We wrote a column last month about the ongoing civil war within the “Republican” party – focusing on how certain members of the GOP establishment don’t tolerate dissent.
Or pro-free market, pro-liberty views …
This view was lent fresh expression this week in socially conservative Greenville, S.C., where three members of the local Republican party decided enough was enough and submitted their letters of resignation.
“They don’t want unity, they want uniformity,” Harry Kibler, one of the former members, told The Greenville News. “They want us to conform to some version of what they believe is conservatism and I’m just not willing to go along with that.”
According to Kibler, the final straw came last month when the GOP decided to target members of the party who opposed a local tax hike.
Because in South Carolina (as in Washington, D.C.), Republicans are for raising taxes and growing government.
Kudos to Kibler and his compatriots. Although the realization that the GOP is hopelessly hypocritical (and irredeemable) should have come to them some time ago.
20 comments
So this works out great for the GOP. They have three guys who have “resigned” (whatever that means) from the Republican Party, but will always vote Republican. Can’t beat that. You don’t have to put up with them and they vote for you anyway.
Yeh,just like Fits himself.
Typical taking the ball and going home.
If an organization you belong to no longer represents your beliefs then why stay a member? What’s the point of staying and trying to get the organization back on track to it’s original core beliefs when no one listens to you?
What if no one listens to you because you’re insane?
Kibler is a dynamo. He influences many, many people in the Upstate, where he has open access to the local talk station (100 mile diameter signal). His energy has influenced several state-wide elections. I say this, not because I generally agree with him, which I do, but because the rest of the state discounts the “liberty/anti-tax” vote. If that continues, it would be a great mistake. The state GOP is not as strong as it would like to believe, without people like Harry.
He influences many dozens of other crazy people who are drinking the same kool-aid. Puh-lease. These three couldn’t convince enough people that they should be in charge…so they took their ball and went home.
You’re only fooling yourself. They may have taken their ball and gone home, but it’s a very important ball. The Republican Party in SC can still save itself, but they need to recognize it needs to share and repair.
“His energy has influenced several state-wide elections”
Which? What a crock of horse shit.
Funny, that’s what the State GOP said when they refused to recognize the Greenville GOP group at the Party party. Do you really think the majority of Upstate GOP voters are stirred by ANYTHING from the Lowcountry or the Midlands? If you do, you are sadly mistaken.
The Tea Party doesn’t tolerate dissent either, neither does Democrats.
It’s interesting that so few notice (or admit) that…
Very true. Damn shame this seems to be our whole range of choices these days.
And the rift between the mainstream of the GOP and the Tea Party types in SC is nothing new.
And that’s pale in comparison to the coming civil war between the liberal and moderate wings of the Democrat Party.
it pales in comparison, also.
do Democrats
Iced tea? ok… sweetened or unsweeted? … ok…
crazy or bat-shit crazy?
Harry Kibler says “They want us to conform to some version of what they believe is conservatism”
What a crock. That’s the same Harry Kibler who’s been running around the state for years with his so-called “RINO Hunt” group…demanding that politicians line up with their version of conservatism. Clearly these people don’t understand irony.
Schism has BEEN here a long time. An the far right does not universally return you love here in SC, Will. Some of them flat-out hate you. They are fucking loonatics, and you are fooling yourself if you think that there are many besides Mace and Davis and a handful of others who are not mouth-foaming batshit-crazy hyper-moralistic theocrats and secessionist rednecks. Or maybe I’m just bitter because I miss the porn on here.that you had to jettison in order to help Nancy.
Now if they would just move out of Greenville…