Life of the Party

Phyllis Schlafly Report: Do Party Platforms Really Matter?

This week's Phyllis Schlafly Report is a must read for every Republican, conservative and pro-lifer.  It's packed with the history of the Republican Party and its platform battles, defining and redefining the party.  It includes:

• Munich in Manhattan
• Turning the Party Right
• Correcting a Platform Mistake
• Defining Conservatism in Dallas
• Defending the Pro-Life Plank
• The Platform W. Ran On
• The Non-Grassroots Platform
• Looking to the Future
• Key Issues for Grassroots Conservatives

In light of this report, it would really be something to examine why the Republican Party chose to solicit input from every Tom, Dick, or Harry; Republican or Democrat, on the internet through their online Republican Platform Committee website, promising that, "All comments and feedback will be reviewed and taken into full consideration as we prepare for our convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul."  If national delegates were elected fairly, and then each of the states' platform committee members were elected by their delegates, there would be no need for this sort of thing to make it appear that "this will be the most grassroots driven platform in the history of the Republican Party."  There already is a method in place for ensuring grassroots Republican input if the state parties would follow the rules.     
 

Conservatives Ready To Battle McCain on Convention Platform

Conservative activists are preparing to do battle with allies of Sen. John McCain in advance of September's Republican National Convention, hoping to prevent his views on global warming, immigration, stem cell research and campaign finance from becoming enshrined in the party's official declaration of principles.  Full story.

If the Washington State Convention is a precursor, conservatives will have their work cut out of them.  The list of issues will most likely include abortion as well.

Vote Pro-Life

In the presidential race, that might not be so easy to do.  But in local races here in Washington, there are some great candidates to support. 

At the Washington State Republican Convention, I had the pleasure of hosting the first ever Life of the Party booth.  With the help of some wonderful volunteers, we collected pro-life pledges from candidates for national delegates, and confirmed through the many pro-life voter pledges collected, that grassroots Republicans are still strongly pro-life. 

We also had a few candidates for public office stop by and take the time to fill out the Republican National Coalition for Life Candidate Questionnaire, and I'm happy to report, after reviewing their answers, that the following candidates take a firmly, pro-life position:

John Ahern is running for re-election for State Representative in the 6th Legislative District.

Steve Beren is running for U.S. Congress, challenging the very entrenched pro-abortion liberal Democrat incumbent in the 7th Congressional District, Jim McDermott.

Michelin Doan is running for State Representative in the 17th Legislative District, challenging the incubent, Deb Wallace, who votes in lockstep with NARAL and Planned Parenthood. 

Matt Shea is running for State Representative in the 4th Legislative District, in an open seat, vacated by retiring Republican Lynn Schindler, who has endorsed Shea. 

The willingness of all of the above candidates to take the time to fill out a candidate questionnaire at a busy Republican convention, says a great deal about their seriousness toward protecting the right to life.  Please consider giving them your early support this campaign season. 

I've also had the opportunity to get to know Michael Delavar and his wife Katja, through the Ron Paul campaign.  I'm very impressed with Michael's grasp of the issues, especially with regards to the right to life.  He's running for U.S. Congress in the 3rd Congressional District against Brian Baird. 

And closer to my home (but not in my district), Val Stevens, a champion of Republican principles, including the right to life, is running for re-election.  Her seat is probably pretty safe, but she deserves the enthusiastic support of pro-life Republicans. 

Brain Teaser: "United" Against Purpose

National Right to Life, whose expressed and presumed purpose is "the right to life" has endorsed the same presidential candidate that has the support of Republicans for Choice, whose expressed purpose is "choice", a euphemism to cover up abortion, which violates the right to life.  How can these two purposes be united by one candidate? 

Ron Paul on Abortion

This is from December, but in case you didn't catch it before (I know it's not a show pro-lifers regularly watch, if ever at all)...Here's your chance to view it again. He handles the abortion question beautifully. What a shame our party is passing up a chance to have this guy make our case and be able to persuade others. Not that I think he persuaded these women, but perhaps some of their audience.

2008 Snohomish County Republican Platform (Proposed)

As promised, here it is.  The Snohomish County Republican Party does not have it posted at their website, but they should.  (And at the time of this posting, it looks like they are having more problems with their website.)  In fact, for the last two years, they should have kept the 2006 approved platform posted, but they removed it at some point.  Part of the necessary reform in the Republican Party is full disclosure of its platform (even proposed platform, in the interum of being approved) and holding our Republican officials accountable to the platform. 

Note: I have removed the proposed resolutions that were included in the original document, because they were not even voted on by our committee, and many of them were lengthy, redundant and sometimes involved matters more local to a precinct like stop signs and traffic signals at specific street corners.  At a near future date, I will post the resolutions that we did approve.  I do not yet have a copy of those. 

Snohomish County Convention

Our convention was held over the weekend and it was quite exciting.  Almost the entire day was taken up by the delegate election process.  We were divided up by legislative districts to do that.  Yours truly was the top vote getter in her district, which can partly be attributed to my 6 yr. old daughter who created this irrisistable campaign sign.  (A grassroots campaigner in the making.)  Other factors were certainly involved too.  More on that later, but you can read what I've already said to the "Sounds Orange" boys over at Sound Politics at comment #22.  (Hint: a good portion of Ron Paul delegates were elected.  And it looks like the Ron Paul supporters in Minnesota had similar success.) 

Unfortunately, with the length of time it took to elect the delegates (with over 60 candidates running for 22 delegates and 22 alternate positions in my district for example), it was late in the day when we reconvened all the districts to adopt the platform.  Many folks had left after the delegate elections were over, and therefore there was not a quorum to do any business.  So the excellent platform that was proposed by our committee (on which I served) will have to be voted on at the next county central committee meeting.  That meeting will take place on May 10 and the PCOs (Precinct Committee Officers) will have a chance to vote on it.   But you can have a look at the proposed platform here soon.  So check back. 

Sometimes a Pro-Life Republican Just HAS to Vote Third Party

I have no intentions of joining a third party.  In fact, I don't like when my conservative friends do.  I've tried talking them out of it.  It creates a release valve for the pressure that builds among grassroots conservatives, and the Party Establishment is relieved when we leave as they smile and say "Buh-bye". 

The best way to defeat a pro-abortion or liberal Republican is to run a serious campaign as a Republican primary challenger.  Of course, it is rarely successful when the opponent is an incumbent, but it can be done.  Even more rare, are third party victories. 

Nonetheless, there are times when there is just no choice for a pro-life Republican but to vote third party. Like for instance, when the local chapter of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in the world, endorses the Republican candidate, and when the Republican Party makes it impossible to challenge the candidate. 

My friend, and popular Catholic blogger, Paul Mitchell (AKA: Regular Guy, Paul) threw his hat in the ring for just such a legislative race in the state of Illinois.  He declared himself an "independent" candidate and then a few days later, joined the Constitution Party.  I can't really say that I blame him.  I don't agree with the move, but I support his candidacy, and if I lived in Illinois, I would definitely vote for him.  In fact, I endorse him and encourage you to support him.  Especially, if you live in Illinois.  Although this is a small local race, I think he can make a serious impact on the pro-life movement.  He is talking straight about abortion, and proposing that the state level is where the battle for Life must be fought and he is ready to fight it. 

All that said, I do hope he returns to the Republican Party.  And I hope that grassroots Republicans start realizing that we are losing more and more of our members because we tolerate politicians who don't stand for our principles just because they have an "R" next to their name.  OPEN YOUR EYES!  And I hope that conservatives who are tempted to go and join a third party will think better of it. 

This is OUR Party.  Take it Back!   

Last Chance to Save the GOP and Beat the Democrats

Calling all conservative Republicans!

Unhappy with a likely McCain nomination?

Discouraged that the guy you were backing (or the guy he was backing) has jumped on the McCain bandwagon? 

Tancredo endorsed Romney, now Romney is endorsing McCain.  Brownback endorsed McCain.  Thompson endorsed McCain.  Hunter endorsed Huckabee and Huckabee has no problem voting for McCain. 

His endorsers all want YOU to "fall in line", to "close ranks".

Should conservatives just throw in the towel?  Should we fall in line with a candidate who has the endorsement support and preference of Republicans for Choice, who is funded by George Soros, and who is the co-author and promoter of amnesty for illegal aliens? 

But isn't it a done deal?  Doesn't he already have the nomination sewn up? 

No.

He needs 1,191 delegates to vote for him at the national convention.  The delegate count right now is unclear, as the media calls states for McCain when the delegates haven't actually been chosen yet.  There is an overwhelming anti-McCain sentiment among the party faithful, and banded together, might be able to defeat the nomination of John McCain before or at the convention. 

Media darling McCain, has only gotten this far, because conservatives have been divided between the rest of the candidates in the previously crowded field.  Now that the field has narrowed, we need to unite the grassroots conservative movement, ala anti-Harriet Miers style, Catholics Against Rudy style.   

This ain't over. 

A Case for Bringing Back "Litmus Tests"

A failure of conservative Republicans to properly screen and vet Republican candidates has resulted in surprise and disillusion from the Republican base at the national level.  It led to the huge losses for Republicans in 2006, both nationally and in Washington State, and now it stands to kill what little standing our party has left in our state.  Out of the ashes, perhaps a reformed, more principled Republican Party will emerge. 

Rob McKenna, Republican State Attorney General, ran a very conservative sounding campaign with his conservative family image, and as a result, he was one of a very few Republicans to actually win his election.  He's married with four children.  I have been amazed at how many pro-life conservatives ASS-U-ME this means that he is pro-life and then never even bother to ask, or get snowed over when they do ask, and are answered with a dodge from our now Attorney General.  In 2004, when he was elected as our Attorney General, it never came out until after most Washington voters had mailed in their ballots, that he was pro-abortion-choice. 

Now, in a brilliant move by his Democrat opponent, Pierce County Executive John Ladenburg, has baited and caught McKenna as the pro-abort that he is, which should kill his favor among pro-life conservatives with short memories.  From the Seattle Times: 

Ladenburg also claimed McKenna is not in sync with Washington voters when it comes to abortion rights. "I believe in choice, and Rob is a believer in right to life," he said.

McKenna said Ladenburg is incorrect. "I am pro-choice, and I'm on the record as being pro-choice," he said.