Common Ground

I find myself at odds sometimes with both factions of the liberty movement and the traditional movement in the GOP. I am part of the 'stuck in the middle' generation. Living through part of the Cold War to its ending and the aftermath, I tend to still cling to some ideals that the liberty movement won't embrace. I also try to learn lessons from what has happened during and since to learn where we have made mistakes that traditionalist will not embrace.  

My favorite part of being involved is when you can become part of a very intimate discussion with a few people that are involved and hear openly all views, from all age ranges, no judgment, just discussion. After a meeting the other night something someone said stuck with me. He mentioned that people my age have to remember that not only do the new generations of conservatives not remember the Cold War, but they hardly remember the world Prior 9/11. Ah, yes, the reminder of age is a funny thing. From my viewpoint, I tend to forget how much they don't know or understand of the past, AND how much I or even my elders will never understand their worldview. It is dramatically different than ours.

I'd argue the Cold War was a little simpler. We had a well defined enemy. We had a well defined goal. The communists were bad, and stopping the spread of it was a worthy goal. Today, the enemy is muddy. It is bands of people, groups and ideological nuts that are the enemy. Also, today, the new generation likely has no memory of living in a time of less freedom, government, security, NSA, NDAA, TSA, on and on. They understand this is not correct or in line with constitutional regulations. They see the grave mistake made to achieve security over personal liberty. I agree with this. We have become a nation of fear and fear mongers. This was not the nation I remember. We lived with the very real threat of human elimination daily via a nuclear threat. Yet, we retained our personal liberties. The rush to secure us in any situation, any place, any time has left us more like the old guys we used to fight. We have forgotten, or are now too scared to remember, the stance of : The price of a free society is that sometimes bad things will happen. Yet, we take these risks, freely, gladly even, to continue to be able to be free.

I can very much agree with the new guys in the spirit of we have become far too entangled in foreign affairs. First and foremost, we can no longer afford it. We are in a state of astronomical debt that we were not back then. I tend to believe we have far surpassed the limit of debt that can ever be considered sustainable or any hope of repayment of it. I tend to agree it is time to repair our own home before we try repairing others. Some call that isolationism, I call it common sense. If we are to have any chance of a future, we have got to correct this issue.  This perpetual state of war must be curtailed. We simply cannot afford it any longer.

Now I fully am aware, if we are going to truly do a compare/contrast as I opened with, that just as there are many factions of traditionalists, the same applies to the liberty movement. Isolationism does exist in some. And to be honest, always has as long as I can remember, even before this new generation. Once, someone made the argument that if Canada were invaded the US has no obligation to be involved if we were left alone. Sadly, I wish human obsession worked this way, but it does not. If one thing history should have taught us, it is that once someone hungers for power, no matter how much we appease it, it's thirst cannot be quenched and usually has to be forcibly stopped.  Also, many liberty people fancy open borders. I personally cannot agree in our current state. The theory of open borders is indeed something to think of, but so is world peace. I don't think either is coming soon. In our current state of a nation, in the magnet that pulls them here, it is impossible. Yes, if we had no welfare system, if we had no education or healthcare for illegals, the argument of open borders holds some weight as there would be absolutely no services offered, less would come but for those that will truly work for a better life. One should also understand an open border does not mean an unsecured border either. Sometimes there is a misunderstanding there. However, personally, I prefer to work in realities.  I want a real-time solution for the current issue in the current state of reality, not one of a dreamland if everything were perfect.

What I am saying here is, I think we all have much to learn from each other. We should neither dismiss the new generation due to age, nor should they dismiss the old guard as simply out of touch. Party unity is a big issue for me. Parties naturally change as they slip from one generation to another. The issue we have currently is we must allow the transition to take place with respect and a common goal of our principles of limited government, free markets and personal liberties. Fighting and trying to keep any thought from entering the discussion from the new generation coming in is you run the risk of them finally busting in and removing anyone of your thought left at all. Or, in the worse case, simply abandoning you completely. Neither ends well. 

Sheriff Rader Addresses Lone Star Republican Group

Last night, Sheriff Bobby Rader spoke to the Lone Star Republicans group in Crosby Texas.

Some attendees participated to question the sheriff on the recent article that was published about the recent purchase of explosives and his comments on sovereign citizen groups in Liberty County.

First, I personally like Bobby Rader. I fully supported him and voted for him. He surely inherited a mess of a department and has really worked hard to bring things around. But, I certainly wanted to know about these explosives and if he was trying to militarize a local rural county sheriff's department. Add to that,  in his response he said he was concerned about sovereign citizen groups. Well, we're all sovereign citizens. And well....who exactly did he mean? Tea Party groups? Self sustaining individualists? Just who? As I sat, ready to release many questions, Mr. Rader beat me to the punch. He addressed the article as well as had examples of what he had in the way of explosives.

Of no surprise to myself, all this mess started with an unnamed blogger in the county that seems to, in my opinion, mislead those in the county that still choose to believe or listen to him. The explosives...haha, a joke. I sure wish this person would do a little research before he publicly gets everyone in an uproar. These are nothing more than door knocker explosives. I could make better one's at home likely. There's a charge big enough to blast a lock or door, that's all. Most times it doesn't even damage the frame just the door. Clearly the sovereign citizen group was directed at a group that has chosen to not accept any law enforcement power over them and are actually murdering officers during traffic stops. This has not happened locally, but I understand the concern. However, I suggested the sheriff find better wording for them. Scum perhaps? I kid.

 

I'll go a little further on said blogger's character. He took an issue with the Sheriff having an out of county deputy and driving to and from work. First, this is very common in all departments, but whatever, he has a right to question. However, he went further to post a map of the officer's route to and from work and his home. How much more irresponsible can you get? Why in the hell would you publish those kinds of things and put this man and his family in possible danger? Especially when Sheriff Rader has always encouraged anyone with a concern to call him and he'd gladly discuss any issue you wanted?

I certainly can feel the sheriff's plight as I and many others have been a favorite punching bag of this local blogger. I also know that by addressing his ignorance I only bring attention to him, which is what he craves. He wants a feeling of importance because he has so relatively none. However, I personally won't stand by and watch him trash good men and women that work hard to make this county a better place, and on the partisan side grow the party with positive messages while he sits on his sofa shouting at a PC screen and does little in the way of action himself. Maybe one day people in the county will actually take him to task on his troubling ways. I doubt it, they haven't before. At the very least, maybe they'll see him as the pure entertainment show he is.  

But, fear not Liberty County, you have a good law officer in Bobby Rader. I can promise you he is very aware of his constitutional role as sheriff. He is very aware of his power over federal agencies in regards to the county. And that is what you need to know.

 I will also add that the department is in desperate need of some resources. Perhaps an opportunity for the public, local party or the RLC to help with. 

Red County, Blue County

It's always a unique thing to turn a rural county from blue to red in political terms. You can do it through conviction and hard work and changing people's views. Or, you can simply play letter switch at the ballot box. Though Liberty County is red now, they are red with the some of the same players as when they were blue. Funny how that works.

"Back in the day we looked in closets and anywhere we could to run someone as a republican" is a quote I hear often. So, good, you changed your county from blue to red by using any warm body. But, does that really make you a conservative? Is the stance of state imposed vaccinations a conservative principle? Is intentionally working with the few Democrats left to see who can run for what to achieve an agenda a worthy goal? Is standing with Speaker Straus who defies the party regularly a conservative stance? Or is it the same old good old boy network now functioning under a different label? I don't take issue with the original tactics to achieve the goal. But, you now have it.........

People fear change. They always have and always will. But, I'm not selling Obama style change. I'm not even selling Republican Party change. I'm saying we no longer need 'warm bodies' here. We need true conservatives now. We need elected officials that are held accountable to the platform. Rather than perpetuate the system that always has existed, defend your majority now. Lackluster attitudes of a 'safe' majority are NOT a winning strategy. Ever. And as great as you came in, you can be removed. Look beyond the 'names' and find principled candidates and leaders and hold them hard to what you expect. Don't explain away bad votes or decisions because he's your guy or friend. You don't have to desert the party to do this. You simply need to find another republican who is wanting to act. And, they are indeed out there.

Auxiliaries, Auxiliaries everywhere.

Auxiliaries, Auxiliaries everywhere.

There has been so much discussion over the auxiliaries lately locally in Liberty County. It should be noted that if you have a belief, there is a group. Hispanic Republicans, Asian Republicans, Black Republicans, Women Republicans, Liberty Republicans, Young Republicans, Tea Parties, Gay Republicans (Gasp, say it ain't so social-con's??), it goes on and on.

The main thing most forget when discussing auxiliaries is their true function in the party. Auxiliaries serve to support those factions they belong to in their portion of the big tent.  They cater to members of similar interests. And, while they all generally subscribe to the same general principles of the Republican Party, they hold sets of beliefs or choose to focus on certain aspects of the party platform. This is the function as it should be. For some, locally, to try to stuff every group into the mold of the general establishment is wrong. It undermines the very reason for these groups, party growth. Sometimes around here, it's as if we forget you need votes to win an election. Voting blocks, that are generally in agreement and vote with your party are a good thing. Would you rather lose the factions of each group to another party? It's as if we never want to reclaim a majority.

Now, let's discuss official auxiliaries and those that are not. There are many auxiliaries that are noticed and accepted though not official, such as the RLC. In a recent blog, someone pointed out the RLC is not an official auxiliary. This is true. But, even the Congress has a Republican Liberty Caucus of members. In other words, just as there is the Tea Party, another unofficial and hard to define group, they are still given a seat at the table. The voting block is respected. Not so locally, but Nationally. The difference is the official auxiliaries have become more complicit with the party in general. They have sworn to accept party dogma even above their principles. In other words, their group will support anything the party leadership spews out, insane or not. I prefer to have an opinion myself. Therefore, the RLC does not seek an official recognition. We want to have a right to disagree with things. We are fine being recognized as one and treated as such by the TXGOP, without the baggage. The last incorrect assumption by the recent comments are that any local party can choose to recognize an auxiliary or not. The RLC is one in Harris County and on their website. The RLC and others actually played a huge role in the chairman turnover in Harris County recently.

So, there you have it, if you have a belief, there's a group for you. The problem? Far too many prefer to keep a house divided than to join together to win.