This is not a religious post but it seems apropos here.
“As a dog returns to his vomit, so fools repeat their folly.” – Proverbs 26:11
Almost on cue Darrell Issa told CBS Wednesday, “If the President calls and says will you serve your country, the answer always is … you will.”
While I’m not surprised at the opportunism of the retiring Congressman, I humorously note his reference to “the President.” I think it’s telling. Absent is the entity he should be referring to – “We the people.”
But it’s not Issa’s opportunism that discourages me most. It’s some of my friends on the San Diego County Republican Party Central Committee. Like a dog returning to it’s vomit they are bounding to Issa’s side.
Embarrassingly they’re unaware of his record. Unaware of it’s impact to our brand. Apparently unaware it’s rendered our rare control of all three branches of government meaningless. Our California party registration has dropped to third. Issa’s record is worse than Duncan Hunter’s. It includes a vote against H.R. 1, the most significant tax reform since Reagan. A vote against Tom McClintock’s Amendment to balance the budget and fully repeal Obamacare and a vote against reducing funding to the EPA … and the list goes on.
I’ve previously been silent because he’s not my Congressman.
I don’t think my friends get it. The solution to restoring America’s greatness isn’t defeating a Democrat. It’s not about electing an “R”. It’s a return to our great ideas. The “laws of nature” care little for politicians and their good intentions. The reform we desire only responds to principle.
We should be united around a positive, our conservative values: limited constitutional government, free markets and individual liberty. Instead we’re uniting around a negative, Ammar Campa-Najjar. Big mistake.
We failed by not withdrawing our endorsement from Hunter. Had we done so it’s probable Hunter still would have won the primary but Bill Wells would have been enabled to fund raise and garner the extra 6,400 votes necessary for a Prop 14 second place finish. Hindsight is 20/20.
We now know Hunter will be in the General. Let’s help him get elected and then unite in a special election around a candidate with a track record for not just being popular but having the political courage to do the right thing, vote with our time tested ideals. Vote for someone who will exploit the conservative majority in the 50th and lead.
Seeking someone inspiring. Hunter and Issa are only the fruit of the problem. We’re the root.
***
Eric Andersen is member of the Central Committee of the San Diego County Republican Party and former Caucus Chair for the 71st District. He is also Co-Founder and Chair of the Republican Liberty Caucus of San Diego County as well as a former Rock Church Citizen of the Year.
Comments 12
So, uh.
You’re, uh.
“Seeking something inspirational.”
And, uh.
That begins with. . .
Um.
“Let’s help him (Hunter) get elected”
I, ah.
No words.
Author
Point taken Encinitas but my aim is constitutional government. I’m of the mind that a special election will deliver a better legislator than a victory to Campa-Najjar. You may disagree. I have to hold my nose to vote for Hunter.
I’m sorry. I’m still processing this.
So, after Hunter is re-elected, you’re talking immediately about a special election. Which means you believe Hunter is a crook who will be removed from office.
To summarize: Eric has a plan to restore principled leadership. Someone inspirational.
In the same post, he chastises others for favoring political expediency over lofty moral high ground.
Then he proposes as the first step toward his version of the shining city on the hill. . .
To help elect someone he thinks is a crook?
Am I reading this right?
And not from some random hack. This is from a member of the central committee of the county GOP. And from a guy whose closing signature touts his moral authority as a Citzen of the Year from his church.
I, I, I,
Oh, I get it.
You totally got me. This is a put on, right? There is no real Eric Andersen. Good one, guys. You nailed me. Have a great weekend.
E, It sounds like you are still optimistic the GOP will do the right thing in a special election. Perhaps you are right.
As for me, the GOP is going to have to win back my vote. Until then, why throw my vote away on one of their candidates? Voting is not worth the opportunity cost unless a third party candidate is on the ballot.
Wouldn’t it be nice if Tony K. issued a statement that said something like:
“The Republican brand is more important than winning any one Congressional seat. For that reason, the Republican Party of San Diego is rescinding its endorsement of Congressman Hunter. I promise you that we will win this seat back in 2020.”
I’d prefer that Tony K. issued a statement like this:
“Constitutional government is the most important reason to retain a Congressional seat. For that reason, the Republican Party of San Diego implores you to vote for Congressman Hunter. The alternative is handling over a seat in Congress to a man who wants to loot more productive people to promote a failed health care scheme, enact an unconstititional government takeover of education from pre-K to university, infinge upon the First Amendment,and fund abortions with taxpayer money.”
Much like so many Americans took a chance on Trump, I’d rather take a chance on Ammar and wait for a real GOP contender is 2020.
Let’s be real for a second. The house isn’t going to flip in the midterms. But Hunter is damaging the GOP brand.
This “party above all” mentality is going to push more people away from the GOP.
That’s pretty brilliant, Brian.
A statement like that should work perfectly as long as you think voters are too dumb to know or care that you believe Hunter is probably a crook.
It’s not great, but it’s probably the best you’ve got.
It’s certainly better than Eric’s plan. They both say the same thing, but Eric is a little too honest.
Brian,
Do we vote for people or parties? If it is the former, Hunter has no business being anyone’s representative. Period. If it is the latter, can we simply save the taxpayers a lot of money and simply have only McConnell, Schumer, Ryan and Pelosi in D.C. ? Tie votes go to the Party that got the most votes in the last election.
Seriously, these last few days have reinforced for me what the most serious threat facing our form of government is, and it is not any kind of unconstitutional governmental takeover. It is that otherwise seemingly intelligent people insist that their tribe and anyone who claims membership in it has to be right, even in cases where it is obviously wrong.
We may have the most wealth on the planet but we will still become a third-world country if we don’t soon realize that fellow Americans who happens to register with a different political party are not the enemy. I do not believe that I have ever felt less optimistic about our future, and I lived through the “Carter Malaise.”
Final parting thought.
Over the last week, in multiple comments spread over multiple articles, I have consistently done something with language that is noteworthy.
I have NOT been saying Congressman Hunter is a crook as a statement of fact. I haven’t even said that I personally believe he’s probably a crook. Over and over to multiple people I have been proposing that YOU believe Hunter is probably a crook.
I kept waiting for someone to challenge that. I wondered if anyone would stand up and say “Hey, buddy, don’t put words in our mouths—we don’t actually believe that.”
The fact that it never happened speaks volumes. And now that it’s been called out, any denials look pretty hollow. You really do think Hunter is probably a crook. And this whole debate boils down to: “How do we spin this to get this crook re-elected.”
How sad.
I would ask each person to reads this not to jump to an immediate reaction. Let it sink in. Ask yourself how you got here, and whether this is really who you want to be. Are you really modeling the qualities of leadership you want the next generation to emulate?
This weekend Najjar had a meet and greet at the Alpine Community Center. It’s been silent this morning and I have heard from no one who went nor anyone who said the parking lot was full when they drove by. The electorate in Alpine is Republican, Conservative and Constitutional. Duncan has been convicted of nothing. He gets his day in court, just like anyone else. Also, Alpine is not going to roll over and give Najjar the seat…not for OUR district. Stop all the chest beating, pontificating and moral posturing. The 50th is Conservative. If Duncan is convicted or resigns then we will cross that bridge when we get to it. BTW, the Republican Party isn’t the 50th. The 50th is Republican. There are plently of Conservative Republicans to step up, in the event that is needed.
Mr. Russo weighs in further…
Presumption of innocence just one reason to support Hunter for reelection
https://bit.ly/2MCuZmO