Politics as Usual

This should be an exciting campaign season for the GOP. There is renewed energy in the Conservative movement and renewed interest in our founding documents and the first principles. I myself joined the local party after the recent election loss in 2008. I looked at the loss not as defeat but as opportunity to regain control of the Republican brand. However, I am finding it is a much more daunting task than I had imagined. It seems with all the cries of protest at Tea Parties and Town Halls, our voices are still not being heard. . . even by our own party! The best example of this is the special election for New York's 23rd Congressional District set to occur on November 3rd. Currently it is a 3-way race between Bill Owens (D), Dede Scozzafava (R), and Doug Hoffman (C). What does that "C" designate you ask? Conservative! Apparently even the "R" no longer guarantees that anymore! Conservative Doug Hoffman entered the race late after growing dissent with the Republican Party's choice of the moderate to liberal Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava. Hand-picked by the Republican establishment, Scozzafava has increased taxes, is pro-choice, pro-card check, and union supported. She has received endorsements from moderate Republicans such as Newt Gingerich, while Doug Hoffman, the Conservative candidate received endorsements of true Republicans and true Conservatives, the likes of Governor Sarah Palin, radio talk show host and Constitutional Lawyer Mark Levin, Rush Limbaugh, Conservative Columnist Michelle Malkin, and social conservative and American Values president Gary Bauer, to literally name just a few. This example of the old Republican establishment at odds with the new Conservative movement may be taking place in New York, but there are campaigns like this all across the country, including Wisconsin and including our very district. As we fight to find Conservative candidates we believe in at the local level, the party simply hand-picks candidates they feel have sufficient name recognition or financial backing. This is hardly the democratic process our founders envisioned and we need to wake up, pay attention, and make our voices heard! If we don't, we will be forced to once again hold our noses in the voting booth and sheepishly defend our "Republican" candidate. Worst of all, we will miss out on the biggest opportunity to take back our party. The only question that remains is, does our party want us back? http://michellemalkin.com/ http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1009/28641.html