Topdown Communication by White House Leads to Arizona Revolt

GOPUSA ^ | 25 January 2004 | Dennis Durband

[Spiff]

Topdown Communication by White House Leads to Arizona Revolt

By Dennis Durband
GOPUSA
January 25, 2004

Top-down communication without the inclusions of lateral and bottom-up communication is a sure recipe for organizational failure.

Organizations that value communication from management, subordinates, customers and a wide range of publics are more likely to be vibrant, successful entities.

What are we seeing in the Republican Party, regarding the border invasion? Paternalistic, top-down communication. We talk; you listen.

We are seeing a disconnect between the grassroots level and the upper levels of the party. The words of the people, precinct committeemen and district chairmen have for several months gone unheeded. Opinion polls strongly favoring PAN have been ignored by the party. The White House, the Republican National Committee and Arizona GOP are trying to force unpopular policy down the throats of the party base.

The upper brass favors a guest worker program that many people believe amounts to nothing more than amnesty for lawbreakers. ''Trust us,'' say the big boys. ''Protect our citizens and our sovereignty,'' say the common folks. This is a classic disconnect.

It is no wonder then that this volatile situation boiled over at the AZ GOP executive board meeting Saturday. AZ GOP Chairman Bob Fannin has been calling for unity and support for the president.

Some of the state's district chairmen had had enough, and they read Fannin the riot act. Instead of forcing an unpopular policy down the people's throats, they said, Fannin should use his position to relay to the White House the strong disapproval for amnesty on the grassroots level.

Fannin's days are numbered as AZ GOP chairman. It is likely that former Gov. Fife Symington will be approached -- if he hasn't already -- about running for election as AZ GOP chairman next year. That's when Fannin's two-year term runs out. Fannin had also placed himself on thin ice for trying to mainstream the pro-abortion WISH List into the pro-life GOP. As a result, there are now 500 anti-WISH List lapel stickers in circulation at party meetings.

The lesson to the story is that the Republican Party needs to take in opinions and information from below and give rank and file Republicans legitimate consideration -- as opposed to dictating unpopular policy on an unwilling constituency. The White House had better start listening to the people and re-thinking its position, because a lot of Republicans are saying Bush will not get their vote as things currently stand. The White House can choose this day whom it will serve. If the White House gets behind PAN, Arizona is in the bag for the president's re-election chances. It's that simple.

Notes

The two state representatives who serve as senior advisors to the Protect Arizona Now (PAN) initiative are both thinking about running for Congress.

Rep. Randy Graf, of D30 and Green Valley, may decide to oppose Cong. Jim Kolbe in Congressional District 8. Kolbe, Sen. John McCain and Cong. Jeff Flake are co-sponsoring a guest worker program that has greatly angered conservatives. Incidentally, the District 8 precinct captains attending the state GOP convention in Mesa Saturday, voted by a margin of 54-20 to support the PAN initiative -- a direct rebuke of Cong. Kolbe.

Rep. Russell Pearce, of D18 and Mesa, has been urged to oppose Cong. Flake in this year's election. Stan Barnes has already declared for the same race. Pearce believes that if he enters the race, the non-Flake vote may get diluted in a two-way battle with Barnes. Pearce is much more popular than Barnes and may be able to mount a serious challenge to Flake.

Candidacies by Graf and Pearce would undoubtedly be opposed with all the weight and financial resources of the White House and the RNC. Which takes us back to the disconnect subject we started with. We saw how ruthless the president's senior advisor, Karl Rove, can be when he made deeply disturbing threats against Republican congressmen who opposed the president's Medicare bill a couple months ago.

***

Sen. Jon Kyl told me Saturday he is hoping for more recess appointments by President Bush. The senator said any future appointments would have to involve judges who are not opposed to going through the confirmation process again after the recess appointment expires.

[nonliberal]

Good point.

[nonliberal]

#25 Modified

Isn't it strange how the open-borders free traders forget all their principles when it comes to pricey pharmaceuticals when they are being paid off by the insurance companies.

[nonliberal]

CFR was strike one, the prescription drug bill was strike two, a 29.1% increase in general government spending was strike three, the Kennedy drafted education bill was strike four, Billions for AIDS in Africa was strike five, constantly calling Islam a Religion of Peace despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary was strike six.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

An issue that ciuts strongly against Bush with Arizona Republicans is drug reimportation. The retirees who are the backbone of this state's GOP are incensed that Bush would rather add $400 billion to Medicare taxes than allow them to buy their prescriptions from Mexico and other low-cost providers on the open market.

Same here in Vegas. I have a friend in a retirement community and all are ticked off. They wanted price restrictions, not a huge taxpayer subsidy to the Drug Companies that are ripping them off.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

You miss the point, Bommer. If the Employers are taken to task...having RICO laws cover them as well and/or mandatory jailtime, they'll stop hiring illegals. Dry up the jobs and then dry up the taxpayer subsidies. Cut off the foodstamps, housing assistance, medical care education, and anchor babies. They'll deport themselves with ZERO cost to the taxpayers. In fact, we'll save literally Billions per year.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Isn't it strange how the open-borders free-traders forget all their principles when it comes to pricey pharmaceuticals?

It's very revealing. Free Trade is a one way street...when it benefits Business. Consumers have to be corraled and forced to pay whatever Uncle Tyrant says they'll pay.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

I'm sitting on three donation request letters just received from Republicans and the White House. I plan on sending them back without any contribution and a brief note as to why.

Ditto. LOL I've yet to hear back from them. It reminds me of the surveys I'm sent. Not one mention of illegals or the immigration issue. I refuse to fill them out and add my own list of priorities. That list begins with Jobs for Americans and the importation of foreign workers and illegals situation.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

It hasn't even made it INTO Congress

We don't want it to go that far. Go to any politican group..most of them give a report card on our Congressmen. See how they vote on the issue. If it comes before them, it will be passed unless we can stop it! (numbersUSA.com has a list.) If they won't listen to us as our reps, then we'll be forced to vote in people who will. If they want to be re-elected they had better listen.

[B4Ranch]

strike six.

3 more and we change teams! Doesn't he know when to quit throwing them strikes at us?

[Hoverbug]

Perot ain't runnin'.

It's amnesty.

Hb

[ETERNAL WARMING]

but, what will we do with all the empty schools, jails, n emergency rooms???

LOL I don't know, but I'd like to find out. I expect American citizens will get not only a better education but faster emergency room treatment as well. And the price tag will be slashed. Ahhhh.

[BlazingArizona]

Same here in Vegas. I have a friend in a retirement community and all are ticked off. They wanted price restrictions, not a huge taxpayer subsidy to the Drug Companies that are ripping them off.

I don't think "price restrictions" are the answer either. Whden I need a memory chip for my computer, I can click on websites anywhere in the world and have it shipped to me at competitive world-market prices. Why can't I do the same with a prescription for Lipitor? How can a Republican justify having the FDA, which is supposed to be tasked with inspecting drugs for quality, be in charge of preventing Americans from buying on the open market?

[BenR2]

But the President would have fixed everything in the 2nd term. Guaranteed!........../sarcasm


///////////
Oh, wow! If I had only KNOWN!

[gipper81]

Pan2004.com

[Hoverbug]

Yep, we came THIS close (holding fingers 1/8 inch apart) and would have made it too if you'd a voted for us. But if ya vote for us NEXT time, why, we'll (fill in the blank with what they want to hear)

Hb

[Map Kernow]

The upper brass favors a guest worker program that many people believe amounts to nothing more than amnesty for lawbreakers. ''Trust us,'' say the big boys.

As much as I'd trust the French in Iraq.

The message for the GOP base from the Bush White House is clear: "YOU SUPPORT---WE DECIDE!"

[Travis McGee]

Touche. I stand corrected and chagrined.

[holyscroller]

"I'm sitting on three donation request letters just received from Republicans and the White House. I plan on sending them back without any contribution and a brief note as to why."

Send them each back in a separate envelope. The volume of mail will help in getting the message across. I'm giving all Pubs who call asking for a donation an earfull too. They must be hearing that a lot, because once I get on a roll, they're desperate to get off the line.

[FITZ]

A temporary work visa will

Only who believes they'd be temporary? No way does Vicente Fox intend to have these 20 million people move back home --- ever. No one believes that after 3 years the government would send them back. 3 years and a couple of anchor babies --- they not only have to not return home, they can stay and collect welfare here.

[TLI]

And no, we don't need an army of INS agents conducting roundups. We just need to cut illegals off from the Great American Mammary Gland, and they will deport themselves. No matricula consulars, no bank accounts, no driver's licenses, no welfare, no free medical care outside of emergency care, no free tuition etc.

B I N G - FRICKIN - G O !