Life of the Party

Full Report of Washington GOP Convention

Coming Soon!

Highlights include:

Allocated National Delegate Ballots with only one candidate (pre-screened by John McCain staffer), and no option for write-ins or nomiations from the floor.

Ron Paul takes 4 unallocated national delegates from the state of Washington. 

McCain & Party Leadership led a March Out in Exodus, in order to pull quorum, to avoid debate on the issues. 

When the March Out backfired due to the hefty quorum remaining, the McCain & Party Leadership Marched back in to fillibuster and obstruct the body from completing any other business.

Still, the body managed to pass three pro-life resolutions including: support for a Human Life Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, opposition to the WA state Assisted Suicide Initiative I-1000, and support for the freedom of conscience for pharmacists to not despense abortion drugs.  In addition, the body passed a resolution opposing any military action on a nation without the U.S. Congress declaring war, which is in keeping with our Constitution.

The spontaneous Ron Paul March and Rally immediately following the convention, signalling this movement has just begun. 

Please stay tuned for the full report.  I need to get reacquainted with my family and then find an opportunity to write a blow by blow.  Meanwhile, TVW has full coverage of the convention business.  Note: there are three segments and they are long.  Most interesting are segments B and C.  More details can be found here, here and here. 

My apologies to Geri Modrell (Snohomish Co. Republican Chair), who appears to have stayed during the "march out".  It was reported to me otherwise, and I am sorry for repeating that misinformation.

Update on Washington State Caucus Results

Washington State Party Chairman Luke Esser has posted his explanation of the now national controversy over the caucus results, attempting to do some damage control.

Saturday, February 09, 2008
2008 Precinct Caucus Results

Statewide Results 2008 Precinct Caucuses:

Precincts Reporting	96.0 %
Candidates	Percentage
Huckabee	23.3 %
McCain	25.6 %
Paul	21.4 %
Romney	15.3 %
Other	1.1 %
Uncommitted	13.3%

Last Updated: Monday, 2/11/2008, 11:25 PM

Notice 1: The margin between Paul and Huckabee is tighter than the margin between Huckabee and McCain.

Notice 2: There is no winner yet in Washington State, and there will not be until the end of May at the State Convention.  Some very interesting dynamics can take place with such a divided result of the first step of our process.  Who among those delegates will be sent to the next level?  Look at the percentage for Romney (who has dropped out or "suspended" his campaign), "other" and "uncommitted".  Which way will they go?  It depends on what issues motivate them most.

Notice 3: This is very sloppy reporting by the WSRP.  They have still not posted the breakdown by county, which makes it tougher for anyone to check the veracity of these reported "results".    

No Horse in the Race Part II-"The Esser of Two Evils"

This is Part II (of No Horse in the Race) that I didn't have to write.  It's the case against "Plan B": Luke Esser.  Doug Parris says it all in "The Esser of Two Evils".  Here's an exerpt:

In 2006, "Empress Gregoire" (LOTP translation: Our Governor Christine Gregoire/AKA "Queen Christine"), threatening anyone on the State Pharmacy Board who didn’t agree with her with expulsion, demanded, on behalf of her pro-death constituency, that the Board adopt regulations forcing all Pharmacies to stock the Abortion Drug “Plan B” and dispense it to women without a prescription. This regulation, besides enormously profiting the producers and distributors of this human pesticide, who lobbied hard for it, and besides endangering innumerable women, was a direct violation of Washington State Law. Nevertheless it was demanded by the radical, fascist, anti-choice Left, and opposed by the whole of the Pro-Life Movement.
Demonstrating a lack of political judgement rare, even among Washington State’s pragmatists, Luke Esser stepped in to say HE AGREED WITH GREGOIRE.

Who Wants to be a Democrat?

This is beyond frustrating!  Has anyone heard even one Republican politician come out and oppose Gov. Gregoire on her interference with Pharmacists excercising their right to conscience or right to opt out of legalized killing (publicly or otherwise)?   Or have the pro-abortion-choicers taken control of both parties?

From David Postman's Seattle Times blog on Luke Esser's response to the attack ads against him:

He said that one of the group's main arguments against his candidacy is false. The group says on its website about regulating pharmacists:

Rodney believes all women should have access to birth control pills and plan B emergency contraception. Esser takes the extreme view that pharmacists should be able to deny you prescriptions your doctor has already approved.

Said Esser:

"They actually got my position wrong. The only time I announced a position was on Robert Mak's show and I said I agreed with the governor. Maybe they think the governor is an extremist, I don't know. I'm pro-life, but I'm not anti-contraception."

Let me give you a little campaign advice, Luke.  Don't try to out-Democrat the Democrats.  Your opponent already switched parties because he felt how uncomfortable that was. 

Question to all Republicans: Is the entire party establishment trying to prove we're not really the protectors of Life, Liberty, Property because that would be too "right wing"?  Do you wish to remain in the minority in Washington State and lose the majority status we gave you on the national level?