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Rank and File Tell GOP Leaders to Keep Sequester, Shutdown ‘On the Table’

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photo credit: donkeyhotey

WILLIAMSBURG, VA. — GOP leaders on Thursday heard from rank-and-file members in a closed-door session, with many urging sequester cuts or a government shutdown to take effect in hopes of forcing the White House into accepting spending cuts.

Those options are “very much on the table,” veteran Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.) told reporters on Thursday, from Virginia, where House GOP lawmakers are meeting for their annual retreat.

According to several sources, during the members-only brainstorming session, Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) delivered “concise” remarks before opening the microphones to member feedback.

Despite recent internal House GOP squabbles over the handling of the “fiscal cliff” negotiations and a handful of defections against Boehner in the vote for Speaker, GOP lawmakers are looking to present a unified front ahead of crucial budget battles.

One lawmaker who was in the room said that members who spoke had been “polite.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Alaska’s RINO Establishment: Tearing Out Liberty and Integrity from the Republican Party

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Strengthening our party should be a major priority, especially after the devastation of our recent national elections. Not only does the GOP need to increase numbers, but revamp itself. A recent Scott Rasmussen poll shows that, nationwide, almost two thirds of party members feel leadership is out of touch with its base. Prior to the poll, but affirming its revelation was the election of fresh, new leadership at the 2012 Alaska GOP convention.

We should be striving to attract people of conservative values, outstanding character and action. However, our national and state-level old guard continually demonstrates behavior that, out on the street, causes distrust, disgust, and disdain. That well-earned “dissing” distances people of character, for what upstanding citizen wants to get anywhere near the dirt of self-serving manipulations and Boss Tweed-style despotism generally associated in the public mind with our entrenched leadership?

Past and acting Alaska GOP head, Randy Ruedrich and his associates play right into the hands of the leftist news spinners and editorialists. His arbitrary flexings of power and skilled, but underhanded procedural manipulations are magnified by the liberal media, assuring a lot of wonderful potential new Republicans that, “Yep, it’s just as I thought: Alaska’s Republican leadership is corrupt. I either need to stay clear of organized politics altogether or find a cleaner group”.

I ask these questions: was the Republican State Convention registration and vetting—right while Mr. Ruedrich presided—carried out according to party rules? If so, did all attendees have the right to run for office? Under his close watch, did everyone running have the same opportunity to work the convention crowd and stump from the stage for votes? During his oversight, was the voting conducted in an orderly and by-the-rules manner? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. Where, then, is his legitimate gripe?

Did not the voting reflect that folks were sick and tired of the old guard and its ways? Does not Mr. Ruedrich’s low-handed, sore loser, take-my-ball-and-go-home backlash prove those voters’ very point?

There isn’t enough cheese in all of Wisconsin to go with the post-voting whine being poured and passed around by Mr. Ruedrich and his cronies. In my humble opinion, the very mongers of all that is bad about the Alaska Republican Party, those skilled political connivers who needed to be ousted, were ousted. And the ones were voted in who give strong indications they will prove to be people of integrity who’ll play by the rules and keep their word and obligations.

As a convention delegate I feel Randy Ruedrich has already slapped me in the face by so much as threatening to overturn voting results. Mr. Ruedrich and his fellows obviously have two sets of rules. There’s the set available for all to examine and go by. Then there’s his own under-the-table set he pulls out when play by the open set fails to deliver results according to his will. That he would so arbitrarily disenfranchise half a thousand delegates by willingly robbing those like me of the time, energy, and money we trustfully invested disgusts me to a degree beyond polite description. But what he is doing to tear down liberty and integrity within the party—and ultimately the state and nation—draws even more of my ire because of its broader ruin beyond effects to my own person or to other individual delegates singly.

Washington Times: Political Power Struggle in Alaska is Fight For the GOP’s Future

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WASHINGTON, January 14, 2013 — Those who follow the emerging blood sport of Republican Party internal politics know that much goes that doesn’t get much coverage in the major media, but may have a profound effect on the political future of the nation.

Events in far off Alaska are significant in what they show about a struggle which may be coming to your state GOP in the next few months.

The latest battleground in this struggle is the harsh political tundra of Alaska, where we saw the fight between establishment and reformers played out in a very public struggle between Joe Miller and Lisa Murkowski for the Senate in 2010. Grassroots Republicans supported Miller in the GOP and he defeated incumbent Murkowski.

Unwilling to accept the loss, party insiders and leaders then supported Murkowski in a successful independent campaign against their own party’s nominee.

In that contest the establishment demonstrated a willingness to cast aside the desires of party members and even engage in blatant manipulation of the electoral process to get their way. Despite its physical size, Alaska’s political landscape is one of small towns, local powerbrokers, and more than its share of corruption.

Read more from this story HERE.

“The Old Guard Power Mongers of the Alaska GOP Will Stop At Nothing to Maintain Power”

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It appears that the old guard power mongers of the Alaska GOP will stop at nothing to maintain control of the organization. In a move to disregard the results of the 2012 convention, Chairman Ruedrich ally, Frank McQueary, has filed internal charges against Russ Millette, the legitimately elected party chair, and other Republican Party officials.

The charges, (you can see them in their entirety HERE) consist mainly of inflammatory rhetoric, distortions, and baseless allegations. In fact, no actual party rules are cited in the allegations.

The one allegation against Mr. Millette that may have a shred of validity is his failure to raise money for the party. However, this is easily mitigated by the fact that with men like Ruedrich, Clary, and McQueary controlling the money, there is serious concern for how any money deposited in party coffers will be used. In fact, since Ruedrich became chairman, the ARP has ceased conducting annual audits required by party rules.

Another accusation is that Mr. Millette only recently registered as a Republican. This is a distortion of the truth. In fact, Mr. Millette campaigned for Barry Goldwater in 1964. If that isn’t indicative of a life-long Republican, I don’t know what is. Many life-long Republicans have unregistered at points in their life due to the dissatisfaction that they have felt with party leadership. With behavior like the current efforts against Millette, who can blame them.

Moreover, the point of registration is moot as the ARP rules only require that a person be a registered Republican to hold office, they do not specify a requirement of ANY prior registration.

Allegations against others in McQueary’s complaint include being tied to Occupy Wall Street (OWS). This is a fabricated and irrelevant accusation designed to use emotion and detract from legitimate points.

Further, it is interesting that Mr. McQueary is the one bringing up these allegations. Mr. McQueary himself has a long history of violating and disregarding party rules. In 2010, he while chair of the rules committee, he opposed the Republican nominee, Joe Miller, and actively supported independent candidate Lisa Murkowski. A search of FEC records reveals that he donated funds to Murkowski, post-primary.

Mr. McQueary has also consistently abused his position to defend Ruedrich in prior attempts to remove Ruedrich from his post. Mr. McQueary failed to properly address a legitimate complaint filed with him in regards to the College Republicans being wrongly disenfranchised from representation on the SCC, in direct violation of the rules. Mr. McQueary further failed in to perform his duties by refusing to address charges filed against Mr. Ruedrich, charges that actually had merit under the rules.

Mr. McQueary’s obvious lack of integrity calls into question all charges brought by him. He is obviously acting as a crony to Mr. Ruedrich, and not in the best interests of Alaska Republicans.

This witch-hunt is clearly just an attempt by the Machiavellian Alaska GOP establishment to subvert the will of the 2012 convention delegates. In fact, nearly 70% of the convention delegates voted against Ruedrich’s pick, Bruce Shulte, voting for either Russ Millette, or fellow reform candidate, Judy Eledge. And I thought that Republic-an Party arose from the words Constitutional Republic, not Banana Republic.

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Sean Godfrey is the Assistant Director of Communications for the National Right to Work Committee and was a delegate to Alaska’s 2012 Republican State Convention.

After Destroying the Country, the RINO-Establishment Now Fixes its Sights on the GOP

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According to a story from Politico this weekend, the 2012 election cycle has convinced establishment RINOs that, more than ever before, they have a “primary problem.”

Apparently, the post-election topic for these RINOs is how to influence primaries to get rid of those pesky constitutional conservatives who are mysteriously winning primaries but losing general elections. They’ve concluded that they’re going to return to their 2010 playbook of openly being involved in GOP primaries.

In other words, active intervention “in selected 2014 races to ensure preferred candidates win.” The RINO leaders intend to “clear fields” through “aggressive” primary involvement.

They intend to use “big-money establishment Republican super PACs like [Karl Rove’s] American Crossroads” to attack conservative candidates backed by groups like Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservative Fund and the Club for Growth.

Senator John Cornyn, the last National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman who helped orchestrate the NRSC’s hit on Joe Miller in Alaska’s 2010 general election battle against liberal Lisa Murkowski, agreed that establishment PACs would be taking a more active role in GOP primaries. He predicted the involvement of multiple super PACs: “This is too important to leave to [just Karl Rove’s] organization. You’re going to see other super PACs getting involved.”

Unfortunately for these disconnected ruling elites, the grassroots of the GOP is no longer playing along. Constitutional conservatives recognize that the RINO-establishment is responsible right along with the Democrats for the growth and bankruptcy of the federal government. They also see the establishment’s fingerprint on attacks against their candidates in multiple general election races.

So knock yourself out, RINO’s. The more you mettle, the sooner your unholy, big government alliance with the Democrats is forced out of the closet.

GOP Increasingly Ready for Government Shutdown

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The appetite for a government shutdown is growing among Republicans, who had shied away from one during the debt and spending fights in the last Congress but now say one may be needed.

Several high-profile senators this week began laying the groundwork for a shutdown, saying that it may be necessary in order to restore “fiscal sanity” on the federal budget.

“I think the last time we saw a shutdown, the fact that Republicans were willing to stand together — on fiscally conservative principles — ended up producing a result that was responsible and that benefited the country and that ultimately produced enormous economic growth,” said Sen. Ted Cruz, a freshman Republican from Texas.

Fellow Texan Sen. John Cornyn, the second-ranking Republican in the chamber, wrote an op-ed in the Houston Chronicle on Friday saying a partial shutdown may be needed to show Congress is serious about cutting spending.

“It may be necessary to partially shut down the government in order to secure the long-term fiscal well being of our country, rather than plod along the path of Greece, Italy and Spain,” he wrote.

Read more from this story HERE.

Trump Blasts GOP For Being ‘Worst Negotiators in History’ Following Fiscal Cliff Deal

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Donald Trump had a few choice words for his fellow Republicans following the compromise over the so-called fiscal cliff. The real estate billionaire tweeted his disgust at the deal agreed upon by the Senate, which now has to pass in the House of Representatives in order to go into effect.

‘I am a Republican… but the Republicans may be the worst negotiators in history!’ he wrote to his nearly 2 million followers.

‘Obama and the Democrats are laughing at the deal they just made… the Republicans got nothing!

‘What is Mitch McConnell thinking?…make the big deal,’ he said of the Senate minority leader.

‘Maybe Boehner will stop this one sided deal in the House…I hope so!’

Politicians open hours negotiating on New Year’s Eve to try to put together a deal so that a rash of harsh spending cuts were not implemented at the beginning of the year.

The compromise that was finally reached included increased taxes on those making more than $400,000 annually- which is expected to bring in $620billion over ten years- and a continuation of the Bush-era tax cuts for middle class Americans.

Read more from this story HERE.

Video: Krauthammer Says Obama’s ‘Fiscal Cliff’ Crisis Executed With Ruthless Skill To Fracture GOP

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(DC) On Thursday’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “Hannity,” syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer criticized President Barack Obama for his ruthlessness in the fiscal cliff negotiations, suggesting his aim is to break House Republicans and not solve the fiscal cliff.

Krauthammer also said the president is not as well-positioned as it seems, nor is the GOP as poorly positioned as some people think.

“I do begrudge what he’s done in this fiscal cliff talks,” Krauthammer said. “It’s been very clear from the beginning that he had no intention to solve the fiscal issues. He’s been using this, and I must say with great skill and ruthless skill and success, to fracture and basically shatter the Republican opposition. The only, you know, redoubt of the opposition is the House. And his objective from the very beginning was to break the will of the Republicans in the House and to create an internal civil war, and he’s done that. How did he do it? By always insisting from day one after the election that Republicans had to raise rates. There’s no reason at all to get the revenue that he needed and that the speaker was offering him that you had to raise rates.”

“Obama himself, as you know, said last July — July 2011 — you can get $1.2 trillion by eliminating loopholes, which is exactly what Republicans offered him,” he continued. “So why did he insist on the rates? He said that is what he will insist upon, and that was the ultimatum. He did that because he knew it would create a crisis among the Republicans, and it did. So right up until now Obama has what he wanted, which was a partisan, political success. He’s been less worried about the fiscal issue for two reasons. Number one, he does not care about debt. He hasn’t in the four years. And number two, he thinks he’s a political winner if we go over the cliff. He thinks he’s holding all the cards.”

Read more from this story HERE.

New Study Confirms ‘Beyond Question’ That Democrats – Not GOP – Destroyed Economy

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A new study from the widely respected National Bureau of Economic Research released this week has confirmed beyond question that the left’s race-baiting attacks on the housing market (the Community Reinvestment Act–enacted under Carter, made shockingly more aggressive under Clinton) is directly responsible for imploding the housing market and destroying the economy.

Again, let’s review:

-President Bush went to Congress repeatedly for years warning them that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were going to destroy the economy (17 times in 2008 alone). Democrats continuously ignored him, shut down his proposals along party lines and continued raiding the institutions for campaign contributions on their way down.

-John McCain also co-sponsored urgently critical reforms that would have prevented the housing market collapse, but Democrats shut that down as well, along party lines, and even openly ridiculed anyone who suggested reforms were necessary…to protect their taxpayer-funded campaign contributions as the economy raced uncontrollably toward the cliff.

-No one was making bad loans to unqualified people until Democrats came along and threatened to drag banks into court and have them fined and branded as racists if they didn’t go along with the left’s Affirmative Action lending policies…all while federally insuring their losses. Even the New York Times warned in the late 1990s that Democrats continuing to force banks into lowering their standards would lead to this exact catastrophe.

Read more from this story HERE.

GOP Lawyer: Republicans Must End Cronyism of ‘Little White Boy Consultants’

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A top GOP legal adviser to several House and Senate Republicans says the Republican National Committee’s newly formed panel to study the GOP’s failed 2012 election strategy must focus on rooting out cronyism among the party’s consultant class.

“Until Chairman Priebus and other GOP leaders focus on rooting out the greed, cronyism, and corruption of the ‘little white boy’ consultants who make millions of dollars, year in and year out, and yet lose elections—and until there is real accountability and transparency to donors to ensure that integrity is restored to GOP circles—none of these initiatives will matter,” said Cleta Mitchell.

The assembling of the Republican panel comes on the heels of an investigation by Breitbart News contributor Patrick Michael Leahy that showed that the Romney campaign paid over $150 million to two consulting firms with ties to top RNC and Romney campaign staffers.

Read more from this story HERE.