While over at ricochet, I came across an interesting piece by Troy Senik about the so-called Republican establishment.
Senik quoted a Time Magazine article where Jeb Bush contends there is no Republican establishment.
Jeb Bush told Time Magazine “I don’t know what the Republican establishment is. I haven’t learned the secret handshake, and I don’t know where to go for a membership card.”
Of all people, Jeb Bush knows there is a group of people who call shots in the Republican Party, and there is equally a group of people who follow suit.
Senik went on to tell a story about how someone from the RNC (didn’t name who) had contacted a member House Republican Caucus to ask this person to help convince Newt Gingrich to clear a path to the nomination for Mitt Romney. To make a longer story short, the member did in fact make the call and Gingrich answered in what Senik describes as a “phrase that began with “go” and ended with “yourself.”
So there we have it, not that none of us would have ever been convinced that there is no Republican establishment in the first place. Jeb Bush of all people is a son of a guy who holds considerable influence in the Republican establishment.
The elders in the Republican Party do not care about what the Republican electorate wants; the only thing that matters to them is retaining power, and gaining back what they lost when the Tea Party came and put them on notice in 2010. They would be perfectly content in rigging the whole process if it helped the next in line. The problem they are having right now is the base of their own Party perceives them to be nothing more than dross old-timers whose time has come.
This is why Newt is doing as well as he is. The question remain whether in the mist of this Establishment pushback, will enough conservatives see through the charade and back Gingrich. I said this at the beginning of this campaign, if we are to ever see a small government conservative in the White House, we will first have to defeat the Republican establishment; and that is not that easy when they have taken over the so called conservative pundit class.
Moe Lane
PG DeFreese
Victoria Coates
Daniel Horowitz
Dan Spencer
No
Freedoms Truth (Diary) Friday, January 27th at 3:10PM EST (link)There is an ‘establishment’, if you want to label those with power and responsibility and ability to communicate a message the ‘establishment’. BTW, if there is one Erick Erickson is a part of it.
They do not ‘call the shots’.
Look at SC. Here we have the ‘establishment’ supposedly in the tank for Romney.
‘Ooops’.
Primary voters will select the nominee.
The liberal MSM, the ‘establishment’, they are just voices, sirens if you will, who will lead to crash on the rock if we are not careful.
They do not call the shots. voters do.
Freedoms Truth,
Travis Monitor – http://travismonitor.blogspot.com
Austin, TX
Establishment
texashistorian (Diary) Friday, January 27th at 4:18PM EST (link)exists, and you are right FT that they don’t call all the shots. But they sure try to. I think we need to see it less as a giant conspiracy and more as a group of well-connected politicians and their surrogates whose primary interest is the party. They look at everything through the lens of political power and party, and not necessarily through the lens of what is best for the country. Oftentimes the two coincide, but the “establishment” as it is, to me, is just those that have their own and their party’s political interests above the national interests or the interests of the rank and file voters. Think of the fights in the GOP primaries through the years- the ‘establishment’ choices are seemingly always moderates, generally because they believe moderates will win elections. They’ll back conservatives when there is little or no risk, however.
Anyway, that is how I see it. Your mileage may vary
The study of history is a powerful antidote to contemporary arrogance. It is humbling to discover how many of our glib assumptions, which seem to us novel and plausible, have been tested before, not once but many times and in innumerable guises; and discovered to be, at great human cost, wholly false.
- Paul Johnson
Paul Johson, you are sooo correct, the establishment is good
center77 (Diary) Saturday, January 28th at 12:39AM EST (link)and I am not mad because they are good, I am mad because they are not conservative enough. I agree with you, it is up to us to get this done. Goldwater in the end won, but it did not happen until much later, and we are still fighting to this day.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/
I’m a proud supporter of Rick Perry. God Bless everyone.
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewll adress (January 11, 1989)
I think you guys are missing my point, and I do not consider Erik to be part of the establishment, at least not the one on am angry at,
center77 (Diary) Friday, January 27th at 6:33PM EST (link)Erik has been pretty objective this primary system, even if I do not always agree with him, that has to do with the fact that I am not at all trying to be objective. I was for Perry, I was against Newt. I am sickened by the thought of the nominee being Romney, nothing changes the facts that the voters indeed do pick the nominee, and whoever wins will be because the voters picked that person. What the establishment does is influence who those voters pick. That is why we do not see the candidates that have the best record, only the ones that the establishment talks up. Newt was not hit until everyone else was gone. If they were worried about Newt, they would not have waited until Romney was on the cusp of losing it all to go all crazy on Newt. This primary has been nothing but calculated moves to place Romney in the best position to win the nomination. And fromt he establishments point of view, they are indeed winning.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/
I’m a proud supporter of Rick Perry. God Bless everyone.
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewll adress (January 11, 1989)
Keep in Mind That Romney
aj_0000 Friday, January 27th at 7:04PM EST (link)Has been untouched throughout this entire process by the media. The left wing media AND the “conservative” media have not laid a finger on him in their mutual desire to prevent a conservative from being nominated.
As soon as he’s the nominee, the left wing media will unload on him with with relentless ferocity. Mitt, like McCain, used to being a media darling and standing back while they destroy his opponents for him, will be left looking like he was set on fire, run over by a freight train, and then nuked for good measure.
The only thing that will reduce the magnitude of his loss is Obama’s abject failure as president. But it won’t be enough. Obama’s base is too invested in him to stay home. Romney has no base, except the DC Republican establishment. He is absolutely guaranteed to lose, and anyone who doesn’t see what’s coming is blind.
All power groups seek to retain their power
carolina Friday, January 27th at 7:46PM EST (link)The powerful individuals within those groups seek to retain their relative level of power also.
(the dems do it too)
It’s the nature of “the beast”.
Looks like Reagan will retain his rare position of a non-establishment candidate who made it all the way.
Just look at the fire power the establishment unleashes on any upstart. It takes a rare individual to overcome the statists. Indeed, it takes a foolhardy individual to rebel against the power structure while trying to climb to the pinacle of THAT very power. The ambitious climbers can’t afford to reject “the party line”.
Paul understands all of this…… and hence he has a strategic candidacy.
I don’t like Romney, but we have had worse (Dole: gimme a break!)
The Tea Party movement just needs to keep electing as many ‘down ticket’ conservative candidates as they can. Ultimately they need to become THE power structure. That is still some years away it seems.
Carolina, I agree, but it is the voters hwo choose, and they fall for what it being sold
center77 (Diary) Saturday, January 28th at 12:34AM EST (link)I think the bottom line is that is where the problem is, and if the voters start finding new pundits to listen to, then maybe it will be the establishment that loses.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/
I’m a proud supporter of Rick Perry. God Bless everyone.
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewll adress (January 11, 1989)
If "the establishment" weren't moderate squishes
jakeofalltrades (Diary) Friday, January 27th at 8:01PM EST (link)we wouldn’t call them “the establishment”. We’d have no word for them. Their entire being – in an existential sense – is due to the non-involvement of hardcore conservatives in the party. See ColdWarrior for the answer.
This is I believe the only time in my life I have used the phrase “the establishment” because, as commonly conceived, it is a preposterous notion.
If, instead of wasting time railing against “the establishment”, conservatives became involved in the party apparatus, “they” would cease to exist. And so would Ron Paul.
I agree, that was the point of my first post today, that I am studying to be a journalist to get involved
center77 (Diary) Saturday, January 28th at 12:36AM EST (link)and my second major is Political science, it is my hope to be a voice for others that are sick of the current crop.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/
I’m a proud supporter of Rick Perry. God Bless everyone.
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewll adress (January 11, 1989)
amen jake' and BRAVO center'. The movement needs you
Mike gamecock DeVine (Diary) Saturday, January 28th at 12:58AM EST (link)in the media to be the balance. That’s why I am in it.
Mike DeVine’s Examiner.com, Charlotte Observer and The Minority Report columns
“One man with courage makes a majority.” – Andrew Jackson
In all fairness GC your a Rombot, how is that bringing balance?
texastaxpayer (Diary) Saturday, January 28th at 1:18AM EST (link)Faux and the rest have been acting like Romney cheerleader. I have read many many of your posts advocating for the architect of Obama’s healthcare plan as well as Obama’s cap and trade legislation. Romney supported TARP and Obama’s stimulus though he wanted tax cuts as well. Romney has been on the wrong side of every major issue of the conservative platform for the majority of his career. Life, Gun rights, Gay issues you name it and Romney scores closer to Obama than Reagan. So how do you claim to be a conservative A and B a part of our movement considering your stance? Not meaning this as a character assault so please read this simply as the questions they are.
“Texas will again lift it’s head and stand among the nations. It ought to do so, for no country upon the globe can compare with it in natural advantages.” Sam Houston
I agree with what you said about Romney, but when it comes to media people
center77 (Diary) Saturday, January 28th at 8:41PM EST (link)It is not that people support Romney that makes me so angry, it is when they support him and try to convince people they are doing something else, like being objective. We all have our own bias, it is the idea that we should use our influence, if we have it, in my case I do not have a lot of influence, but I will always try to at least be honest about the agenda I have.
My name is Timothy Bladel. I’m from Davenport, Iowa. I am a Undergraduate, Double Majoring in Journalism & Mass communication, with my other major being political science. I am conservative in nature, sometimes a tad bit libertarian; the Tenth Amendment is vital to changing this country for the better.
http://www.timothy-bladel.com/
I’m a proud supporter of Rick Perry. God Bless everyone.
“We the people” tell the government what to do, it doesn’t tell us. We the people are the driver, the government is the car. And we decide where it should go, and by what route, and how fast.” Ronald Reagan’s farewll adress (January 11, 1989)