James Taylor, you the man!
James Taylor, the Franklin County GOP Chair penned a great piece that ran in the Patriot-News today. The people’s revolt is finally being heard within some leadership ranks within the Republican Party. It’s about time someone who is a leader within the party started grabbing the party by the shoulders, shook the beast, and looked it straight in the eye and told it to wake up. That’s what Mr. Taylor’s article did. He’s asking the questions that conservatives have been asking for a few years now - what does it mean to be a Republican? Who are these people that supposedly represent the Republican Party? Why are they not as conservative as the rest of the base?
The only question remaining is, what are the grassroots going to do about it? The grassroots has already voted against the party a couple of times. There are really two options left - to keep shooting their own by voting against the party, which is quite negative and frankly, most people will get sick of in the long term, or to leave the party. Either way, the party is headed for the dumpheap if the people in charge remain stubborn because there will be no one willing to identify themselves as a Republican. It may take some time.
Of course, the revolt could end tomorrow if the party started to listen to the people that are members of the party. Don’t count on it though - there’s way too much ego at the top. They won’t really understand the message until no one is left to stand by their side. It’s kind of like the old proverbial question about the tree in forest. In this case, if the leadership of the Republican Party embraces true reform, and no one is there to hear it, does true reform actually happen?
As for me, I’m still a registered Independent. I had enough of the arrogance, the in-fighting, the pettiness, the smallness, etc. I moved on with my life. I’m glad I did. The continuous infighting that is still going on and the egos at the top just confirm to me that I made the right decision. Yeah, yeah, I know what all the critics are saying - but you don’t have a voice in the primary. Bull. I get involved in primaries, like I did in Eichelberger’s campaign.
It comes down to this. Do I want to identify myself politically with the likes of John Perzel, Rob Gleason, Bob Jubelirer, and other Republican leaders, meaning the people who actually run the party? Nope, not a chance. I don’t share the same values as they do and I don’t have the same vision as they do. I’m all for a big tent. I’m also for humbleness and listening to the people that you represent. In the current state of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, those two qualities are lacking.