To My Republican Friends

I’ve thought long and hard about this decision, prayed even more, and no matter how I slice it, my time as a member of the Republican Party is done. It isn’t that I don’t still believe in Republican principles or the platform, I do. It’s just that I don’t see any evidence that the rest of the Party does.

Oh, there are plenty of members who believe in the platform. The problem in my mind – on one hand – is that the leadership has devolved into people with political aspirations who use whatever office they hold as a steppingstone to bigger and better political positions rather than to serve the people. This political striving means they are willing to make and support decisions that are political but not necessarily according to the rules and platform.

On the other hand, the Party has people who have been in a position forever, never progressing to a better or more influential position, never opening positions for new blood to learn the ropes, and by virtue of their longevity they gain gravitas when there’s no guarantee they rate it. And they don’t serve the people either. When the one thing that makes you special is achieving a position in a social or fraternal organization you’re not interested in serving the people, you’re interested in serving yourself.

Are any of them wrong? No, they are not in their own minds. They are certainly wrong if they maintain they serve the people when they don’t. Do I agree with what they do? No, I certainly do not. I don’t agree because their actions enable a state party that subscribes to one set of rules and follows another.

I believe in being honest, standing up for what’s right no matter the consequence. I don’t see that in the Republican Party anymore. I see a group that is more interested in optics than truth, a group that talks the talk about everyone being entitled to their opinion, and then spouts garbage like “any ‘R’ is better than a ‘D’” and meaning it. How hypocritical to completely dismiss half of the population of the US like that.

I see leaders who stand behind “the rules” to justify railroading whole county committees out of the Party when complaints were lodged only against leadership, or removing some individuals who make Party members uncomfortable because they tell the truth as they see it no matter what. And all the while, standing behind “the rules.”

Where were “the rules” when state leadership illegally voided the Convention last year? Where were “the rules” when complaints with no standing were not only accepted, but acted upon? Where were “the rules” when individuals were removed from the Party by a kangaroo court that wouldn’t accept testimony, invented other testimony, and limited the time available for hearing the whole issue as a result of “Chairman’s discretion” (whatever that is)? It seems, as applied in this situation, it is a way to do anything you want and justice and fairness be damned.

I’ve been a member for a long time, and watched as one old guard after another came and went. Fifteen years ago the Republican Party loved the TEA Party, or at least loved our donations and sign waving and walking the district to get Republicans elected. Once the election was over they didn’t know us. Didn’t want to hear from us, nor anything about us. They’d gotten what they wanted and that was good enough for the Party.

Recently the “Grassroots” – for wont of a better name – became active in the Party, many of whom were retread TEA Party willing to give the Republican Party one more try. The Party failed to do any better with the Grassroots than it did with the TEA Party. With a legislative super-majority, the Party owns all constitutional offices, and elected Republicans are as tame as sheep with no more desire to do anything that will raise the ire of the Governor than they have to kiss a pig.

In 1967, Governor Rockefeller signed Arkansas’ first FOIA and it was an excellent law, the best in the land. The best, that is, until Republicans decided that the people ask too many questions and they just don’t have the time to answer them all, or something like that. Maybe answering questions would make them miss their tee time. For whatever reason, the Governor decided she didn’t want us to know who was traveling with her, and the state Legislature took that to the bank, working on exempting themselves as well.

In this year’s legislative session they’ve brought more bills to limit FOIA, four or more in fact. Poor darlings spend too much time having to listen to smelly Wal-Mart shoppers, I guess.

Those of you in the Legislature, read the section of the platform that talks about FOIA, then tell me why you’re emasculating it. You can’t.

Another hot item in the Legislature this year is preparing the duties of the Secretary of State office for the next occupant, a lame duck Senator who not only wants to keep people from being able to recommend changes to law via initiative and referendum, but also wants his own private “police” to research people filing false applications.

All this to say none of these actions comport with a party platform that talks about economic freedom, transparency, election integrity, and social issues, all documented from the conservative viewpoint. The actions of these politicians makes me doubt they can spell “conservative,” much less be one. And they certainly don’t read and live the Republican platform.

And so for these probably insufficient reasons (according to the Party), I’m not renewing my membership. I will remain a republican, just not a big “R” Republican. I believe in the Republican platform even if the Party doesn’t. I believe that you treat with people the way you would be treated, and Republicans don’t.

I won’t be associated with hypocrites, I have enough problems of my own. Thank God lying isn’t one of them.

Thomas Jefferson said “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”

Good advice, I recommend it to the Republican Party.

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Jack Sotallaro

Continuity planning, civilian and military