...with their hand extended wanting cashola.
I just had a pleasant conversation with a woman who wanted me to write out a check to support the Ohio Republican Party. I asked her, "Is the party supporting George Voinovich?" And she actually said, "No." I had to ask her again, but she said it again. Apparently, a large number of people in Ohio have had it with Voinovich and lack of real change in the party and are letting it be known through the only recourse the grassroots has in dealing with the Ohio Republican Party...the checkbook. Of course, I don't believe that the Ohio Republican Party won't support Voinovich until they actually do something...
The pressure to agree to a pledge continued throughout the call with plenty of references to Democrats and raising taxes, but I pointed out the Voinovich has been wrong on taxes at least five times in this term.
Eventually, I was handed off to a supervisor when I indicated that she could send the letter but I wouldn't be writing a check until I've seen actual change. We started over with the supervisor and covered all the bases. She actually said that we have to band together so Democrats don't raise our taxes too... That's when I launched in to the Ballad of Mike DeWine...when given a choice between a whacked out liberal Democrat and a Republican who campaigns as a conservative Republican but then becomes a liberal Democrat in office, Ohioans will choose the liberal Democrat because at least he is being honest.
Now, I expressed to the supervisor that I felt bad about dumping all of this on her, but the grassroots really doesn't have another option. These fundraising efforts are the only power that that the grassroots has and it is time that the grassroots organizes to effect real change in this party. Tell them this: "So, go ahead, send the letter, but you won't be getting a check from me until I see real change."
I fully expect to hear some criticism from at least one blogger in particular, but I strongly believe that if the Ohio Republican Party is to be brought back from the wilderness, it absolutely must make some fundamental changes in how it does business as a political party. Right now, money means more to this party than principles...and until that changes, I support withholding the money.
Am I angry? You betcha... Clearly, Voinovich is a problem; yet the party continues to sit on the sidelines fiddling while Columbus burns... As I said on the call, I've played the "let's be nice" game...it doesn't work. All that contributing to the Ohio Republican Party does right now is tell Bob Bennett that what he is doing and not doing is acceptable behavior. It isn't.
I'll also put up the standard call for someone in the Ohio GOP to set me straight. Where am I wrong? But don't bother me with dumb arguments like "Democrats are going to raise your taxes?" No kidding, so are Ohio Republicans.
While we're at it...let's talk about the warm and fuzzy feeling coming from the afterglow of the orgy known as the Ohio budget. Republicans ought to be fighting for the reduction of even more spending. That there is such a love-fest going on up in Columbus tells me that Republicans didn't do enough to reduce the burden on the Ohio taxpayer. When Gov. "Taxin' Ted" Strickland embraces the Speaker of the Ohio House, I know the taxpayer just got violated...
...and I am supposed to support that with a check made out to the Ohio Republican Party???
