There’s a long overdue battle brewing right now between conservatives and moderates in the Republican Party – both at the state and national level. The moderates have been running the show in Congress and the Nevada Legislature for at least the last decade, and by constantly selling out the party’s principles on fiscal conservatism – the glue that holds the various factions together – they’ve successfully harmed our economic health while relegating the GOP to minority status. Super-minority status in some cases.
The fight isn’t so much over whether or not moderates should have a seat at the table but whether or not they should continue sitting at the HEAD of the table. Many conservatives, witnessing the electoral disasters of 2006 and 2008 believe it’s time for – what was that word again? – oh yeah, change.
That doesn’t mean the RINOs (Republicans in Name Only) need to be purged from the party, but from its leadership. And they need to be reminded that if they’re going to run as Republicans they’re expected to vote as Republican – especially when it comes to voting for over a BILLION dollars in new taxes.
To that end, the Clark County Republican Party has scheduled an emergency meeting of its Central Committee….approved by the organization’s Executive Board by a vote of 23-1….for next Tuesday night where at least two resolutions will be considered and voted upon.
One would praise GOP legislators who voted against the Billion Dollar Tax Hike and those who voted to sustain Gov. Jim Gibbons’ vetoes. The other would condemn in the “strongest language possible” “each individual Republican legislator by name who voted for the tax increases, and….who voted to override the governor’s veto.”
This is called “picking a fight” – and it’s time to choose sides. Are you with George Washington or King George? Are you a Republican or a RINO?
While this division within the GOP is pure amusement for the Left and the media, it’s a necessary reckoning if the party hopes to regroup, revitalize and return to relevance, let alone power. It’s like Clemenza said to Michael Corleone in The Godfather: “These things gotta happen every five years or so, ten years. Helps to get rid of the bad blood.”
And just like the Tories during the American Revolution who were afraid of a fight and sided with the established power in Britain against the upstart patriots, there are some wimpy sell-out Republicans calling on Clark County GOP Chairman Bernie Zadrowski to give up this fight and make nice with the RINOs.
Wimps such as Nathan Taylor.
“I’m writing you because I’m concerned about your divisive e-mail that calls for a special meeting of Clark County Republican Central Committee–for the purpose of bashing fellow Republicans in the Nevada Legislature!” Taylor wrote this week to Chairman Zadrowski from behind his auntie’s skirt. “I was born and raised in Las Vegas, and have spent the majority of my adult life involved in Republican politics–it saddens me to see us shooting at each other.”
Oh, really?
Not only is Taylor a modern-day bawk-bawk-bawk Tory in this principled fight for the GOP, but he’s also a major league hypocrite. You may recall that one part of the young whipper-snapper’s “adult life involved in Republican politics” was as the guy in charge of a GOP convention in Las Vegas a couple years ago who screwed it up financially and then threw a hissy fit. Let’s go to the tape….
“Nevada’s chapter of the Young Republicans has basically imploded, leaving its chairman with up to $25,000 in personal debt and allegations that he mishandled money,” reported the Las Vegas Sun on July 13, 2005. “All but three people have resigned from the statewide group, but the fallout could prove increasingly embarrassing to the entire state Republican Party.
“Today, the chairman of the group, Reno resident Nathan Taylor, plans to hold a press conference attacking three of the state’s party leaders — Sen. John Ensign, Rep. Jim Gibbons and Rep. Jon Porter. Taylor argues that the state’s Republican delegation should have helped him fund the national Young Republican convention held last week at Mandalay Bay.”
“It’s a really sad day when my congressmen and my senator, who are sitting on millions, can’t cut me a check for $25,000,” Taylor told the Sun. “I don’t think I’m asking for much.”
Should have just given him a pacifier.
In any event, when he was looking for a personal bailout after screwing up a convention, Taylor thought it was perfectly OK to attack fellow Republicans – but when it comes to standing up on matters of philosophical principle, suddenly it’s “divisive” and “saddens” him to see Republicans “shooting at each other.” What a dweeb.
But enough about the insignificant. Li’l Nate is but a political pimple – unpleasant to look at and annoying to have around, but nothing a little Clearasil can’t fix. The real battle is between Chairman Zadrowski and the Republican legislator who led the fight to PASS the Billion Dollar Tax Hike – Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio.
In response to the announcement of the special Central Committee meeting next week, Sen. Raggio fired off a rather agitated email to Chairman Zadrowski:
“Chairman Zadrowski: If your intent is to really destroy the Republican Party in Nevada, follow through with your planned Resolutions!” wrote the moderate Republican who was against tax hikes this session before he was for them. “Keep up these vituperative lashings at Republicans whom you disagree with and we will continue to lose elections. Better course would be to reunite party and understand differences of opinions.”
Yes, Republicans should unite behind the principle of expanding government and increasing taxes by over a billion dollars. Yep, that’s surely the road back to majority power. Good grief. But I’ll let the Chairman respond to Sen. Raggio in his own words:
“Regarding the resolutions, these are going to destroy the Republican Party? I hardly think so. These resolutions are grassroots driven, not even my idea, by the way, although I am embracing them whole-heartedly. I think what is hurting the Republican Party is this idea propagated by ‘moderates’ that Republicans should look, act, and vote in a manner that is indistinguishable from democrats, but not be held accountable.”
Amen, Brother Bernie!
“(C)onservatives in the Republican Party here in Nevada will be the ones carrying the Republican message. Moderates don’t carry the Republican Party brand. It is conservatives who do so. Those who like to use the Republican brand to get elected, and then choose to ignore it while in office in their voting certainly deserve to have Republican central committee members know who they are and what they are doing.”
Hallelujah!
“The CCRP, made up of Republicans, will decide who is praised and who is not through their votes on these resolutions. This doesn’t destroy the party, it keeps it honest. Clark County Republicans deserve to know who voted for these tremendous tax increases, who in their party was responsible for pushing them, and who stood against them. Vituperative? No, just keeping legislators honest. Republican legislators who wrap themselves in the Republican banner at election time, but fail to stick to principles should not get a ‘free pass.’ That’s my position. I stand by it. We’ll see if CCRCC members agree.”
Praise be Allah!
“My message, the message of the Clark County Republican Party, is most assuredly NOT one that makes Republicans indistinguishable from Democrats, and I am not willing to embrace a moderated set of principles in order to ‘sell’ to the Democrats. I prefer to stick with conservative principles.”
Hoo-hah! Bring it home, Brother!
“Respectfully, Senator, I’ve been a fan over the years, but your position on these tax increases is not one that I can agree with, nor is it one that I believe the party should take a moderated stand.”
Couldn’t have written it better myself.
The truly sad part of this whole matter? That the Clark County GOP will be losing this principled conservative Republican leader next month. Let’s hope whoever steps into Chairman Zadrowski’s shoes continues the fight rather heed the “wisdom” of RINO pimples like Nathan Taylor and allow the moderates to continue driving the party and our state right off the political cliff.
