No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Nice reaction to what I thought were relatively harmless observations that in hindsight do a better job of showing what's really wrong with politics: boiling down arguments over policy into demonizing the opposition.

This isn't unique to the GOP, although what has been described as Rove-ian strategies are often blamed for the horrible state of discourse in Washington (my, how people forget Paul Begala and James Carville at their Clintonian heights...) and by trickle-down Columbus and Akron. Because I decided to take an objective view at the current Alex v Kevin flareup and note (correctly, I believe) that most of the fighting over the cross-the-t and dot-the-i rules pushed by both sides in the Summit County GOP is ultimate insider stuff.

You would have thought I was advocating NAFTA in Youngstown.

Note I didn't deny these things were important, but to be in one pocket or the other for observing elderly bladders past midnight may have more to do with how things move (literally) for members of the Central Committee is just common sense, folks. I know you want to embrace the nobility of 470 Republicans, all in one room, marching toward doing the right thing but have you ever actually seen a volunteer committee in action? If they aren't Cavaliers or Indians fans tonight (both are playing) then there are definitely enough members who will be honked off if they miss the new episodes of Law & Order before downing their warm milk ahead of sleepy time. This isn't uniquely GOP, by the way...how many times have Democrats held full attention or even had a full showing for a meeting without a meal, drinks or TV up for raffle?

Some basics here, for those who missed the point:

- The New Summit Republicans have been pushing their points and agenda religiously for nearly five months now; we've had 'em on the web and on the air talking issues, and political strategy, and plans to do better. Is there really anything lost by just getting on with the vote at this point before Tangier bartenders start earning overtime?

- The Old Guard still controls the party (that's why the New Summits want to overthrow them) and so will use the tools at their disposal to win, much the same as the opposition is using the power of the media to their campaign advantage. Regardless of the rules if there are votes to do away with Alex and company, the votes will be there in the early going; if they don't have the votes, then they mounted the challenge and lived to fight another day.

The New Summits are concerned Bryan Williams will do the vote counting; he's been running the Board of Elections and generally won decent marks, including Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner's observations in her recent deposition. Tim Grendell is Arshinkoff's Cardinal Parliamentarian, which should make the maneuvering fun to watch given the hard feelings between the Geauga County State Senator and his Summit counterpart Coughlin.

Conspiracy buffs, get over it; time for the people who count to have votes to count.

I really don't have a dog in this hunt. Despite all the back-room rhetoric to the contrary on how evil the others are I don't think any reasonable observer would think Alex has done nothing good for the party, nor do I think any reasonable observer would think Kevin/Don/Carol would lead to the end of the GOP universe.

This beauty contest comes down to what a majority of 470 people think, and after about four and a half hours of rules wrangling, secret ballots and other arcane intrigue there will come a point when what the Committee had for dinner will play every bit as big a role in how things work tonight than the Summit Stratego both sides are playing.

No matter who wins I'm very happy to have Tivo at home so I can still watch L&O; if this meeting forced me to miss Lost it would be a very different story.