Friday, October 22, 2010

Political Farm Systems

There are many varying opinions why too many elected Republicans have been so wishy-washy, ineffective and colorless. The reasons, damnations and justifications for their inaction are legion, almost every conservative blogger has an idea and --- so does yours truly---only mine is relatively simple. Since 1961, I've had a direct day by day, eye to eye, in your face, slap on the back contact with hundreds of legislators of both parties -- not to mention interviewing literally gobs of candidates seeking office as the Senate Republican Caucus chairman and founder and chairman of two major PAC's.

I've come to the sad conclusion too many present Republican office holders are second best, nice, affable, personable guys and gals, but hardly warriors fit for battle. If called upon to grade their productivity in fighting liberal activists from A to F, I would have to say most would be graded class C minus which doesn't get the job done. There are rare A's, a few more B's, the preponderance C to C minus with a few D's and some F's. The hard facts are the Republican Party doesn't get the best talent, just a tiny few of the most enterprising and industrious Republican citizens are running for elected office. Republican men and women with strong convictions, possessing the intellect and the stamina to cope successfully with the competitive world of free enterprise, haven't gravitated to the blood and guts world of politics.

Our most qualified and brightest young come out of college with degrees in business, medicine, engineering etc. Their desires are to enter the competitive world and become professionals in their chosen field of endeavor. They opt to participate in the free enterprise system where one can rise to the top of their profession, take pride in their work and receive the direct rewards of their efforts. Those who do successfully enter the business world, usually marry, have families, hire employees and have others who depend upon their talent. Becoming professionals in the highly competitive world of free enterprise takes many years to achieve. Once successful, it rarely dawns on them to leave this profitable and rewarding environment to run for political office.

The Republicans who have sought office are a usually a pleasant, affable bunch who can wow the local Republican Woman's Club but are usually candidates who have rarely climbed high in the professional world; nor are known for their sparkling political intellect, or, have a grasp of political abstracts. Most are pragmatists who have little deep seated philosophical inclinations---much less grasping and understanding the deep motivation and hard core ideology of their left wing counterparts.

It takes an ideologue to know another.

How can I quickly identify these who are class C men who are seeking office? I ask them why they believe they are qualified to be elected and most respond by profoundly saying, "I believe I have the talent to get along with both parties."

That "profound" gasp of ignorance tells me they don't have the dimmest idea of how contemporary politics works at the state and federal level and if elected, they will be smoozed into being a baby RINO by the next election cycle. Once in office, they are easily influenced and maneuvered by the mainstream media, and polls, not to mention smoozed by liberal Democrats and intimidated by the confrontational conservatives in their own party.

When this class C Republican happens to be elected, he usually finds himself in a job far better than anything he has ever known ---prestige ---income --- security --- mind boggling attention and unheard of accolades from every lobbyist who needs his vote. The baby RINO becomes enamored with himself, convinced of his newly acclaimed wisdom and soon becomes fearful of return to civilian life. What ever he believes will get him re-elected is what he justifies ---- and becomes.

These class C Republicans look upon being elected as the end in itself. Being in office is the final goal, the top of the mountain. They don't see gaining the office as just the first step in a long tough fight, a protracted conflict against a dedicated socialist opposition who has built this bureaucratic monstrosity for a purpose. They look upon the liberal Democrat as another one of their colleagues, friends, rather than a foe who has no intention of giving one inch or repealing one bill or cutting one dollar. Class C Republicans do nothing but take up space or worse. As a personal example, one of the class C members of the California senate voted for a bill that helped the liberal left reapportion the state to guarantee Democrat control. His vote bought him a fat Republican seat to seek reelection. I asked him why he sold out his party. His response was candid and surprisingly honest, though morally corrupt. "Bill, you know how to make a living on the outside, this job is all I know,"

There are a few A grades in the Republican ranks, not as yet enough to gain political control of party leadership. These few were smart enough to see the disastrous political direction that our nation was headed and took leave from their chosen professions to right our ship of state. Senators Tom Coburn M.D. of Oklahoma and successful business man Jim DeMint of South Carolina are two such outstanding examples. We are in dire need of more successful Republican entrepreneurs who will set aside their professional life and seek public office. Time is short --- we don't have forever.

Let's now look at the other side, the hard core socialist progressives who come from the largest populated states. They own and control the leadership of the Democrat Party and have progressively increased their grip ever since the Lyndon Johnson presidential years. These hard core activist's are different political animals from the Democrats we used to know during the days of Harry Truman. The hard left look upon being elected as a means to a specific end, which is the total socialization of our government and the end of the free enterprise system.

Their political young, their brightest, seek jobs in the bureaucracy with long range goals of climbing up the political ladder. Their college degrees are usually in education, political science, sociology, environmental studies, etc. They know full well that governmental employment will be easily forthcoming upon graduation. Every year local, state and federal bureaucracies have grown progressively larger. The most dedicated of these new political aspirants join political clubs, become active in their unions, do volunteer work in Democrat political races and when opportunity presents itself, they seek local office in school board elections, city councils, and other local elective offices in order to build a base for future political activity. Some of the most committed young activists are then noted by their left-wing leaders and are offered jobs in leftist organizations and foundations; some are elevated to staff positions of liberal Democrat officeholders. In so doing, they become a highly trained part of the Democrat socialist farm system.

Every sports fan knows that successful baseball franchises have farm clubs, where they develop their raw talent for the major leagues. If they have no farm system there will be little success in winning championships in the majors.

Are there farm systems in politics? Yes there are--- there's just one and it's not the Republican Party. Does anyone think that the pragmatic class C Republicans have a clue to what's really going on or know squat about how to effectively do anything about it? Republicans need their class A in leadership positions and need a farm system of their own.

The Republican's best talent have to set aside their chosen professions for a while and like the Tea Party, dedicate their time, money and talent to right our ship of state. The time is now.