MNGOP Chair On 100.3 with Jason Lewis
Posted by Andy on March 16th, 2007
MNGOP Chair Ron Carey will be on FM 100.3 this evening with Jason Lewis. I meant to throw this up earlier today, but alas, I forgot.
I’d love to know if Ron Carey has the cajones to stand up when Republicans start pushing for liberal big government nanny state legislation, and tell Minnesotans that these people don’t speak for Republicans? Or something along the lines of, to be blunt, when Gov. Pawlenty, Sen. Coleman, and Rep. Ramstad break ranks with Republican ideas and values and side with Democrats, what will the state party do? Sit there and take it? Or publically let voters, but more importantly, the Republican base, that the Republican party disagrees with so-and-so, and that we believe they are dead wrong on what-ever issue.?
Actually I know the answer already. He said at the Blaine Townhall meeting that he doesn’t have the power to hold elected officials accountable.
Let’s hope Lewis doesn’t go soft in the interview. Get ready for some serious blame passing and spin if Lewis is on his game tonight. I can’t wait.
Again, not sure the time, but Lewis’ show is on from 4 to 7.
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March 17th, 2007 at 10:05 am
Sorry I missed that, but I’m trying to puzzle out your comments, here. What power do you believe the State Party has over elected officials? At the very most, they could threaten to not support them in the NEXT election cycle, but according to you that didn’t happen in the last electon cycle, so that makes for a pretty small club. If the BPOU endorses a RINO, it seems to me, the best we can hope for is that a RINO gets elected. Too many RINOs, and sooner or later somebody gets Gore-d. :-/
Now the other part, about public statements, that is a long-standing question that I am still looking for an answer to. I think it depends on the circumstances, but the “official” pronouncements from the party can take any of four positions, and I frankly don’t know how that decision should be made.
1. The party can support the (governor, legislator, whomever), without regard to the idea. That’s “My guy, right or wrong,” and sometimes I think you have to do that. If the DFL wants to raise taxes 20% and the Governor “compromises” on 5%, what do you say?
2. Well, you could keep silent. A public “split in the party” generally only advantages the opposition, IMHO.
3. On the other hand, you could publicly criticize members of your own party. It might make them work to better the proposal, fearing the “wrath of the base.” It’s one of the ONLY tools the State Party has for “enforcing party discipline.” And that’s a long string to be pushing on.
4. My best answer to this question, and I’m pretty certain it’s never been tried, is to simply “state the principle.” We don’t have to reference anything specific at all. The Party simply issues a press release saying something like “Republicans believe that Minnesotans are NOT undertaxed, and that government should live within its means, without raising taxes.” If the words could be pulled straight from and credited to the Platform, so much the better.