Introducing The Restless Grassroots

Bill Smith, Editor: Sometimes the truth hurts. We in the numerous Republican Assemblies across the nation have often been concerned with the stumbling by "leaders" and elected officials in the Republican Party. One of our founders, Ronald Reagan called our organization the "Republican wing of the Republican Party." We have numerous caucus groups in States and counties that support and work for the election of conservative Republicans.

We have found ourselves rebuffed at times by our own party. One reason is that we represent grassroots values which often conflict with the "get along" or "we know better" attitudes of some elected Republicans after they report for duty in their State or Washington positions. Unfortunately, many elected candidates, after meeting their fellow citizens and seeking their votes, are co-opted by the trappings and experience of incumbency. Once co-opted, they become uncomfortable with people of conviction, beliefs and principles. Some even act like a rabid dog snapping out and biting the very conservative base that worked and voted to get them elected.

Now you may be saying, what about the Democrats? Well, almost no Democrats today have the values that my Democrat grandma and granddad supported, and if they did, they are compromised by the majority of Democrats around them. So, for the time being we monitor their deceptions and efforts to erode our liberties and freedoms and we awaken our fellow Americans by keeping them informed. Eventually, we support others to replace them. However, that does not mean we get in line and work to elect just any Republicans. We are not interested in Republicans in name only (RINOs) or people who violate the trust of the people. We support those who are and remain committed to defending the rights of citizens under the Constitution of United States and who follow the principles and beliefs of the Republican Party and the established Republican platform.

Some Republicans seem more concerned with getting along once in office and somehow fear throwing themselves under the bus politically by standing true to the commitments made to the voters who put them office. No wonder, the liberals smirk at some Republicans. If an elected Republican is not faithful to the voters that elected them, then why should the progressives, liberals, socialists not mock and even try to entrap and lure them away from their values (if they really had any). A dinner here, an earmark there, a few strokes, a committee position, calling one an esteemed colleague, a pat on the back, a few perks and some fall right into line. And, like Sen. Arlen Specter, some succumb and become political Benedict Arnolds - co-opted, supporting the beliefs they once opposed, and despised by friend and foe.

While others, thinking they know better than the grassroots citizens who elected them, opt not to represent their constituents' views but instead try to ride some issue into the legislative history book. Sadly, their actions and votes can result in long term impact on liberty and harm for generations. Many committed conservatives repeatedly ask - WHY? Why do they promote the growth of government? Why do they approve actions that increase infringement of rights on the people who elected them? Why do they put us and future generations further into debt? Why do they vote to increase their pay when they have already spent the funds previously reserved for others (e.g., social security)? Why do they set aside their original principles and oath of office? Why - Why - Why?

Do I sound discouraged? Don't be alarmed. I am not done with the Republican Party. And neither are the members of the National Federation of Republican Assemblies or the majority of our fellow conservatives both in and out of the Republican Party. We are more inspired to see change occur in 2010 from the local to the State to the National level. We are tired of seeing conservatives stomped on by the party leaders in some states like Florida. We are tired of some elected Republicans becoming Republican-lite or even worse - RINOs. It is very apparent that we need to save some of our elected Republicans by bringing them home and sending fresh troops to replace them.

I have ranted to this point and will close with an Op-Ed in the Washington Times today by Bill Wilson. Wilson has a voice that speaks for a broad number of "Americans for Limited Government." This voice combined with other limited government groups are obviously tired of some Republican Party members tripping over themselves. They understand that the Republican Party offers a big tent to cover the myriad types of conservatives who all agree on at least once core principle -- limited government. Wilson clearly evidences his frustration with some of the Republicans creating "holes in the tent." Well, it is time to mend this tent. So, listen up all elected Republicans! Forget about getting along with liberals and socialists. Forget about being a career politician. The public is awake. Change woke us up, and change is what we intend to see done to restore our values and principles in all levels of government!

by Bill Wilson, President of Americans for Limited Government: For decades, political observers have watched with fascination the battle raging inside the Republican Party. Whether the contest has been between Sen. Robert Taft and Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, between Barry Goldwater and Nelson A. Rockefeller, or Ronald Reagan and Gerald R. Ford, the battle has always been viewed as a fight between "conservatives" and so-called "moderates."

However, as recent events reveal, such a formulation misses the point. In fact, the real battle being waged is between Washington insiders - as represented by the congressional wing of the Republican Party - and grass-roots Americans from all walks of life throughout the country.

The actual events that prompted this observation were hardly anything of consequence. The gadfly, wannabe "cool" chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, issued a policy statement titled a "Health Care Bill of Rights." Within days, Senate Republicans led by Tennessee Sen. Lamar Alexander lashed out at Mr. Steele, intoning, "We are elected to set the policy."

And that, in a nutshell, points up the real fight being waged in Washington today. The congressional wing has grown alienated from the very people who sent them to Washington. You see expressions of this almost every day. Just last weekend, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham held a town-hall meeting where he ran headlong into opposition for his love of compromise. When pressed by the crowd, Mr. Graham had advice for the grass roots. He replied to a critic of his many liberal positions, "If you don't like it, you can leave." That may be exactly what is happening.

In a special election to fill a vacancy in New York's 23rd Congressional District, insiders and lackeys of the congressional wing selected a liberal assemblywoman who supports President Obama more than the Democratic candidate, is radical on most social issues and is tied by marriage to the AFL-CIO. Local activists refused to accept such a candidate, so the Conservative Party mounted a challenger. As of this writing, the Conservative candidate, Doug Hoffman, is rising rapidly in the polls as the Republican sinks toward single-digit support. The real Republican Party finally is rising up against the self-appointed mandarins of the congressional wing.

New York 23 is not an isolated case. In Virginia's 5th Congressional District, a solid conservative, Bradley Rees, has publicly announced he will run as an Independent next year if the D.C. power brokers select a liberal challenger to freshman Democratic Rep. Tom Perriello. Again, grass-roots activists are rising up to tell the congressional wing to either get on board or get run over.

The response coming back from the congressional wing is invariably the same: They do what they want to do, not what the people who sent them to Washington want them to do. You and I are irrelevant. Well, that is what has gotten us into this mess. That attitude has allowed the culture of corruption to flourish regardless of which party is in power. It is this arrogant disrespect for citizens that has led us to the brink of financial ruin.

So, with all due respect to Mr. Alexander: Phooey! You and your cohorts were sent to Washington to represent the views of the people back home. You were given the task of implementing the ideas and policy positions embedded in the platform. And, you were sent to Congress to serve, not dictate.

The millions of Americans who have from time to time put their faith in one party or the other are starting to awaken. They will no longer sit by silently and take whatever scrap is thrown their way. They increasingly are taking Mr. Graham's advice - they are leaving.

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