Act Your Age
I played master of ceremonies last night to the National Federation of Young Republicans award ceremony here in Indianapolis. Overall, they were like a lot of young people in political parties; a lot of energy and a lot of ideas. And they approach politics with spark of wide-eyed optimism and a sprinkle of naivette that makes a lot of us reflect back to our early days in the process, whether we are operatives or commentators.
I still occassionally think back to my first interview in college with state representative at Northern Illinois University way back in the early 90s, the first time I asked a Governor about a budget and shouted my first question at a Presidential candidate making his way through the Illinois State Fairgrounds. However age and time have taught me something a lot of the Young Republicans are going to have to learn soon, or a lot of their efforts are going to wasted; someone who disagrees with you 20 percent of the time is ususally with you the other 80 percent.
There was blow-up at the convention over the nomination of a young lady named Audra Shay for YR Chairwoman. Some of her opponents couldn’t stand the fact she was going to win, so they started an Internet campaign calling racist and those comments were picked up by the Huffington Post and some other blogs. Needless to say while the evening’s festivities were orderly you could still tell there was tension there.
I’d tell the kids to grow up, but that means they would be acting like the GOP at the national level. I have never been a big fan of the “true believer” crowd because blind zealotry tends to cloud your vision and you miss out on building crucial coalitions needed to govern. And as long as the GOP in-fights, the party will stay in the minority and no matter how much the President’s poll numbers may slip, you can’t beat somebody with nobody, especially if who you’re divided over who that nobody is.
But at least these kids had an excuse, they’re kids.
July 12th, 2009 at 8:49 am
At 38 years OLD Shay is not a “kid.” anymore. Or is she?
July 12th, 2009 at 9:48 am
The Democrats were all over the map until they got organized, got money, and got Bush as a poster child for the need for “change”. For years they were a big tent of issues, but organizationally dysfunctional. Sometimes we put everything back in it's place in the garage- every time, and sometimes the garage is a wreck and we have to take everything out, reorganize, throw some stuff out, and put the most important stuff towards the front.
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Based on economic reality (see California), guess what the Republicans and America in general needs to do?
July 12th, 2009 at 10:38 am
It's not unusual that the scorched earth tactic crosses all ages. They learn the art from their political leaders who lost any moral ascendency which helped usher in their current demise. If the Young Republicans want their youthful idealism to be placed into policy and respected, they need to put aside the playtoys of their corrupted peers and stick with founding principles; not political hackery.
July 12th, 2009 at 11:11 am
Did you tell these young folks that it's okay to abandon their principles and support a candidate simply because they happen to like the person?
July 12th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Do you think that Audra Shay laughing as one of her supporters referred to African Americans as “coons” is age appropriate…at what age would it be appropriate?
July 12th, 2009 at 1:28 pm
“with spark of wide-eyed optimism and a sprinkle of naivette”
…and completely deceived. The GOP is at the same end of the political spectrum as the Democrat Party – big, centralized, increasingly authoritarian national government, contrary to (and in spite of) the US Constitution.
July 12th, 2009 at 2:34 pm
Once again, Shorebreak has distilled the problem down to two sentences. These wanna-be politicians will be liars, if they aren't already.
July 13th, 2009 at 9:59 pm
Abdul, I certainly hope your views are not followed by the Republic party. Rationality and compromise are not traits to be cultivated by the GOP. Moving further to the right (Ala Hannity, Limbaugh, Ingram, et. al.) is the key to winning votes.
Remember, the Young Republicians (i.e. 24 yr. old virgins) haven't went thru their first divorce so they know nothing about “family values” yet, much less about “fiscal responsibilty.” They are probably so naive as to think that government can/could live within its means. While the Democrat party is known for “tax & spend,” the Republic party is known for “charge & spend.” They'll find that out soon enough. The best advice you could have given them is Reagan's 11th commandment and the need for cohesiveness, which is how the perpetual minority power has been such a political force. This also explains why the Dems can't keep themselves in power, they simpley are not very good at politics.
At any rate, I'd advise the Reps to move further to the right and project more hate and negativity, Abdul, your brand of political sensiblity only encourages more independent voters to vote GOP, it does nothing to rally the base. The base is crying out for more Sarah Palin, and so am I. Who needs intellect when “feelings” count. Worked for W. Should work again.
Prediction: the GOP might gain a seat or two in `10, definitely not a majority as history would predict, and as I've said before on your forum, Obama will win two terms. If not, I'll kiss your *** in a brown spot, err, sorry, no offense intended, in any spot you choose. Still love ya goofwad.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:37 am
Republican Party? GOP? As far as I am concerned today the Republican is no longer a conservative party. When you have a state senator holding a meeting for illegals to show them how to become legal it is far from the avg. Republican. When you have Republicans stating for gay rights and gay marriage it is far from the avg republican today. Then we have the log cabin republicans and the new head of the “republican party”. No thanks.
July 14th, 2009 at 5:32 pm
Some groups seek privileges & assert counterfeit claims of entitlement (faux elitism), but there are only human rights. The assignment of privilege to any group is a human rights abuse. There are no “exclusive rights;” hetero or gay, women or men, one race or another. Rights are not divided by groups, they are multiplied by individuals. Rights are not rationed, they are observed, organic & intrinsic. The GOP has an outreach problem. Christians aren't especially welcomed (due to the intellectual laziness of imported & adopted media bias), & minorities to the extent they are invited or involved, are routinely pigeon holed into race related issues vs. other categories or issues for which they might be suited. Both parties are top heavy / top-down, and therefore lacking critical circulation- that fresh air thing. Democrats have unions available to show up at meetings, get out the vote, etc., & Republicans are content playing only one or two quarters of a four quarter game- forget overtime. Without a commitment to ideology, the parties are more like gangs who prey on citizens in the service of their own self interests. Sure, the Roman Empire still exists… in books.
July 14th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Some groups seek privileges & assert counterfeit claims of entitlement (faux elitism), but there are only human rights. The assignment of privilege to any group is a human rights abuse. There are no “exclusive rights;” hetero or gay, women or men, one race or another. Rights are not divided by groups, they are multiplied by individuals. Rights are not rationed, they are observed, organic & intrinsic. The GOP has an outreach problem. Christians aren't especially welcomed (due to the intellectual laziness of imported & adopted media bias), & minorities to the extent they are invited or involved, are routinely pigeon holed into race related issues vs. other categories or issues for which they might be suited. Both parties are top heavy / top-down, and therefore lacking critical circulation- that fresh air thing. Democrats have unions available to show up at meetings, get out the vote, etc., & Republicans are content playing only one or two quarters of a four quarter game- forget overtime. Without a commitment to ideology, the parties are more like gangs who prey on citizens in the service of their own self interests. Sure, the Roman Empire still exists… in books.