Posted on 04/26/2009 5:28:15 AM PDT by Nextrush
There was a lot of attention a few weeks ago when Sarah Palin packed the house in Evansville, Indiana for a speech at the Vanderburgh County Right To Life dinner.
A few days later I got word that the three thousand attendees obviously drawn to Sarah Palin had to listen to another speech that evening.
This one came from the Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele. Steele was there to clean up the mess he's left behind by trashing conservatives and the pro-life position in previous statements.
It doesn't surprise me that this "I'm pro-life" propaganda speech occurred. The National Right To Life organization and its local affiliates like this group are closely tied to Republican political insiders.
Longtime National Right To Life General Counsel James Bopp is now a Vice Chairman of the RNC. That is visible evidence of how the "official" pro-life movement is now tied to the GOP insider leadership.
Its sad that Sarah Palin was used as bait to draw a crowd to hear Michael Steele.
April 15th featured tea parties across the nation with many being grassroots efforts and other "tea parties" strangely featuring politicians who promote less than conservative ideas.
Newt Gingrich and John Boehner were joined by local GOP poliicians and their reps at various venues across the country.
Near my home there was "tea party" in Harrisburg on the steps of the State Capitol. It featured talk show hosts and one politician I would have allowed to speak.
Republican State Senator Mike Folmer is a real and genuine outsider who beat GOP State Senate leader Chip Brighbill after Brightbill engineered massive pay raises for legislators in 2005.
Mr. Brightbill was Pro-Abortion throughout his political career as a state senator, yet the Pennsylvania Pro-Life Federation (the state affiliate of National Right To Life) put out radio ads promoting Brighbill as "pro-life."
Folmer, the real pro-life candidate, was not endorsed by the 'pro-life' group.
It was a pleasure to hear Senator Folmer speak, but just like Sarah Palin was used to draw a crowd for Michael Steele in Indiana, we also had to endure hearing from GOP State House leader Sam Rohrer along with the talk show hosts and Folmer.
Rohrer wants to eliminate property taxes for public schools by increasing items taxed by the six percent sales tax in Pennsylvania and add on a half percent personal income tax. A PIT would tax investment income along with paychecks.
There is nothing conservative about shifting taxes this way. Public education needs to cut back its lavish salaries, benefits and pensions in Pennsylvania.
Too often conservatives are manipulated by political insiders to promote their agendas.
These two examples should remind us that the fight ahead to change things in this country is not an easy one.
The last example from the "tea party" disappoints me but I hope we have some real 'tea parties' in the future that drive the politicians to some real changes.
Less government and lower taxes, period.
I want a truly conservative party, not globalist/liberal-lite.
I made the "break" in the last election. Voted against Graham and against Wilson who voted for the stimulus. I did vote against Obama. I don't remember ever voting for a Dem, but I'd rather vote for a lib dem than a RINO Republican ... at least you get what you expect. Funny, I'm not voting "for" these days, but rather "against." What kind of a choice is that?
Agreed. By that standard of course, there aren’t very many who qualify.
A house divided always falls.
btt
Oh, and how has that worked out for Sen Lieberman and the Democrats? The Democrats are quite nasty when one of their own strays.
Party discipline is important to getting things done, and the Republicans don't do it well. Rather than back Toomey, the Party backed Specter. And Specter backed Teddy Kennedy when it counted.
It isn't that we should not do it, it's that we should do it well. The Republicans should not waste one more penny on folks like Snowe and Olympia and Specter who aren't there when the chips are down. Their seniority that makes them very useful when they support the Republicans, is also what makes them dangerous when they undercut any and all conservative efforts.
I need to back off on that just a hair since some worthwhile goals would require help from Republicans in state legislatures.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.