Post Election Skinny Pt. 1

“Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice.” - Thomas Paine


When I attended the Republican caucus in Minneapolis on February 5, 2008, I committed myself to actively “getting involved” in hopes of redirecting the disastrous course of moderation, which the GOP was buying direct and selling wholesale. It was a plethora of bad policy and, as 2006 and 2008 bore out, bad politics. Moderation was and is a failed strategy.

Up to February this year, I had been a voice for conservatism in a sea of moderation, having written editorials chastising Republicans for dismissing Free-Mind and Free-Market principles when they got on board the now infamous “smoking-ban” regulations. While maintaining that such a feat was acceptable for public institutions (i.e., libraries, post-offices, and other government buildings) I found the regulatory measure forced upon private business owners at the end of a gun deplorable. I cautioned President Bush and other Republicans against “making nice” with the education establishment and the almighty teacher unions by granting them money that would inevitably lead to their greater force in numbers with which they’d defeat Republicans in favor of their more generous political contemporaries. I railed against them when they folded again on Free-Market principles by touting wealth transfers for professional sports team stadiums, mass-transit and renewable or alternative sources of energy. I questioned the necessity of the Patriot Act and wondered was it something more only coming to find that is. Through all this I questioned the party’s motives just as it’s loyalists questioned mine. At this very moment, I continue to do so just as the party looks to a flurry of seemingly endless bailouts of any and all businesses operating within our borders by employing the very antithesis of what Free-Markets are all about. I maintained then what I maintain now, it is a means that obliterates the party’s chances for success.

All that said, I think it perfectly acceptable at this point to say: I TOLD YOU SO!

Sure, maybe I am something of an egoist for taking a certain sense of satisfaction in doing so. Being used to criticism, I’m perfectly capable of handling it.

Anyways, back to my commitment to “get involved”. So, shortly after the February caucuses, I had the fortune of spending two weeks in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. This of course meant that I would miss the BPOU. Suffice it say, I wasn’t totally heartbroken.

Nonetheless, the BPOU meetings went on without me and because I missed out on them, so too went my chances of moving up the chain as a delegate to the Congressional convention. Another thing that happened at this BPOU meeting was Grant Cermak capturing the Republican Party Endorsement for House District 58A. Two individuals sought the endorsement - Grant Cermak and Shannon Curran. Each candidate was given 7 minutes to speak about himself and his candidacy and answer questions from the caucus delegates (of which I was one). After the speeches a vote was cast and the results were 43% Grant Cermak to 57% Shannon Curran.

Bylaws stated that a candidate must receive 60% of the votes to capture the endorsement so another round of voting began. This time each candidate was given a bit more time to express their views. The vote this time swung two votes more in favor of Grant Cermak.
Todd Casell indicated that there was only time for one more round of voting. Each candidate would answer a single question from the delegates and in turn the other candidate would answer the same question. After the final question and answer session the votes were cast - 75% Grant Cermak to 25% Shannon Curran. Grant Cermak had swung the vote with a startling come from behind victory to capture a mandate from the district!


- coming up next, I join the Official Cermak Campaign.