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DEL.ICIO.USFarm bill? Never heard of it.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Columbus, Ga. — There are times when you have to listen for what’s not said to understand what’s important.
The second day of the state GOP convention has begun. The third big meeting of Republicans, a buffet breakfast, is over.
Speaker after speaker has taken the microphone to lament the prospects of November. But no one has mentioned the $300 billion farm bill that has split Republicans in Washington — the one President Bush has promised to veto because of alleged overspending.
The one that has divided the Republican delegation from Georgia.
The two speakers at this morning’s breakfast were U.S. Reps. Phil Gingrey of Marietta, who voted for the farm bill, and U.S. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland, who voted against it. Both have been mentioned as potential candidates for governor in 2010.
Gingrey offered his fellow GOPers some practical advice. Nationally, the generic Democratic brand is beating the generic Republican brand. Which means Republican races in Georgia need to focus on the candidate and close-to-home issues.
“Keep things local. We don’t need to nationalize an election when Democrats have an advantage,” Gingrey said.
Westmoreland followed, but dealt in ideology and theory. The problem with the Republican party, he said, is that it’s been infiltrated by those who aren’t true-believers — by imposters who are merely attracted by the GOP’s success.
“It goes back to the city council, or the school board. Because if that city council doesn’t act like Republicans…then that may discourage somebody voting for the county commissioner because he’s Republican,” Westmoreland said. “And then if you’ve got a county commission that doesn’t stand up for Republican principles, it makes it hard for that state legislator to get elected. And then if you don’t have state legislators that act like Republicans, it makes it hard to win that congressional seat.”
You see it coming.
But the needle skipped.
“And then you make it harder for someone to win the presidency,” Westmoreland quickly concluded.
Again, it’s often what’s left unsaid that’s important.
Comments
By tom ga hunter
May 17, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
When will our Sanators take Westmoreland advice & act like Republicans???????????
By Craig
May 17, 2008 11:49 AM | Link to this
Ummm…it was DeLay and those just like Westmoreland who actually sold the party out. This party has become the interests of business and special interests. You want to know why people are flocking to the middle and the Democratic Party? Because the SERVANTS of the people, those elected BY the people, go to DC and represent the interests of whoever can write the biggest checks. Call it populism all you want but when the middle sees a system bailing out failed business efforts like Bear Stearns, Delta, etc. and throws a token bone out to the people, the people will turn on those in charge of that system, the GOP. The GOP needs to return to the party of the individual. The Dems are the party of collective people. The GOP is the party of collective businesses. The GOP needs to return to its roots and be the party of the individual. Small government, low tax burdens, less spending, less taxes, and a return to individual liberties.