It was with some concern that I read last week’s column (Monday, June 21, 2010God Bless Joe Barton, So Long GOP -- Doug Patton) by O.C. contributor Doug Patton regarding his decision to part company with the Republican Party over the issue of Congressman Barton’s apology to BP CEO Tony Hayward during Congressional hearings on BP’s role in the gulf oil disaster. In such a decision, one has to determine one’s personal balance between values and objectives, and the impact of one’s decision on contemporary circumstances. Mr. Patton obviously determined that his values overrode pragmatism, and some unfortunate timidity on the part of Republican Congressional leadership regarding comments by Mr. Barton. I can certainly understand Mr. Patton’s frustration with what has occurred, and with some in the Republican Party hierarchy. But in the opinion of this hopefully, pragmatic, hopefully “objective” conservative, there is both right and wrong in what Congressman Barton said, in the reaction of the Republican House leadership, and that Mr. Patton’s approach might be somewhat self defeating in his reaction to what has transpired.
Let me begin with Congressman Barton. Yes, I fully agree that BP was the victim of an Obama “shake-down”, and that the Obama Administration is guilty of gross hypocrisy when it comes to the rule of law!
When it comes to trying or retaining “terrorists”, the Administration portrays itself as sticklers for human rights and the rule of law (as contrasted to the alleged “war crimes” of the Bush Administration!). When it pertains to corporate entities, they completely ignore established law and choose to rule by decree and intimidation! In the case of BP, the company had agreed to meet the financial obligations of the oil spill. But that obviously wasn’t enough for the Administration! Obama wanted to show that he was “in charge” after negative public reaction to date to his leadership in the aftermath of the blowout, and he was going to deal vigorously with BP. Unfortunately, the Administration’s reaction to and handling of the oil spill has appeared to have been derelict and bordering on irresponsible. At the same time, there appears to be every indication that BP carelessly attempted to minimize expenses and cut corners in its attempt to bring Deep Horizon quickly on line. Congressman Barton’s error, in his frustration with the Administration’s handling of the situation, was to apologize to CEO Hayward! It would have been constructive for Mr. Barton to question the process by which BP was to cover the costs of the disaster, and question why the Administration thought it was necessary, other than for political reasons, to badger BP into establishing the escrow account. Mr. Barton should NEVER have apologized to Mr. Hayward! It merely added to the elitist media’s ongoing charges that the Republicans are in bed with the evil capitalists! Congressman Barton was correct with much of his commentary. But an apology was absolutely not required, and was a political faux pas!
Unfortunately, the Republican leadership then went into full panic mode. Realizing the potential political damage of Barton’s apology, and rather than using the situation to make the necessary rational points, they succumbed to the fear of the media and populist rebuke (forget MSNBC & CNN, etc. - even Fox’s Ted Baxter (one has to listen to Rush on this one!) was on his bully pulpit!), and forced the Congressman to recant his apology and apologize himself for fear of losing his seniority! This points to at least two major problems with current Republican Congressional leadership. They appear to be frightened of the Beltway and Big Apple pundits, even to the point of being unwilling to occasionally stand up for their principles in the face of the Administration’s onslaught on the very foundation of law, government, and social institutions! It literally sent chills up my spine recently when Nebraska Republican National Committeeman Pete Ricketts, whose conservative credentials certainly are not in doubt, stated that we don’t like to use the term “capitalism” any more because of its growing negative connotations in the elitist media! Which essentially means that we are allowing the Administration and elite media to set the “definition” agenda!
Redefining that agenda will require a pragmatic approach based upon the basic ideals that we understand to define our governing principles. At a time when there is a populist fervor emanating from multiple directions (Tea Party groups, anti-incumbency movements from both left and right, righteous indignation from both socialist left and libertarian right), the Republican Party must seek to form a coalition of voters that will potentially lead to control of at least one, if not both, houses of Congress this November, in order to stem the statist tide that threatens to destroy this nation economically, as well as undermine every basic principle upon which this nation was founded! So, yes, there needs to be more backbone shown by the Republican Congressional leadership. It does come, in fits and starts, from individual members of Congress, as well as a few Republican governors (or Ex’s!). At the same time, the leadership was probably correct in coming down hard on Congressman Barton for his ill-timed apology, albeit in a manner that reflected poorly on themselves, rather than pointing the finger back at the Obama Administration, where the focus should have been!
The next question is how should concerned Republicans / conservatives react to all of this? Mr. Patton, certainly a principled man, chooses to leave the Republican Party because of its timidity and failure to reflect the “purity” of Mr. Patton’s conservative beliefs. Personally, as a self proclaimed pragmatist, I also strongly believe that it becomes incumbent upon Republican Party activists to work to apprise their Party officials and elected representatives of their concerns, and, if necessary, dramatically lobby to demand that those representatives more vocally and effectively represent the basic ideals that have made this nation strong for over two centuries, overcoming, at the most critical moments, various monumental hurdles.
The next question is how should concerned Republicans / conservatives react to all of this? Mr. Patton, certainly a principled man, chooses to leave the Republican Party because of its timidity and failure to reflect the “purity” of Mr. Patton’s conservative beliefs. Personally, as a self proclaimed pragmatist, I also strongly believe that it becomes incumbent upon Republican Party activists to work to apprise their Party officials and elected representatives of their concerns, and, if necessary, dramatically lobby to demand that those representatives more vocally and effectively represent the basic ideals that have made this nation strong for over two centuries, overcoming, at the most critical moments, various monumental hurdles.
How else than through the Republican Party can this be accomplished? Certainly not by an assortment of fringe groups with various and sundry goals! Would not a third Party effectively give permanent control to the Democrat Party, controlled by the most extreme leftist elements?
A political Party is necessarily a coalition of relatively like-minded individuals, who nevertheless provide a spectrum of thought, which ultimately will coalesce around ideas and ideals that are functional AND idealistic! The political ideological pendulum swings back and forth. When it swings too far in one direction, as it has now, it becomes necessary to be vocally active, and, in some cases, to sacrifice what is necessary to achieve those goals! It has become necessary to attempt to shake Republican leadership out of their Beltway lethargy, and provide a rallying point for their constituents. At the same time, it is incumbent upon individual members of the Congress & Senate (i.e. Representatives Terry, Fortenberry, Smith, and Senator Johanns) to also provide that leadership to their constituents, and reflect that to their leadership! Let’s bring our concerns to them! Let’s let them know that they must be that first line of defense against the horrors of what we see emanating from the White House and the Democrat Congressional leadership. Perhaps Mr. Patton believes that leaving the Party will draw the necessary attention to achieve those goals. It is my considered opinion that the ONLY organ we have available to defeating the leftist onslaught is the Republican Party. Let’s do everything we can to help it get the job done!
Remember that Fox News interview/debate about two months ago when Charlie Crist said he was a Republican and intended to run as one? Then a few weeks later when he abandoned his party? Well, now he is using a major Democrat D.C. fundraiser to get dollars to finance his campaign against Marco Rubio even as Democrats have a less marketable candidate supported by Bill Clinton and others.
