Print
Return to online version

February 3, 2006

Conservatives Smack the NRSC

Marc Comtois

A couple days ago I mentioned the dissonance occurring over at the Nat'l Republican Senatorial Committee website regarding their support for Sen. Chafee. In particular, I pointed to a story from December in which they tried to make Sen. Chafee out to be more conservative than Mayor Steve Laffey.

I also suggested reading the comments section of the story to get a flavor of how angered people were for the NRSCs support of Sen. Chafee--especially in the wake of his "No" vote against Justice Alito. Yesterday, George Conway at the Reconcilable Differences blog (hosted by National Review Online) also called attention to the same story over at the NRSC. With such national exposure, the comments selection ballooned...and things aren't going so well for Sen. Chafee or the NRSC. In short, many of the commenters claim that they will be sending money directly to candidates because they don't feel as if they can trust the national organization to stick to conservative/Republican principles. Read on for a sampling of just the most recent entries....

First, I'll start with someone willing to put his name out there:

Hello NRSC:
I am a native Rhode Islander (Newport) and I am appalled by the support that you are giving to Senator Chafee. What does it take to get support from you folks, total and complete disloyalty to the Republican President? Maybe the next thing you will do is send money and support to another one of President Bush's strongest supporters ------ Ted Kennedy? I have never been so totally disgusted by your fawning support and encourgement to someone as disloyal as Senator Chafee. He is a DEMOCRAT in Republican clothing.

However, I would like to thank you for offering me this time to vent my anger and, well, I don't think you should call me for any financial support this year. I will be sending most of my financial contributions this year to my very deserving alma mater------ Tulane University. Tulane will certainly put my money to much better us than you ever could.

Harshly,
David Bethune
Still Loyal, if a quite upset Republican
Newport, Rhode Island

The rest are mostly anonymous, and a couple comenters (I think) have been around these parts.

"I have observed Chaffee's [sic] performance in the Senate and find no resemblance between him and a conservative. I will no longer donate money to the party, only to specific candidates because I can't trust the party to see that the support goes to the right person. How the national leadership of this party can support such a contrarian personality is beyond comprehension. Laffey may not be all that I would like, but he certainly is more of a conservative than Chaffee [sic] and more worthy of national party support." -- Magnus

"Proper criticism of Laffey's use of tax increases to balance the Cranston budget would require far more detail about the situation he inherited on taking office and the limitations imposed on him by the liberal state legislature.

Any such criticism is almost totally irrelevant, however, when assessing whether to support Laffey or Chafee for the U.S. Senate. It’s a completely different role, and comparing Laffey's platform positions against Chafee's voting record, Laffey wins hands down in terms of faithfulness to the Reagan archetype.

You know what else isn’t a cornerstone of the Reagan legacy? Publicly announcing before a presidential election that you, a Republican Senator, do not support and are not voting for your own party’s candidate. I also doubt that the Gipper would look favorably on Chafee’s opposition to the Alito nomination. But for some bizarre reason, Lincoln Chafee can freely violate the 11th Commandment, and pretty much oppose every other major conservative program put forward in the Senate, and yet never has to worry about losing the support of the NRSC.

Get a clue already. Conservatives would rather see the GOP run a principled candidate and risk losing rather than continuing to put up with a fickle RINO who constantly undermines his own party. Dump Chafee!" -- Fletch

"I won't send another dime to a Republican organization until they stop supporting Democrats like Chaffee. He needs purged from the party. Period. Laffey CAN'T be worse. Chaffee didn't even vote for our President for goodness sakes.

He's worthless. Don't necessarily work against him, but what have the Reps gotten for their money? We are better off without people like him." -- octagon999

"Wise up NRSC. No $$ till you step down from your cynical support of this uber-RINO." -- Bradmaui

"Talk about poor timing - not five minutes after I donated to NRSC, I received information about Chafee vs. Laffey and regretted my donation. I have requested a refund. I should hope that the NRSCs goal is to put conservatives in office who are interested in advancing the country and the conservative cause, not just in keeping life-time incumbents!

I want my money back so I can contribute directly to Laffey's campaign fund. If he turns out to be another RINO, then he should get thrown out, too!!" -- TroyL

"I will also have to add myself and my husband to the list of no more money to the party, only SPECIFIC REPUBLICAN candidates, until we start policing our own ranks. If Chafee gets reelected and switches his party affiliation, I wonder what you will have to say for yourself then. Shame on you NRSC." -- packy

"I have no idea why everyone is so upset. Lincoln Chaffee is the greatest Republican since Jim Jeffords!

Oh. Oops." -- Der Tommissar

"It has been my custom in the past to contribute what I can, which is not as much as I would like.

This year my contribution will go directly to Steve Laffey.

How you can support a liberal Democrat in Republican's clothing against Steve is beyond me. Steve may have his flaws, but they pale when compared to the incumbent disgrace to the name of our party's greatest president." -- JimT

"Senator Chafee's decision to vote against Samuel Alito's nomination is reason enough to pull him, but even if it were not Chafee has provided many other reasons over the years. Is it even clear that he would vote for Republican control of the Senate if it came down to him alone? The NRSC need not actively oppose him, but it should not actively support him." -- Hunter

"I too will cease donating to the NRSC until they start supporting real republicans and not RINOs like Chaffee.
The earlier comment about Jim Jeffords was quite illuminating. And supporting Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey was another mistake.
I will instead donate selectively to conservative, republican incumbents or challengers, either directly or through the Club for Growth." -- Bruce McDonald

"have contributed some not inconsiderable amounts of money over the years to Republican candidates and causes, but more to conservative ones. I am thus on every solicitation list there is. I will never, ever give another penny to any national Repubublican organization that supports candidates like Lincoln Chafee, who is a despicable hypocrite and a dedicated enemy of every principle I stand for. When will these morons at the NRSC get the message? Chafee and his ilk are the classic New York Times Republicans, who are "moderate" [read liberal] and, of course, therefore condemned to the polite, loyal minority, and thus allowed access to the best parties on the West Side and the Vineyard. Get these types out now." -- comitatus

"Sen. Dole, what can you possibly be thinking? I have two words for you: Jim Jeffords (I-DNC).

In 2000, Jim Jeffords was struggling for re-election. He implored the GOP to (1) flood his campaign with badly needed money through the RNC and NRSC, and (2) vote to renew the Northeast Dairy Compact (something they were not inclined to do) so he would have something to show for the previous six years. In exchange, he would remember who kept him where he is, and vote accordingly. His fellow GOP senators ignored their better judgment and did both.

On May 24, 2001, less than seven months after his successful re-elction, he ditched the party in a fit of pique, caucused with the Democrats, and made Tom Daschle the new majority leader with a 50-49-1 majority. Not to leave it at that, he also refused to return a dime of the money both the party and his Republican constituents had sent him while he ran on the GOP line.

Now, five years later, after having fought tooth and nail to regain and strengthen their majority, the GOP and Senator Dole are setting themselves up for yet another backstabbing by yet another New England RINO. Does anybody really think Lincoln Chafee will show any more gratitude than Jeffords did for having his fat pulled out of the fire? Better to cut bait and support a real Republican; as the saying goes, "Fool me once, shame on you..."

...it does merit adding that the NRSC doesn't endear itself any further to the rank and file by using its official site to dump on Steve Laffey. Folks, start making overtures to the Mayor while you still can; he won't always be receptive, especially if you maintain your present course.

(Needless to say, neither will we...and you need us more than you need Lincoln Chafee.)" -- Goober

"At a time when Republican governors control 9 of the 19 "blue states" (Massachusetts, New York, California, Rhode Island, Vermont, Maryland, Hawaii, etc.) there is no excuse that "a Republican simply cannot win" without taking unprincipled and damaging positions.

Shame, shame for taking an active role in opposing Steve Laffey. This is beyond ridiculous." -- slowpitch

"You guys aren't doing yourselves any favors by ignoring this page. It's a dangerous thing to let angry people vent while you jam your thumbs in your ears and sing, "LA LA LA LA!" Don't open an avenue of communication if you're going to blow off the feedback you get from it.

I'm good and riled. And I'm in Providence." -- ballottra

Comments

It appears as if people are using outmoded assumptions when gauging these supposedly "vulnerable" Republican seats. Data from a London futures market (I posted it in depth on the RI Future site)highlights that only two of the supposedly eight vulnerable seats (Pennsylvania and Montana)are currently in any degree of jeopardy. Three races once thought vulnerable are now showing overwhelmingly favorable odds on the Republicans. The Tennessee open seat is not currently looking too favorable for the dems, either.

Counting "jumping" Jim Jeffords as a democrat, the dems need six of the eight in addition to winning ALL of their own vulnerable races.

This whole vulnerability argument is way overdone and misleading to boot.

The obvious conclusion is that voting for Chafee on this basis is not a logical tactic.

Posted by: bountyhunter at February 3, 2006 10:35 AM

Woohoo! Is this my fifteen minutes?

Seriously, they make a terrible error by opening the blog to comments and then ignoring the comments. I think I saw ONE post in over a hundred that supported reelecting Chafee; but there's no sign anyone on the site is even reading the feedback, let alone taking it seriously. Stupid move.

Of course, the original and gigantic stupid move was to take sides in the primaries -- and so clearly the wrong side. Followed by an apparently unjustifiable attack on Laffey (I say apparently because I'm only just starting to pay attention now, post Alito). If they make one more bad decision by blowing off the resulting flap, they will have earned the label Stupid Party once again.

I thought politicians were supposed to, like, smooch up to us and stuff.

Posted by: ballottra at February 3, 2006 12:11 PM

Turn out the Lights...the Party's over!!!!

Posted by: Dandy Don at February 3, 2006 2:12 PM

Am I having a caching problem or something, or have they disappeared the article and all but two of the comments?

Posted by: ballottra at February 3, 2006 4:55 PM

I think you are right. I guess Liddy Dole couldn't stand seeing all these negative comments about her and Chafee so she had them deleted. Since the Senate Repubs are getting beat by 2 to 1 when it comes to fundraising by the Senate Demos I guess she realized that these blog comments weren't helping her fundraising. Maybe Republicans should start posting again, just to let her and Chafee know we are still thinking of them.

Posted by: Fred Sanford at February 3, 2006 7:31 PM

Well, if you bookmarked it or you follow the link, the comments section can still be accessed and added to. I'm guessing they don't know that. And won't figure it out.

And therefore will never see it. But it feels good to vent, anyhow.

Posted by: S. Weasel at February 4, 2006 4:42 AM

Here's the link:
http://www.nrsc.org/blogs/viewallcomments.aspx?TID=2&ID=1359

112 posts and only a couple of questions about how can Laffey (a true Reagan republican) win in a blue state.

Intelligent and close thinkers who do their research, look at the facts and agree with the principles of small efficient government, lower taxes, and the elimination of corporate welfare will vote for Steve Laffey.

The NRSC is out of touch with the people of RI and the true republican principles that put them in a leadership role in DC.

When I make a mistake on Monday I do everything I can to make sure I don’t make the same mistake on Tuesday.

The syllogism: Persisting in folly is just plain stupid. The NRSC is persisting in folly. The NRSC is just plain stupid.

J Mahn

Posted by: Joe Mahn at February 4, 2006 11:25 PM

...and anyone using NRSC "keep the seat"-type arguments to vote for Chafee is not reading current data. is not logical, and is therefore being duped by propaganda.

I defy anyone to find me more than three Senate races (in which the seat is now Republican) in which the dems are considered to be well ahead. Start with Pennsylvnia, maybe Ohio - and then what else?? Tell me - I want to know why this is such a big deal.

Not only do they have to win at least six (depending on how one views Jeffords)but they have to keep ALL 18 OF THEIR SEATS.

Contiued bleating about potentially losing the majority takes away from issues and only plays right into Chafee's hands.

Posted by: bountyhunter at February 5, 2006 9:08 AM