The reason I posted about this piece from the local fish wrap is they do stumble upon some very good points about Cuyahoga County and the failed leadership in the RPCC....
But make no mistake, in the mayor of Bay Village, county Republicans have their first truly serious candidate for countywide executive office since Mike Wise ran for auditor in 1998. Since then, the local GOP has focused on recruiting candidates with familiar names or deep pockets. The result has been a dispiriting parade of hopefuls who have barely known what the county even does. That has freed the Democrats who run it from having to defend - let alone rethink - their positions.
This failure on the part of the RPCC has allowed the democrats to run rampant in Cuyahoga County. This is why when fellow republicans rail about the local demohacks, I counter with what have we (RPCC) done about it? The answer can be none other than - NOTHING!
The sad thing about this is that until the rank & file members of the RPCC realize, and they are starting too, that the "social club" atmosphere that has infected the RPCC is removed, we will continue to flounder about. How can we expect our party to be successful when the leaders of the RPCC openly allow some of their "social club" members to openly support democrat candidates in violation of our by-laws.
With the rampant failure over the years, the local democrats are unaware the RPCC even exists. Our county will continue its' downward spiral into the abyss. Truth be told, democrat leader & county commissioner, Jimmy Dimora is given an early Christmas present every November here in Kuyahoga Kounty.
The PD notes the last credible candidate was 9 years ago in 1998! One has to question is it because we are unable to find good candidates, or the good candidates refuse to run because they have heard, all to often, about the lack of party support?
To be honest, I would not have let some of our candidates run to the store for milk, let alone public office. But as the PD mentions - the economic royalist's running the party are only worried about deep pockets or promoting the hacks from their social club.
I say let the Dems ride the Cuyahoga County Kamikaze Express all the way into the ground. Until voters realize that liberal governance causes economic disaster, they won't change their voting habits.
ReplyDelete"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury." -- Alexander Tytler
your point can best be illustrated by the Ed Herman race in 2006. What a fiasco that was. We had, by far, the superior candidate in the Oh16 state rep race and the dismal performance (in a republican district) of the party led directly to his defeat. I was a volunteer on that campaign and all my energies were directed toward helping Blackwell and DeWine and not to helping Herman. What a freakin waste of time!! I'm still pissed about it. He lost by less than a thousand votes.
ReplyDeleteanonymous, I also helped on the Herman campaign doing phone banking. I called and did not mention DeWine or Blackwell when I called. I supported Blackwell but I did not want that anchor of his poor campaign and DeWine's RINOism around Ed's neck.
ReplyDeleteis there a local GOP in the Cleveland area? I have lived here for 6 yrs and never even knew one existed
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Wow, that is really depressing if it is not tongue in cheek...
Sutherland needs to explain to us how she will lower taxes/spur the economy by working better with Tim Hagan than PLJ did. Seems like PLJ should be the GOP candidate.
Herman can win that seat back for us if he can be convinced to run again. No question.
ReplyDeleteI disagree, I don't think Herman should run again. I really think Herman should run for Rocky River city council. River loves him and he could work his way up from there.
ReplyDeleteHi guys - thanks for commenting.
ReplyDeleteMany of the "social club" members in the RPCC will dismiss Ed Herman's loss to a lack of work by the candidate and the increase of soccer mom's in the area. Not to get into why I believe it but - I believe Ed got hung out to dry from broken promises down state and could have more support from the local party. Plus, I believe Ed will listen more closely to his “experienced” advisors if he ever decides to run again.
But I did hash out why this is nothing more than a poor excuse from the RPCC with so-called high ranking party official after the race on RAB. As for why we are unable to win an election in Cuyahoga County the old curmudgeon refused to accept the obvious and that is --
…. tired, out dated, maybe once effective ways of campaigning no longer work. The demographics have changed since they campaigned for JFK- Ike - there are less and less cookie cutter GOP communities out there for them to count on for votes.
We continually use excuses such - as too democrat, too black, too many soccer moms, sun came up 5 minutes late, doughnuts were stale, etc…. as reasons for our continued losses. For one reason or another, over the years party members have accepted these excuses without question. Having some members brainwashed with this Cuyahoga is too democrat, too this or too that, for us to win has fostered his "Culture of Defeat” that has infected our party!
I for one cannot accept just simply dismissing whole bloc’s or cities of potential voters. I also believe screw the polls too. If our party helped, fostered and grew good informed candidates - I would bet on and take a hand shake from the candidate at the voters door step over a poll any day. I firmly believe we can win a county wide seat (other than judge) but not until their broken ways of campaigning they refuse to fix are changed.
Many people say we will not even be somewhat relevant or will be unable to win an election until there is a county reform. To an extent I agree with this; a county reform needs to be studied and implemented but in the right way and for the right reasons - not just so the RPCC can win an election. But I do believe we can win a county wide election BEFORE a reform initiative is undertaken.
We have had some good candidates run in the past - Ed Herman, Jamie Pilla, & Wendell Robinson, too name a few (sorry guys). Everyone knows that on our volunteers’ worst day - they can easily out work a democrat volunteer on their best day! Our volunteers and candidates deserve better than what they are getting from the party.
It may be me, but did you ever notice how some of our good candidates run for a county-wide office, then sort of fade off or decrease their party involvement after their loss? Almost like they are saying - you guys at the RPCC could have at least kissed me while you’re doing that!
King for RPCC Chairman!
ReplyDeleteRun, King, Run!
Your style is quite unorthodox to say the least, but maybe it is needed.
I looked for you at the Christmas Party and did not see you. Were you there? I was really hoping to meet you and shake your hand.
Did someone from the party really tell you soccer mom's is the reason Herman lost his race?
Hello soccer mom w/3 - thanks for reading & commenting.
ReplyDeleteObviously you must be joking! :) Seas would divide before I became or the party would be ready to deal with someone like me as chairmen. Plus I have no desire to be a babysitter - so no thanks.
Unorthodox? I would rather look at is not willing to stand there and let someone piss on my leg and tell me it is raining.
To often excuses are accepted for reasons of defeat. I thought we are the party of accountability, yet we refuse to accept and be accountable for the reasons that continually cause us to lose.
Instead of learning from mistakes and changing campaign techniques needed to meet the demands from changing demographics in this area - we embrace them.
I believe Ben Franklin said - The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
And yes, someone did blame the loss on Ed and soccer moms. I was called stupid by this person for taking the party stance as gospel.
Sorry I did not meet you at the Christms party.
sorry I meant I was called stupid by this person for NOT taking the party stance as gospel.
ReplyDeletehe got screwed. his resources were diverted to help other candidates throughout the state at the direction of the party. this is not speculation, i know it for a fact.
ReplyDeleteAnon - I have heard the same thing from several very reliable sources.
ReplyDeleteFrom what I understand saying he was screwed is an understatement!