GOP Chair Urges Party to Refocus on Core

Newsday ^ | November 30, 2006 | Liz Sidoti

[Zakeet]

DORAL, Fla. -- The sting of Republican electoral defeats still fresh, the GOP chairman suggested Thursday the party has strayed and challenged it to refocus on core principles and reform.

"We work for the people," Ken Mehlman, the outgoing chairman of the Republican National Committee, said in a speech to a meeting of GOP governors. He reminded the crowd that "good policy makes good politics -- and, for Republicans, this must be a time for self-examination when it comes to our policy."

[Snip]

"Our nation is stronger and better when Republicans are the party running the government. But, ladies and gentleman, our party should never be the party of government, of Washington, of earmarks, of bureaucracy," Mehlman said, implying that's what the GOP had become at times -- or at least what voters perceived on Nov. 7.

[Snip]

"They believe that government and Washington has the answer to every question, the solution to every problem," he said. "We, as Republicans, don't believe that. But, if you think about it, sometimes over the past two years, we've behaved as if we do."

[Zakeet]

The Pubbies are talking about getting that old time religion ... after they got their butts kicked. Of course, we have all heard that blast in the past.

Incidentally, the article is loaded with conservative platitudes. It's worth at least a glance.

[ColdSteelTalon]

The repuiblican need to get rid of the RINOS at the top of the food chain in Washington. IMHO.

[Pontiac]

Romney, for his part, suggested that lawmakers in Washington -- not GOP governors -- are the ones who need to get back on track

Generally that may be true, my own Republican governor of Ohio, Taft, has been a Tax and Spend, government growing, corruption enabler, Rockefeller Republican RINO.

I am all for a Big Tent Republican Part but you have to draw the line somewhere.

Politicians like Taft are over the line.

[Man50D]

to be forgotten, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who is widely considered the one to beat and has created a presidential exploratory committee, held a reception for those attending RGA events.

Having a RINO like McCain at this meeting is not the way for the Republican party to focus if its core base is Conservatives.

"To some degree, we've lost our way," acknowledged Gov. Sonny Perdue of Georgia, the incoming RGA chairman, who said the party must implement policies that are in line with its principles.

What are the party's core principles?

Romney, for his part, suggested that lawmakers in Washington -- not GOP governors -- are the ones who need to get back on track, saying: "If the Republican Party, nationally, is looking for a place where it can gain a bit of a guiding post, it would be by seeing the successes of Republican governors."

I wouldn't use that as an example of success. Connecticut RINO Governor Jodi Rell won because she appealed to Socialist Democrats as she shares many similar viewpoints with the Socialist Democrats in the state legislature.

[kjo]

McCain, Romeny, et al; not gonna support a liberal. Had it with these media darlings. If McCain becomes POTUS big media wins. Not playin' that game.

[Jacquerie]

We can pi$$ and moan all day long about RINOs and out of control spending, but things won't change.

The reason is that scotus long ago stopped being a check on Congress. The courts are aiders and abettors to runaway federal power. From a Constitution of defined powers, the courts have rewritten it into populist rag in which whatever the mob of voters want they will generally get.

The socialists run the courts, one half of Congress, the schools and the popular culture. Even if every pubbie in Congress was a conservative they would have an incredibly difficult time getting us back to Constitutional government.