Throwing stones in a glass house called ‘party loyalty’

It’s been amusing to hear from all of the College Republicans and their recent alumni taking shots at me in order to please their hero David Lewis.  It’s amazing how much you THINK you know at 22-23 years old.  best-college-nerd-movies

*It’s amazing that a guy who claims to champion conservatism is so gung-ho for a Democrat speaker* is an example of some of the feedback I’ve been getting.  For the record, I never said I want a Democrat speaker.  I want leadership in my state legislature that puts ethics, honesty, respect for the law. respect for the people back home, and a disdain for big government ahead of their and their cronies’ selfish interests.  We have yet to see that.  The “unanimous” vote last week made it clear we won’t be seeing much of it over the next two years, either. hug

It’s amazing how much butt-hurt there is out there for this site’s criticism of Republican politicians.  Why aren’t these same people angry about the fact that Nelson Dollar and Tim Moore allowed a sketchy Democrat lobbyist linked to the even-sketchier Wayne Goodwin having so much influence on the selection of committee chairmen? 

Why aren’t these people all butt-hurt about Tim Moore AND Phil Berger huddling privately with Democrat bagmen who toss them a little cash and then turn around to KILL Republicans on the local level?  Why aren’t these same people all butt-hurt about a Republican gohug.fwvernor blowing a chance to fundamentally remake state government by filling the bureaucracy with a bunch of Democrats who lined his pockets? 

Why aren’t these same diehards grabbing the torches and pitchforks over Republican politicians — who not long ago were hollering about Democrat corruption — using their lobbyist-filled campaign coffers to buy condos, dinners, vacations, and SUITS?

What about the apparent GOPe protection of certain Democrat incumbents?  Who can forget Thom Tillis phugraising Janet Cowell while she was locked in a campaign against a Republican challenger?  Or Elaine Marshall winning handily in a year when the Democrats on the council of state were getting steamrolled? 

At the end of the Tillis era in the NC House, there was a bit of a dust-up over appointments to the UNC Board of Governors.   At least one major Democrat donor magically got appointed to the board, over a number of Republican candidates, in a GOP-controlled legislature.  Said one legislator who observed that appalling display: “For the first time in my life, I watched a man lose a vote five times and STILL win the election. From now on, I am going to wait for the fat lady to FINISH singinhuntpatg before I claim something is over.  Especially in this place.”

Jeane Kirkpatrick, Reagan’s UN ambassador, was a Democrat.  Joe Mavretic, a Democrat, did a decent job as NC House speaker.  Jesse Helms and Lauch Faircloth were Democrats right up until just before they filed to run for the US Senate.  Party labels — or the switching of them — did nothing to impact the quality of these leaders.  These people were men — and women — of ideas and principles.  Where has that gone? patbev

In Raleigh, and DC, we have two competing cabals locked in fierce combat for other people’s money.  The struggles in your family, or in your business, or workplace, or in your community mean little to nothing to these people.  It’s about fame and cash and self-enrichment.  It will continue to be so — unless we hold them accountable.

You can’t mindlessly vote for someone and then leave them alone.  Watch them with the same intensity you’d watch your two year old child or grandchild.  (Or your ne’er-do-well brother-in-law who just got paroled.) 

That’s what we’ll be doing.  Join us.