Half of this will be an announcement and confirmation of an upcoming event and the other half news involving the subject’s probable opponent next year.
Let’s start out with confirmation that Andy Harris will indeed serve as the keynote speaker at a fundraiser for the Lower Shore Young Republicans on Saturday, May 23rd at noon. It will be located at the McIver residence, 26144 Nanticoke Road in Salisbury and the cost for the pig roast, fried chicken, beer, and entertainment (provided by The Occasionals) is just $15 – cheap!
I would have liked a longer press release but I need to talk about format with the LSYR folks.
Anyway, it brings me to a vote that was taken in the House the other day. Once again, Frank Kratovil sides with the special interests and not the people. Sure, let’s allow ACORN more federal money!
Here’s an explanation from Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota.
Was Frank (our Frank, not the Barney of Massachusetts) for it before he was against it, or vice versa, or just plain voting the way the party bosses told him to? Heck if I know, but why should ACORN get a dime of federal funding given their track record of corruption?
Michele Bachmann is not exactly the person the Republican Party should be turning to if they want to regain power, nor is Andy Harris. I’m sure the Harris team is working every day to try to remake his image, get him to tone down his reactions, and learn a little more about the world (like Iraq is not and was not a theocracy), but I think we saw the real guy during the last campaign, and the real guy lost.
FF, you’re a very nice person, but let’s face facts here. The chances are very slim that you’re going to vote Republican in the next election (or next decade for that matter.) You giving advice on what the GOP should do is basically equal to me giving advice to the Democrats on how they should succeed. Well, actually they do take my advice to some extent because in swing districts like ours they run a person who talks conservative and hopes his actual voting record won’t see the light of day.
To me, that “theocracy” statement is balanced out by Kratovil’s “solved the problem” statement. Anyway, 2010 isn’t that far off although the primary will be much later.
I’ve kind of went off track here to address your particular statements but suffice to say that the GOP isn’t going to win with pale pastels or by being Democrat-lite. We may wander the wilderness for awhile but try as you might you won’t wipe us out completely.
Michael, I have great respect for where you’re coming from and how you conduct yourself with respect to the issues, though I don’t often agree . . .
That being said, I think FF is right . . . Michelle Bachmann does not represent the way out of the wilderness for the Republican Party . . . from my perspective, she’s a certifiable wingnut, incendiary to the extreme, in line with Rush, Malkin, and the Fox News line-up of hysterical fearmongers (O’Reilly, Hannity, Beck) . . .
You’re right on one point . . . FF will not likely vote Republican any time soon . . . nor will I . . . but that doesn’t mean we may not have objectively valid views regarding the current plight of your party . . .
In my view, your party’s viable future lies in a more Libertarian approach on all issues– economic, social, and national security/foreign policy . . . right now, those viewed as spokesmen (and women) for your party are mired in incendiary fearmongering and personal attacks (dijon mustard on a cheeseburger? c’mon!), which detracts from the credibility of those attempting to craft legitimate arguments and positions, moving forward, on the issues that matter . . .
The last time I saw Bachmann, she was trying to link the recent Swine Flu outbreak to the current Democratic administration by suggesting a similar outbreak occurred during Carter’s administration . . . and she pretty consistently makes similar over-the-top arguments on other issues, particularly social issues . . .
Another thing . . . quite simply said . . . social conservatism is killing you guys right now . . . true limited government stays out of the bedroom as well as the wallet . . .
You can do better in terms of who you present as spokespersons for the positions that matter to you . . . I know you can . . .
Reagan led the Republican Party out of its last wilderness with a positive vision, a positive outlook, and a positive message . . . though I don’t see anyone on the horizon right now, I think those that emerge, doing the same, will bring you all back to the table . . .
The future of the Republican Party lies not in purification and entrenchment, purging all elements alleged to dilute abstract conservatives ideals, but rather in an open-minded and honest assessment of how to apply and practice those ideals in the world as it exists today . . .
The pendulum will swing . . . always does . . .
In 10 years we may be having this conversation in the opposite direction . . .
Hey Michael,
It is true I will not be likely to vote Republican any time soon, but I did vote for Wayne Gilchrest in the past! And I know many people in the Republican party argue that he isn’t areal republican, and perhaps he isn’t, but the plain truth is that Harris lost the Republican seat to a Democrat. This is a moderate Republican district overall, and Andy Harris is not a moderate Republican. It doesn’t matter what my political affiliation is, the facts are the facts, and Kratovil won for a reason. I would not endorse Dennis Kucinich as the right guy to speak for Democrats since he is way out on the left, and in my opinion, it would be a mistake for the Republican Party to let thier versions of Kucinich become their spokespersons in some misguided effort to restore ideological “purity” to the party. But hey, that’s me! We’ll see what happens.