Editor’s note: RSmitty emailed the following post to Delaware Liberal.
I have a high-level of self-regulation when it comes to principles and morals. In June 2009, I switched my party registration from Republican to Unaffiliated, largely in part to my intended disassociation from those who were gaining control of the national-party platform. I have been asked to return to effectuate change back from the image that exists now. Even though I may be separated from the characters of recent image-altering events by a wide margin, the common bond would be a voluntary alignment within the same group-membership. I can not and will not identify myself with what is quickly becoming, if not already fully in place, a large cast of characters that refuses to respect any of the processes our long-established political system has granted us, which in its own right was a hard-fought-for PRIVILEGE, when viewed from the world stage. It was not that long ago when the majority of Republicans were screaming that the activist opposition to Bush/Cheney (note that I never supported Bush due to what I saw as questionable tactics of Cheney and Rove) should be quiet in deference to the decorum demanded by the office of the POTUS. Republicans have claimed to stand on principles for generations. Given that generations of what used to be Republicans has now been flushed out of the party, it should no longer be a surprise that there is no deference to the office of the POTUS, either. It certainly took no time at all for many who were screaming that you respect the office of POTUS to turn around and act more offensively in opposition to that principle, compared to those who railed against Bush/Cheney for so long. For a party of supposed principles, why do we engage in the same (worse, actually) behavior rather than practice what we used to preach?
What happened at last night’s Presidential address was downright pathetic and I am referring directly to Rep Wilson of SC. It is this behavior and attitude that has quickly infiltrated the party and the subsequent passive admonition, or worse yet, acceptance of this behavior that led me to my decision in June to go Independent. I realize that not all Republicans identify with this behavior nor accept this behavior. That is worth recognition, but what disappoints me is that we shouldn’t need to recognize it, for the offense should never happen, particularly within a party that has long claimed supposed principles. Unfortunately, the leaders of the party either refuse to confront it or, as I mentioned above, accept it. For those who refuse to confront it, complacency is passive acceptance; therefore, they, too, have accepted it. I see that other US Reps and Senators from the Republican Party are referring to Rep Wilson’s outburst as unfortunate, shameful, etc. They should. I have not seen Michael Steele nor the chair of the SC Republican Party utter a single word, either in the media directly or through a press release. They should be jumping all over this. This is the complacency factor I cite.
I hold myself to very high and tight standards when it comes to what I believe in. Self responsibility and respect of others is high on that list. While Rep Wilson may truly be remorseful, his act is just too synonymous with what has become the party’s image for a while now. It’s like the tactics that Gingrich is becoming known for: throw the most damaging accusation out there first, and then reel it back with apologies or pretend bipartisanship when less people are watching. In other words, the intended damage has been inflicted, then offer a band-aid once the wound has already formed a scab. I’m not interested in this. I’m far more interested in truth and respect, but where the party is willing to accept that – not a party that has thrown it in the trash can. I know there are individual exceptions, and I know quite a few, but they don’t any longer make up the party, they aren’t fanatical enough, and that’s a good thing for those I consider friends.
A party becomes a minority because the general public has turned away from that party’s message. There is no expectation that the minority party should abandon their core principles to regain the majority, but there certainly should be an expectation that the message has to be reworked! What we are seeing on the national level is the minority party verbally terrorizing the political-scape in an effort to impose the non-core principles, the same ones that lost them their influence, onto the entire populace. I can’t believe I am saying this, but Michael Steele and the national Republican Party: you lost and you lost big. You still have your core principles, but stop compromising them because you don’t know how to work like a political minority. Being the minority never means you roll over and play dead, but it does mean that you don’t always get what you want; however, it also means that you need to work harder at shaping what you don’t want into something more palatable to your platform and you do so with the decorum that should be demanded by those who voted you into office! I leave with this: act professionally and work it out. You act as if the Republican Party has a gun to its head and is in survival mode. I, too, see you in survival-mode, but one where the party has all the guns and is staring wild-eyed from a bunker. Get over it, get professional, and work it the hell out. Taking the ball from the sandbox and stomping off never helped anyone.
-RSmitty