Have Republicans Lost Their Way?

It is frustrating to work day after day to try to advance conservative causes only to watch those efforts wrecked by Republicans who can't seem to live the values they preach.

Today, The Gazette reported that Dan May is exploring the possibility of petitioning onto the ballot.

Greg Garcia, chairman of the El Paso County Republicans, said he was aware of the possibility of a May candidacy.

"We've just gone through the assembly, and our candidate for district attorney is John Newsome," Garcia said. "We've already been through the assembly and the caucus, and that's how we vet our candidates. For someone at this late date to petition onto the ballot and circumvent the caucus and assembly seems a little radical."

Having been a delegate at that assembly, I will note that no effort was made to vet the issue of alcoholism and the possibility that our prosecutor might be an alcoholic.  The subject wasn't mentioned. 

I've had an alcoholic in my family.  I've followed him around during temporary fits of sobriety when he claimed that alcohol wasn't impairing him. 

One day, we spent the whole afternoon driving from filling station to filling station in a unsuccessful attempt to find a flat tire he had left to be fixed.  He just couldn't recall where.  While he often drove drunk, he was never arrested and thus never convicted.

He died in a ditch, literally.  He was my father-in-law.

Having had that experience, I look at people who consume large amounts of alcohol and claim that they are not impaired as probable alcoholics.  If they are not already alcoholics, they are likely well on the way.

I don't vote for candidates who appear to be alcoholics.  To Greg Garcia's claim that the assembly vetted the issue, I say Bullshit.

Much more disturbing than the claim that the assembly vetted the issue were the next lines in the Gazette report:

Asked if Newsome appears to be a weaker candidate based on events last week, Garcia said he doesn't.

"I certainly would not think that Dan would take advantage of this particular situation . . . where there was no convictions and no wrongdoing," Garcia said.

I can't imagine a more damaging statement for the Republican leadership to make than to tell the public that there was "no wrongdoing."

Greg, we suggest you put up a sign over Republican headquarters: "We don't think it is wrong for elected Republicans to drink and drive, as long as they are not convicted." 

That is a slogan that will win votes. 

You have already said as much.

Until the Republican leadership at all levels learns not to pretend that the public won't notice wrong doing by Republican office holders, we will remain in the minority, and deserve to remain in the minority.