I am struck by the vituperative nature of the comments in general local Republicans toss into the mix; personalities notwithstanding it is amusing and, if you're like my friend Ben Keeler who exhibits pain on a GOP loss, maybe a little sad to watch the knife fight while the political world around the combatants goes to hell in a hand basket. It's been instructive.
Here's my advice for what it's worth to the anti-Alex crowd: put your shoulder into the job of taking over the party apparatus or making it irrelevant. The crying game on how much of a loser the Arshinkoff wing is lacks any punch when you can't even get a full slate of your own candidates to step up to the plate during committee meetings. Stop hiding behind anonymous, for example -- use your names, be proud of your opinion and put some work into the change you want. You won't beat Arshinkoff by showing his weakness; you can beat Arshinkoff by showing fellow Republicans you have what it takes to win. Raise your own money; form your own political alliance and act like adults who have a vision instead of sore losers.
My advice to Alex: at some point these folks will figure it out and find enough allies to actually build a winning organization capable of showing you the door instead of just talking about it. When the GOP ruled Washington and Columbus life was good because you got your phone calls returned and your voice was heard. Figure the land of 202 is pretty much out of reach now, at least for the next eight years as far as the White House and executive branch is concerned. Based on the performance of the back-stabbers in the McCain-Palin campaign and the inability of Congressional back-benchers to get their message out in a timely manner I wouldn't be very hopeful about Capitol Hill, either.
As for Columbus, mid-term elections tend to be fertile ground for the loyal opposition but the GOP just lost control of the state House, leaving only the state Senate and Auditor Mary Taylor the stalwarts to spread the word after a generation of full-bore rule at High and Broad. The only chance to get a shot at taking back any of the offices you lost in 2006 and 2008 is to start playing as a team (just as Democrats did in Ohio two years ago and nationwide this year) with an eye toward doing something you took for granted: winning. Now's the time to re-evaluate the Rove tactics that worked and the Obama strategies that paid off, and figuring how to apply those rules so you too can have effective campaigns. No politician is unbeatable, but if you don't have the team ready to rumble the other side will get a free pass.
In the meantime, I'm home recovering from knee surgery. I thought today would be a total loss, forced to RICE (Relax, Ice, Compression and Exercise according to my surgeon) on the sofa with laptop and TV my only companions. Thankfully, the program lords at the SciFi Channel decided to have a mini-marathon of James Cameron's Dark Angel series with Jessica Alba (at left) playing the cat-like engineered soldier fighting a big corporate giant behind most of the evil in the world. No Alex in this show and the only Kevin was my buddy in Nashville who thanked me for the midday call to alert him our favorite show was on. I could say it's because I love science fiction and fantasy and think these programs are entertaining...but that would be wrong.
Speedy recovery wishes.
ReplyDeleteI agree on a statewide level, the party needs to start coming together. I hate to say it, but two years away from Voinovich's reelection bid we are already seeing sides being formed for and against. It is troubling.
Hope things go well with your surgery Ed, don't worry you'll be up and about soon.
ReplyDeleteI am a little partial to BSG myself (As you Command....) at least it is not campy like the old one. They bought in the old Starbuck as a Revoulutionary type. the story line is about the same plus they have some lookers to boot. Over all I'm pretty happy with the show.
Last but not least, no Ed I'm not going to use my real name in the blog. I also know for a fact Alex will not either.
Ed,
ReplyDeleteI do find the comments following your previous post disturbing. I believe that everyone involved in that exchange (yourself included) are missing the point about the state of the Republican Party. The Party is dying. On a state and national level, we have become nothing more than a party of social commentary instead of a party of conservative principles. While Kevin DeWine is being bruised and battered across Ohio for affirming this sentiment, he is not wrong.
The Republican Party needs to be able to look back at this point in our history and laud it for being a time of renaissance and restructuring and not a period of stagnation and stupidity. We need to be able to adjust to the times and realize that what made our party successful in the past was being the party of big ideas and conservative philosophy, not a party that's base consists of one group of people with one primary social ideal. We have to move forward with new vision based upon our Lincoln ideals.
On the local level, Summit County is a microcosm of the problems the Republican Party is facing nationally. The leadership in Summit County has created an atmosphere that suggests the he is bigger than the party. He has created an atmosphere of distrust and deceit that is crippling the party and our candidates. That being said the credits and criticism of Alex Arshinkoff's character and leadership are largely deserved. At one time Arshinkoff helped to create a superior grassroots organization in Summit County. That time has past, his interest no longer seems to be electing Republican candidates, but electing people that can somehow aid him in his personal lobbying ventures in Columbus and Washington D.C. It is time for new blood to come in and revitalize the Summit County Republican Party. At one point many viewed Bryan Williams as that person, now he has lost some of his luster by being so closely aligned with Arshinkoff. I am not certain Kevin Coughlin or Carol Klinger is that fresh voice either, but I am confident that any or all of these three individuals and many more could better serve the interests of Republicans in Summit County than Alex Arshinkoff.
The only way for our party to truly move forward is to allow new people with new ideas to be part of the process. We need to recruit young members, energetic leaders, and inspiring candidates to bring our party back to national, state, and local prominence. If we don't Barack Obama will be the least of our problems.
John Thompson
P.S. Ed I did not register my name with blogger because I simply didn't want to take the time. Maybe next post.
Had some knee surgery earlier in the year, and must admit watched more than one episode of Dark Angel
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