Republican Gag Order
Now, THIS is interesting.
Apparently, the Republican Party is reeling from the defections of its moderates as Tea Party candidates stir things up in the primaries. They are so afraid of the implications of these defections that they are making their candidates take the pledge!
Get this -- if you want to run as a Republican, you have to promise that if you lose, you won't run against the Republican nominee, and you won't endorse anyone else, and if you don't actively demonstrate having imbibed copious amounts of Republican Kool-aid, you must return any campaign donations from the RNC -- or anyone else who asks for a refund.
(Hmmm... there's something interesting in that. I sort of like the idea of a political warranty. If I donate to someone in the primary who loses, can I have a refund? Does this work if the candidate gets elected but I don't like the way he or she votes in Congress? Or what if the campaign promises just aren't kept?)
I've often said Democrats could learn something from Republicans in terms of party unity. Republicans are so good at spouting the same messages it's as if they all have the same ventriloquist. Of course, the chorus is so simple we all have it memorized, but they do a good job of staying "on message" and the Republicans in Congress vote as a bloc more often than not.
Democrats, on the other hand, are so enamored of our beloved shades of gray that we become lost in nuance, arguing with each other so strenuously the Republicans hardly need to oppose us. I was in line at the airport the other day with the incumbent Senator from my state who is running against a strong primary challenger. Another gentleman in line and I remarked about how Democrats do such a lousy job of party unity. He characterized it like this: "Okay, all the democrats get in a circle and face each other. Now, take out your guns and FIRE!"
It's so true. By the time we get to the general elections, our candidates are battered, bruised, and broke. We've forced them to spend their campaign money in the primary, weakening them for the general election. We've dug up and publicized every piece of dirt we can find, and vilified them for being just slightly to the left or right of the other candidate on whatever issue seemed to drive the biggest wedge between the party faithful.
Robert Heinlein said fratricidal wars are the bloodiest. Maybe we should take a page or two out of the Republican playbook.
Kool-aid, anyone?
Apparently, the Republican Party is reeling from the defections of its moderates as Tea Party candidates stir things up in the primaries. They are so afraid of the implications of these defections that they are making their candidates take the pledge!
Get this -- if you want to run as a Republican, you have to promise that if you lose, you won't run against the Republican nominee, and you won't endorse anyone else, and if you don't actively demonstrate having imbibed copious amounts of Republican Kool-aid, you must return any campaign donations from the RNC -- or anyone else who asks for a refund.
(Hmmm... there's something interesting in that. I sort of like the idea of a political warranty. If I donate to someone in the primary who loses, can I have a refund? Does this work if the candidate gets elected but I don't like the way he or she votes in Congress? Or what if the campaign promises just aren't kept?)
I've often said Democrats could learn something from Republicans in terms of party unity. Republicans are so good at spouting the same messages it's as if they all have the same ventriloquist. Of course, the chorus is so simple we all have it memorized, but they do a good job of staying "on message" and the Republicans in Congress vote as a bloc more often than not.
Democrats, on the other hand, are so enamored of our beloved shades of gray that we become lost in nuance, arguing with each other so strenuously the Republicans hardly need to oppose us. I was in line at the airport the other day with the incumbent Senator from my state who is running against a strong primary challenger. Another gentleman in line and I remarked about how Democrats do such a lousy job of party unity. He characterized it like this: "Okay, all the democrats get in a circle and face each other. Now, take out your guns and FIRE!"
It's so true. By the time we get to the general elections, our candidates are battered, bruised, and broke. We've forced them to spend their campaign money in the primary, weakening them for the general election. We've dug up and publicized every piece of dirt we can find, and vilified them for being just slightly to the left or right of the other candidate on whatever issue seemed to drive the biggest wedge between the party faithful.
Robert Heinlein said fratricidal wars are the bloodiest. Maybe we should take a page or two out of the Republican playbook.
Kool-aid, anyone?
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