DemGaz Editorial Couldn't Be More Wrong...RINOs Like Bisbee Are the Problem for Republicans, Not the Solution

First of all, did the Democrat Gazette hire Lum and Abner to write its editorials? The folksy, homespun style of its rhetoric is insulting, as is the pitiful nature of its arguments to anyone of average intelligence.

The rub of yesterday's editorial is that the Republican party is in disarray because we don't welcome RINOs...

Seriously, that's about it. A few instances are cited as to why we're in such pitiful shape, while offering no examples of anyone who is upset other than a couple of RINOs.

First, we weren't very enthusiastic about having Sen. Dave Bisbee, RINO-Rogers, as the president pro tem of the state senate. Why would we be excited about helping a guy who stabs us in the back as a matter of course rise to a such a position of honor? I've often been regaled with stories from real Republican legislators about great pitched battles over principled issues against liberal democrats when they would be surprised to find bullets hitting them in the back. When they turned around who did they find but Dave Bisbee? Why would Republicans want to reward him for that.

Second, this abandonment of the leading RINO is apparently one of the reasons why former RINO, now DEMOCRAT, Bill Walters doesn't want to run as a Republican... Soooo? Who cares about that? That's just more evidence that he would not redound to our benefit as a member of the Republican caucus. What's the point in having another "Republican" like Dave Bisbee shooting them in the back when we're fighting liberal legislation?

Finally, the homespun wisdom of the DemGaz editorialists cites an alliance between Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway, and Sens. Jack Critcher, D-Batesville, and Bob Johnson, D-Bigelow... Again, sooo? Both of those democrats are more conservative than Dave Bisbee ever was.

After all the folksy rhetorical effort, the question arises, why would the party be languishing because of unfriendliness to RINOs? The complaint is made that Republicans weren't unified behind Bisbee, but it makes no mention of the countless times that Bisbee has been opposed to the Republican caucus. If anything, the party is languishing because it hasn't been more aggressive in opposing and rooting out RINOs, who have been the biggest obstacle to presenting a united front for conservative, small government republicanism.

The DemGaz complains that the party used to be the party of small government and then complains that we didn't want to promote the most liberal member of our caucus, the member who has been the biggest proponent of liberal, big government republicanism... Does that make any sense, at all. They ought to be ashamed to have written such tripe.

Now, don't get me wrong, from time to time I agree with the DemGaz editorial board. Mr. Greenberg is perhaps one of the finest writers Arkansas has known. But this is beyond the pale.

Apparently the formula for conservative, small government republicanism is to appease liberal, big government Republicans... Brilliant.

Here's the link.