RESOLUTION WOULD FORCE “REPUBLICANS” TO SUPPORT THEIR OWN PLATFORM
|| By FITSNEWS || We gave up on the “Republican” party a long time ago. Rhetoric aside, the vast majority of its members are utterly indistinguishable from Democrats. In fact they’re worse, because they claim to adhere to a certain set of principles … which they then habitually betray.
Anyway, we made a clean break from the GOP … but others haven’t. They still believe the party is worth saving – and that it can be saved. All that’s needed, they believe, is some sort of mechanism by which “Republicans” can be held accountable to their rhetoric. A way of making what GOP politicians “do” more synonymous with what they “say.”
That’s the genesis of a “draft resolution” being circulated in advance of this year’s GOP conventions in South Carolina …
Written by conservative activist Ron Tamaccio (at the behest of several of his colleagues in the reform movement), this draft resolution – a copy of which has been obtained by FITS – refers to the SCGOP platform as “a continuing statement about the foundational principles on which the Party is based.”
According to the resolution, GOP voters “expect Republican legislators and Party Officials to embrace and support those principles.” More specifically, Tamaccio says there’s a “legitimate expectation that legislators who were elected as ‘Republicans,’ should consistently vote to support legislation that enacts the principles contained in the Republican Party Platform.”
Hard to argue that, right?
“Walk the walk,” in other words.
So … what would happen in the event “Republican” lawmakers didn’t support such legislation? And continued to reject their own platform in favor of bigger (and bigger) government?
According to Tamaccio’s resolution, this would qualify as “an intolerable breach of loyalty” – one exposing the lawmakers in question to “disciplinary action.” Among the envisioned punishments? Written public censure for misconduct, prohibition from using the Republican “brand” for political activity and expulsion from party.
Interesting …
Again, we believe the GOP to be beyond salvation. Stigmatized beyond redemption. But Tamaccio’s efforts (like his efforts in support of real transportation funding reform) are commendable – if for no other reason than they attempt to inject some real accountability into a political process utterly devoid of consequences for deception and dishonesty.
Good for him … and shame on any “Republicans” who opposes pledging themselves to their own platform.
30 comments
Getting back to [R] ? … as in rino ?
Why do the republicans have to keep signing crap. Contract with America, Grover Norquist’s pledge not to raise taxes, etc. Should do the job they are elected to do and represent the American citizens. Too much money spent on elections by corporate donors.
this is different in that it has real teeth. its not just a pledge they sign and if they break it they might lose some campaign contributions. This would be the GOP cleaning house and expelling all of the opportunists who use the [R] to get votes.
Frankly this should be a rule nationally and locally for any political party. I for one dont agree with the party concept and think everyone should have to fend for themselves based on their own merit, but the whole argument for parties is that when you have an obscure candidate for an obscure office and you see a party designation next to their name its supposed to help you know what their positions are. If there is no repercussion for not sticking to the party platform then all you have is people saying they are republican or democrats so that people that dont know better will vote for them regardless of their history….
that being said, how do they plan on enforcing this unless all votes are rollcall (another thing i think should be required at all levels)
Great idea but too pie-in-the-sky for the reality of SCGOP . Graham deserves all of the listed punishments but won with 53% of the vote over six better candidates. Reality is reality.
Stupid idea. Purity tests never work. Anyway, elected officials answer to their voters not the party. If you don’t like the way an officeholder votes don’t waste time and energy on a meaningless purity test, RUN AGAINST THEM.
Today’s Lesson from the Bible… from Genesis:
“And God promised men that good and obedient wives would be found in all corners of the earth.”
Then He made the earth round…and He laughed and laughed and laughed!
One has only to read this blog to grasp that Libertarianism is far, far, far more rigidly – to the point of pathology? – dogmatic and ideological than anything any successful ( i.e, actually electing candidates) political party comes up with as ‘platforms’. So, of course, the Libertarian wing of the once GOP would love cornering GOP candidates into fealty to their ideology.
There was once a time in American politics when the capacity of a politician to be an independent thinker – or, a thinker, at all – was highly respected.
Today, the con-servative voting population wants only candidates who memorize talking points, sign pledges that supersede their oaths of office and pass litmus tests on one issue after another. Then, they wonder what’s wrong with the country.
” successful ( i.e, actually electing candidates)”
If the measure of success is electing candidates & not if they are successful in their position, then you would be right.
It’s a debatable metric though.
Aside from that though, how is that you bemoan independence of thought in once sentence but earlier bash those that are “ideological”?
Your whole message seems confused.
The worse it looks for Hillary, the more FITS talks about the “trouble” he sees in the GOP…
Sorry to bust your bubble FITS…but the Republican front-runners don’t need to sign a pledge. Their credentials are solid Conservative.
Your hope to stick us w/ another McCain are non-existent. FITS moderates don’t win national elections. People KNOW it will take a VERY firm CONSERVATIVE, true to his/her values, to clean up the horrible mess the Democrats have made…
If we run the right candidate, you have no chance…if we don’t…the Republicans have no chance…and the suffering for the American people will continue…
I think you are the right candidate. You should run.
There are some Republicans running that I have A LOT of confidence in. No need to run. They’ll represent me well.
But if you are an Obama fan, and claim he has done a GREAT job…you should take your own advice, and run…
Not too many blissful enough to try to run on Obama’s record…but I see some on this site who claim Obama’s been superb.
“There are some Republicans running that I have A LOT of confidence in. No need to run. They’ll represent me well.”
Lol…Larry, Moe, and curly are Republicans? Who knew??
Your ONE and ONLY Candidate is Hillary…LMAO….
Please,Please Run her…
I’m SCARED to Death you’re going to indict her, and not put up as your post-Obama savior…
I’ll be honest with you, T: I voted for Obama but do not claim he has done a GREAT job. He has done some good, but he hasn’t been as good as I had hoped for.
Hopefully you’ll be a little more open-minded in 2016…
I’m very open minded. For example, I think you and your boyfriend should be able to enjoy the same marital rights and privileges as everyone else.
If I had a boyfriend, he and I have HAD EVERY right and privilege as GUARANTEED by the US Constitution for US Citizens…
And : we could have gotten married years ago, w/o any government intrusion into our union……even though most people I know in the gay lifestyle have NO intention to get married…because of the Buzz-Kill that the assumed monogamy is.
And if I were homosexual…I should NOT have the right to redefine the institution of marriage, based on what I do in my bedroom, and my political persuasion.
I DON’T WANT, nor am I entitled to EXTRA rights and privileges because the pop culture decides they need a cause-de-jour…
Hope you’re not THAT F*#king stupid either…and you’ll join me to vote for reason and sanity..instead of liberal ignorance and arrogance.
Every day I am more proud that I am an independant
As it stands these days the Democratic plaform is just too damn liberal and the Republican Platform (in the way that purists want it to be) are just plain self-righteous smug assholes who are full of themselves.
Will the republican party still exist in 15 years? Hell, even Jeb Bush says he’s Hispanic now.
He’s not? I thought he was born in Mexico?
When is Will Folks going to sign the “Libertarian” pledge and stop using government services, such as public schools?
If they did that, they wouldn’t get the chance to govern.
You mean they govern?
They want the chance – so they can squander it.
Dumbest idea I have seen from a Republican in awhile, and that is saying something.
Then again, this is from the same Party that believes a Woman doesnt have the right to choice, should be subjected to vaginal probs of a non-erotic nature, wants to discriminate against gays and lesbians, likes people losing insurance for pre-existing conditions, proposes deporting 11 million people and their kids and wants to spend $800 billion to have a 500 ship Navy. So, I dunno – dumb is their thing.
So locally, if Boeing was getting an order from say Lan Chile, for 6 planes, based on a generous Ex-Import Bank loan, but the Party platform was to kill the Export – Import bank, but Sanford voted to extend the bank, then Sanford would committed “an intolerable breach of loyalty” At the national level, if the Party platform is to no allow illegals access to Green Card and a pathway to citizenship, and they should be deported, then Jeb Bush, who supports comprehensive reform, would have committed ” “an intolerable breach of loyalty.” OK, makes sense.
Dumb
Stupid
Ridiculous
Todd has been arrested. I guess ya’ll knew that already though.