FLORIDA: One State Committeeman has the cure for ‘Charlie Crist Republicanism’

November 2014 was a wave election, which gave Republicans the largest majority in the U.S. House of Representatives since the Civil War and control of the U.S. Senate. The midterm election was indeed historic for Republicans, not unlike the wave elections of 1980 and 1994.

Citizens across America, and Florida, voted against the policies of President Obama and what is known in the sunshine state as “Charlie Crist Republicanism.” As Florida’s Republicans know Charlie Crist did more to destroy the Republican Party of Florida (RPOF) than anyone before him. Charlie Crist Republicanism included an expansion of government, a pro-environmentalist agenda, increased state debt and a scandal involving long time Crist ally, and former RPOF Chairman, Jim Greer.

One young Republican understands this and is doing something about it. His name is Christian Ziegler.

Ziegler is the State Committeeman representing the Republican Party of Sarasota County, Florida. Ziegler understands that Charlie Crist Republicanism is politically extreme. It began in 2009 when former Governor Crist in Fort Myers embraced not only President Obama but also President Obama’s domestic policies (e.g. stimulus package). It went downhill from there for Republicans, with Crist eventually becoming a member of the Democratic Party of BHO and embracing all that comes with it. Domestic policies that are anti-family, anti-individual freedom, anti-property rights, anti-religious, anti-gun ownership, anti-law enforcement, anti-fossil fuel and anti-life and liberty.

Charlie Crist Republicans are pro anything that is anti-American and anti-Constitutional.

So what can one young Republican do about it? On January 8, 2015 Ziegler offered his fellow Republican Executive Committee members a draft resolution that is a cure for the malaise affecting the Republican Party of Sarasota County and, in a much larger sense, a malaise still affecting the Republican Party of Florida.

This malaise is keeping Independents and moderate Democrats from pulling the Republican lever at the voting booth. It is putting the Republican Party into a smaller tent rather than attracting those who desperately want something other than the Democratic Party of BHO (formerly the Democratic Party of JFK). Ziegler’s draft resolution (below) is simple but straight forward. It is statesman like.

Ziegler explains:

Each member of the Republican Executive Committee signs an oath to our organization that they will not support a Democrat over a Republican while in their role as a local party leader. This ensures that we are all working together, for one common mission – To help elect Republicans.

The Republican Party of Sarasota County spends a lot of time, effort and finances to help individuals get elected. This resolution would help ensure that the resources of the Republican Party are not being used against our mission by allowing the party to withhold future support to any Republican candidate or elected official who goes against our mission by supporting Democrat candidates over Republican candidates.

Each candidate may still publicly support a Democrat over a Republican, but when doing so, they’ll have to weigh the potential loss of future support from the Republican Party.

To put it into private sector terms – As a business, would you ever invest and promote the supplier of your biggest competitor?

Ziegler said, “I think it is long overdue and it’s going to strengthen the Republican Party.” What voters want is elected Republicans who honor their party platform and are loyal to their party’s principles. “My job, as state committeeman, is to support Republican candidates and Republican values,” notes Ziegler. In other words his job and the job of every member of the Republican party is to support Republicans and the party’s political platform. To do otherwise is living a political lie. Who can trust someone who professes to be one thing but does another once elected? That is what the 2104 midterm wave election was all about.

Voters want a clear choice, their expectations are high as are their fears of government.

Larry P. Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, in his article “Wave Elections: What They Mean” writes:

Increasingly large majorities of the people consistently profess themselves afraid of their government. They think it too big. They think it does not account to them—that it is beyond their control and does not operate with their consent. They think it should be smaller, even if that means they receive fewer services. It seems that the growth of government has not made people feel safe and happy.

[ … ]

We require today a devotion to two things that are on the surface contrary. The first of them is constitutionalism, and the second is statesmanship.

Constitutionalism and statesmanship do not mean abandoning one’s Republican values for short term political gain. It also does not demand compromise, as compromise is the art of losing slowly. Republicans experienced this in 2006 and again in 2008, when they lost first the Congress and then the White House. Have they learned?

German sociologist, philosopher, and political economist Max Weber (1864–1920) wrote, “The decisive means for politics is violence. Whoever wants to engage in politics at all, and especially in politics as a vocation, has to realize these ethical paradoxes.”

Political principles tame the violence and create standards within which those who practice politics as a vocation must ethically adhere. Ziegler understands that.

The full text of the draft resolution that is scheduled to be voted during the April 2015 RPOS Executive Committee meeting is below.

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A RESOLUTION OF THE REPUBLICAN EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF SARASOTA COUNTY

WHEREAS, Article 2, Section B of The Constitution of the Republican Party of Florida, as adopted by the Republican Party of Sarasota County, sets the mission of the Republican Party of Sarasota County “to support the principles, objectives, and platforms of the Republican Party and to secure the election of all duly nominated Republican candidates”

WHEREAS, The Chairman, State Committeeman, State Committeewoman, Precinct Committeemen, Precinct Committeewomen, and Volunteers of the Republican Party of Sarasota County work tirelessly and donate financially to elect Republicans to local, state and federal office.

WHEREAS, Section B of The Republican Party of Florida Oath of Party Loyalty and Ethical Conduct Document, as adopted by the Republican Party of Sarasota County, states: “In a non­partisan election (other than a judicial election) in which a registered Republican is participating, I will not actively, publicly, or financially support the election of any candidate other than a registered
Republican”

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:

The Republican Executive Committee of Sarasota County condemns any registered Republican candidate or elected official actively, publicly, or financially supporting the election of any candidate other than a registered Republican in a partisan or nonpartisan election in which a registered Republican is participating.

In addition, if a registered Republican candidate or elected official is found to be actively, publicly, or financially supporting the election of any candidate other than a registered Republican in a partisan or non­partisan election in which a registered Republican is participating, The Republican Executive Committee of Sarasota County will impose a ban from party activities & resources for a period beginning at the time or violation and extending through their next campaign for office. “Party Activities & Resources” include, but are not limited to:

• Events hosted by the Republican Party of Sarasota County
• Monthly meetings of the Republican Executive Committee of Sarasota County
• Events hosted by Republican Clubs chartered by the Republican Party of Sarasota County
• Access and use of the Republican Party of Sarasota County Headquarters (HQ) by the candidate, the elected official or their representative(s).
• Electioneering & Voter Information Efforts such as the Voter Guide, Direct Mail, Phone Calls, Door ­to­ Door Voter Contact, Placing their materials in the Republican Party HQ, and Email Communications.