Republican National Committee

Michael Steele’s Negative Effect On The Republican Party Fortunes

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Republican National Chairman Michael Steele has been a lightning rod, due to his comments and actions. He has become an albatross around the Republican Party’s neck, but despite discontent by many, he is unlikely to be removed as head of the RNC before his two year term ends in January, 2011. It seems obvious, however, that he will not have an opportunity to serve another two year term, simply because of his ability to blunder in major ways!

Fund raising has not been going well under his leadership, and he has become the center of controversy by the fact that money was authorized to be paid to an aide who went to a lesbian bondage nightclub in Los Angeles, and also by his publication of a book without any notice to party leaders, and seemingly making bad judgments on a regular basis beyond these examples.

Instead of promoting the party, he has become a problem, and this has led religious conservatives to move away from supporting the party financially. Also, such Republican campaign operatives as Alex Castellanos, Ed Rollins, and David Frum have called for his resignation, as a necessity so as not to harm the party message, and its opportunity to gain the maximum number of seats in Congress and the governorships in the upcoming elections of 2010.

But Michael Steele clearly will not budge, and the fact he is African American makes it difficult for the mainstream of the GOP to call for his ouster. So Michael Steele will be a major factor, probably bad, for Republican fortunes this fall!

One cannot recall any national chairman becoming the center of such controversy as Steele has become, with maybe the exception of Howard Dean, former Governor of Vermont, who was Democratic National Chairman in the second Bush term. While he sometimes said what should have been left unsaid, he was very successful in raising funds and electing Democrats nationally, so can be forgiven for his verbal slippages. Will the same be said about Michael Steele after the midterm elections? We shall see, but highly doubtful!

Likely Turning Point For Republican Future This Weekend

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A crucial moment in the Republican Party’s future takes place this weekend in Hawaii, where the Republican National Committee’s winter meeting is being convened.

A resolution to promote a “purity test”, a conservative litmus test, and require it of all Republican candidates for public office, will be coming up for review and possibhle adoption. It would require that every candidate adhere to at least eight of ten points of the document to gain GOP backing.

This, however, would eliminate moderate candidates who don’t wish to follow such a document obediently. The debate will develop within the national committee whether it is a good idea or a disastrous idea to mandate such a loyalty test.

It is clear to observers who understand the American political system that IF the conservative litmus test is adopted, the strong likelihood is that it will kill the chances of the GOP to gain independent backing and win back control of the Congress and state offices, as the country is a centrist nation that does not respond well to ideological purity tests!

The Republican National Committee, Michael Steele And Abortion

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Isn’t it interesting that the Republican National Committee has, as part of its health care plan with Cigna, allowed its employees to have abortions since 1991, and now, suddenly, are aware of this anomaly and are announcing, through Chairman Michael Steele, that abortion will no longer be covered?

So a legal right to abortion, which has existed since 1973, and was covered for RNC employeees despite GOP platform language at national conventions ever since, now will come to a halt, although back in 1991, it was put in without controversy and debate.

What does this tell women in this country? It makes clear that you had better not get pregnant and have a health problem, as you are not entitled to an abortion no matter what the reason or the age of the female. It is catering to the religious right, so concerned that every fetus be born, but of course unwilling to believe in assistance to poor women and poor children in any form by government, because then it is “socialistic”!

There are women who are against abortion, and that is their prerogative. But it is clear a majority of women want the privilege to control their own reproductive rights, and see what the Republicans are now making very public, as really a declaration of war on their constitutional rights!

So the Republican party continues to show its lack of concern about Latinos, African Americans, women, young people, veterans who need government support and concern, state governments in turmoil, poor people, moderates, environmentalists, civil libertarians, and immigrants.

This party is alienating itself further every day from the majority of the American people, and seems only concerned about religious extremists who wish to impose their values on the whole nation. Is there any hope that the GOP someday will regain its senses and become a party separated from the control and dominance of the talk show hosts, FOX News, and religious right wingers?