PrintOctober 23, 2009
Republicans Move Left, Just Can't Get It Right
Nearly a year after what can only be defined as an Election Day debacle, Republicans are showing further signs that they have no intention of listening to the voice of their conservative base, the voice of thousands of tea party attendees, or the voice of well-informed town hall protestors. In essence, the voice of reason.
In yet another indication that the vast divide between those who define themselves as Republicans, and those who brand themselves conservative, remains present, the GOP in New York's 23rd District have nominated Dede Scozzafava in the Congressional special election. Why though, seems to be a mystery. In short, Scozzafava can only be designated an easily identifiable Republican in Name Only (RINO).
What about her justifies such a moniker?
First and foremost, she has had a cozy relationship with the Working Families Party (WFP) - yes, that WFP. This is the same party currently embroiled in a ballot fraud scandal in Troy. The same party that has recently had absentee ballots tossed in the town of Bethlehem -- a party with tangible and evident links to the scandal-plagued organization known as ACORN. Yes, that WFP.
While associations with such vote-thieving organizations in itself makes Scozzafava a very unappealing choice for Republicans, there are other factors which make her nothing more than a liberal in conservative clothing.
Fiscal responsibility had fallen by the wayside during her stint as a state assemblywoman, voting for massive tax increases. She also supported a $180 million state bank bailout, and cast a vote of support for the behemoth federal stimulus package - a package that every single House Republican rejected. This is a bank bailout which has made significant contributions to the current state deficit of over $3 billion, and a stimulus package which has fueled a record $1.4 trillion national budget deficit.
Tack on a couple of other major liberal platforms - gay marriage and abortion rights - and it is difficult to discern between Scozzafava's record and that of her Democratic rival.
Meanwhile, the true Conservative candidate in the special election, Doug Hoffman, is being categorized as a problem for the Republican Party in the 23rd District, simply because he is splitting votes off from Scozzafava. Additionally, the GOP has somehow managed to link this ‘problem' with their reasoning in supporting Scozzafava, essentially asking their party members to cast a vote out of fear -- fear that a vote for the Conservative candidate amounts to a vote for the Democrats.
The GOP establishment needs to stop focusing on such ridiculous notions, and start nominating candidates with their conservative base in mind. They would be wise to nominate candidates based on what they believe is right, and trust that the people will vote based on a set of shared principals and values. They should be endorsing a candidate who opposes Obamacare, opposes Cap-and-Trade, is pro-life, supports tort reform, believes marriage is a union between a man and a woman, and is an adamant supporter of the war against terrorism. They should be endorsing and supporting Doug Hoffman, not castigating him because of his meteoric rise in the polls.
Hopefully on November 3rd, the voters will do just that, rejecting a GOP policy of putting politics above core values, and do the right thing.
Something the party has failed to do for them, for far too long.
Rusty Weiss is a freelance journalist for NewsBusters.org, focusing on the conservative movement and liberal bias in the media.
