Does the Colorado GOP delegation support the power and influence of the individual… or does it prefer a more tyrannical top-down party?
Well, shock. The big RNC brawl is on, and as of right now Colorado can’t claim unity and solidarity against power-grabbers who would strip individuals of their influence in the party’s presidential elections.
The GOP’s power-grabbing moderates – who apparently don’t believe in the power of a “republic” – are rewriting party rules which would turn the GOP into a top-down power flow, virtually eliminating grassroots and individuals’ influence in the party’s presidential elections, and instead granting presidential candidates the power to disallow and remove delegates elected under state party rules or state law. See more on the proposed Rules 12 and 15 here.
Direct from Colorado RNC delegate / Colorado State Senator Kevin Grantham:
Regarding Rules 12 & 15:
#cornc For those following the rules saga of the RNC it goes on. Many states are locking arms against these assaults on future grassroots efforts. Colorado, however, remains divided between the entrenched establishment and the grassroots liberty delegates.An effort failed this morning in the CO delegation to support the minority reports which would kill these rule changes. To say the least this was very disappointing. The effort is not finished though. We will keep trying.
FYI: This is not about candidates. The TX delegation is very much for Mitt, but equally opposed to the rules … unanimously, even to the point of walking out today. Go Texas!
Keep watching…
Thank you to Senator Grantham for updating us, and for standing firm in support of the individual and grassroots!
Well at least Texas gets it, and is the leading state in this brawl to keep the GOP a grassroots, individual-driven party.
From Texas on the Potomac, at chron.com (excerpts):
Republicans from Texas are leading a mutiny at their national nominating convention in Tampa and fighting proposed rule changes that they say amount to a power grab by entrenched GOP operatives at the expense of grassroots activism.
The dispute over the new delegate selection proposal advanced by Romney supporters threatens to shine a spotlight on the schism during a week meant to promote party unity.
The proposed change is aimed at muting the power of insurgent candidates like Ron Paul by effectively allowing presidential nominees to choose what delegates represent them at national conventions. Delegates who are allocated to a presidential candidate would only be certified if they had been approved by the presidential candidate for whom they are bound to vote.
“We believe in Texas as a principle that no presidential candidate nor the RNC should be able to tell Texas who can or cannot be a delegate to the national convention,” said Butch Davis, a Lone Star State representative on the RNC rules committee. “It’s not a plain vanilla political fight. It’s a fundamental principle that we’re arguing for.”
Davis said the battle is over fundamental freedoms and voting rights: “This isn’t Reagan versus Ford, Goldwater versus Rockefeller,” Davis said. “This is George Washington versus King George.”
“We won’t allow this control by Republican candidate to take place,” Davis added.
“If you wanted to motivate your base, you did that when you chose Paul Ryan as vice president,” Patterson said, but now conservative delegates are angry.
“You undo it when you try to ramrod this through,” he said. “This is something Hugo Chavez would do.”
Bruce Bond, an alternate delegate from Sugar Land, Texas, who now backs Romney, said he was “really concerned about this takeover of the rules” and said it could backfire on Romney and Republican leadership.
Party leaders from other states opposing the change warned delegates that the proposal would allow GOP insiders to hand-select delegates and reward top donors, instead of allowing the seats to be filled by rank-and-file members.
Don’t mess with Texas.
But can they mess with Colorado???
We’ll find out later today: Will Colorado’s delegation stand up and stand firm for the power of individuals, grassroots, and the caucus process which supports them?
Learn more about what’s behind this here, here, and here.
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Michelle Morin is a conservative blogger and speaker for freedom and America’s founding principles. Join her for updates here.
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