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I have repeatedly been advised that the path to populist victory in Connecticut is through the Republican Town Committees, hereafter in this article referred to as “RTCs”. This comports with the observable discourse among disaffected Republicans, who know that there is clearly a problem with their party, but are uncertain how to go about fixing it.
Unfortunately this situation is not new, but nothing has come of it in the past. Do we remember the TEA Party? What about Occupy Wall Street on the left? Efforts to press the political establishment on both sides of the aisle have consistently failed and burned out, because the political establishment does not want to be reformed, and the electorate currently does not possess the will to force reform upon them.
The Democratic Party is a private political club, beholden to the wealthy donors who set the objectives, that utilizes emotionally charged arguments to parasitize on the egalitarian nature of white Americans, and cater to the grievances of various minority groups. The author is obviously no friend of the Democratic Party, but their model has been in use since at least the 1960s, and has been fabulously successful due to the (orchestrated) collapse of the public education system. This is exactly why we see such strong devotion to liberalism and the Democratic Party here in New England, because we suffer from an abundance of over-education, or more precisely over-schooling.
If only we had listened to Mark Twain; “I never let my schooling interfere with my education.”
Now I shall address the Republican Party as this is the faction with the most disgruntled rank and file, while the Democratic Party continues to enjoy a far more compliant base, despite the challenges of their rainbow coalition strategy. We seem to have developed this fanciful idea that the Republican Party functions as a democracy, which is simply not the case. The Republican Party is also a private club, with visible leadership that serve as figureheads and mouthpieces for the real power; the money holders.
What then even are RTCs?
Well the truth is that if RTCs had any real power, then the Republican leadership would not allow them to exist. The actual purpose of RTCs is to capture the politically minded and motivated private citizens, and diffuse their energy into a benign endeavor that will not threaten the establishment.
No doubt many RTC participants will be filled with ire at this statement, because it certainly feels like they are doing something that matters, but ask yourselves, what have you actually accomplished in the grand scheme of things? Have the ripples you made even reached the pond? Or are you deliberately isolated in a vernal pool, so as not to disrupt the status quo as you intend?
The status quo of power, or “system” is everything to the state level politicians. This is why they so often proclaim the importance of “our democracy” (its not ours, its theirs) and how sacred it is. In this system meritocracy is not valued, compliance with the party agenda is. The real purpose of an RTC to these people is not to build the party from the ground up, but to keep the politically minded citizenry corralled and occupied, much in the same way that televised sports and various other entertainments do for the apolitical broad masses.
Think back to the Republican’s most recent failed gubernatorial candidate, Bob Stefanowski. Did HE come from an RTC? Or did he strike directly for the head of the beast in the same fashion as President Trump back in 2016?
The author is convinced that seizure of the RTCs by grassroots activists, while potentially a useful tactic for forming a local network, is not a viable strategy for rectifying the ailments permeating Connecticut politics.
Now dear reader, do not take any of this criticism as an excuse for inaction. “There's nothing you can do, because the power structure will not allow you to have a voice!” No, that is not at all what I advocate. The politically minded man has a duty to take action in politics, but he must be astute and observe which pathways are dead ends or traps carefully laid by the adversary. We are like Christian in John Bunyan’s famous work “The Pilgrim’s Progress”. Christian knows the destination he seeks, but cannot yet see it unless he stays strong in the faith, and follows the narrow path.
There are dozens of political action organizations in Connecticut. Focus your efforts on things that matter, and reject the Republican RTC trap. There is a better path.
A truthful, incisive diagnosis.
Unfortunately, referencing the Bunyon corollary, I would argue that the disposition of most Republicans in CT is not grounded in faithful, prudent and righteous opposition to the infantile Democratic platform. Instead, as we navigate that path, we offer token resistance, accepting their premises as both 'enlightened' and 'settled', merely to be negotiated back an increment in the course of their imposition on us.
Reclaim the culture.
The message of the local (Hurst) media and cannot read, write, or calculate “education” curriculum needs to be exorcised.
In making calls for campaigns, caller responses are futile. Too often lacking critical thinking, they are so propagandized.
What is the ground plan?
It appears that Senator Sampson rightly concedes that the CT legacy media is a dedicated tool of the Left (as you have mentioned in numerous posts). I maintain that the Republican machine needs to bypass the legacy media and appeal directly to the public with 'learning initiatives'.
A campaign recently began in NJ under the moniker 'wakeupcallNJ.com'
While it seems to have Leftist roots and encourages conventional ambition, it employs provocative billboards to grab attention.
Billboards, I absolutely agree Michael.
I have spoken renditions promoting the idea in my circle. Advocate e-billboard trucks as well circulating and educating neighborhoods with cleaver words and phrases that stick in one’s mind and game changing tag lines. In business, this would compare to a savvy marketing initiative.
I agree with the author about the virtual disempowerment of RTC's by the relevant GOP players as a function of maintaining their status quo power system.
I also believe that we will not transcend such issues while holding ourselves hostage to the system, nor by attempting to form a rebel party.
As I have posted often, rather than focusing on elections and legislation, Republicans ought concern themselves with influencing people toward timeless virtues and shaping the culture.
There is a lot of truth in your article. I am a Chairman of an RTC in CT and see great value in the platform that the organization provides. I also see that the RTC alone is not THE answer. PACs, community organizations, participation in society and community are ways forward. Building relationships and collaboration within local communities and between communities are also ways forward in CT.
This is a long game that we have been sleeping through...
Speak of sleeping, does a list exist of state level billionaires who will fund our campaigns?
Too late now for Senate race 2024 (excellent candidate) and 5th Congressional race 2022 and 2024, excellent candidates.
I am not aware of such a list. I have no doubt that one exists somewhere. We had many new candidates in 2024 with a vision of freeing CT from the shackles of decades of poor/destructive legislation. That would take a Republican Super-Majority...while possible, not all that probable in one election cycle...Certainly not with the current election statutes/regulations. Proof of citizenship, a photo I.D. would be great foundational changes.
Thank you for your response Jason and also for the hard work you do as Chairman of an RTC.
Godspeed.