John Tsitrian spotlighted former Republican legislator Jerry Apa’s critique of the South Dakota GOP last week. Apa’s declaration that the SDGOP’s arrogant leaders are out of touch with Republican principles and the people of South Dakota sounds like the farewell letter Michael S. Murphy writes to the Republican Party of Wisconsin:
I can no longer champion elected “representatives” who speak like Republicans, but then vote in their respective committees and legislatures completely opposite to their promised campaign rhetoric. I can no longer abide by and support individuals who I feel are sub-standard conservatives, simply for the “good of the Party”. I shall not contain my opinions when I witness damaging and hypocritical votes or stances that our elected officials make that go directly counter to the Republican Party’s Platform and Resolutions which are implemented by my fellow delegates. It has been my opinion for quite sometime now, that the Republican Party has morphed into a conservative wing of the Democrat Party. This I can no longer accept.
Since having served on executive boards of every State Party level during my time with the RPW (Branch, County, District, and State Exec. Committee), it has been a harsh reality for me to observe, and now affirm, that this State Party is controlled by only a few select plutocratic or politically powerful individuals. What was once thought of as a Party, I have found is actually an oligarchy. I can no longer stomach the top-down direction and orchestration conducted by those few select individuals, many times without the knowledge of the general Party delegation, and a few times, unbeknownst to even Members of the RPW’s Executive Committee [Michael S. Murphy, “Why I Am Leaving the Republican Party of Wisconsin,” Liberty Wisconsin, 2015.03.24].
Scott Walker’s party may be better off without a John Bircher who advocates secession and nullification. But I always enjoy hearing right-wingers use the word “plutocratic” and recognize that our common enemy is Big Money.
Union-busting isn’t much of a plank for Walker to use in whatever platform he’s putting together. The Stepford Republicans at CPAC and other Walker-fawning circles should take a hard look at his performance as Gov. Bloomberg calls it somewhere between “lackluster” and “failure.” : http://www.bloombergview.com/articles/2015-02-24/scott-walker-s-lagging-indicators
Walker did claim he handled 100,000 protestors which translates he has the capabilities to handle terrorists abroad as Potus. He also spends much time out of state and no one knows where he is at any given moment. Apparently keeping the state informed of his whereabouts is none of the state’s business.
Murphy used an awful lot of words when he could have simple said “I don’t like you guys so I’m taking my ball and going home”.
I will always admire those who wish to fight for change, but giving up and leaving is the equivalent to saying you aren’t strong enough for the fight so that burden needs to go elsewhere. Does he actually believe his letter will accomplish anything aside from serving as evidence of what everyone already knew?
Menards founder gave $1.5 million in ‘dark money’ to pro-Walker group
https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2015/03/menards-founder-gave-15-million-dark-money-pro-walker-group
When republicans tax and spend they way they have been for the past forty years, they are not acting like Democrats, they have finally outed themselves for who they are.
In the meantime, republicans debate in congress on how to satisfy the belly’s of the military industrial complex with more bloated funding. The solution to this funding issue would be to demand accountability for what they have already been given. In short, republicans should indeed act like democrats and demand an accountability. Here is a half billion in arms that has gone missing. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/pentagon-loses-sight-of-500-million-in-counterterrorism-aid-given-to-yemen/2015/03/17/f4ca25ce-cbf9-11e4-8a46-b1dc9be5a8ff_story.html
Today’s Republicans: “Eisenhower, we don’t need no stinking Eisenhower.”
Craig, Murphy’s letter is having a sizable impact, though that might be difficult to recognize in SD. Here in St. Paul there is significant coverage of WI politics and Walker in particular. Murphy’s letter has gotten coverage in Madison and Milwaukee instate. Milwaukee especially is notable because that’s the heart of Wisconsin conservatism. The Washington Post has carried the story, in addition to the NY and LA Times and many big dailies in between.
There has been a constant stream of articles in major newspapers comparing the governorships of very liberal MN Gov. Mark Dayton and right winger Walker. Walker has been consistently losing on economic and social issues.