The Scott County Republican Party (SCRP) Web site home page, as currently displayed, in all its informative motivational splendor, lists candidates for the November 5th general election who have a Republican registration. That minimalist information is inadequate in some of the races. We will post some additional information that may help in those. But first we are compelled to comment about what the same home page says (or doesn’t say) are the two important actions to do by then.
Vote . . . it does not say vote Republican, just “please be sure to vote.” An oversight? A presumption about their audience? An overwrought concern about advocacy reporting? An unwillingness and/or lack of information to set forth reasons to vote Republican in the municipal “non-partisan” elections? We think the latter is controlling.
So let us be the first this cycle to actually put in print vote for the Republicans. We have posted many reasons over the last couple of years to vote Republican on balance. Primarily by pointing out the extreme nature of Democrat office holders, Strangely, for a Republican Web site, the SCRP isn’t into establishing or pointing out differences between it and Democrats. Not very useful as an educational and party building tool or in defense of Republican principles and office holders. It should really call its Web site the SCRP Calendar and Year Book.
This site regularly opposes the Democrat Obamanation, and liberal biased media, giving readers arguments and informative links to shore up genuine opposition to liberalism /socialism’s onslaught. You see little or none of that on the SCRP Web site.
While the SCRP Web site does not say so, we assure you that you could presumptively do worse then voting Republican. We say presumptively because the powers that be at SCRP made no effort to determine, or if they did so, to help inform those leaning Republican who visit there Web site, of the meaningfulness of the “R” visa vi the listed candidates. Or at the very least explain the importance of voting Republican at every level.
There is plenty in the local and state platform to question municipal candidates about, and with cogent answers from them, build enthusiasm for the Republican candidates. We believe most would be amenable to key platform matters, and if not, well they are probably no better than some of the other candidates.
One quick inquiry, under the auspices of the SCRP leadership, would be an inquiry into their views on Agenda 21 for example, or better yet, to sponsor a forum where that would be asked. But as we have pointed out before, reasons for being a Republican receive scant attention from the SCRP leadership on the Web site.
Instead of sponsoring a forum, the powers that be at SCRP posted referrals to forums sponsored by outside organizations — Landlords of Davenport and The Davenport Association of Professional Fire Fighters Local # 17 . But the SCRP Web site was not upfront in saying who the sponsoring organizations were (see here and here). Note that Tea Party activists two years ago were told that events they sponsor, invariably in support of Republican platform provisions, would not be promoted because, well, they are outside organizations. Apparently a Tea Party organization is more a rival to the SCRP powers that be than a Democrat leaning union.
The second thing the SCRP notice informs us of is that November 5th is the last day for reservations for the local Reagan Dinner featuring Republican former U.S. Senator Scott Brown. He is a liberal Republican, the chosen featured speaker. Chosen by whom from what panoply of available speakers is never revealed. Brown, we predict, will in essence lecture about the need for the Party to stand for vague things, and then for the need to reach across the aisle to compromise those vague things whenever the Democrats say tut tut. That is his track record.
May we humbly suggest on behalf of both Iowa and Scott County, that a large county such as ours, with the largest media market in Eastern Iowa, the most populous sector of the state, a state that is still deemed important because of its first in the nation caucus status, might have availed itself of a variety of candidates with, shall we say, currency and serious appeal to the conservative base. You can read more about the Brown appearance in these pages, here and here.
We guess that the Brown pick is a strategy of doubling or even tripling down. If a formerly liberal (continually suspect by some) Massachusetts candidate didn’t turn out the base adequately in 2012, on the heals of an Arizonan in 2008, who was at least as liberally suspect, then an appealing strategy is to get a notoriously more liberal Massachusetts candidate to solidify the Republican base? There’s a strategy for you, insult the base.
Brown is the SCRP leadership’s headliner for the event and was from the beginning. Republicans already get that many Republicans roll over for Democrats. We do not need to hear from someone who brags about it. R Mall
Ed note: This post has been altered from the original. It has been expanded, altered for clarity and links were added.
