The sad story of the same suspect Republicans endorsing Democrats – what will the Party do?

Once again, like with almost any election in NH, the same names, the same sorry passel of Progressive Republicans (yes, there are Progressives that call themselves Republicans.  HOW they can do that intellectually as Progressivism is antithetical to the beliefs stated in the NH GOP Platform), the same RINOs, the same folks that couldn’t recognize a conservative Principal if it bit in the ankles, pop up in support of Progressive Democrats.  At least the latter belong in the proper Party – these should consider a move:

Democrat Chris Pappas has announced that more than 100 Republicans and Republicans-turned-independents from across the First Congressional District are supporting his bid to represent them, including several from Central New Hampshire. “Republicans for Chris Pappas” include Liz Hager and Robert Joseph of New Hampton, Alida Millham, Peter Millham, Richard Coggon, and Donna Gaudet Hosmer of Laconia, Marlene Woodaman of Meredith, and Richard Thayer of Wolfeboro.

I’ve bolded my three “locals” but first, what is the official statement of the NH GOP?  Let’s review their own bylaws:

Any registered Republican who, at the same time joins or allows his or her name to be used in support of a political committee or a defined group of individuals, that in title or effect is intended to be understood by the public to be a committee or group comprised in whole or in part of members of the Republican Party endorsing a candidate for elected office from another political party, when there is a candidate nominated by the Republican Party for that office, shall be disqualified during the then present and the next biennium from holding an office of the State Committee or any County or City Committee, from being a member of the Executive Committee and from being a member of the State Committee.

The Executive Committee may waive this disqualification in the event that the Republican candidate is deemed to espouse beliefs or ideologies in direct contradiction with the principles or platform of the Republican Party, prior to the establishment of any such group.

Now, I left the NH GOP and became an independent NOT because I agree with Democrats but because I felt that too many NH GOP and elected Repub representatives decided that the beliefs in the Platform were of no real account – they exist only for “the little people” and under the “big tent” rubric, they have the cover to ignore them (at best) or just outright shred them when what they want to do irrespective of how they’ve campaigned to their voters, doesn’t fit a traditional Republican agenda or Principle.  For me, it was the Republicans passing Obama’s Medicaid Expansion here in NH.  Then they went along with raising the gas tax. Both are contra the Platform.  Well, if you can’t follow the Platform, why should these elected officials stay in the Party?

It’s a horrible PR disaster that has gone on for decades – and the NH GOP officials LET it continue.  It really begs the question: who is the Party for?  Is it for the leadership and they simply believe that the activists have no where else to go?  That they stick to the Platform “just enough” to prevent a wholesale abandonment?  Or is the Party supposed to be for the activists and those that believe in its precepts and vote in thinking those philosophical pillars would be upheld in almost all cases?

Now that I have that part out of my system, I can go onto the next part.  I did read that in the local Laconia Daily Sun and just shook my head.  Then NH State Representative Dave Testerman brought it back to my attention (and thus, this post) with this email to Wayne McDonald, Chair of the NH GOP:

Take a look at this.     There are several Republicans listed who should be kicked out of the party for supporting Pappas.  Among them Liz Hager, Robert Joseph, Alida and Peter Milham, Rich Coggon and several others,    You need to make an issue of this immediately.  Partial repeat of article

“MANCHESTER — Democrat Chris Pappas has announced that more than 100 Republicans and Republicans-turned-independents from across the First Congressional District are supporting his bid to represent them, including several from Central New Hampshire.

“Republicans for Chris Pappas” include Liz Hager and Robert Joseph of New Hampton, Alida Millham, Peter Millham, Richard Coggon, and Donna Gaudet Hosmer of Laconia, Marlene Woodaman of Meredith, and Richard Thayer of Wolfeboro.

Pappas, currently serving on the New Hampshire Executive Council, claims a record of working across party lines to make progress for the people of New Hampshire. As a small business owner, he said he understands the challenges the state faces and says he knows what it takes to work with people of diverse points of view…..”

Cheers!

Dave Testerman
Representative for Franklin and Hill

And he is right to have a beef – been there, done that – and said something at the right time.  I emailed back:

Especially the part about Alida Milham who, for years, ran as both an R and a D in her races.

The NH GOP allows this to continue with extremely little pushback.  A few years ago, before I resigned from being a registered Republican, the Belknap County Republican Committee proved my (continuous) point that not only doesn’t it vet its candidates or its members, it really doesn’t want to.  Alida, touted as a great Republican, was nominated to be a delegate to the NH GOP Committee.  Alan Glassman, BCRC Chair at the time (now NH GOP Vice-Chair), was perfectly fine with it – and so were pretty much the rest of the “Establishment” Republicans that were there at that meeting.

That is, until I forced the issue by pointing out that in that current race, she had openly (covered by the Daily Sun at the time) endorsed two Democrats in a race where there was a Republican. Then, and only then (and with great reluctance) did Glassman refuse the nomination.  If eyes were daggers that nite, I could have been sold for Swiss cheese.  And not just from Alida which should tell you something and not just that I helped to keep someone that didn’t (and still doesn’t) believe in the Republican Platform from continuing to infect the NH GOP.

The others were of the GOPe persuasion – the old time Establishment that couldn’t care less what she did or what impact she had to outsiders not ensconced in the “inside baseball”.  You know, the “little people” who think they’re voting for one thing and end up getting another.

Hosmer?  Hosmer…Hosmer,  hmmmm, why does that name sound so familiar…..hmmmm, I just can’t bring that name to the tip of my tongue. Why might that be – something in the recent political history of the NH Senate, perhaps? (/sarc)

That would be Andrew Hosmer that came to mind – for liberal Democrat Senator (and current Laconia City Councilor).

So, why does a Party feel so fine about such a PR disaster through the simple act of not vetting its own, or failing that, goes silent about it and does nothing?  Sure, there’s the rule (last time I looked) that throws an NH GOP elected official for a time if they run the flag up the pole for a Democrat.  A mere slap on the wrist and nothing for people like Alida.  Why does the NH GOP continues to commit political hari-kiri under the Chandler Rule (“anyone with an ‘R’ after their name is a good Republican) and acts all “inclusive” to those that have no willingness at all in acting (e.g., legislating or voting) like one? Doesn’t the Party see that this is just a different way of looking at the “Broken Window” of law enforcement?

You can’t tell me that you folks don’t know about these goings on – and further, remain silent on it.  I have to chuckle in that I still find my self, even being “Party-less”, defending your Platform more often and with more vigor than most Republicans. And that should tell you something else.

Back to the bylaw, above.  While it is true that there is that safeguard against NH GOP Officials doing what Alida Milham did, it doesn’t apply to individuals.  I’m no longer in a position, other than to write about it, to change said bylaws to have that intent lowered to the individual level.  Would it be hard to enforce?  Probably, but if the Party thinks its reputation is supposed to mean something, then why does it not do something to protect it?  Its just plain lunacy, IMHO.

And Alida is just one (albeit, easy) target.  There are others – a lot of others. And the Party. Does. Nothing.

Another person wrote in, adding more evidence that something is WAY off (reformatted, emphasis mine):