GOP Candidates Steered From Certain Surveys
A House Republican Campaign Committee field staffer forwarded a message to GOP House candidates in which it's recommended that they do not respond to the questionnaires of 16 organizations that, arguably, have liberal leanings and have not, historically, endorsed large numbers of Republican candidates.
The June 3 e-mail obtained by MIRS from Frank EGELER is a forwarded document with the subject line "FW: Do not answer." It reads simply, "These are the questionnaires we recommend you DO NOT respond to."
The groups listed includes, in full, Planned Parenthood, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters (LCV), the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE), the Michigan Professional Fire Fighters Union, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Michigan Equality, the County Road Association of Michigan, Sierra Club & Clean Water Action, Michigan Abortion Action Rights League (MARAL), Healthy Michigan, Healthy Kids, Michigan Opposing Mandatory Vaccines, ACLU, ACORN, Family Rights Coalition of Michigan, the Republican Liberty Caucus and Project Vote Smart.
Dan McMASTER of the House Republican Campaign Committee (HRCC) told MIRS that it was the committee's policy not to talk about the questionnaire strategy, but that he was not aware of the Egeler e-mail and whether Egeler had authored it himself or was just passing along a message to his flock of candidates.
McMaster did confirm that Egeler was a field staffer for the HRCC and that he oversaw the candidates in Northern Michigan. That said, McMaster added that all Republican House candidates are free to answer whichever surveys they care to fill out.
MIRS asked McMaster to check on the legitimacy of the e-mail and to what extent it was e-mailed to Republican candidates throughout the state. He was not able to get back with that information by MIRS' publishing deadline.
Some of these are obvious. The SEIU for example is the most radical union in US History. It's almost communist. However, the Republican Liberty Caucus is far from liberal. First, it's Republican, and secondly, it's conservative libertarian.
From the Republican Liberty Caucus
Who we are & What we Believe
The RLC-MI, a state chapter of the Republican Liberty Caucus, consists of politically active Michiganders who believe in advancing libertarian principles and limited government policies within the Republican Party. (We think the GOP desperately needs our guidance and help.)
What are these principles? You can read about them below. You can also check out our updates to see how we apply these principles to today’s most pressing political issues.
While RLCers fairly disagree with each other about plenty of issues, it’s fair to say that we’re politically active because we share a desire for liberty. And we work together because we find ourselves on the same side in our struggles for liberty far more than the alternative. If you share this same desire for freedom and its blessings, we hope you’ll take a moment to join us.
The Republican Party?
You might, at this point, find yourself wondering something like, “Didn’t the Republican Party just preside over the largest expansion of the federal government in decades? And you RLCers are talking about limited government, and hoping to have Republicans deliver it?” These are excellent questions. The short answer is that the Republicans responsible for these tragedies deserve to be replaced in favor of principled advocates for liberty. Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions for more elaborate answers to these, and other common questions.
Principles*
The Republican Liberty Caucus supports individual rights, limited government and free enterprise.
We believe every human being is endowed by nature with inherent rights to life, liberty and property that are properly secured by law. We support a strict construction of the Bill of Rights as a defense against tyranny; the expansion of those rights to all voluntary consensual conduct under the Ninth and Tenth Amendments; and the requirements of equal protection and due process under the Fourteenth Amendment.
We support the Constitutional restrictions on federal government powers enumerated in Article I, Section 8 as an absolute limit on all government functions and programs. We oppose the adoption of broad and vague powers under the guise of general welfare or interstate commerce.
We oppose all restrictions on the voluntary and honest exchange of value in a free market. We favor minimal, equitable, and fair taxation for the essential functions of government. We oppose all legislation that concedes Congressional power to any regulatory agency, executive department, or international body.
We support the Constitution as the supreme law of the land, the republican form of government it requires, and the right of all citizens to fair and equitable representation.
We believe these are also the proper positions of the Republican Party.
As far as specific issues
What is the purpose of the RLC?
To campaign for the principles of limited government, individual liberty, and free markets in the Republican Party. We believe that one of the most important ways to advance these principles is to elect candidates to public office who share them. Our candidates focus on a broad range of issues, including taxation, property rights, gun rights, free speech, federalism, and the proper role of government. Please see our accomplishments for a brief overview of how we’ve been working toward these ideals.
That doesn't sound liberal to me. If I'm a candidate, this is one of the questionnaires I'd be filling out. Others I wouldn't because they wouldn't back me anyway, like MARAL, planned parenthood, ACORN, County Roads (with my outspoken gas tax opposition) or the Brady Campaign to take our firearms away. It would be wasting my time and theirs.
What this shows is that RLC members and supporters need to get more involved in the party, make sure we have good candidates running, and bully our way in if we have to so the powers that be get the message. What talks? Wins and the right issues.
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