Randy Inman
Kim K.
Fixing The Republicans
June 23rd 2009 06:21
Thomas Sowell's new column today points out that, even though far more Americans identify themselves as conservatives than as liberals, the Republican Party has taken a beating for the last two election cycle. Despite this, they're still squabbling like children, fighting over things that are meaningless instead of trying to figure out why the electorate is unhappy with them.
There's a fairly simple solution to this, if they'd just quit being selfish and inbred: hold a Republican National Convention THIS YEAR. Only in this one, they shouldn't worry about nominations, running for office, or any other "elect me" stuff; rather, they should worry about how to rewrite the party platform, revitalize the conservative base, and recapture the love that the Tea Party Movement has shown them they have lost.
Start by choosing delegates at random -- invite a hundred registered Republicans from each state, chosen randomly from the rolls of those who have been registered for at least a year. Most won't show up, but plenty will. To ensure maximum and fair participation, cap attendance from each state to the first twenty-five to RSVP.
Next, invite representatives from the various other conservative smaller parties and movements, especially the Libertarians and Tea Party organizers. The idea is to get as wide as possible attendance from conservatives across the board.
The last people to invite: current elected national representatives, recognized Republican and Libertarian VIPs, and other important traditional attendees of the Republican National Convention. Make it clear that this time, the focus is on the people, not the VIPs. Their job is primarily to listen, not to talk.
The one completely uninvited group: lobbyists. This convention is about the PEOPLE, not the interests.
Spend the week in networking meetings, platform and issues discussions, and getting to know one another. Webcast as much as possible, and put keynote events on C-Span. The last two days, vote vote vote on the RIGHT platform for the Republican Party -- and only the lottery-selected delegates get a vote. The big surprise may come when it doesn't change that much.
I think such a scheme will accomplish two things. First, it will re-ground our politicians in what the people are actually saying, thinking, doing, experiencing. For the duration of the convention, the politicians will be immersed in the world in which their constituents actually live.
Second, it will revitalize the voting base. The convention lottery alone will generate tons of interest, even though registering after the lottery is announced won't get you a spot at the convention. Seeing ordinary people collaring Mitch McConnell and Newt Gingrich for one-on-one conversations, watching as the will of the people is honestly discussed, and knowing their friends and families are casting votes for the new Republican platform -- well, I can't imagine a better way to excite real conservatives.
Sure, I know they won't do it. But wouldn't this sort of thing repair a lot of bridges and get people involved again, just like the Tea Parties?
There's a fairly simple solution to this, if they'd just quit being selfish and inbred: hold a Republican National Convention THIS YEAR. Only in this one, they shouldn't worry about nominations, running for office, or any other "elect me" stuff; rather, they should worry about how to rewrite the party platform, revitalize the conservative base, and recapture the love that the Tea Party Movement has shown them they have lost.
Start by choosing delegates at random -- invite a hundred registered Republicans from each state, chosen randomly from the rolls of those who have been registered for at least a year. Most won't show up, but plenty will. To ensure maximum and fair participation, cap attendance from each state to the first twenty-five to RSVP.
Next, invite representatives from the various other conservative smaller parties and movements, especially the Libertarians and Tea Party organizers. The idea is to get as wide as possible attendance from conservatives across the board.
The last people to invite: current elected national representatives, recognized Republican and Libertarian VIPs, and other important traditional attendees of the Republican National Convention. Make it clear that this time, the focus is on the people, not the VIPs. Their job is primarily to listen, not to talk.
The one completely uninvited group: lobbyists. This convention is about the PEOPLE, not the interests.
Spend the week in networking meetings, platform and issues discussions, and getting to know one another. Webcast as much as possible, and put keynote events on C-Span. The last two days, vote vote vote on the RIGHT platform for the Republican Party -- and only the lottery-selected delegates get a vote. The big surprise may come when it doesn't change that much.
I think such a scheme will accomplish two things. First, it will re-ground our politicians in what the people are actually saying, thinking, doing, experiencing. For the duration of the convention, the politicians will be immersed in the world in which their constituents actually live.
Second, it will revitalize the voting base. The convention lottery alone will generate tons of interest, even though registering after the lottery is announced won't get you a spot at the convention. Seeing ordinary people collaring Mitch McConnell and Newt Gingrich for one-on-one conversations, watching as the will of the people is honestly discussed, and knowing their friends and families are casting votes for the new Republican platform -- well, I can't imagine a better way to excite real conservatives.
Sure, I know they won't do it. But wouldn't this sort of thing repair a lot of bridges and get people involved again, just like the Tea Parties?
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Comment by Steve Gann
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Comment by kywrite
You may have noticed that I included Libertarians. That's because there needs to be a welcome rolled out to them. Moving toward libertarianism might the the one thing that can save the Republican Party, distinguishing them clearly from progressive liberalism.
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Comment by kywrite
Anyway, that's the problem. That's why when we transfer to Georgia later this year, I'm getting my family seriously involved in the Tea Party movement so we can Vote Every Incumbent Out. We do that, they might start to listen a little.
We have forgotten we have the collective power to fire corrupt and unresponsive politicians. The key is not giving up -- the key is taking back our friggin' party, away from the special interests and greedy RINOs.
BTW, I'm pretty much a libertarian (or libertrarian, as I call them) too, as so many real conservatives are today -- but registered Republican because the libertarians don't seem to be able to get their collective act together. They are the proverbial cat-herd, I swear. Even though I love 'em, you can't get them to all go the same direction at the same time.
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Comment by kywrite
Is it because the party leadership gives them common enemies and there's that much anger and hatred? That's all I can figure.