Tent shrinking?
How else to describe the 2014 Scott County Republican Party Platform (SCRP)?
Apparently someone or a small group decided without mandate that the platform should be as content free as possible, except of course for a few specifications near and dear to this one or that one (more on the inconsistencies in another post).
The newly passive pro-life planks are:
5.3 We believe in the sanctity of human life at conception through natural death.
HUMAN RIGHTS
6.1 We believe the unborn child, as a genetically unique individual, has the fundamental right to life that should not be infringed upon. We promote education on alternatives to abortion, assistance to mothers during pregnancy, and efforts to encourage the adoption of unwanted children.
Sounds pretty encompassing to the casual reader, perhaps, but not to the dedicated right to life proponents who infuse the party with so much energy. The casual reader might infer that SCRP opposes all manner of assaults on the right to life of the unborn child. Except there is nothing in the new gutted wording indicating support for doing anything to stop abortion. Gone is the call for law to protect the unborn child, women’s health, parental consent rights . . . all still very current issues and included for many years . Instead we get a passive statement “we believe . . . ”
The winning nature of the right to life issue has been affirmed by the Republican National Committee at their recent winter meeting, along with the encouragement that the party support candidates who will fight back in defense of life.
We should be adding planks that in addition to those that establish that the Party is pro-life, raise important current issues that need action and put the pro-abortion Democrat Party on the defensive. But instead SCRP not only removed the call for parental consent as regards abortion, with not even a generality to parse in support of such legislation, the caucus introduced “telemed /web-cam” abortion plank was denied inclusion.
According to a late February Des Moines Register Poll, opposition to telemed abortion is 66% statewide with 86% of Republicans opposing it, 62% of Independents and more Democrats in opposition than supporting it! But the “content free” platform proponents want to cater to the 27% statewide and 9% of Republicans who believe telemed abortion should be allowed.
Current, flesh and blood, assertive, winning, advocacy matters, give backbone to elected Republicans. Clear planks inform potential voters that the Republican Party is more than a bland out of touch election club unserious about any particular matter. Actions that reduce clarity will reduce loyalty . . . and further the attitude that “the parties and politicians are all alike.” Initially this will increase “no-party” affiliation. At that stage it is not the same as voting Democratic or third party. But Party support will be affected.
Conservatives are more and more distrustful of Republican leadership. Loyalty has been seriously damaged by promises made but not kept. Not making clear pronouncements is not the solution. Making and honoring clear pronouncements is.
Not doing the later will aggravate the movement of political activities and loyalties into single and multi-issue PACs, the Republican Party being seen as the do nothing party, and now even the can’t talk the talk party. Combinations of conservatives will tend to migrate into an existing or yet to be formulated alternative party or parties. The grand days will belong to some other more conservative party.
R Mall
