Stop the Party I Want to Get Off - Granite Grok

Stop the Party I Want to Get Off

GOP Headache

We affiliate with or join political parties to support ideas that we believe in. We say, “I’m a Republican”, “I’m a Democrat”, or, increasingly, “I’m an Independent”, based on our core principles.

Each political party has a platform. New Hampshire Democrats have theirs and New Hampshire Republicans have theirs. These platforms are unsigned contracts between the Party and its members. If a prospective member paid attention (not just acting on emotion or with herd mentality) they would know, in advance, what the Party stands for and what its stated missions are.

Personally, the New Hampshire Democrat Party platform makes me violently ill, so you might assume that “I’m a Republican“, right?

Not so fast…

As a form of agreement, the platform can be violated or breached.  This would happen if the Party, as an organization, acted in ways contrary to its stated missions.  It could also be breached if office-holding members act or vote in ways that contradict it.

If either of these types of violation takes place, I have the right to disassociate myself from the Party, taking my allegiance, support, time, and money elsewhere.

Recently, I chose to expatriate myself from the New Hampshire Republican Party.  I have also decided that it deserves as much, if not more criticism than the Democrat Party because of the increasing number of office-holding members who periodically ignore the platform, while the Party, as an organization, chooses to do nothing about it.

In most situations, I would simply walk away from an organization that allows such violations of trust to occur unabated.  But without a solidly-principled Republican Party, the State of New Hampshire will become the ugly twin-sister of the State of Massachusetts – which is something worth fighting against, on any and all fronts.

Sadly, I now have two opponents in my fight for smaller government, fiscal sanity, and individual liberty; the milquetoast-intellectual-academic-Liberal/Marxist community and the Republicans who either have no conscience, no principle, or no brain.

I could easily list thousands of examples of platform misconduct by Republicans over the years – all unchallenged by Party Leadership – but two very recent examples provide more than enough material to fully expose this problem, justifying my decision to walk away, openly criticizing the hamstrung organization on my way out the door.

Example #1: In-State Tuition eligibility for Illegal Aliens (HB474)

The NH Republican Party platform (under the Federalism heading) clearly states that one of its missions is to Strengthen national border security; enforce immigration laws; oppose any form of amnesty for illegal aliens; [and] define trespass to include illegal presence in New Hampshire.”

Despite this clear position and the common sense that illegals are here illegally and should not be receiving State-sponsored, tax-payer-provided benefits, eight House Republicans decided to go along with Democrats and grant this benefit to illegals on January 22, 2014.  In a previous post (here), I identified this “gang of eight” as Carolyn Gargasz, Aboul Khan, David Kidder, Rick Ladd, Priscilla Lockwood, Jeffrey Shackett, Charlene Takesian, and Bob Willette.  Rick Olsen provided a nice criminal lineup in his post here.

Personally, I don’t care how these eight feel about legal or illegal immigration.  I don’t even care if they each received hundreds of phone calls from their constituents, demanding a vote in favor of this bill (and we know that they probably did not); it is simply not fiscally prudent for the State of New Hampshire to subsidize colleges and universities, then turn around and grant further subsidies to people who are not citizens and who may or may not be paying into the tax pool.  Given that the lion’s share of tax revenues in NH come from property and business taxes, I think it’s a safe bet that they are not paying their “fair share”.  But I certainly am.  And so are you.

And beyond fiscal propriety; the NH GOP platform clearly states that the Party does not support the “presence” of illegal “trespassers”, much less the providing them with the welfare of in-state tuition.

So, what has the NH GOP done in reaction to these votes?  Absolutely nothing. And these violators will likely receive supporting funds from the Party, if/when they win their next primary elections.

Example #2: Right to Work (SB217)

Right to Work, a staple conservative view, is the belief that a worker should have the choice of joining the local union and should not be forced to pay union dues if he opts out.  Aside from the notions of free-enterprise and individual choice, the government-forced collection of dues by an organization is an affront to the American way of life – regardless of its history.  Conservative belief in free-markets says that the Union should strive to convince workers that membership (and dues) is worthwhile to them, and that a government mandate should not play a role in that decision.  Therefore, it is a mystery why a Republican of any fortitude would vote against such a bill – unless said “Republican” is not who or what they say they are.

Had Senators Carson and Boutin voted for SB217, Right To Work would have cleared the New Hampshire Senate.

So, where is NH GOP Chair Jennifer Horn on this issue?  Given the lack of official statements, we can only guess that she is either unaware of it or that she chooses to ignore it.  As she and other establishment cowards/excuse-makers are apt to say, “at least we won the seats”.

Whole lot of good these Republican seats are to the cause of conservatism in New Hampshire.

*****

Summarily, the New Hampshire GOP has a big problem.  Well-established Senators and Representatives are openly and blatantly aiding and abetting the enemy by disregarding their own platform (not to mention basic Conservative principles), supporting Democrat-sponsored bills that chip away at fiscal sanity and individual liberty.  Meanwhile, State Party leadership has its mouth zipped and head in the sand, choosing to say and do nothing about it.

The effect?  Dedicated Conservatives, many of whom ran for office or worked hard over the years to support the party and improve the platform, are turning away from the State Party in increasing numbers, hoping for a systematic change in behavior or an independent (even third-party) alternative.  As I said, “I’m a Republican” – but I am not going to be a good Party soldier, sitting on my hands, watching these actions go unanswered.

The solution?  I challenge the NH GOP to get a backbone and begin the practice of withholding funds from any candidate (deviant) who has grossly violated the platform (see Rep. Carolyn Gargasz as the poster child).  I also challenge them to issue public statements denouncing these transgressions.  While this won’t stop all Republicans from thumbing their nose at conservatism, it would surely make some think twice.  It could also help reduce the palpable apathy and disdain among the membership and the expanding ranks of GOP expats.

But don’t hold your breath.

 

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