For the record, I have talked to Keith about the problem with the NHGOP in the past. I agree that the problems are systemic and inbred; many of you have heard me say the phrase “Five Families” (you can figure out the reference). My memory goes back to the legitimate election of Jack Kimball as NH … Read more
Yesterday, when news broke that Democrat State Sen. Jeffy ‘Bumpstock’ Woodburn had been arrested for sexual and domestic assault, I observed two things in particular.
First, State Democrat Party Chair Ray Buckley was quick to announce/denounce, which is way out of character. And second,
Who knew what before it became a liability?
The State Republican Party want’s to know that too.
No offense to the burger joint- great food, but after having been forwarded an op-ed in support of the current immigration scheme, how could I resist?
Steve’s post brings up a bunch of issues that are well worth your time to read – and as you can tell by the title here, this is a takeoff on it. He brings up (along with some of my thoughts):
Most political operatives, campaign managers, politicians and El Jefes of the GOP still have little to no clue how to view bloggers even after a decade since the first bloggers started. Ditto for cooperating with us. These folks get frustrated, because they quickly find out that not only can they not “use” bloggers, bloggers get extremely annoyed when a dumb attempt is made to actually do so (and make that abundantly clear, which then makes us “the enemy” in their minds because we won’t “go along”). We may support your issues, and sometimes, we may even be in lockstep in areas, issues, or people important to you , but realize that it is because those things are important to us – not you. We do a lot of things but mainly we blog and we do a lot of it. Personally, don’t ask me to do a lot of other things that you think we should be doing; ask how I might be able to help THIS way – not your way or to plug your “need holes”. We may like you as a politician but don’t view us as part of your campaign staff (even if we “make nice” on you often) that you can then believe co-opting might possible.
Jon Henke a few years ago told me what he tells politico type…
II. TAXES AND SPENDING
Government Structure:
Expand openness and transparency to employment, expenditures and all recipients of taxpayers’ funds
“Secrecy in the name of unity” – what a phrase; anyone else see the uber-contradiction between what the NH GOP demands of its Government and what governance it is willing to hold itself to? What a phrase from the person who held highest office in the State Party, now former NH GOP Chair Wayne MacDonald to utter. Once again, the disconnect of “Fine for thee but not for me” rears its ugly head. No, Wayne MacDonald and James “Jim” Foley, as we here at the ‘Grok have been pointing out for YEARS now, bloggers are not the problem. We only hold the flashlights and flip the ON switch to ON. What they shine on is strictly a manifestation of the internal works that folks like you have created. Or do you not like that message either? Good governance, either in Government or any other organization, yields trust – and that demands openness and transparency. However, both of these “gentlemen” believes otherwise – that secrecy is the stuff of good governing, I guess. We can only trust ourselves – the elected to rule govern.
Consistency – oh true, there are times we may continue the early practice of the blogosphere being the Wild Wild West (which does upset some of the delicates out there, or those that believe they are the be all and end all, and above criticism) but in almost everything we say or believe in here at the ‘Grok, we are consistent. Sure, like most folks, we do slip up now and then (heck, with almost 13,500 posts, we’ve said a whole lot a whole lot of times) – but they are the exception rather than the norm. You read us, you know us. Government, and the NH GOP, should be internally consistent. They are not.
This was the most egregious fact that was brought out by Steve’s post (“Wayne Mac Donald ..”People who blog are those who are “ruining” the party”“) linked to a piece by political newcomer Kathy Benuck about her experience at the NH GOP Annual Meeting. Seen through her eyes, from a fresh unvarnished perspective should be viewed by those now in charge of the NH GOP. My takeaways of her “cause for concern” items:
Actually, in both cases, the answer to both cases is “It DOES make a difference – a tremendous one, in fact.” And both are in the same area: trust. Or in fact, creating more a lack of trust than what already exists. Both questions from the top figures in the organization show a lack of concern of the perception of impropriety at best or a callous lack of concern (at all) at worst.
As Grokster Scott points out here, the question from Hillary was an avoidance of responsibility on her part. She may, indeed, have future political plans and does not want a political albatross hung around her neck. It was also, secondarily, a defense of Obama and of Obama’s claim that He has single handedly decimated Al Queda and made the word safe for Socialism (after all, an Obamessiah has to be blameless in order to mold us to be able to enter into his Heaven on earth). After all, if that policy PR is shown to be false (and I believe that it has), the inference can be “where else is Obama’s foreign policies failing?” or other policies as well.
But it matters even more – Government should be open and transparent. It does matter, in that it is not YOUR Government, it is ours, the Citizens. This is not YOUR nation, it is ours, the Citizens. The reasoning of those we have elected to govern (not rule) as well as how that reasoning turns into action (and then how that action is carried out) should be able to be followed by the ordinary citizen. When that open and transparency is violated, the lack of trust by the ordinary system rises. Pulling down the shade by dint of her question only creates dark corners in Government in which bad things seem to sprout and create rot.
Oh, back to Wayne MacDonald, now the former NH GOP Chair…on the NH GOP Area 5 Vice-Chair race
You know, James, I do have to say “Thank you” for saying what you did from the stage on Saturday. Really! There you were, all suited up, looking magnificently upon that lighted stage, with 450 or so Members of the State Committee, Press, and visitors watching your stately oratory. Your report on the Finance Committee was perfection in audible form. The number and event retelling was spellbinding – you had everyone’s attention to see how well you had led an important part of the NH GOP…
Oh, woopsies! I guess my current surroundings have me a bit distracted – I haven’t been able to blog from Mom’s basement – she passed away at the end of last year.
But yes, I was correct about the pin drop quiet in the auditorium and about the amazement in the crowd, but not for the serious purpose for which you were called upon. Instead of doing what adults do, which is to concentrate on the task at hand regardless of distractions, to put the greater purpose on the front burner and push others aside, you became yet another symbol the Leadership of the NH GOP that seemingly disrespects the grassroots, only listening when they have to, and despising them in private for what they have to say. Thank you for fulfilling the stereotype that we out in the hinterland have of how valued we are. After all, with your own words, James, we all out here don’t count, none of the other groups that could be aligned with the NH GOP in complementary missions don’t count – all that is left is the insularity, the anger, and the dismissive wave of the hand.
A perfect metaphor of the NH GOP displayed by one of the Inner Circle. I am GLAD that you, now former NH GOP Chair MacDonald, and NH GOP Area 5 Vice-Chair Alan Glassman have shown that “private face” (as the Japanese speak of) to we peons. It shows that valid criticisms of the Party are not to be tolerated – after all “WE ARE REPUBLICANS – we don’t air our dirty laundry”. Nonsense. The problem is, as I have pointed out, that dirty laundry has piled up and is now becoming the obstacle itself – a self-serving habit that does the Party no good at all. After all, one can only throw that dirty laundry into the dark corner for just so long until it spills out into the lighted part of the room.
And James, you certainly brought it out into the lighted room on Saturday.
I overlooked this announcement (on which Steve is busy writing a post on as well, I see) when it first came in – someone else emailed in on this and my head whipped around. File this “what were they thinking” OR “the Five Families were planning ahead, eh?“:
Important Notice on the 2013 Annual Meeting
The State Executive Committee has voted unanimously to charge $25 to all State Committee Members to attend the 2013 Annual Meeting (below is brief summary from that discussion)
This can be done before or at the Annual Meeting The 2013 Annual Meeting will be held at Bedford High School on January 26th
Any question please call the State Party at 225-9341 or email info@nhgop.org
Rest of the notice after the jump. Oh, the “Five Families” of the NH GOP. Of course you know that things have gone out of control when the Chair of the NH Democrat Party, Ray Buckley, has a public comment on the brouhaha now coming to a boil over the NH Republican Chair Race. So, context by what Mike wrote last night (emphasis mine):
Only hours earlier, DiStaso reported that several others had considered and then stepped aside, but that Cliff Hurst, who rejuvenated the Manchester GOP, and who guided the success of the blowout NHGOP victory dinner earlier this year, was in the running. Hmmm. What a difference a few hours makes – what could have happened? No need to risk losing an election and having to deal with the messy business of toppling the chairman after the fact, if you can mount a smear and fear campaign in advance, and drive your opponent out of the race ahead of time. You see, Cliff Hurst is no newcomer to politics, is good at fundraising, and is happy to criss-cross the state meeting with town committees – he might just win if not neutralized immediately.
The smears – Cliff Hurst started getting phone calls from friends that the word on the street was that he had become senile. The money drying up – Andy Leach called Cliff from Ayotte’s office to advise that, if Cliff won, there would be no help whatsoever forthcoming from DC, just as had happened to Jack Kimball in 2011.
Given what we’ve posted about this topic (here, here, here and here), this from FaceBook Sounds.Just.About.Right.: Cliff Hurst has worked tirelessly for the Republican Party for decades as a citizen-activist, Chairman of the Manchester Republican Committee, and currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee. Looks like other folks have the same … Read more
I really got more involved in politics in the 2005/2006 time frame – not a long time compared to a lot of folks but certainly more than most. The Republican rout in 2006 kicked it into a higher gear – it had been obvious that the local (and State) Republicans trying to head to the … Read more
This is not really the home of New Hampshire’s Republican party Chairman….but it could be.
Or “What ever happened to that pair we saw Wayne MacDonald with when he debated NH Dem Chair Ray Buckley on Close-up“?
Or “Leadership by cowering“?
Or “See no evil, hear no evil, speak pablum”
Problem outlined and question posited here. Well, I got my requested answer (credit for that, anyways) and Tory Mazolla, the Executive Director of the NH GOP sent the response by NH GOP Chairman Wayne MacDonald along to me:
“We’re disappointed anytime a Republican doesn’t support the entire GOP ticket and all of its candidates. That said, I understand that there are always Republicans who fail to close ranks as we would like. We will support the full ticket in November as determined by our Republican voters, but we’re not supporting any candidates in a contested primary. All of our nominees in the general election will be supported, but the normal practice of the Party doesn’t include direct financial support to candidates.” – NHGOP Chairman Wayne MacDonald
I read it once. I read it twice. I started to read it a third and said “screw this” and fingers went to keyboard to fisk it:
Yes, the vote on HB 437 (the repeal of gay marriage) did not go the way that I would have hoped. Yes, I agree that the primary concern of the NH GOP majority in the House and the Senate should be fiscal issues, fiscal issues, and more fiscal issues. However, there is always a fiscal cost to social issues as well – every. single. one. of. them. Sure, lots of Rockefeller Repubs hate to see their hands get “dirty” in social issues, but they are always present. Perhaps the fiscal issue may not be immediately observable on what seems to be a social primary issue, but when one rises up to the 10,000 foot level, the $ signs can be seen bobbing around the landscape. And social issues are inescapable, as the Progressive movement has pushed politics and Government into almost all aspects of our lives.
I keep going back to when this WAS a big deal and a lot of outside money flowed into Democrat pockets to get it passed – certainly, the Dems thought this was a big social issue deal that had to be addressed. And now, they wanted it off the table (“hey, this isn’t a fiscal issue” – a use of “Use their own rule book against them”.). Forget, for a moment, that this social issue was about gay marriage; should the NH GOP just let the Dems do any social issue they want?
And the NH GOP Party Platform has social issues in it that are major pillars:
Preserving Marriage and Family
We realize that the family’s most important function is to raise the next generation of Americans. We place our highest priority on promoting and preserving the family as the most important institution of human development by:
- Recognizing marriage as the legal union between one man and one woman