It’s official. I finally cut up my GOP membership card. As of this afternoon, I’m officially registered as a “Non-Partisan.” Might even have a “Leaving the Party” party this weekend. I’ll be having beer, though; got tired of drinking the Kool-Aid.
For those who don’t know my background in the GOP, I started out many years ago as a simple grassroots activist and precinct captain in my neighborhood. I’ve been a Republican Party county chairman, a state Republican Party executive director and National Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus. I even “took one for the team” and ran for the state Senate a decade ago against Democrat Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus in a hopeless race.
Over the years I’ve trained, often at my own expense and almost always without compensation, literally thousands of Republican candidates in almost every state in the country. Even Massachusetts. I’ve volunteered for Republican candidates. I’ve donated to Republican candidates. I have, as they say, “paid my dues.” And then some.
But I’ve also watched the GOP slowly but surely drift leftward from the Goldwater/Reagan philosophy which attracted me to the party in the first place. Republicans at all levels have learned to love government.
At the national level, Republicans approved expanding the federal role in education with the No Child Left Behind Act. They passed, and the president signed, the anti-free speech McCain-Feingold abomination. They oversaw the creation of the biggest new entitlement since LBJ’s Great Society days with the prescription drug bill. They haven’t lifted a finger to crack down on illegal immigration. They’ve earmarked and slopped at the pork trough with reckless abandon. And I’m just scratching the surface here.
At the state level, a budget was introduced this year which substantially exceeds the already-generous cap of population growth plus inflation…and not a single elected Republican legislator objected, not even the author of TASC. And I can’t name one major spending cut even discussed, let alone proposed, by a Republican legislator this year.
Republicans not only voted for the largest tax hike in Nevada’s history in 2003, they continue to vote for tax hikes this year. Even some who took the “no new taxes” pledge. Indeed, high-ranking Republicans here are actually calling Republicans who took the pledge to not to raise taxes “irresponsible” and are urging pledge signers to break their word. As if THAT’S responsible.
Other Republicans want to give government workers collective bargaining, arrest teenagers caught smoking cigarettes, charge parents a fee if their kids want to play sports in school, install Big Brotherish red-light cameras, raise the age from 12 to 13 in which it’s mandatory to wear a life-vest in a canoe, extend court protection against domestic violence to pets, etc., etc., etc.
This is NOT a Republican agenda…at least not a Reagan/Goldwater-type Republican agenda.
Then you have some Republican party chiefs chew out a Republican assemblyman for NOT voting for the Democrat candidate for Speaker, while at the same time supporting a clueless, go-along-to-get-along “leader” like Assemblyman Garn Mabey - who last week successfully engineered the seemingly impossible task of getting his entire caucus on record as opposing water conservation in the desert - while simultaneously upbraiding the Republican governor for sticking to his word and not waffling on his promise not to raise taxes.
Garn, I remember Ronald Reagan. He was a president of mine. And Garn, you’re no Ronald Reagan.
Ronald McDonald, maybe.
Then, of course, you have elected party leaders who didn’t have the foresight to move the GOP presidential caucus up to second-in-the-nation status along with the Democrats and who had to be dragged kicking and screaming into making the right decision…six months late.
Plus, you had a self-serving acting-chairman, Paul Willis, who clung to power for three months instead of doing what was in the party’s best interest by bringing the new chairman onboard immediately; an acting-chairman whose wife and business partner are openly advocating for tax hikes as paid lobbyists on behalf of a county government while criticizing “certain conservative columnists” who oppose such tax hikes.
Republicans not fit to carry Ronald Reagan’s boots are wrapping themselves up in his “11th Commandment” as a shield against criticism for carrying out policies the Gipper would never have supported. When someone like Paul Willis is applauded for defending Republicans who vote for tax hikes and saying it’s wrong for Republicans to criticize Republicans who vote for said tax hikes, then it’s time to leave such a Republican Party. THAT Republican Party has lost its way, as Dick Cheney would say, big time.
To paraphrase Ronald Reagan, I’m not leaving the Republican Party, it left me. And Reagan. And Goldwater. If it ever returns to its limited-government roots, maybe I’ll return, too. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon. The Big Government Republicans rule the roost.
That being said, I will continue to work with certain good Republican candidates, especially in GOP primaries. And I’ll continue to do campaign training seminars and will absolutely help incoming Nevada GOP Chairwoman Sue Lowden in any way I can. I’ll also continue to give money to selected Republican candidates who actually know what they believe in, believe in the same things limited-government conservatives believe in, and are willing to defend such beliefs.
What I won’t do any longer is listen to all this censorship crap about a Republican not being allowed to criticize Republicans who don’t act and vote like Republicans. If I can’t criticize these “bad” Republicans as a Republican, then I guess I’ll just criticize them as a “Non-Partisan.”
Like Elvis, I have left the building…and I don’t think I’ll be the last to go. Let the exodus begin…
Posted on April 25th, 2007 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada
Once again: good riddance, shithead.
…just like ex-congressman Barr of Georgia; “I don’t know who the hell these people are, but their not Republicans”. You know, this is what the Democratic Party members and non-partisans have been sayin about the R Party for years; “who are these people?”. In mid November, even R Party leaders and elected leaders understood that the R Party had lost its way of smaller government, less spending. Mea Culpas flowed, but I haven’t seen true remorse and repentanse, yet. maybe there never will be as more R’s become dependant on government spending to support them in the style they have become accoustomed to: A sort of evolution that occured in the polar shifts are shared beliefs that happened to the majority parties year ago when left became right and right became left.
Hope you feel better soon, Chuck, and don’t forget to keep washing the remnents of kool-aid from your stained lips.
The guy that called you “shithead”, is what everyone else believes is the mindset of the R Party today. Hate and fear, is what the R Party is reduced today, like an injured and dying animal that has trapped itself in a corner of its own making.
Me? I’m still on a County Central Commitee and I try to stay out of the way whildst they shoot each other in the foot. The meatballs served at the meetings are good with a cold beer though.
Chuck,
I could not agree with you more. When BCM began talking to me about starting a blog a couple months ago, my first inclination was to turn him down because several years ago I had reached the point you are now at.
I too have run the local Republican grassroots organizations, organized fundraisers, worked the phones, gone door-to-door, gave money, went to all the chicken dinners, gave speeches, wrote countless letters to the editor, ran for & served on our local school board, etc, etc… All finally realized that it was pretty much a fruitless and pointless waste of time; because almost every Republican I worked my butt of to get elected would get co-opted by the darkside.
Back in the 70s & 80s, we were always told by the Republicans in Congress, “just give us a majority in Congress then we can & will be able to govern as Conservatives.” Well, we did and they didn’t. All we got was more socialism, more government, more entitlements, more laws, a bigger Big Brother, less privacy, less freedom, etc..
For years I have identified myself as a Conservative rather than a Republican and like you I believe that we need to take on and take down the RINOs and build a genuine Reagan style Conservative Party. My prayer is that it isn’t too late to save our once great nation from the liberal cultural and political slide into hell that is represented by the likes of sestamibi.
James Whittington
Didn’t Reagan create a National Debt that outsized ALL the combined National debt of our entire US history, combined?!??!?
This is why VP Cheney said deficit spending didn’t matter when Regan was President and it doesn’t matter now.
Great news! Let me know when you get Nevada Conservative Party started!
Southy,
That Liberal revisionists BS ain’t going to fly here!
President Reagan did NOT create “a National Debt that outsized ALL the combined National debt of our entire US history, combined”
If you remember the Democrats controlled the Congress at that time, as they had for almost 40 years. If you read the US Constitution you will see that it is Congress that controls the national purse strings, not the President.
You will also remember that every budget that Reagan sent to congress was declared “DOA” by Tip O’Neil and the Democrats. If you also remember, Reagan was castigated by the Congressional Democrats of the day for attempting to cut government spending, not increase it.
Reagan got his tax cuts through Congress and revenues sky rocketed, the problems was that the Democrats let pork and government spending out pace the increase in revenues.
If the Democrats did not want the National Debt to increase in the 1980s they had the power to control it. Blame your tax & spend buddies, not Pres. Reagan.
I don’t think anyone is blaming Reagan…or Goldwater…or any true conservatives who are spinning in their graves at the current state of the party. The blame falls squarely on the shoulders of this president who spends like a democrat, spreads fear like a democrat and runs his war like an unyielding dictator.
We’re blaming the war-happy Neo-cons and the Fundamentalists for hijacking a perfectly good party and turning it into a tent revival. What happened to the party we used to be proud of? Karl Rove, Bill Kristol, Rummy, Ted Haggard, Ralph Reed - they’ve all destroyed a once-proud party - the party of Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt, for god’s sake.
Where’s Lee Atwater when you need him? Gone the way of Reagan and (soon to be) Buckley, I’m afraid.
Chuck, you’re right. We didn’t leave the party, it left us. That’s a shame, but it’s not our style to whine about that fact. Being self-sufficient and taking a hit on the chin like a man is what drew us to the party in the first place.
No, you’re not the only one. In fact I haven’t changed my registration yet. It still reads “Republican,” but I believe that’s about to change. The GOP has, over the last eight years, incredibly become a bunch of whiny fundies who, when criticized, hide behind the straw man argument that anyone who disagrees is helping the terrorists. Seriously. It’s just un-American and I’m about sick of it.
I don’t blame you one bit.
I’ll piggy back on Bruce Feher’s comment - if you were to help build the structure for a viable 3rd party… I believe a LOT of people would come into that tent. Do it *nationally* - build it and they *will* come.
I’m a disappointed Republican, too. The GOP had the chance to hobble
Democrats for good by simply passing right to work legislation when they held both houses and the presidency. The 2006 elections were
conclusive proof of how labor bosses can buy elections using money extorted from working people through compulosory union dues.
Finally, after writing to most of the big names of the GOP, someone has the guts to mention starting a Conservative Party. All I ever hear in response to my suggestion is the country won’t accept a third party.
Well, BS! Don’t start a THIRD party, just start the Conservative party and there will be so many Republicans and, YES, Democrats, that will flock to it, will amaze even me. They we can officially discard the label ‘Republican’ and get on with saving this country.
We can chase all the RINO’S like Hagel, Specter, Collins, Snowe, Smith (OR), Voinovich, Guiliani, McCain, and others out and not let them back in and at the same time invite the Southern Blue Dog Dems to join us. Our credo should be “If you vote with Democrats you’ll wake up with fleas and we don’t want you near us, so get lost.”
In no time it will become a very large party and really control our government. But we’d better hurry as the Dems and RINO’s are gaining more votes by granting amnesty and sidling up with the murderous Muslims and George Spiros.
Chuck Muth can be the guy to lead us to victory with his bully-pulpit.
Lead on Chuck.!
I still vote Republican because they are the party of life, versus the party of death. But if the Libertarians ever give up their love affair with drugs, and start running viable candidates at the state level, I may not be far behind Chuck. If a Conservative party does the same, I will also be interested.
But I do not regret my votes yet, if for no other reason than Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Alito.
As we all know the Republicans and Democrats have mde it very difficult for a third party to exist but I think it is time to try build a conservative group. I have had it with the spineless and big spending Republicans and trying to regain control of the Republican Party would not get rid of the RINOs.
Charlie Powell.
I left the Party and joined the Libertarians for all the reasons stated but did so a year and a half ago. I’ve always voted my conscience and will continue to do so but am glad to NOT be associated with the GOP any longer.
Sir Chuck,
Welcome to the ranks of the disillusioned. I officially changed my voting status to independent in late 05. It boils down to the one guy who, along with his family, has come to symbolize big government conservatism. Thank you Goerge W. Bush. (and GHWB too).
Build a thrid party!?!?
While I’ll not fault anyone for gripping about democratic crap coming out of Republican mouths, look at Canada!
They split the party and how have they done so far!?
Don’t run like a bunch of whining Liberals…FIGHT!
How you can sit there and run your mouth without checking your own options is shameful at best. Take the fire from your belly and sit on it…That’ll get you movin’!
Hooray for Contract for America. If I remember correctly, 9 of 10 or was it 10 of 11 features were passed. The Lib’s were so pissed that they began destroying the GOP. The next year I was waiting for Contract for America Part 2. Nothing but a deadly silence. Newt was getting creamed and the GOP did nothing. That’s when I realized that the GOP will not fight. GWB is now just beginning to use his VETO. Way too late.
As a Senior on Soc. Sec. when Al Gore broke the tie and allowed taxing my Soc. Sec. my “CONTRIBUTIONS” ceased to exist. The Dem’s could not have asked for a better Republican President. He has given them everything they wanted. Where do I join the CONSERVATIVE party???
I have seriously conflicting attitudes about quitting the GOP, strictly in a strategic context (for the record, I am as thoroughly disgusted as Chuck with what my party has become.) My belief is that splintering the “non-leftist” side of American politics will only guarantee that the vestigial left wing will continue to make advances, that it makes far more sense to recapture the GOP from the unprincipled scum who have hijacked it.
Two seminal articles on the current, sorry state of the GOP are “The Battle for the Soul of the Republican Party” by Edward Hudgins and “Back to the Future?” by famed writer Robert J. Bidinotto, publisher of the magazine “The New Individualist” and author of the article on Willie Horton, “Getting Away With Murder,” that sunk the 1988 Dukakis campaign.
‘Not sure if this form will accept html tags, but to test the theory Hudgins’ article is posted here:
http://www.atlassociety.org/cth–1794-GOP_battle.aspx
and Bidinotto’s here:
http://www.atlassociety.org/ct-1790-Back_2_future.aspx
For the standard GOP voter who is a “Reagan Republican” wanting to reclaim the party, I recommend educating oneself in America’s essential principles (picking up the 1957 novel “Atlas Shrugged” from your library or bookstore is a good place to start,) then working to become adept at spotting RINOs early on and working vigorously to see that they do not get elected. In context of the 2008 Presidential election, we can eliminate most of the field, especially Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson - Traitor McCain we needn’t even talk about, as he does not deserve the designation “Republican.”)
Not an encouraging situation, but any problem (not “challenge,”) can be overcome by free people with dedication and backbone.
Chuck:
Twenty-five years ago, I registered in the philosophical party of Reagan and Goldwater: the Libertarian Party. Sure, a few nut cases have kept this third-party weak and out of contention for any serious electoral power. But the basic concepts are still viable: (1) recognize constitutional limits on federal power; (2) fiscal responsibility; (3) protect the (negative) rights of individuals and minorities to be free from the fascist nonsense taking over in our “Homeland.”
Many of my friends, Democrats and Republicans (mostly), are sick of the GOP and yearn for a party that would follow you, Ron Paul, Goldwater, and John Galt. As Hillary correctly observed in Reno this morning, Nevada is the fastest-growing state, is diverse, and is the crucible of the political future of the country. So let’s get it going here in Nevada.
Regards, Mike Hoy (Reno)
I have this argument all the time because know one seems to understand that its not a political affiliation its’a belief. I have to defend the conservative issue with a bloody nose at times because they think I stand up for Republicans.I tell them I am a huge fan of Zell Miller not because he’s a democrat but a true conservative even thought he’s not in office …he’s a Reaganite to the bone and I truly beleive you will agree. If we had a Zell Miller on the Presidential Candidate bill I would feel a lot better about the elections period…..
Chuck-
Good for you. I have never been card-carrying GOP and have only donated cash one time and it got me a Socialist/globalist who is in love with Mexico and the bleeding at the borders.
Maybe its time to have you bring your expertise over to the LP and to bring it into maturity. Given your Goldwater/Reagan proclivities, the LP should be a natural fit for you.
Time to end the two-party duopoly.
My only question to you, Chuck, is, “What took you so long?”
The concept of a Conservative Party is very attractive, providing the participants are willing to take the long term view rather than expecting and demanding instant gratification. For a while, perhaps a whole generation, such a party might be the “spoiler” in many elections, leading to the election of more Democrats. But we would have to expect and accept that in order to achieve the long term goals.
The Libertarians had that opportunity, but never were able to make the important distinction between Limited Government and “Slash and Burn.” I firmly believe that the majority of Americans are Conservative, but shy away from anyone who comes across as “Slash and Burn.”
Leaving the Republican party just means the party just moved ever slightly more left. For me, I agree with almost all of your statements about the Republican party, but, I am not going to raise the political surrender white flag and let others thus have more influence.
Sounds like everyone is of like mind!!! I can’t agree to let Dems win for several years, just so a third party can finally make it!!! Sure, things haven’t been great or suited everyone, but you all failed to name decisions and votes and elections that have been in conservative’s favors these past 6 years!! Would you still be pulling the plug if there had been no 9/11 and our leaders not having to spend their time and energies cleaning up that mess??? Would you still be throwing in the towel?? Thousands of babies lives have been saved from DEATH because of concerned and working conservatives (yeah Republicans) who have and are diligently fighting for the unborn citizens! Jerking your membership from the GOP sounds very similar to what the Dems are wanting for our men/women in the Military right now!
My dear son belongs to 3rd party. They get nothing done, but are able to gripe and complain! I have more respect for Democrats or Republicans, at least they are in the fight and working, than I do for any named 3rd parties, because they don’t take the blame for anything!!!! They just gripe! Does that come with the fries and beer???
Great news, Chuck! You’ll like it much better over here. We don’t have Kool-Aid but we do have cookies! I, too, feel much better not having to make compromises with my conscience on the GOP. I kept my patience on the drug plan. I kept my patience on Harriet Myers and Trent Lott. I kept my patience on the scandals. I kept my patience on the pork. I remember sending you an email ranting (sorry!) about all of that and you reassured me that as long as the administration is still whacking terrorists we should support it. But I did cut off all the money I used to give to the GOP and gave to the Club for Growth instead, as they far better represent the ideals that the GOP used to. And now I selectively support guys who understand the conservative ethic: Tom McClintock, John Shadegg, Jeff Flake, and the like. But I do not consider myself a Republican any longer. Glad to have you over here!
I, too, am divorcing the party of RINOs. I have seen the drift to the left
for too many years now. I had hoped with Newt’s “Contract with America,” that the Grand Old Party would get back to its roots. But it didn’t take long for those freshman to be wooed by the upper classmen, and they soon lost their resolve for a limited government.
The situation with RINOs here in Idaho is a microcosm of what’s happening in government on the national level. Idaho has been traditionally regarded as a Republican conservative state, and as such, it was very difficult for Democrats to get elected. This worked very well for many years, and Idaho had a fairly limited government.
Then, one day, the Democrats woke up, and figured out that if they couldn’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. So that’s exactly what they did. Several Democrats switched party affiliation, campaigned as newly enlightened conservative Republicans, got themselves elected, and have been growing the state government ever since. This same thing is basically what’s happening at the federal level. The so-called Republicans of today, are, pardon my cliche, wolve’s in sheeps’ clothing.
So, I, too, am leaving. Republican leadership, if you are reading this,
don’t bother to call me for anymore money or support, because your pleas will fall on deaf ears. I am hereby officially a non-partisan until
the new “Republican Conservative Party” is formally organized.
Well, I long since gave up on the so called Republican conservatives. I think that is an oxymoron these days.
Anyway, I am a registered member of the Constitution Party. I don’t know if their numbers are that big or if they have a chance.
I am of a similar mind to someone else who stated that the Libertarian party wasn’t for them due to their love affair with drugs and a pro abortion stance.
I really want it to go back to a “Congress shall make NO LAW . . .” formula for government.
Chuck,
I cannot tell you how disappointed and delighted I am to hear that you are fed up with the GOP. Disappointed that it has to come to this. Delighted that you have finally realized that the GOP left true conservatives a long time ago. I doubt that you remember me, but your bye bye GOP letter could have been written by me a couple years ago when I emailed you and told you how disgusted I was with the direction of the GOP. At that time, I was looking at the Libertarian Party, but find myself unable to swallow their extreme interpretation of libertarianism. Let’s just say, that true conservatives like you and me, more loyal to principle than party, will come to their senses more and more. Hopefully this will open the eyes of the Party leaders before the Democrats totally destroy this once great nation.
Bruce Drotleff
[…] I wholeheartedly concur with this recent column by Chuck Muth: http://conservablogs.com/muthstruths/2007/04/25/bye-bye-gop/ […]
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