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Rush says we need to re-take the GOP rather than going third party.

I tend to agree with the caveat that just because the GOP endorses a candidate doesn't mean I'm going to support him/her.

All of these folks who talk about bolting and creating need to try to get involved in their local GOP machine (county parties) and so on to try to build conservative support within the machine. If, after they get at least a sizable minority actively working with the party apparatus to try to mold it in their direction, they are still rebuffed, then I can buy it. Secure precinct chairmanships, county chairs, and work to take over the state parties. Make an effort to change the GOP from the inside. Calling Rush or posting on FR isn't working to change the party. Money, in of itself, isn't working to change the GOP from the inside. Getting involved in the apparatus is.

I also recognize that there is some diversity of opinion that is necessary. For example, while I wouldn't want to see Tammy Bruce (conservative talk show host...but is pro-choice and is a lesbian) in the Senate or run for President, perhaps she would be the only one who would be able to defeat a Henry Waxman in the CA-30 district -- and such a thing would be a huge improvement. But I wouldn't support her running against a more conservative candidate in CA-48 (Orange Co) or CA-49 (San Diego, Orange, Riverside Cos)...because we could get the more conservative pro-life candidates in office there. In other words, support the most conservative electable candidate in a given district for the GOP label. They might not all be as conservative as we, as FReepers, would like...but hopefully they would be better than the (D) alternatives.

Dede doesn't meet that criterion.

Money, in of itself, isn't working to change the GOP from the inside. Getting involved in the apparatus is.

Lack of attention to the apparatus is how we get RINOs.

The way it works is that you get people in the local party who are lawyers, developers, business people -- people who may occasionally need some strings pulled on their personal behalf.

To such a person, a RINO who can trade favors with the Dems is more valuable than a conservative who stands on ideological principles.