Jim - THAT is the most important thing you've said - we (95% of FReepers) have NOT even began, although a few of us have 'been there done that" - where it really counts.
FReepers can't mount a national PAC that plays in the big leagues - and goes after those already sitting in high government office, we would simply not have the money to be very effective. BUT WE CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT, denying the ability of RINO's to rise to the national level. We can teach people how to be effective were it will count - even greater than shooting at those at the top - by taking out RINO's in local and county districts, and at the state level, were WE COULD BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
First, members of our PAC have to know where the battle-line really is, in their own district. They have to show up there - gain a voting seat (which is OFTEN relatively easy, WITHOUT ELECTION!) All FReepers have to do is go to the meetings they need to attend. Often they can become a vote-capable alternate, just by being there!
The problem with most FReepers is that they have their eyes fixed on sitting members of Congress, and haven't a clue about the who runs their County or State Party, and there ARE MANY RINO's there that need taking out - WHERE WE COULD BE EFFECTIVE.
If you want a ROCKIN' ROLLIN' PAC - use that PAC to fund FReeper involvement locally - but primarily at the state level. Here's why. County party members are not paid in most cases. You have to pay all of your expenses to go to these meetings - and if you go to state party conventions, you have to pay all of your own expenses... yet, it is at the state level conventions where FReepers can cut the legs out from under RINO's trying to climb to the top.... that is, if they commit to the time and expense of doing so.
Remember this - the GOP across the country has roughly 40 to 50K members in the states - and if we don't control RINO's there - where we can, you can 'bet the farm' that we can't do it at the national level.
Almost every state has two to four state conventions every year - and one of those conventions elects state party officials. We have to OWN those state parties - and a FReeper PAC could greatly assist in doing just that, which is strategically and economically possible... versus the nearly impossible hope of ever controlling anything at the top of the political ladder.
I know from personal experience that beating the RINO's at the state level is possible, because I helped do it in CA when Pete Wilson was governor. He spend $3.5mil in an attempt to elect an ALL-RINO state leadership. Under the auspices of the The CRA, (California Republican Assembly) I spent roughly 3K, and denied Pete Wilson the ability to elect even ONE at the state convention. We defeated ALL RINO's - and really infuriated ol' RINO Wilson.
That election allowed us to use money to elect a conservative majority in our state legislature back then, and it allowed us to choose who went to the national party structure, and to the national conventions!
If FR can help do that in most states, we would derail, if not completely eliminate most RINO's rising from state to national leadership. But, there is a lot to teach FReepers about actually getting into the political arena where it counts - at the local level, and how to become very effective at the state level. FR could do that, and folks like myself that have done this work, could provide all the information people need in order to get the job done.
But, fair warning - if ANYONE thinks this is something easy, or cheap - I'm here to tell you it isn't. It costs everyone that gets into it a pretty penny. It takes LOTS of your personal time and effort, and the whole process can be very frustrating at times - BUT, being a RINO-KILLER in your own district, county and state can also be VERY rewarding.
Perhaps it would be wise for us to talk about this, apart from threads here, to come up with an economically feasible battle plan - that sets and achieves reachable goals in the near term.
I guess I approach things from the opposite end.
I work to keep the rinos out of major offices in hopes that the trickle down will discourage potential rinos at lower levels from even getting into the ball game.
But your idea is so logical it has to and will work.
I'm a member of our County Executive committee for the and we are pretty solid about no rinos and the word is getting out. So that's yet another way to let them know.
The great thing about vetting rinos is that its so easy to use the Constitution to our advantage since our forefathers had it right to begin with.
That is, in order to take back the party, a proven (and necessary) method is to flood the grass roots at the state level, since it is they who choose the party leadership.
In this conjunction, may I point everyone to a similar initiative under the auspices of RedState.com -- the The Committeman Project (and links therein). This aims to take over the chairmanships of local GOP precincts with conservatives, all over the country at the same time: thereby giving conservatives the chance to drive the agenda, rather than beg and plead to be listened to.
Please look at the links (I am not affiliated with the project, and neither I nor any friends or relatives has any monetary or "back-scratching" interest in it) and see if it could be dovetailed with the effort here.
(Remember Sun Tzu: the successful warrior defeats his enemy without even having to engage him in battle.)
We are in this to SAVE THE COUNTRY.
We are in this to WIN!
g_w
Also, I wish you could have defeated Wilson again as he was running the show this time, too. Looked like he had his hands all over the Whitman fiasco and, of course, he and Arnie are best buds.
Sure wish Wilson would get the heck out of CA politics!
ROTFLOL
Ron, I had not seen your post when I had the same thoughts about getting involved at the state level.
See my post #287:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2645113/posts?page=287#287
You are exactly right. I hope we can do both (target Senator RINOs and state party RINOs), but it may have to be one or the other. We’ll see.
Applauding your Post #251.