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