Democrats Want Republicans to Fight
I am one of the Republicans who thinks it’s a good idea to change the way the Republican State Central Committee (SCC) is chosen. I am for the direct election of members. I have also called my State Rep and Senator and told them to vote against SB600. I know I just said I was for the direct election of SCC members but not if it’s pushed on the GOP by the Democrats in the General Assembly.
Why do you think Democrats are taking time to push this legislation when they have so much more to do? What’s in it for them? Just stop and ask your self why Speaker Madigan or President of the Senate Cullerton would take the chance of being beat up in the media for ignoring our current problems by spending time pushing this legislation? It’s called politics. They hope that the GOP will be too busy fighting each other to focus their attention on the Democrats.
The Democrats are on the run. Voters are starting to step back and see what life under Democrat rule is like, high crime, high taxes, taxing or fining people for every aspect of their lives. Cameras at every intersection to be able to ticket as many people as possible, parking meter rates quadrupled, higher gas taxes, higher energy taxes, more gambling I could go on and on. And with all of these things going against the Democrats some in the GOP base want to start open warfare and take the focus off the Democrats. Why?
For the people that are not completely up to date on this issue I should give some recent history. Last Summer in Decatur the IL GOP held it’s convention. It was one of the most attended conventions in decades. The issue of direct elections was the big draw for the grassroots activists to attend, so nobody should say they weren’t prepared or were taken by surprise by the issue being called for a vote. Some say that the party cheated by giving the County Chairman, Ward and Township Committeemen the full weight of their counties even though they didn’t have precinct committeemen to fill all of the precincts. That, they say is why the direct election issue lost. I am not here to stand for the party, God knows I have spent the last ten years fighting almost everything it’s done; BUT the fact we were beaten by a political maneuver at a political convention means we lost! Fair and square! To now go to the enemy and use them to try to get our way is not the way to go. If we had won and the party had gone through the General Assembly to overturn the decision of the conventioneers we would be livid! And rightly so. Why should it be OK if we do it?
There is a primary election coming very soon and the Governors race is on the ballot. Make Direct Election an issue in the GOP Governors primary! The Governor, if we elect a Republican, becomes the head of the State Republican Party, he or she will choose who the next Chairman will be and will have the power to either change the system or keep it the way it is. If the GOP loses the party leadership will be run out of town on a rail and then we can fight for the changes we want. Why give the Democrats any cover? Why help them change the subject? The Democrats are helping to start the fight! Open warfare will get us nowhere!
We as conservatives have been wanting the party to listen to us and let us contribute to it’s platform and leadership. It has s l o w l y been moving in that direction. When and if there is conservative leadership or even fair leadership of the party we will have to take the reigns and use these same tools to govern the party. Then it will be us running the convention. And us trying to listen to our grassroots. And us setting the rules. Why burn down the village to save it?
One more thing. This fight is all for nothing. The courts have already ruled that the General Assembly CAN’T tell a political party how to run itself or what rules it has to follow, it would violate the First Amendment right of free speech. The Democrats know this. Why do you think they are helping to bring it to a vote? If the GOP goes into this election united Democrats lose! The only chance Democrats have is for the GOP to implode. A sure way to implode is fighting between conservatives and moderates. Keep your eyes on the big picture. WINNING!
**
Jim Leahy is a regular contributor to the Chicago Daily Observer
Your piece doesn\’t make any sense Jim. It\’s a hodgepodge of incorrect jibber jabber.
So you\’re for the reform, but then you spend several paragraphs putting out false information about it? Huh?
You sound like one of those sad conservatives who doesn\’t want to actually advance the ball on anything. You\’ve just become so accustomed to losing and being beat up by the old powers that be. It seams comfortable, like an old shoe. It\’s like you\’ll miss being a second class citizen if we get a big victory on this. It\’s always the NEXT fight you\’ll help with. And then when that one comes along, you\’ll say oh, just wait until the NEXT one.
You talk about \"the party\" like it\’s some separate entity that you aren\’t good enough to join. I\’ve got news for you Jim Leahy, we\’re ALL \"the party.\" The officials in these top spots are supposed to be working for all Republicans. They have a duty to SERVE Republicans. That\’s what SB600 is about, getting better people in leadership, and having a way to keep them accountable. It\’s all about making these GOP officials work for Republicans again, instead of just themselves.
It\’s all about making the Illinois Republican Party something other than the AIG of American politics.
Jim, you don\’t even seem to understand the most basic aspects of Illinois politics or our party.
Also, you\’re just wrong when you push the lie that the Democrats are the ones pushing SB600. That\’s absurd.
In case you hadn\’t noticed Jim, the Dems have big majorities in both chambers. ANY legislation the Republicans want can only pass with Dem support. The Dems simply aren\’t boneheaded enough to block a voting right for Republicans, when they already enjoy the same right. Sure, they\’ll vote for it. But they aren\’t working for it. They don\’t have to. Again, they simply have no reason to do the dirty work for people like Tom Cross and Skip Saviano. If anyone is going to keep Republicans disenfranchised, it\’s won\’t be the Dems playing patsy.
Instead, it\’s people like you Jim who are inexplicably trying to play that role.
SB600 shouldn\’t be a big fight. It\’s only because of the clumsy tactics and lies of a few that it\’s such a big deal. A few bad players are going to great unethical lengths to stay entrenched. That\’s not the fault of good Republicans.
Every single honest Republican wants their vote back. Who wouldn\’t?
It\’s only the Cellini/Kjellander/Saviano/Cross wing that is selfishly trying to keep Republicans disenfranchised. Why do you make a fool of yourself for those dirty clowns?
You also don\’t know what you\’re talking about on the legal end. SB600 just reverses bad legislation that Jim Thompson and his pals forced down Republicans\’ throats 20 years ago. What part of our current bad system came via a statute don\’t you understand Jim? SB600 just takes us back to the reasonable system of one-person, one-vote. That\’s what we had for 70 years before a bad statute was forced on us by a few.
Jim, you also say \"make Direct Election an issue in the GOP Governors primary.\" News flash Jim, it was an issue in the 2006 Primary! And every candidate was FOR the reform (yes, even Judy), EXCEPT for Gidwitz.
Oh, and that\’s right, you\’re a Gidwitz guy now. We all get it. Gidwitz is close to the Log Cabin wing in Chicago and they mostly love the current system. The easily rigged nature of these \"elections\" now has allowed major infiltration of the homosexual wing into the IL GOP. Everyone knows Gidwitz sits on at least one advisory board with the openly gay Clark Pellet for example. Clark has been one of the chief exploiters of our current system. He\’s almost gotten on the Central Committee a couple of times by running stooges for the lower spots solely to try and secure a \"vote\" for State Central Committeeman. Again, he\’s come very close in the past by selfishly gaming the system.
SB600 removes those kinds of bad incentives. Anyone, yes even a Log Cabin member, will have an equal shot at getting on the State Central. But it will have to be done through an open and fair election, and not through slimy games that destroy the grassroots of our party by corrupting the races for the lower party posts.
Gidwitz is supposedly some smart business guy, but he doesn\’t seem to understand much about organizational governance or how proper incentive structures should be put in place.
It\’s also sickening to hear you repeating the lies about last year\’s state convention. Why are you spreading the Cellini wing\’s dishonest talking points about that horribly rigged affair? Every person with a brain wave knows that convention was the single best argument FOR SB600. It only seems to be you, Bill Brady and Andy McKenna who are making fools of yourselves by trying to hold up last year\’s convention as some sort of wonderful event. It\’s sad, because everyone else knows the truth.
You don\’t even have your talking points straight about last year\’s convention when you claim, \"some say that the party cheated by giving the County Chairman, Ward and Township Committeemen the full weight of their counties even though they didn’t have precinct committeemen to fill all of the precincts.\"
For crying out loud Jim, that\’s a completely different scandal! You\’re actually referring to the rigged way the old guard rigged the State Central Committeeman \"elections\" in 2006! That\’s what some precinct committeemen in Lake County sued the state party over back in 2006.
You\’re clearly very, very confused.
But Jim, I somewhat sympathize. I know it\’s hard to keep the bad behavior straight. Again, just one more reason why we need SB600.
Here\’s an idea. Maybe ask the crumb-bums that you\’re playing stooge for now to at least give you a score card.
You might at least look marginally less foolish in the future.
Jim, what happened? A lot of us used to like you. We thought you were a fighter for right. But now here you are trying to undermine a reform that most reform-minded Republicans have endorsed, including your old mentor Peter Fitzgerald.
Again, what happened to you? Jim, you\’re on the wrong side of history.
But if you don\’t have the stomach to fight for reform, at least have the courtesy to refrain from just lobbing in more phony gobbledygook.
Kathy
The point is there is an election NOW. This can and will be solved by the Party not the General Assembly. You can\’t force a party to change rules you have to do it by votes. I am with you. I want the direct election of the SCC but I do not want the Democrats to be the ones to do it. Is that to much to ask?
If it takes until the next convention so be it but at least it will be done by members of the party. Why take your eyes off the objective? Why give the Dems any way to cause problems?
And BTW I still like you. I won\’t even question your being a conservative.
As an added mention, it was Governor Jim Thompson 20 years ago who rammed through legistlation that initially took away our right to vote on who runs the Republican Party.
It was the General Assembly that initially took away those rights.
Thats all well and good but… You can\’t have the General Assembly run by the opposition party dictating how their rivals will organize. I agree we need direct election of the SCC but I will fight over being forced to do it by Democrats.
Yes the General Assembly changed the rules when Thompson forced it through but.. again Thompson had the party vote to change the rules then he had the GA to do it.
What we should be getting the GA to do is change thwe rule that Cook co. have Ward and Township elections instead of precincts. If we had Precinct elections it would play into our strengths and get more people into politics. that would be something effecting both parties and the Dem\’s would never do it beacuse it would help the GOP. Why are they helping now? Because it is in their interest to do it.
Jim, your “analysis” is all circular. “The party” under the current leadership won’t permit a real convention, where anything positive can be accomplished. Were you not in Decatur for a significant amount of time?
Again, Decatur showed what happens when you’ve got a State Central Committee that’s not accountable to Republicans.
Good Lord Jim, McKenna brought in a bunch of enforcers who were dragging good people out of the hall if they so much as called for points of order, or tried to see just SOME points of Robert’s Rules of Order respected. No one knew what the heck was going on most of the time. Plus, there was no debate on direct elections or anything else. You also ignore the fact that the jury rigging began well in advance of the convention itself. A lot of reform minded Republicans who wanted to be delegates were denied, for unethical reasons. Around two-thirds of the available slots remained unfilled, even as good people stood ready to go.
And get off this nonsense about how this is being forced by the Democrats. You’re just wrong and you’re insulting every reform-minded and conservative Republican in this state. It’s good Republicans, and Republicans alone, who have been working on this reform for years.
If you’re saying people like Chris Lauzen have just been playing stooge for the Democrats all this time, then I don’t know what to say to you.
It’s not our fault that when Jim Thompson and his cronies forced through a bad law in the late ’80′s (when there was at least one Dem controlled chamber by the way, and I think they both were), that they deliberately made it tough to restore real democracy.
If the current “leaders” won’t hold a real convention, the only alternative is simply to restore the old law legislatively. SB600 is just reversing a bad statute that never should have been jammed on us in the first place.
There is never a good excuse not to reform or fix an organization for the better. If you’re serious about winning any significant office back, that’s what serious people do.
Every Republican who doesn’t have a selfish self-interest wants their vote back. Of course they do. The Dems don’t really care, but they are hearing from their constituents who just happen to also be Republicans.
Kathy
I have met people who are “real Republicans” who were delegates who voted against the new rule. I dis agreed and tried to show them why change is the way. Senator Lauzen is and has always been a true champion of conservatism, I just don’t agree with you on the way you are going about getting your way. Yes the conservatives have been beaten proceduarly because we haven’t had someone expert enough to win in that venue. The regulars know how to work the system but we still need to use the system to win. Democrats have not helped until now WHY? Because there good guys? they are just helpful? They want whats best for the GOP? NO! This is in their interest. It is in their interest t disrupt the GOP if they can. I think they understand that No party can let another party dictate to them how to organize. I am sure they pray the GOP sues them for doing this. They know they will lose but they will have jeadline about hoe split the GOP is.
Jim it’s only “disruptive” to the IL GOP because enablers like you are you are helping a few failed, dirty players turn this into some kind of war. We’ve got some bad officials who are afraid of the accountability of a real election. They know they won’t keep their titles if Republicans have anything to say about it. It’s as simple as that.
You’ve already made it clear that you’re willing to roll over and ruin your reputation for the Bill Cellini wing. Why?
And your wrong again, the Dems supported SB600 unanimously in the Senate in 2005. Madigan was also ready to put his caucus as “aye” on the bill that year in the House. It was your new friends, the corrupt Saviano and Cross who killed the bill. Again, the Dems already have this voting right. They aren’t going to take the blame for blocking real democracy. The point is their “support” isn’t new.
And stop spreading lies about the state convention last year. Putting aside all the rigging, the current version of SB600 wasn’t even writen until a month or so ago! I’m talking about the doubling of the size, with 19 State Central Committeeman and 19 State Central Committeewomen. NO ONE CONSIDERED THAT LAST YEAR in Decatur or anywhere else. It’s a fundamentally different, and better, SB600 now.
I think we’re done here. If you only have admiration for the crumb-bums who rigged a convention and further destroyed our party, I don’t know what else to say to you.
If you don’t have the guts to help fix the IL GOP, then at least stop helping the corrupt players by perpetuating their lies. It’s you who is helping turn a simple reform into some divisive war.
Jim, do you really think playing stooge to the Skip Savianos is going to help Ron Gidwitz do marginally less horribly than he did in the primary last time?
Cathy
I have never worked for Rich Williamson. I have never been a contract employee for Judy Barr Topinka. I have never sold my soul to anyone. I have my own opinions as most people know and I am not covering for anyone. I don’t even know Ron’s stand on this issue but i will say when he becomes Governor I will push to make direct elections the law of the GOP.
If the Dem’s listened to the GOP leadership last time and would not bring this to the floor , why are they doing it this time? Because of Blagojevich and the economy! They have to take the focus of the way they have run this state and get their opposition fighting with each other. You went back to calling me names instead of answering a simple question. WHY? Is it because Madigan is a good government guy? He just wants to do what is right? NO! It is in his interest! You don’t care. I do. It’s called politics. I don’t think it’s in our interest to have the bill cause this kind of trouble.
Your posts prove my point. Not one bad thing to say about any of the big government , high taxing, pro homosexual rights, anti gun, pro choice Democrats. Just attacking me and other Republicans. I agree some Republicans do not want what I want as far as how and what the party stands for and I have been working hard to change that, for over a decade. But because I think your are giving cover to our opposition have I called your reputation into question? Have I made insinuations about you or the people you work for? No. And I never would we just disagree on how to reach the same goal. I want to win. If the GOP loses this election the wilderness will seem close, the GOP will cease to exist in this state for a generation at least. I want to focus on this cycle. EVERY office is on the ballot and we need to make sure there are candidates for all of them. Lets work together to fill these and put people into place who will move what you and I want forward.
Jim, anyone can throw mud at the other side. A 4-yr old can do that.
Real leaders fix their own house before throwing mud at the other guy.
SB600 will be a very positive thing for the IL GOP and for Republicans. It’s silly to persist in the blatant lie that this is some Dem thing.
You haven’t been honest with Republicans. You’ve put out false information that you’ve refused to correct, on a number of points, even the really obvious, embarrassing mistakes like referring to the “vacant precinct” issue with respect to the convention. It wasn’t relevant there. Again, that’s a seperate scandal, and another problem spawned by the bad system we use now.
Going into 2010 with the “strategy” that we’ll try to con voters into thinking we’ve cleaned up, when we haven’t, isn’t responsible. You’re just helping guarantee another disaster. That’s never good enough, especially in a state as blue as this one.
Jim, aren’t you the same guy who wrote not long ago that the GOP shouldn’t help impeach Blago, that we should keep him around for political gain?
That wasn’t responsible either.
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