by Diane Benjamin
The local GOP is holding the annual Lincoln-Reagan Day dinner April 16th. The key-note speaker is Sharon Day, co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
Recently the RNC announced they will now play the Identity Politics game – they will reach out to minority voters. Is that what Ronald Reagan did? Are GOP members running for office now going to create one speech for whites and one for minority crowds? They must no longer believe “All Men Are Created Equal”. Evidently the GOP is now using the democrat’s tactics of divide and conquer because, unlike Reagan, they have no candidates capable of conveying conservative principles. They need to re-name the event. Everybody loved Reagan, but nobody wants to embrace his values. It’s time to stop acting like Reagan is a role model for the party.
Locally the GOP is fairing no better. For Mayor of Bloomington, John Hanson claimed he was a Republican. His voting record of raising taxes and spending says otherwise. Jennifer McDade was dis-invited to speak at a GOP event because she has voted in at least one democratic primary. She showed up and was allowed to speak anyway. A write-in candidate who also voted in at least one democratic primary was also allowed to speak at the same event. The only actual candidate on the ballot was a real conservative GOP member. What a slap in the face! Thankfully, he won anyway: Kevin Lower.
This area has been represented for more than a decade by Dan Brady who only ran as a Republican because Democrats couldn’t get elected at the time in McLean County. Everybody loves Dan because nobody publicizes his atrocious voting record which is anything but conservative. He is now in leadership of the Republican Party in the Illinois House, but the GOP can’t understand why they keep losing elections in Illinois. There is a constant battle in the local party between liberal Republicans and conservatives – the same battle going on in Washington DC.
Add in citizen apathy and the recipe is complete for liberal policies to flourish. Less than 9,800 people voted for Mayor in Bloomington and only 4,400 in Normal. The citizens of both cities deserve whatever city government wants to inflict on you. You won’t pay any attention until confronted by extreme adversity. I bet the citizens in all the California cities facing bankruptcy wished they had paid attention. Too late!
The RNC is the same group who forced Mitt Romney on us. They did a great job coaching Romney to say nothing conservative, the message was heard loud and clear! Conservatives couldn’t stand voting for yet another Republican In Name Only, others so no purpose in voting for him.
Let’s just admit it – the GOP is dead. Even locally conservatives have no voice. Skip the Lincoln-Reagan dinner, acting just like democrats isn’t a road to success. Even the very liberal Champaign GOP had conservative Allen West speak at their dinner. All the conservatives must have been booked, or maybe the liberals in the local GOP vetoed inviting a speaker who actually believes in Reagan principles.
You nailed it, especially the Dan Brady comments. I am not sure why he is never called out?
Everybody loves him! He shows up everywhere with a big smile. Why question his record?
I gave up on the GOP a long time ago. As long as the GOP is split between conservatives and liberals, they will get no where. It’s all about money and power…party over principle. They will throw up any candidate who will let them stamp an “r” on their forehead.
We are in trouble…there are no longer any checks and balances. As you said, they are leaving the door wide open for the liberal agenda to “completely” take over our country.
No one runs against either Brady because they know they can’t win. Anyone who tries will get the knocked down by the party. The GOP can be their own worst enemy.