PA Republicans -POLITICAL ENDORSEMENTS - A TOOL for FOOLS

1/29/2012

I am going to guess that most Pennsylvania Republicans, and voters for that matter do not truly understand what a political endorsement actually means and how it comes about in Pennsylvania. Many may actually believe a recent misleading statement made by Republican party chairman Robert Gleason, when he said that " the party supports ALL its candidates". Nothing could be farther from the truth. Also if you were under the impression that when it comes to electing a candidate the " One man, One vote" rule applies. Prepare to be shocked into reality.

THE WORD "ENDORSEMENT"  IS A TOOL TO MANIPULATE  THE ELECTION PROCESS

This past Saturday 341 Republican Committeemen from the four corners of Pennsylvania met in Hershey, Pennsylvania and decided for the rest of the States 3,034,513 registered Republicans which candidates will get the party's endorsement. The job of a Committeeman, if you ask most people, can't be described, or may be known as a distributor of literature at the polls. Too few realize that this past Saturday 341 committeemen and woman EACH made the decision for 8,899 other Republicans in deciding which candidates would get an unfair advantage, called a "Party Endorsement" toward an almost certain victory in the primary.

Once endorsed, these candidates ALONE are privy to the party solicited donations and personnel. Paid for is all their costs and debts associated with campaign literature; TV advertising; travel expenses; phones; maintaining multiple campaign offices; mass mailings and postage; rental expenses for meeting rooms; establishing and maintaining websites. In many counties are are hundreds of polling locations that will be automatically manned by the party's Republican committee people. Other personnel are busy helping the endorsees to send out news releases; monitoring the news and responding to the Internet blogs; and arranging for their appointments and appearances by this candidate.

The other guys, the non endorsed candidates, and this year there are 7 candidates for the US Senate, get SQUAT from the party. If it follows the pattern of the last Gubernatorial election, even if  only 2 other  candidates, the party will never even mention their names in any news releases. They will only be referred to as "the other candidate" in place of their names in any  TV interviews  and never appear in any party printed brochures or voters guides. They will be banned from displaying their own campaign materials to the Public at Republican functions. The endorsed candidate has no reason to debate them since he has all his TV and radio spots paid for and has full  control of the image he projects of himself. As a result many in Pennsylvania will only find out they actually have a choice when they step into the voting booth.

Careful How You Donate

If YOU are donating to the Republican party directly thinking that you are supporting one of these Non-endorsed candidates it actually hurts their chances of winning since they will not see a dime of it. For your candidate to benefit the donation must be directly to their campaign. Any donation that is or has been made to the party directly just increases the pool of funds that the endorsed candidate can use to defeat them.

Why Have Primaries Comrade, when the decision has already been made?

Keep in mind that with three full months until the Primary many of us lowly citizens have not yet discovered who is running. Why? Because petitioners that collect signatures to nominate candidates were only allowed to begin that process a few days ago...and they are not due until February 14.  There could be more candidates. Very few in the public have had an opportunity to review the candidates platforms, or attend any debates. 


According to the opinion of a committee woman I was corresponding with in Allegheny County, she claimed the general public is well aware she endorses candidates, based of course on their input.  She assured me she represented the interests of the public by using the letters, and emails she received as a guide, and she attended local events, and debates to measure public opinion.  Perhaps she does makes an honest effort but how many emails must one get from those 8899 Republicans she represents to be so self assured she has it right. I've been told that State Representatives only get a few calls themselves on some issues. Are these people who contact her even registered Republicans with the right to vote?  Are these people more informed than  the public will  be three months from now?  There is no signature required; and no photo ID needed like I have to supply when I vote. 

Look at current Presidential candidate debates of late and how once popular candidates with substantial leads are gone a few weeks later.  Now if we treated the Presidential race in the USA, like the Gleason led Republicans ran the Gubernatorial race in 2010 only one candidate, would ever been brought to the attention of the public by the party and he would quickly be endorsed before any debate. In fact the public would never see a debate ever.  They would see a gun shy candidate with a platform that changed with every breeze right up to the primary.  


With the major problems affecting the state today, and a disparity of ideas for solving these problems , it is a disservice to the public to have those views hidden from them.  But that is exactly what this party ius doing when it endorses candidates before the primary. Why even vote if the choice has already been made for us?    I believe that was a symptom of elections in the USSR and pre- war IRAQ


Apparently our party's leadership is either fearful of its own members opinion, or that three full months is insufficient time for us to do our homework. A recent survey reported on PCN  reported that 83% of Pennsylvanians did want any endorsement and many traveled to Hershey to show their displeasure.  They were ignored and the vote to Endorse passed 201-140.

Corbett Inserts Foot- Once Again!

Prior to the vote both Gleason and Governor Corbett gave some initial remarks and urged for the  endorsement of candidates. Corbett made two remarks worth noting. First he remarked that his reasoning for endorsing Steve Welch for the Senate was because  "He's from Philadelphia".  


Welch, and Philadelphia both voted for Obama in 2008.  I'm sorry, but this is one of those times when an "OH SHIT!" wipes out all the ATTA BOYS!

Corbetts second notable statement was a gem and made on the anniversary of a 2010 remark that made the  Constitutional Republicans  cringe.  He began by stating that he was a strong supporter of the endorsement process. WHY?  "Because..." he stated "...if NOT for the endorsement by this Party I wouldn't be standing here today as Governor".   I guarantee that those who were "Sam Rohrer for Governor" supporters in 2010 were both disgusted and amused  by this remark and were biting their tongues in full agreement. Endorsement by this party before the primary gave Corbett an unfair advantage in 2010 and without it the results would likely have been very much different.

Thank you to the 140 Committee people who voted no to Endorsement. Its nice to think they at least value my vote.


The word "ENDORSEMENT" at least in this party is beginning to become a RED FLAG that designates a candidate that has something to hide.  BE VERY SKEPTICAL!  A much better candidate,  and one who does not fall in lockstep to the party machine is quite possibly another alternative.


RONALD REAGAN was once a non-endorsed candidate   

PA Republican Party Leadership’s message to its party's members:

SHUTUP!  YOU DON’T GET A CHOICE!

Citizens who call themselves Republicans might believe they still get a say in who will win the GOP primary and actually get to select their own candidates in Pennsylvania, NOT TRUE!   Actually a mere handful of Republicans have taken on the role of “party KINGS” and stolen the party from their own members in this state.  Using their political muscle they in fact control who gets “endorsed”.  The uninformed public no longer gets to decide but is led by the nose.

In Pennsylvania the endorsed candidates ALONE receives use of party solicited donations and personnel. Paid for is all their costs and debts associated with campaign literature; TV advertizing; travel expenses;  phones; maintaining multiple  campaign offices;  mass mailings and postage; rental expenses for meeting rooms; establishing and maintaining websites.  In Chester County there are 234 polling sites that will be automatically manned by the party with Republican committee people.  Other personnel are busy helping the endorsees to send out news releases;   monitoring and responding to the internet; and arranging appointments and appearances by this candidate.

 Non endorsed candidates get NO party support whatsoever and in fact will find party leadership working against them.  So if you have donated to the party thinking you are helping your candidate, realize your donation money is now being used to defeat him.  At the end of the campaign your “non endorsed” candidate must personally settle up on any outstanding bills.  His party could not care less.  

The literature the Republican party sends to your door before the primary promotes only endorsed candidates.  Heaven forbid information on the platforms of all Republican candidates is provided. Why was there not a televised debate involving the three Republican candidates for Pennsylvania Governor? Why should we take the word of the few?  Aren’t we supposed to be a government by the People?

Its time endorsements in PA politics are ended.  I know I want the candidate that stands for my values to be exposed to the world so they can be chosen on their own merits.  Don’t you want that?

As the 2010 Chester County coordinator for the Sam Rohrer Gubernatorial campaign I was appalled at the brazen attitude of the PA GOP leader, Robert Gleason.  It became apparent in 2009, many months before the 2010 primary that Gleason was only supporting Tom Corbett and would provide him all the advantages.  The public would not learn about other Republicans on his watch. 

Despite Samuel Rohrer’s high qualifications and many years of grass roots support the GOP’s never once mentioned him in their news releases …only Corbett.  The PA GOP Face book page was monitored 24 hours a day so that citizen republicans positive remarks supporting Sam’s platform were removed within seconds, as were comments questioning Corbett to spell out his own.  Threats from the webmaster followed about being banned from the site.

At an official Republican functions, the Chester County committee meeting, attendees saw their former Chairman, Joseph “Skip” Brion ban the display of Rohrer campaign material.  Brion was reportedly strong arming uninformed committee members and misleading them into believing they could only support endorsed candidates or they could be fired.  These are serious violations.  The fact is I met many committee people at various polls who were totally surprised that any other candidates for Governor were even running in the primary.  So HOW can these elected committeemen act on OUR behalf and vote to endorse a candidate when they are not even aware who to consider? Something is wrong!

Corbett, following Gleason’s orders, would not engage in a public debate with Sam Rohrer until public outrage and the need to save face forced his hand. So on February 12, 2010, just hours before the party’s endorsements were to be announced Gleason arranged an hour debate on the PCN channel.  With Candidates ready Gleason let the start time slip by stalling 30 additional minutes with a lackluster pep rally on TV.   There was only time remaining for opening statements and two questions. Corbett inserted both feet and was defending himself for weeks after his remarks about the Constitution.   Rohrer on the other hand rallied and excited the crowd.  Why do you think Gleason scheduled this debate to compete with the Opening Ceremony of the 2010 Winter Olympics on another channel?

So here we are in 2012 and both Gleason and Corbett are all ready to endorse once again.  Is this what the Public wants?   A straw poll announced on PCN on Monday showed that 83% of citizen Republicans said endorsements are hurting the party.

Steve Welch and Sam Rohrer are both well spoken as are other candidates for the US Senate. The public needs to hear all their ideas and positions. Yet for some reason Welch a reborn Republican has gotten their nod. They all  deserve the right to debate and show us what they can offer as . Allow the citizens to choose their own candidate.

Tom Corbett, having already handpicked his successor as Attorney General, now wants to insure he gives his next choice all the advantages of endorsement. While Attorney General, and running for Governor he received over $59,000 in campaign donations from the same Reed Smith legal firm named in but who he stopped investigating in the Bonus Gate cover up.  The FBI also has not ended its whistleblower investigation of Kimmett vs. Corbett.   Deputy Attorney General Kimmett discovered millions in collections owed to Pennsylvania were being permitted to be wiped off the books. Paperwork had gone missing.  With Corbett’s apparent knowledge efforts were made to cover this up and Kimmett lost his job when he persisted.  Perhaps an endorsement will help someone in power keep a lid on this? 

Endorsements are keeping good people, good ideas, and possible corruption hidden from the voters of this state and its time we Republicans get control and some confidence of our party back.

1st Time

2010 Campaign Coordinator

CHESTER COUNTY