There’s growing recognition of the problem of statist politicians who run as faux-conservatives in order to get elected. Arlen Spector was famous for morphing into less-of-a-statist every six years for decades…until a real conservative, Pat Toomey, forced him to admit he’s really a Democrat. In NY-23 Dede Scozzafava refused to sign a no-tax-increase pledge…and then did so (to great fanfare) after being overcome by a real conservative, Doug Hoffman (whereupon she came clean and endorsed the Democrat after dropping out of the race). Texas Gov. Rick Perry is currently reinventing himself as a states’ rights conservative after increasing taxes and spending in Texas for years. And even ultra-liberal supporter of Barack Obama, Charlie Crist—the “Republican” governor of Florida—is now claiming that he’s a big conservative after being challenged (and surpassed) by Marco Rubio, a real conservative in Florida’s U.S. Senate race. Finally, there is the sad history of George W. Bush, who ran for President as a conservative . . . and then assisted the descent of Washington, DC into a full-blown leap off off the cliff of socialism.

But accurate language is death to the Political Class. Thus, the terminology to describe fake conservative Republicans is expanding:

First there was RINO…Republican In Name Only.

Then came DIABLO…Democrat In All But Label Only.

Now comes LIAR…Liberal Imitating A Republican.

Tim Condon, Vice-chairman
Republican Liberty Caucus of New Hampshire