More and more, I am seeing posts at the national level on a topic that I have been writing and talking about for months now: Trust. The lack thereof. From the grassroots to the Republican Establishment there is little Trust (or as I told someone tonite (so many calls tonite, very little blogging!) that having zero Trust would be a large step up right now). Each of these posts by others is now echoing that sentiment even as the Establishment (nationally and certainly here in NH!) is tearing their collective hair out – “WHY aren’t they falling into line like they always have??? Why are we being told “nope, no interested in voting“? And that is their large problem – but we have told them why (certainly *I* have and I know that I am not alone).
They simply are not listening. But their words are heard and their action speak even louder – it’s deafening. They have made themselves clear – and they don’t get that WE have been listening closely and watching even more intently. They have brought us upon themselves. Anyways, I have a few of these bookmarked and will share them over the next few days. This is from IBD Editorials (reformatted, emphasis mine):
Republicans, in an orgy of expectations, believe the key to taking the Senate was getting “electable” candidates nominated. And get them nominated they did. The Establishment got their candidates. Now they’re looking at a potentially disastrous election where their chosen ones dramatically underperform all reasonable expectations, the result of attacking their own party’s base to cement primary victories.
I am hearing this from friends around the country – and certainly, there is a massive effort by the NH GOP Establishment to “get those losers and grassroots” to fall into line. They expect it and I think in many of the Elites’ eyes, are entitled to votes. They believe, having made sure most of their candidates won via lots of money and “nudges’ (er, shoves), it should be politics as usual with the regular platitudes of “The Democrats will win” and worse “WE WILL BLAME IT ON YOU!!”. Golly gee, last time I looked, my vote was to be earned – not demanded. And demanded is exactly how the Establishment is coming across. Which only goes to show, they’ve learned nothing over the last 5 or 6 years.
One state party chairman has privately bemoaned that social conservatives in his state openly question why they should bother voting at all. Given the national party’s desire to kick them out of the big tent to make room for a hoped-for influx of pot smoking hipsters, who can blame them? Across the nation, Tea Party conservatives question the wisdom of being tied to a Republican Party that wants them to just shut up and vote for whomever the establishment decides, and it is this indecision on whether to vote at all that is at the heart of the GOP’s polling woes.
Simple translation? It seems that the old saw of “Beatings will continue until moral improves” has a place in this – except those that are expected to take the beating are understanding that they have something of exquisite value that they ARE now elevating more highly – their vote, and that their vote is THEIRS and not someone else’s.
Conservative voters who have traditionally been among the likeliest people to vote out of a sense of civic responsibility are disgusted. They are tired of being attacked by the so-called conservative party, and really tired of being treated like second-class citizens by the donor and consultant class that controls the official party.
The good news for the establishment is that conservatives want to forgive them for their attacks. They desperately want to vote Harry Reid out of the Senate majority leader’s office. They still believe that voting Republican is their best chance to limit the size and scope of government, and to get the runaway federal branch under control. They want to rein in the lawless executive branch and restore constitutional government. They want to believe the Republican Party is still the conservative party and not just a different gang of thieves looking to plunder our pocketbooks.
But that belief is flagging and for good reason. We have listened and watched – the reasons for that fading belief and loss of Trust comes directly from what the GOP (and here in NH, the NH GOP). The above is straight TEA Party principles – fiscal frugality and constitutional bounds. What the Party preaches – but have acted like Backrow Baptists Monday thru Saturday.
Conservatives still believe America is the greatest country in the world and that our system of government along with the free enterprise system provide the pathway to future prosperity. Conservatives believe freedom is worth fighting for, even though they hate having to do it. Conservatives believe in the rule of law, and that those who come to our country illegally should not be rewarded for their crimes by being put ahead of those who follow the rules.
The Republican Party has the answer to turn these conservative voters who wonder whether it is worth voting this election for candidates who have proved to despise them. All they have to do is repeat to conservatives their own political platform, and pledge to govern by it. If GOP establishment candidates ran as Republicans, the number of voters would swell, and the promise of a sweeping Nov. 4 victory would be realized.
But that is not what the Political Operative Class and the Greedy Power Class within the Party – they have devolved to that base level where ONLY Power matters and they will do what is necessary to hold it. The problem in this is that anything can (and may well be) said or done to get the votes so as to retain that power. November 5th – laughing like hyenas (“we sure got those rubes once again, eh?”). Been there, done there, screwed over there. Me and millions of my closest conservative friends.
The editorial is right: “All they have to do is repeat to conservatives their own political platform, and pledge to govern by it” and this NH session, items have been instigated and passed by Republicans that had lots of jaws hitting the floor first, now heading to the exits. They can only be abused just so much and for just so long.
The next few weeks will tell the tale of whether the national Republican Party truly wants to win a transformative election that is impossible for the left to overturn in the vastly different political environment of 2016, or if they are content with at best a one- or two-seat majority in the Senate and a pickup of six to 10 seats in the House — a result likely to be erased in two years. If Republicans run as Republicans in the final weeks of this election, they still can turn this into a rout. But then they might have to govern as conservatives, and perhaps they fear that even more than being backbenchers.
And that is The Big Question – can we Trust them? Or, will we be the rubes once again? I’ll be honest – with the experiences this year, I would have a real hard time figuring out “What would it take?” if someone that has screwed us over stepped up and asked. Sorry, but several potential answers can already be ruled out (e.g., “For the good of the Party” is not a reasonable reason anymore. In fact, that would get most of us into a most talkative state – read between the lines). For quite a number of us, there is little time left to create the Trust we need to dispel the Nov 5th fear.
