by Kerry Thomas
September 10, 2005
Apparently, I’ve irked a few Republicans in Wisconsin. I raised some questions regarding Assembly Speaker
John Gard’s political campaign for Congress, his fundraising efforts, and what
appears to be his strong-arm tactics in the Wisconsin Legislature.
Apparently, when the Republicans speak about a Big Tent,
they’ll welcome you into the tent, but once inside, you had better toe the
official party line, or they’ll get upset.
When I pointed out, in essence, “The Emperor has no clothes” they didn’t
want to hear anything of it.
Years ago, when most Republican elected officials were a
definite minority, the Republican Party began to preach a mantra of smaller
government, lower taxes, less bureaucracy and more independent thought. In 1994, the Republicans won control of
Congress in Washington and took control of the federal government. Here in Wisconsin, similar victories were
won in both houses of the State Legislature.
So what ever happened to that mantra about smaller
government?
Rush Limbaugh often criticizes Democrat voters who
continually vote for the Democrat candidates who keep promising more social
welfare programs to alleviate the plight of the poor and disadvantaged. Ever since the Great Society and the War on
Poverty programs were begun in earnest in the 1960’s, these promises have
largely gone unfulfilled. So why do the
Democrats keep sending the same career politicians back to office, with the
same worn out promises?
For the GOP, it’s been 10+ years now. Are we going to have to wait another 30
years to see the promise of smaller government come to fruition? At this point, even a simple freeze in government
spending levels would be a start. But
we can’t get even that. State and federal budgets just keep getting
bigger and bigger, and the bureaucrats and career politicians keep spending
more and more of our tax dollars on our behalf – and bragging about what good
politicians they are.
One thing John Gard likes to brag about is spending 18 years
building a “movement.” Is that what he
plans to do as a Congressman, spend years building a “movement” in
Congress? What will his constituents do
while they’re waiting for John Gard to grow this “movement?”
I fully realize it is the primary purpose of any
bureaucratic organization to insure it’s own survival. That’s what any political party does
best. But, too few Republicans seem to
realize this. They’ve put party
politics and party harmony above principle.
They’ve allowed their loyalty, whether real or perceived, to get in the
way of the principles they used to stand for.
We need to spend fewer taxpayer dollars on government
programs – unless we spend them on our pet projects. We must remain neutral in primary elections – unless someone from
our own little elite group is a candidate.
Our Bible tells us not to kill – but the way we interpret that it
doesn’t apply to those we judge to be guilty of a crime. It’s wrong for someone like George Soros to
use his money to elect Democrats, but if some group wants to donate big to my
cause, that’s perfectly legitimate. Don’t
do drugs – but be sure to subsidize my drug use with an entitlement program. Etc etc etc ….
The Republican Party I am a part of is based on principles
espoused by Abraham Lincoln, following the Constitution of the United
States. That document is
self-explanatory. It doesn’t need a
team of lawyers and anointed judges to explain it’s simple terminology.
The Republican Party used to stand for the Constitution, and
the principles of the Founding Fathers, of smaller government and lower taxes,
of self-determination and inalienable rights.
The Founders knew good governors brought their real-world experiences to
government, served for a limited time, then returned to the private sector. The professional Political Class was just
another self-important class of elites who thought themselves better than the
common man.
John Gard graduated from college in 1986 and began working in the Capitol as a legislative aide. He was then elected to the Assembly in October 1987, where he’s been ever since. He’s a career politician, having spent his entire career under the shelter of the Capitol dome.
As in any organization, those at the top control the
agenda. And when you’re beholding to
that group, you’d better toe the party line – or else. When you bet the farm on just one horse,
principles go out the window. It
becomes a case of win at any cost. Any
dissent from within is quickly squelched, ostensibly for the “good of the
party.”
The “good of the party” is not based on the success of one
man.
The elites who currently control the Republican Party in
Wisconsin have tacitly anointed John Gard as their candidate of choice in the 8th
Congressional District, despite an official policy of neutrality. “It’s his turn.” He’s their guy, and they expect everyone in the Party to rally to
his campaign.
Those who don’t support Gard’s candidacy are somehow not
loyal Republicans. Those who would
question his candidacy had better do so quietly if they hope to receive
favorable treatment for their own proposals.
For career politicians, they take this “suggestion” seriously. To do otherwise would endanger their own
political aspirations.
As Assembly Speaker, John Gard controls the legislative
agenda, and he keeps a tight hold of the reins. Now this professional politician wants to advance his career with
a run for Congress. His supporters are
people whose own political careers and fortunes are tied to the success of this
one man. When his leadership is
threatened, his Praetorian
Guards form a phalanx around him, shielding him from any obvious direct
connection to anything questionable.
(Looks like they’ve studied the Clinton manual thoroughly.) The military call this a rear guard action –
or in this case, a Rear Gard™ action.
Most of us would say it’s CYA.
As John Gard advances his career, so do his guards. If he fails, their political aspirations are
sunk. They’re a small but vocal group,
these Praetorians. And they’re doing
what they can to see that their candidate comes out on top, selling their
rhetoric to anyone who’ll listen.
I’m not buying it.
© 2005 Kerry Thomas
All Rights reserved