I have read on a few conservative blogs since Nov. 2 the obvious “what” statements along the lines of, “Now we have to hold the Republicans’ feet to the fire so they don’t compromise on repealing
Obamacare, etc.”
Like I said, that’s obvious. That’s what we have to do.
But, I see very little in the way of the “how.” How do we conservatives “hold their feet to the fire?”
Following is an explanation of what won’t work, and what will work. A concrete strategy to actually “hold their feet to the fire.” It’s not rocket science — just good, old-fashioned, basic American civics. But
it requires YOU to actually get involved in Republican Party politics.
Uh on. I just lost about 99 per cent of potential readers. Darn it.
So, let’s proceed.
Ineffective Communication and Effective Communication.
Will more letters to the congresscritters make a difference? Maybe.
More faxes? Maybe.
More telephone calls. Maybe.
More speeches at tea party rallies? Maybe.
I say maybe only because I believe all of those communications might have a real impact only if they contain a real threat to just about the only thing that motivates a congresscritter: their chances of reelection.
I believe we could make a real impact on the congresscritters if we could vastly increase (by the thousands and thousands) the number of communications they received containing one of the two following
truthful statements:
I am a conservative Republican Party precinct committeeman and I am recruiting every conservative I can to come into the Party with me as a precinct committeeman for the sole purpose of
making sure you and all like you who do not uphold your oath of office
will not be returned to office in the next election
or
I am a conservative Republican and I am taking steps to become a precinct committeeman and I am recruiting every conservative I can to come into the Party with me as a precinct committeeman for the
sole purpose of making sure you and all like you who do not uphold your
oath of office will not be returned to office in the next election.
My precinct has a statutory allotment of 8 precinct committeemen. We have all 8 slots filled. We are a rarity in Arizona. By contrast, my legislative district (Arizona has 30 legislative districts – each is
represented in the state legislature by two House representatives and
one Senator), within which my precinct sits, LD 17, has 262 statutory
allotted precinct committeemen slots. After the 2008 primary elections,
in which the precinct committeemen are elected (it’s extremely easy to
get on the ballot to run for the office of precinct committeeman), we
had a whopping 70 or so precinct committeemen. (That was
sarcasm.) After the 2010 primary elections, we swelled to 111.
Whoopdee effing do! (That, too, was sarcasm.) Progress, but still pathetic. So, we conservative precinct committeemen will continue to recruit more conservative Republicans to fill up the vacant slots.
Some numbers to put things in perspective. Here in the heart of “Goldwater Country,” in LD 17, we have 25,501 registered Republicans. You can verify it here.
Those 111 elected precinct committeemen represent the 0.435 per cent
of registered Republicans in the District who care enough to do
something more than just check the “R” box when they registered to vote.
You Must Vote With Your Feet — Show Up Physically.
But, those numbers also represent a HUGE opportunity for the conservative Republicans in the District — if they come into the Party and UNITE in the District, they will be able to achieve two concrete
things. First, they will be able to help make sure that great
conservative candidates win the all-important,
traditionally-very-low-turnout primary elections (both for the LD state
house and senate primary candidates and the U.S. congressional
candidates). Second, they will be able to vote in the 2012 Party
leadership elections (only precinct committeemen get to vote in the
internal Party leadership elections) to help elect more conservatives to
the Party leadership positions.
State-wide, here in Arizona, we’re still under 50 per cent strength in the precinct committeemen ranks (that’s the national average). But, imagine if, over the course of the next few weeks, we could get all of
the conservatives in the grass roots conservative organizations to flood
into the Republican Party committee meetings across the nation with the
intention to fill up all the empty precinct committeeman slots? Would
that not send a powerful signal to the incumbent Republicans, those who
don’t want to fight for our liberties, that they might face a primary
challenge in 2012 back home? Like the buzz saw Sen. Bob Bennett ran into?
Trust me, the “powers that be” in the Republican Party know the relative strength of the Party. And they’ll notice — REALLY notice — if conservative flock into the local Party committee meetings in droves.
Again, Will You Actually DO Something — Like Go To A Committee Meeting?
And, trust me, I’m working on making this happen. Will you? Will you at least attend one local Republican Party committee meeting? Need help finding where to go? Email me at coldwarrior1978 at gmail dot com. Attend one
meeting and then tell me your participation inside the Party, as a
precinct committeeman, is a waste of time. What have you got to lose,
besides your country?
Why do I believe this strategy will work? It’s because precinct committeemen are in the best position to help get out the vote in the all-important, traditionally-very-low-turnout primary elections. And
I’ve seen it work. And the ouster of Sen. Bob Bennett actually happened
because conservatives got involved in Republican party politics like
never before.
Who’s In Charge — You Or The Elected Public Servants?
And why do you think you never hear incumbent Republicans tell you any of the above? It’s because they are terrified that you’ll figure this out. And, hence, possibly challenge them in the primary with a better, more conservative candidate who is not a
“professional” politician. The kind of candidate that is, in this
political climate, attractive to both Republicans and conservative
independents. The best interests of the incumbent Republicans, who want
to get reelected, is to keep you in the dark. I’ve spoken about this
one-on-one with Scott Toomey and Tom Price and others, and even they
just don’t want you to know about this.
Video Challenge! Prove Me Wrong!
Challenge: find me video where a conservative Republican incumbent has, while addressing an audience of conservative Republicans, implored those conservatives to come into the Republican Party as “card carrying
members” of it — that is, as precinct committeemen.
It’s not hard being a precinct committeeman and doesn’t take a lot of time. Learn more here:
www.theprecinctproject.wordpress.com
You now have a strategy for HOW to “hold their feet to the fire?” Will you act on it?
And maybe you think this strategy won’t work. If you have a better one, please share it with me.
Ever Carry Out Your Civic Duty?
Oh, and by the way, whether you know it or not, or like it or not, it’s your civic duty to be involved in actual, real, honest-to-God party politics to the extent you can. Ever been to a Republican Party local committee
meeting? Ever? Try it, you’ll like it. You might even get goose
bumps.
For Liberty,
ColdWarrior, PC
precinct committeeman
———–
American first, conservative second, Republican precinct committeeman BY NECESSITY!
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
- Edmund Burke
