Ares
16th April 2013, 06:27 PM
GOP Civil War: Establishment turning to Threats, Name-Calling and Dirty Tricks as Grassroots Momentum Builds
http://subsidiaritytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GOP-Civil-War-March-2013-Finall.png
(The Subsidiarity Times) As the GOP Civil War intensifies, the Establishment is growing more desperate as the Grassroots groups (Liberty Movement; Tea Party; Social Conservatives) continue to advance and take over the Republican Party. In mid-February 2013, Professor Angelo Codevilla diagnosed the extraordinary transformation of the attitude of the people at the local levels as being due to a growing realization by voters that they are not being represented by the new “ruling class” in the higher levels of the political parties. With this realization, as unveiled by Professor Codevilla, sinking in on more and more Americans, the momentum of the Grassroots attempted takeover of the Republican Party continues to grow which is leading to desperate tactics on the part of the Establishment to try and stop the momentum. This is leading to the war becoming even more nasty, and makes the likelihood of a division in the Republican Party even more probable. The only question which remains is whether the split will lead to an existence of two major parties on the right, like which happened in Canada in the late 20th Century, or to the complete death of one major party and its replacement by a new rising party, like what happened in the mid-19th Century in America with the Whig Party’s replacement by the Republican Party. What follows here are updates on battles in the GOP Civil War as it continues into its fourth and fifth months.
Battlegrounds:
1. Florida: The Liberty Movement in Florida did not rest on its laurels after executing a substantial takeover of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County. Rather they kept up the pressure and won positions on the Executive Committee for dozens of their members, further establishing their power in the state which boasts itself as the home of Senator Marco Rubio.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
2. Michigan: The Michigan Liberty Movement has momentum on their side here and could be looking to capitalize on it. They have been steadily winning congressional seats, beginning with Justin Amash in 2010 and continuing with Kerry Bentivolio in 2012 and now have moved up to executing takeovers of the local chapters of the Michigan Republican Party. Looking to expand their offensive in the Wolverine State, the Liberty Movement is now debating making a pitch for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Carl Levin. They are supported in this endeavor by a Ron Paul Super PAC named Liberty For All, which has approached Congressman Amash and pledged to financially back him in a U.S. Senate run. Amash is still considering the possibility, but indicators are pointing towards a run, and if he runs, then Michigan could erupt into a very intense battleground as the Establishment suddenly stares at the very real possibility of losing total control of yet another state.
Battle Result: Ongoing
3. Virginia: The Grassroots in Virginia have every reason for great joy and celebration, for they have won an important victory in the 2013 Virginia Gubernatorial Campaign. Their continued support for Ken Cuccinelli and Cuccinelli’s growing popularity and support network finally convinced Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling to drop his idea of an independent run for Governor of Virginia, which now clears the way for Cuccinelli to focus his campaign efforts solely against Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe for the 2013 general election. The campaign is far from over, but Bolling’s withdrawal from the race removes an imposing obstacle to Cuccinelli’s quest for the Governor’s seat.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
4. Alaska: The major and local media has tried to ignore the fight in Alaska and portray it as a done deal with the Establishment easily ousting Liberty Movement member Russ Millette from his position as Chairman of the Alaska Republican Party. The fight is not yet over however. Millette successfully filed an appeal against his removal citing it was improperly done and the evidence seems to back up his claim. His successor, fellow Liberty Movement member Debra Brown, has been backing his appeal and the Establishment has responded by unseating her as State Party chair. This action, as revealed by the Alaska Republican Party Secretary, is also illegal under party rules and has only served to make more Alaska Republicans very angry. The Establishment may have temporarily regained control of the party leadership positions, but their illegal and unethical actions in achieving this end may be the opening the Grassroots have been looking for to end the Establishment’s offensive to re-take control of the state party. The Alaska Republican state party’s central committee is scheduled to hear Millette’s appeal on May 25 and they could also decide Brown’s fate as the battle in the Last Frontier takes yet more turns and the 2014 U.S. Senate Election nears.
Battle Result: Ongoing
5. Tennessee: The Anti-Establishment coalitions in Tennessee have been in need of a morale boost after the landslide defeat of U.S. Senate candidate Mark Clayton last November and they got one in early April when former Congressman and grassroots hero Ron Paul made an appearance at the Knox County Republican Party’s Lincoln Dinner. Though the event went largely unreported, Paul’s visit was a smashing success. His appearance re-energized the grassroots and helped them to find the strength and courage to re-double their efforts in favor of constitutional grassroots-oriented candidates in the state which borders the home of Ron Paul’s fast-rising U.S. Senate-based son Rand.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory/Ongoing
6. North Carolina: Coming on the heels of the RNC Chairman Election, the Liberty Movement in North Carolina has put forward one of their own for the North Carolina GOP Vice-Chairmanship in Glen Bradley and he appears to be on his way to winning the position. With the current vice-chairman stepping down and no one apparently rising to oppose Bradley, this could be a big step for the North Carolina Liberty Movement, but nothing will be settled until the election for the position takes place.
Battle Result: Ongoing
7. Arkansas: An offensive in the civil war which no one expected showed up when Ron Paul suddenly announced an endorsement for Curtis Coleman in his campaign for the Republican Party nomination for Governor of Arkansas. By doing so, Paul has thrown the weight of the Liberty Movement behind Coleman in a state which has a small but powerful and superbly organized Liberty Movement group. The gubernatorial election is still some time away, but if Coleman emerges, then the Liberty Movement could make great headway and secure for themselves yet another state to join their column.
Battle Result: Ongoing
8. Iowa: Karl Rove’s new PAC seems to have designated Iowa as the first battleground where they will throw their weight. In the Hawkeye State, Democratic Senator Tom Harkin is retiring and the Iowa Republican Party sees an opportunity to pick up the seat. The leading candidate appears to be Social Conservative icon and United States Representative Steve King and that seriously bothers Rove, who seems to view the Social Conservative faction of the Grassroots as his first target in his campaign to keep the Establishment on top. Rove has made it clear he does not believe King will be a good Senate candidate and that appears to hint that Rove will be throwing the weight of his PAC behind whoever the Establishment decides to back in the primary for the Senate race. The eyes of national Establishment and Grassroots figures may turn to this race once official announcements start coming down.
Battle Result: Ongoing
9. Kentucky: The Democratic Party Establishment is throwing their weight into Rand Paul’s home state in a bid to try to corrupt the Tea Party in one of the strongest Tea Party states in the nation. Paul’s companion in the U.S. Senate from Kentucky, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, is up for re-election in 2014, and the Democrats would like nothing better then to replace him with one of their own. With the Democratic Party in dire straits in Kentucky, certain strategists who appear to be allied with or tied to the Democratic Party, are seeking to use the tactic of infiltrating and corrupting the Tea Party groups in order to ensure McConnell’s defeat and a Democratic Senate seat pickup. Democratic Party strategists used a similar tactic to hang on to a vulnerable Senate seat in Missouri in 2012 by broadcasting their supposed “fear” of the weakest Republican candidate, Todd Akin, in order to ensure the primary election defeat of Liberty Movement Republican John Brunner, who was clearly the strongest candidate in that race. Now Democratic Party-allied strategists are following a similar strategy, seeking to find a weak candidate who they can anoint with the Tea Party mantle and then run against McConnell so as to defeat him in the primary and so open the door for a Democratic candidate to win election from Kentucky. Grassroots activists, especially the Tea Party, are on the alert and for the most part resisting this infiltration/corruption campaign. McConnell is not necessarily a friend of the Tea Party, but he is clearly willing to listen to Tea Party and Liberty Movement ideas being introduced (as evidenced by his continued support for Rand Paul’s stands), and the infiltration campaign has made any true Liberty Movement or Tea Party primary challenge to McConnell really a wasted effort as it can only serve to possibly win election for the Establishment infiltrator. The best strategy for the Grassroots in Kentucky will likely be resisting the infiltration by reluctantly backing McConnell but with reservations and promises that they will hold him accountable for his conduct and that he will receive a true primary challenge in his next election if he fails to continue backing Senators like Rand Paul and Mike Lee.
Battle Result: Ongoing
10. New Hampshire: A new kind of quest to over turn Establishment control is taking place in a state in what has been referred to as the liberal Northeast. The Free State Project is seeking to encourage Liberty-oriented Americans to move to the “Live Free or Die” State of New Hampshire and they now reached over 14,000 members. The Project’s ultimate goal is to show that Liberty Movement ideals can flourish in this northeastern state and then use the state as the model that the local Liberty Movements and Tea Parties can point to in other states as an example of what they want to accomplish.
Battle Result: Ongoing
11. Indiana: In the Hoosier State’s lawmaking realm, a massive unreported battle of the ongoing GOP Civil War is now being waged. The Grassroots have thrown their weight behind the efforts to nullify unconstitutional federal legislation such as NDAA, Obamacare and Gun Control. The Establishment, fearing the nullification movement as a state check on their power, has taken steps to stop the nullification movement and the battle they have initiated is effectively splitting the Republican Party of Indiana in two. The Establishment has tried to put forward the facade of a Constitutional Convention to replace the nullification cause, but the advocates of nullification have continued to push their case, which has led to the Establishment members of the Indiana Legislature issuing threats against the Grassroots members of that same body to get them to back down from supporting the nullification cause. Helping lead the fight for the Grassroots activists in Indiana is the FreedomMaker Coalition of Indiana while the Establishment seeks to blackout the fight in order to prevent national blowback against their actions. With the Establishment backing down somewhat in Virginia, the attention of where any national division of the Republican Party will start now turns to Indiana. If threats and unethical actions from the Establishment continue in Indiana, then this state-based fight could lead the way if any nationwide split of the Republican Party begins to take place.
Battle Result: Ongoing
12. Montana: The new grassroots-killing tactic of the “Top-2 Primary System” whereby a primary election (where which candidate has the most money is most often the determining factor in who wins) narrows the general election candidacies to only two individuals for voters to choose from, is currently being debated in the Treasure State as Establishment Republicans, unhappy with the inability of their candidates to win general elections, now look to narrow the choices thus preventing Grassroots candidates from advancing out of the primary, severely limiting the ability to topple incumbent elected leaders who no longer represent their constituents, and restricting the ability of voters to remain principled by voting for the candidates who best represent their values. The Free and Equal Foundation has thrown its weight into the battle to defeat this effort to convert the elections to a Top 2 format and the Grassroots in Montana also appear to be joining in this battle as well, for if the Top 2 system is adopted in Montana, it could be the end of the Grassroots coalition’s efforts there.
Battle Result: Ongoing
13. Talk Radio: The talk radio world was shaken to the core when rising talk radio star Glenn Beck went on national TV and announced his official abandonment of the Establishment and that he was going to join and support people such as Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee. Later, on his talk radio show, Beck issued an official apology to the Liberty Movement and graciously asked to be received into their ranks as a new convert to their ideas. The large majority of the Liberty Movement has welcomed Beck with the condition that he prove his allegiance in the upcoming battles (as should be expected with any convert) and he now joins a growing group of Liberty Movement and Tea Party talk radio personalities such as Mike Church, Brian Wilson, Jason Lewis, Jerry Doyle and Josh Tolley. The Liberty Movement has received yet another mouthpiece from which to broadcast their ideas to America and a powerful one at that, as Beck is one of the most learned, well-known and powerful speakers in the talk radio world.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
14. National Spotlight: Liberty Movement/Tea Party Senator Rand Paul has stolen the spotlight and put himself at the front of the news headlines over the past several months with his actions in severely criticizing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the Benghazigate scandal, his masterful political maneuvering in the Chuck Hagel Confirmation process, and finally his historic filibuster of President Obama’s appointee for CIA director, John Brennan, in order to receive an answer from the White House on the question of whether drones could be used to kill American citizens in America. He has thrust Liberty Movement and Tea Party issues into mainstream discussion and has pressured the Obama White House to put themselves on the record on certain issues such as the drone war. He has captured the imagination of everyday Americans everywhere and has caused a massive swing of public opinion where many Americans now agree with the Liberty Movement’s stances on issues such as drone strikes against American citizens on American soil. These actions have thrust Rand Paul into the coveted front runner position for the Republican Party presidential nomination for 2016, and has garnered publicity-gaining invites from Iowa (where the 2016 primaries will begin), as well as numerous interview invites from talk radio and the news media. The Twitter phrase #StandwithRand has become a rallying cry for millions of Americans and has given the Grassroots new hope for the first time since the 2012 primaries began. The Establishment, shocked at the massive success of Senator Paul’s moves and alarmed at his rapid rise, have now resorted to desperate tactics such as name-calling and intimidation in order to try and discredit the rise of the Grassroots factions, especially the Liberty Movement. Neo-conservative leader Bill Kristol called Rand Paul the spokesperson for “the code pink (female anti-war) faction of the Republican Party” and accused him of running to the left of President Obama, while war-hungry Senator John McCain, backed up by fellow war-hungry Senator Lindsey Graham, referred to Paul, Justin Amash, Ted Cruz and the others as “wacko birds” trying to “fire-up impressionable libertarian kids in their college dorms”. These signs of desperation from the Establishment were intensified and some of their worst fears were realized just a few weeks later when the Liberty Movement seemed to steal the show at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference and Rand Paul swept to victory in the CPAC straw poll for favorite for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Faced with now emboldened Grassroots Republican members of the House and Senate, the Establishment has taken their offensives a step further by engaging in intimidation tactics like House Majority Leader Eric Cantor threatening several Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives to get them to vote for the very controversial Violence Against Women Act in late February 2013. However, though they have grabbed some headlines with the name-calling and intimidation, the Establishment has lost the upper-hand in the National Spotlight with Rand Paul having made the first moves and seized the momentum. Paul has now effectively made himself a favorite to win the Presidency should he be a presidential candidate in the 2016 general election.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
15. Republican National Committee: The Moderates (Members trying to either bridge the gap between the Establishment and the Grassroots or play neutral in the ongoing civil war), led by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, have been playing a double game in the Republican Party hierarchy. Priebus has attempted to extend olive branches to the Liberty Movement while other members of the Republican National Committee continue to try to solidify the Establishment’s power grab achieved at the August 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa. At the RNC’s Spring Meeting in Los Angeles, Establishment members of the Republican National Committee voted to retain the rule changes disenfranchising the Grassroots thus continuing their long-term strategy of seeking to deny Rand Paul any chance at a victory in the 2016 Republican Presidential Primaries. There is still a substantial amount of time left before the 2016 primaries, so the Establishment’s control is anything but solidified, but the fight to overturn the Establishment’s tyrannical rule changes has been dealt a significant setback.
Battle Result: Establishment Victory
16. South Carolina: Things are beginning to heat up in the Palmetto State as Senator Lindsey Graham continues to anger more and more Grassroots Republicans. His neoconservative stances had already made him a prospective target for the 2014 elections and his vocal vehement opposition to Senator Rand Paul and his stands have only raised his profile as a Grassroots primary target for the 2014 elections. Currently the man who appears to be setting things up to run against Graham in the primary is State Senator Lee Bright, a member of the Liberty Movement and an ally of former South Carolina U.S. Senator Jim DeMint. Bright has begun to receive attention as he prepares for a potential bid, especially from Glenn Beck as Beck has now thrown his weight into the battle to defeat Graham.
Battle Result: Ongoing
17. Minnesota: The nasty drawn out fight between the Establishment and the Grassroots in Minnesota seems to have had its first battle end in a draw. The leadership of the Minnesota Republican Party seems to have had a “moderate” win election as Chairman, an Establishment incumbent win re-election as deputy chair and a Grassroots member win election as Secretary. This means the battle for the direction of the party continues into 2014 as candidates from the Establishment and the Grassroots now put their names forward for the Governor, House, Senate and Legislative races.
Battle Result: Draw/Ongoing
18. Notes: There is unconfirmed word out of Colorado that the fight between the Establishment and the Grassroots is intensifying in that state. Considering the intensity of the battle over gun control which is also taking place there, the fight could turn out to be an ugly one. There is also an unconfirmed report out of Nevada that the Establishment is pushing to remove a Liberty Movement member from a leadership position in the Nevada Republican Party.
Battle Result: Undetermined
http://subsidiaritytimes.com/2013/04/16/gop-civil-war-establishment-turning-to-threats-name-calling-and-dirty-tricks-as-grassroots-momentum-builds/
http://subsidiaritytimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/GOP-Civil-War-March-2013-Finall.png
(The Subsidiarity Times) As the GOP Civil War intensifies, the Establishment is growing more desperate as the Grassroots groups (Liberty Movement; Tea Party; Social Conservatives) continue to advance and take over the Republican Party. In mid-February 2013, Professor Angelo Codevilla diagnosed the extraordinary transformation of the attitude of the people at the local levels as being due to a growing realization by voters that they are not being represented by the new “ruling class” in the higher levels of the political parties. With this realization, as unveiled by Professor Codevilla, sinking in on more and more Americans, the momentum of the Grassroots attempted takeover of the Republican Party continues to grow which is leading to desperate tactics on the part of the Establishment to try and stop the momentum. This is leading to the war becoming even more nasty, and makes the likelihood of a division in the Republican Party even more probable. The only question which remains is whether the split will lead to an existence of two major parties on the right, like which happened in Canada in the late 20th Century, or to the complete death of one major party and its replacement by a new rising party, like what happened in the mid-19th Century in America with the Whig Party’s replacement by the Republican Party. What follows here are updates on battles in the GOP Civil War as it continues into its fourth and fifth months.
Battlegrounds:
1. Florida: The Liberty Movement in Florida did not rest on its laurels after executing a substantial takeover of the Republican Party of Miami-Dade County. Rather they kept up the pressure and won positions on the Executive Committee for dozens of their members, further establishing their power in the state which boasts itself as the home of Senator Marco Rubio.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
2. Michigan: The Michigan Liberty Movement has momentum on their side here and could be looking to capitalize on it. They have been steadily winning congressional seats, beginning with Justin Amash in 2010 and continuing with Kerry Bentivolio in 2012 and now have moved up to executing takeovers of the local chapters of the Michigan Republican Party. Looking to expand their offensive in the Wolverine State, the Liberty Movement is now debating making a pitch for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Senator Carl Levin. They are supported in this endeavor by a Ron Paul Super PAC named Liberty For All, which has approached Congressman Amash and pledged to financially back him in a U.S. Senate run. Amash is still considering the possibility, but indicators are pointing towards a run, and if he runs, then Michigan could erupt into a very intense battleground as the Establishment suddenly stares at the very real possibility of losing total control of yet another state.
Battle Result: Ongoing
3. Virginia: The Grassroots in Virginia have every reason for great joy and celebration, for they have won an important victory in the 2013 Virginia Gubernatorial Campaign. Their continued support for Ken Cuccinelli and Cuccinelli’s growing popularity and support network finally convinced Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling to drop his idea of an independent run for Governor of Virginia, which now clears the way for Cuccinelli to focus his campaign efforts solely against Democratic nominee Terry McAuliffe for the 2013 general election. The campaign is far from over, but Bolling’s withdrawal from the race removes an imposing obstacle to Cuccinelli’s quest for the Governor’s seat.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
4. Alaska: The major and local media has tried to ignore the fight in Alaska and portray it as a done deal with the Establishment easily ousting Liberty Movement member Russ Millette from his position as Chairman of the Alaska Republican Party. The fight is not yet over however. Millette successfully filed an appeal against his removal citing it was improperly done and the evidence seems to back up his claim. His successor, fellow Liberty Movement member Debra Brown, has been backing his appeal and the Establishment has responded by unseating her as State Party chair. This action, as revealed by the Alaska Republican Party Secretary, is also illegal under party rules and has only served to make more Alaska Republicans very angry. The Establishment may have temporarily regained control of the party leadership positions, but their illegal and unethical actions in achieving this end may be the opening the Grassroots have been looking for to end the Establishment’s offensive to re-take control of the state party. The Alaska Republican state party’s central committee is scheduled to hear Millette’s appeal on May 25 and they could also decide Brown’s fate as the battle in the Last Frontier takes yet more turns and the 2014 U.S. Senate Election nears.
Battle Result: Ongoing
5. Tennessee: The Anti-Establishment coalitions in Tennessee have been in need of a morale boost after the landslide defeat of U.S. Senate candidate Mark Clayton last November and they got one in early April when former Congressman and grassroots hero Ron Paul made an appearance at the Knox County Republican Party’s Lincoln Dinner. Though the event went largely unreported, Paul’s visit was a smashing success. His appearance re-energized the grassroots and helped them to find the strength and courage to re-double their efforts in favor of constitutional grassroots-oriented candidates in the state which borders the home of Ron Paul’s fast-rising U.S. Senate-based son Rand.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory/Ongoing
6. North Carolina: Coming on the heels of the RNC Chairman Election, the Liberty Movement in North Carolina has put forward one of their own for the North Carolina GOP Vice-Chairmanship in Glen Bradley and he appears to be on his way to winning the position. With the current vice-chairman stepping down and no one apparently rising to oppose Bradley, this could be a big step for the North Carolina Liberty Movement, but nothing will be settled until the election for the position takes place.
Battle Result: Ongoing
7. Arkansas: An offensive in the civil war which no one expected showed up when Ron Paul suddenly announced an endorsement for Curtis Coleman in his campaign for the Republican Party nomination for Governor of Arkansas. By doing so, Paul has thrown the weight of the Liberty Movement behind Coleman in a state which has a small but powerful and superbly organized Liberty Movement group. The gubernatorial election is still some time away, but if Coleman emerges, then the Liberty Movement could make great headway and secure for themselves yet another state to join their column.
Battle Result: Ongoing
8. Iowa: Karl Rove’s new PAC seems to have designated Iowa as the first battleground where they will throw their weight. In the Hawkeye State, Democratic Senator Tom Harkin is retiring and the Iowa Republican Party sees an opportunity to pick up the seat. The leading candidate appears to be Social Conservative icon and United States Representative Steve King and that seriously bothers Rove, who seems to view the Social Conservative faction of the Grassroots as his first target in his campaign to keep the Establishment on top. Rove has made it clear he does not believe King will be a good Senate candidate and that appears to hint that Rove will be throwing the weight of his PAC behind whoever the Establishment decides to back in the primary for the Senate race. The eyes of national Establishment and Grassroots figures may turn to this race once official announcements start coming down.
Battle Result: Ongoing
9. Kentucky: The Democratic Party Establishment is throwing their weight into Rand Paul’s home state in a bid to try to corrupt the Tea Party in one of the strongest Tea Party states in the nation. Paul’s companion in the U.S. Senate from Kentucky, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, is up for re-election in 2014, and the Democrats would like nothing better then to replace him with one of their own. With the Democratic Party in dire straits in Kentucky, certain strategists who appear to be allied with or tied to the Democratic Party, are seeking to use the tactic of infiltrating and corrupting the Tea Party groups in order to ensure McConnell’s defeat and a Democratic Senate seat pickup. Democratic Party strategists used a similar tactic to hang on to a vulnerable Senate seat in Missouri in 2012 by broadcasting their supposed “fear” of the weakest Republican candidate, Todd Akin, in order to ensure the primary election defeat of Liberty Movement Republican John Brunner, who was clearly the strongest candidate in that race. Now Democratic Party-allied strategists are following a similar strategy, seeking to find a weak candidate who they can anoint with the Tea Party mantle and then run against McConnell so as to defeat him in the primary and so open the door for a Democratic candidate to win election from Kentucky. Grassroots activists, especially the Tea Party, are on the alert and for the most part resisting this infiltration/corruption campaign. McConnell is not necessarily a friend of the Tea Party, but he is clearly willing to listen to Tea Party and Liberty Movement ideas being introduced (as evidenced by his continued support for Rand Paul’s stands), and the infiltration campaign has made any true Liberty Movement or Tea Party primary challenge to McConnell really a wasted effort as it can only serve to possibly win election for the Establishment infiltrator. The best strategy for the Grassroots in Kentucky will likely be resisting the infiltration by reluctantly backing McConnell but with reservations and promises that they will hold him accountable for his conduct and that he will receive a true primary challenge in his next election if he fails to continue backing Senators like Rand Paul and Mike Lee.
Battle Result: Ongoing
10. New Hampshire: A new kind of quest to over turn Establishment control is taking place in a state in what has been referred to as the liberal Northeast. The Free State Project is seeking to encourage Liberty-oriented Americans to move to the “Live Free or Die” State of New Hampshire and they now reached over 14,000 members. The Project’s ultimate goal is to show that Liberty Movement ideals can flourish in this northeastern state and then use the state as the model that the local Liberty Movements and Tea Parties can point to in other states as an example of what they want to accomplish.
Battle Result: Ongoing
11. Indiana: In the Hoosier State’s lawmaking realm, a massive unreported battle of the ongoing GOP Civil War is now being waged. The Grassroots have thrown their weight behind the efforts to nullify unconstitutional federal legislation such as NDAA, Obamacare and Gun Control. The Establishment, fearing the nullification movement as a state check on their power, has taken steps to stop the nullification movement and the battle they have initiated is effectively splitting the Republican Party of Indiana in two. The Establishment has tried to put forward the facade of a Constitutional Convention to replace the nullification cause, but the advocates of nullification have continued to push their case, which has led to the Establishment members of the Indiana Legislature issuing threats against the Grassroots members of that same body to get them to back down from supporting the nullification cause. Helping lead the fight for the Grassroots activists in Indiana is the FreedomMaker Coalition of Indiana while the Establishment seeks to blackout the fight in order to prevent national blowback against their actions. With the Establishment backing down somewhat in Virginia, the attention of where any national division of the Republican Party will start now turns to Indiana. If threats and unethical actions from the Establishment continue in Indiana, then this state-based fight could lead the way if any nationwide split of the Republican Party begins to take place.
Battle Result: Ongoing
12. Montana: The new grassroots-killing tactic of the “Top-2 Primary System” whereby a primary election (where which candidate has the most money is most often the determining factor in who wins) narrows the general election candidacies to only two individuals for voters to choose from, is currently being debated in the Treasure State as Establishment Republicans, unhappy with the inability of their candidates to win general elections, now look to narrow the choices thus preventing Grassroots candidates from advancing out of the primary, severely limiting the ability to topple incumbent elected leaders who no longer represent their constituents, and restricting the ability of voters to remain principled by voting for the candidates who best represent their values. The Free and Equal Foundation has thrown its weight into the battle to defeat this effort to convert the elections to a Top 2 format and the Grassroots in Montana also appear to be joining in this battle as well, for if the Top 2 system is adopted in Montana, it could be the end of the Grassroots coalition’s efforts there.
Battle Result: Ongoing
13. Talk Radio: The talk radio world was shaken to the core when rising talk radio star Glenn Beck went on national TV and announced his official abandonment of the Establishment and that he was going to join and support people such as Senators Rand Paul and Mike Lee. Later, on his talk radio show, Beck issued an official apology to the Liberty Movement and graciously asked to be received into their ranks as a new convert to their ideas. The large majority of the Liberty Movement has welcomed Beck with the condition that he prove his allegiance in the upcoming battles (as should be expected with any convert) and he now joins a growing group of Liberty Movement and Tea Party talk radio personalities such as Mike Church, Brian Wilson, Jason Lewis, Jerry Doyle and Josh Tolley. The Liberty Movement has received yet another mouthpiece from which to broadcast their ideas to America and a powerful one at that, as Beck is one of the most learned, well-known and powerful speakers in the talk radio world.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
14. National Spotlight: Liberty Movement/Tea Party Senator Rand Paul has stolen the spotlight and put himself at the front of the news headlines over the past several months with his actions in severely criticizing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over the Benghazigate scandal, his masterful political maneuvering in the Chuck Hagel Confirmation process, and finally his historic filibuster of President Obama’s appointee for CIA director, John Brennan, in order to receive an answer from the White House on the question of whether drones could be used to kill American citizens in America. He has thrust Liberty Movement and Tea Party issues into mainstream discussion and has pressured the Obama White House to put themselves on the record on certain issues such as the drone war. He has captured the imagination of everyday Americans everywhere and has caused a massive swing of public opinion where many Americans now agree with the Liberty Movement’s stances on issues such as drone strikes against American citizens on American soil. These actions have thrust Rand Paul into the coveted front runner position for the Republican Party presidential nomination for 2016, and has garnered publicity-gaining invites from Iowa (where the 2016 primaries will begin), as well as numerous interview invites from talk radio and the news media. The Twitter phrase #StandwithRand has become a rallying cry for millions of Americans and has given the Grassroots new hope for the first time since the 2012 primaries began. The Establishment, shocked at the massive success of Senator Paul’s moves and alarmed at his rapid rise, have now resorted to desperate tactics such as name-calling and intimidation in order to try and discredit the rise of the Grassroots factions, especially the Liberty Movement. Neo-conservative leader Bill Kristol called Rand Paul the spokesperson for “the code pink (female anti-war) faction of the Republican Party” and accused him of running to the left of President Obama, while war-hungry Senator John McCain, backed up by fellow war-hungry Senator Lindsey Graham, referred to Paul, Justin Amash, Ted Cruz and the others as “wacko birds” trying to “fire-up impressionable libertarian kids in their college dorms”. These signs of desperation from the Establishment were intensified and some of their worst fears were realized just a few weeks later when the Liberty Movement seemed to steal the show at the 2013 Conservative Political Action Conference and Rand Paul swept to victory in the CPAC straw poll for favorite for the 2016 GOP presidential nomination. Faced with now emboldened Grassroots Republican members of the House and Senate, the Establishment has taken their offensives a step further by engaging in intimidation tactics like House Majority Leader Eric Cantor threatening several Republican members of the U.S. House of Representatives to get them to vote for the very controversial Violence Against Women Act in late February 2013. However, though they have grabbed some headlines with the name-calling and intimidation, the Establishment has lost the upper-hand in the National Spotlight with Rand Paul having made the first moves and seized the momentum. Paul has now effectively made himself a favorite to win the Presidency should he be a presidential candidate in the 2016 general election.
Battle Result: Grassroots Victory
15. Republican National Committee: The Moderates (Members trying to either bridge the gap between the Establishment and the Grassroots or play neutral in the ongoing civil war), led by RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, have been playing a double game in the Republican Party hierarchy. Priebus has attempted to extend olive branches to the Liberty Movement while other members of the Republican National Committee continue to try to solidify the Establishment’s power grab achieved at the August 2012 Republican National Convention in Tampa. At the RNC’s Spring Meeting in Los Angeles, Establishment members of the Republican National Committee voted to retain the rule changes disenfranchising the Grassroots thus continuing their long-term strategy of seeking to deny Rand Paul any chance at a victory in the 2016 Republican Presidential Primaries. There is still a substantial amount of time left before the 2016 primaries, so the Establishment’s control is anything but solidified, but the fight to overturn the Establishment’s tyrannical rule changes has been dealt a significant setback.
Battle Result: Establishment Victory
16. South Carolina: Things are beginning to heat up in the Palmetto State as Senator Lindsey Graham continues to anger more and more Grassroots Republicans. His neoconservative stances had already made him a prospective target for the 2014 elections and his vocal vehement opposition to Senator Rand Paul and his stands have only raised his profile as a Grassroots primary target for the 2014 elections. Currently the man who appears to be setting things up to run against Graham in the primary is State Senator Lee Bright, a member of the Liberty Movement and an ally of former South Carolina U.S. Senator Jim DeMint. Bright has begun to receive attention as he prepares for a potential bid, especially from Glenn Beck as Beck has now thrown his weight into the battle to defeat Graham.
Battle Result: Ongoing
17. Minnesota: The nasty drawn out fight between the Establishment and the Grassroots in Minnesota seems to have had its first battle end in a draw. The leadership of the Minnesota Republican Party seems to have had a “moderate” win election as Chairman, an Establishment incumbent win re-election as deputy chair and a Grassroots member win election as Secretary. This means the battle for the direction of the party continues into 2014 as candidates from the Establishment and the Grassroots now put their names forward for the Governor, House, Senate and Legislative races.
Battle Result: Draw/Ongoing
18. Notes: There is unconfirmed word out of Colorado that the fight between the Establishment and the Grassroots is intensifying in that state. Considering the intensity of the battle over gun control which is also taking place there, the fight could turn out to be an ugly one. There is also an unconfirmed report out of Nevada that the Establishment is pushing to remove a Liberty Movement member from a leadership position in the Nevada Republican Party.
Battle Result: Undetermined
http://subsidiaritytimes.com/2013/04/16/gop-civil-war-establishment-turning-to-threats-name-calling-and-dirty-tricks-as-grassroots-momentum-builds/