party house from within. You will have my respect for it.
I can appreciate and sympathize with your anger and frustration. I have started three different times today to write an entry about the disallusioned and disheartened state of the DNC. Each time I have gotten too angry to continue. Both parties are beginning to disintegrate before all our eyes, under the guise of misplaced short-term goals. Even I agree that you should not toss aside your integrity to make a statement at the polls this November. Fried Green Tomato Vote for the right reasons, then rebuild your party house from within. You will have my respect for it.
We have moved into an era of fragmentation and disintegration. This will be good in terms of some things you mention here, Rob, but overall it is disastrous, and there is much the American people will miss when it is gone.
Terry is right-from losses like Ford come greatness like Reagan. Perhaps a loss will teach the right people the right lesson-who knows?
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