That shows what the members think - but not the Leaders - Granite Grok

That shows what the members think – but not the Leaders

NH GOP Republican State CommitteeI had posted a snippet from DiStaso a few days ago (“You’re Dreaming“, reformatted here):

“State GOP chair Jennifer Horn told us today, “There is a healthy debate about the Senate’s health care compromise taking place among Republicans. This sort of debate and discussion within a political party is natural and nothing new.As we’ve always done, I am confident that come November, Republicans will unite behind our candidates and rally around our fiscally responsible solutions to address the difficult issues facing our state and our nation,” she said.

What I didn’t do was to take note of at the time was this (emphasis mine, reformatted):

In Concord, the state Republican Party executive committee discussed the local resolutions at a recent meeting, but no motion or resolution was brought up for a vote, according to Manchester GOP chair Simmons who is a member of the state party executive committee.  Simmons said the consensus was “that the best way to get our message out to the senators would be that it come from the individual committees.

And there’s a problem with that.

And I am glad that each of the separate  Republican NH GOP Committee, County and City / large and small, are weighing in.  To date, not ONE of them have agreed with the Rogue Republicans ™ that the Republican Party elected officials (that would be NH State Senator Jeb Bradley, NH State Senator Chuck Morse, NH State Senator Nancy Stiles, and NH State Senator Bob Odell) should be leading the charge.  Instead, these Committees have rightfully gone back to the Party Platform on which to base their anti-Medicaid Expansion Resolutions.

But I disagree with the Exec Board “consensus” – while it is their Committees that are doing the votes to issue these Resolutions against the Rogue Republicans to do the M.E. (and rightfully so), the members of the E-Board are the titular heads of the Party.  Yes, the Chairs (mostly) are members of that E-Board, but it doesn’t mean that they themselves are in favor of the Resolutions.  Only if the E-Board takes a formal vote against the Rogue Republicans will it really matter.  Why?

A Resolution here in Belknap County would mean diddly to either Bradley or Morse – we don’t get the chance to vote for them.  Sure, another block of Rs are saying no – but they can effectively ignore them.  But if the E-Board takes a vote, they’d better sit up a bit more and pay more attention.  Sure, they can blow those folks off as well, but while the Rogue Republicans are pursuing their own agenda, the E-Board and the NH GOP Chair should be trying to protect AND extend the NH GOP Brand (such as it is).  I’m betting that a number of private conversations have happened and will happen.  But folks at the bottom are looking upward – what are we going to see?   It would be a clear signal if there was a public vote – what do you stand for (the Platform?) and with whom to you stand (the base or the Rogue Republicans?).

I’ve heard the arguments, pro and con, about the E-Board members being impartial and “non-partisan”.  But what are the members to think, the folks that do the scutt work of the Party come campaign time?  What am I working for when those we put into Concord seats don’t share our values?  I really would like to stop having to harp on this constantly, but these politicians votes are not just for them.

And maybe it is about time that is recognized.

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