FAIR AND BIASED: Trump has the most to lose by not signing the RNC loyalty pledge!

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Trump has the most to lose by not signing the RNC loyalty pledge!

Weekly Opinion Editorial

UNITY IN 2024!

by Steve Fair

The first 2024 Republican presidential debate is a month away. The debate will be held in Milwaukee, which is also the site of the GOP national convention next year. Wisconsin is a battleground state and whoever the Republican nominee is will need the state’s ten (10) electoral votes to win the White House.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) establishes the guidelines for the presidential primary. The RNC is composed of 168 members- 3 from each U.S. state and territory. “The RNC is committed to putting on a fair, neutral, and transparent primary process and the qualifying criteria set forth will put our Party and eventual nominee in the best position to take back the White House come November 2024,” RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said.

The RNC set up debate participation criteria. The first requirement is the candidate must pledge to support the eventual Republican presidential nominee to be on the debate stage. Several GOP candidates, including Donald Trump and Chris Christie have said they would have to know who the nominee is before they would make that commitment. Former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson says the loyalty requirement should apply only if the candidate plans to run as a third-Party candidate. The second requirement is a candidate must be polling at least 1% in two national polls. The third requirement is a candidate must agree to not participate in non-RNC sanctioned debates. Three observations:

First, the nomination is Trump’s to lose. The rules have changed since 2016 on how states conduct primaries and chose national delegates. While Ronna may claim the RNC is neutral, close inspection reveals otherwise. After his election, McDaniel was hand selected to run the RNC by former President Trump. The RNC functioned as Trump’s political arm for his four-year term. The RNC passed rules that allowed states to change how national delegates were selected and those changes benefit candidates who get a ‘plurality’ in a large field. Currently, no GOP candidate comes anywhere near Trump’s base. Combined, over 50% of GOP voters are supporting another candidate in the primary, but that majority is fractured out among eight other candidates.

Second, the winner of the debate doesn’t always win the election. Few people are moved by how a candidate performs in a debate. Modern presidential debates have become nothing more than reality TV, with little effort to rationally discuss issues. It has become purely about optics and who can score the best zinger of the night. Thoughtful dialogue by a candidate is labeled weak and indecisive by other candidates and the media. In 2016, debate experts abandoned conventional scoring on who won the war of words in favor of who was the loudest. Hopefully substance over tumultuous will prevail this year in the GOP debates.

Third, Party loyalty should be required of the candidates. Asking the candidates to support the nominee is fair. Each candidate is using the ‘Republican’ brand. They are claiming to stand for what the Party platform stands for. They should be asked to support those who pledge like convictions.

Supporting the winner of a primary by the loser is a challenge at all levels. Campaigns can get nasty. Hurt feelings and bitterness are often the result of a primary. General election campaigns are often lost because the combatants in the primary weren’t able to shake hands, put their pride/ego aside and unite against a common enemy. Party loyalty/unity is not a weakness- it is an effort to get everyone pulling on the same end of the rope at the same time.

Of all the GOP candidates, Donald Trump has the most to lose by not signing the loyalty pledge. He will need every Republican vote and a bunch of Independents- to get back to the White House. Trump can’t afford to alienate like minded people. Currently, a majority of Republican voters are supporting candidates other than Trump in the primary. Trying not offend their supporters might be a sound strategy if you are the lead dog. Most of them would never vote for Biden, but they might just stay home and not vote.

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Why FAIR & BIASED?

FAIR- because that's my name and BIASED because the truth is we are all biased- either for something or against it. What's important is that our bias(opinions) are based on right- on absolute truth and not on changing values. What's right cannot change based on a change in circumstances. That is the basis for situational ethics.

Situation Ethics is a theory that is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action; the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situation ethics, the end can justify the means. There are no absolutes. Your actions are guided only by your conscience.

A person's view of right can be subjective. But there is a way mankind can definitely know what's right and that is revealed in God's Word- the Bible. As His creatures, we should be biased toward things our Creator is for and biased against those things He is against. May God grant us the grace and understanding to know the difference.

PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

How important is political party affiliation? Some people mistakenly believe only politicians need political affiliation, which they use for support to get elected. They contend the electorate or voters, do not need to be aligned with any Party. These same people often state they “support the man, not the Party.” But whether they recognize it or not, they are supporting a party when they “support the man.”
Most of the Founding Fathers had a negative view of political parties. In his farewell address to the nation, George Washington warned about political parties saying, “However [political parties] may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people and to usurp for themselves the reins of government, destroying afterwards the very engines which have lifted them to unjust dominion.” In spite of Washington's warning, political parties were formed anyway.
From 1796 to 1828 the first political parties were formed. Starting with the Federalists and Anti-Federalists, two opposing factions arose. Each was concerned with how the new government was to be organized. The Federalists believed in a strong central government. Their philosophy and beliefs would closely mirror the Democrat Party today. The Anti-Federalists strongly supported the rights of the states. They would more closely align with Republicans today.
Since the mid 1800s, the Ds and Rs have been the two major political parties in our country. Political parties flourished in our government mainly for legislative organization and expediencies sake. Why is Party affiliation important for the average voter? Party affiliation is important for three very simples reasons.
First, party affiliation is the first vote a citizen casts. When a citizen registers as a Democrat, then they are aligning philosophically with the values, beliefs, tenets, and positions of the Democrats on the issues. Party affiliation “defines” you are and what you stand for. It should be taken as seriously as a vote for a specific candidate. Research what each Party stands for, their positions on issues, and then align with the Party that is closest to your values. Copies of both major Party platforms are available on-line or at the local library.
Second, legislatures organize themselves and conduct business using party affiliation. The legislative branch of government is the most powerful arm of the three branches of government. Legislative bodies hold closed meeting of party members, called a caucus to decide on questions of policy or leadership. The Republicans hold a caucus meeting and the Democrats hold a caucus meeting-both at the state and federal level. Unfortunately, conservative, moderate and liberal philosophies do not hold caucus meetings or control the legislative agendas- parties do. When someone says they vote for “the man,” not the party, they fail to understand the power and function of a caucus system in a legislative body. The Party in the majority controls appointments, Chairmanships, the agenda and countless other things through the caucus.
Third, party affiliation should be a matter of conviction, not convenience. Often, people align with a party so they can vote in primary elections or based on family tradition or geographies. Even candidates will align, file and run affiliated with a Party they have little philosophical agreement with. That decision is made out of convenience, not conviction. While no political party is perfect or has all the answers, there is a distinct difference between the two major parties and honest citizens should align with the Party that reflects their convictions.
The Democrat Party is more liberal than the Republican Party. Liberals believe in more government control of business, the environment and speech, using large bureaucratic programs to address real or perceived social ills and constant reinterpretation of the Constitution. Liberals are more inclined to trust government than the people themselves. They see the role of government as a great provider of goods and services and have little faith in the individual to solve his own problems.
Republicans are more conservative than Democrats. Conservatives believe in less government control of the environment and business. They want fewer and less comprehensive government programs to address real or perceived social ills. They believe in personal responsibility and trust individuals to make decisions for themselves. Republicans believe in a strict literal interpretation of the Constitution. A person should find out which of these philosophies best fits their view if they wish to actively participate in the political process.
Party affiliation is important. Washington’s prophecy has come to past, and political parties have been used to empower “unprincipled men,” on both sides of the aisle, but like it or not, political parties are a reality in our system of government. Each concerned citizen should evaluate the philosophy, values, beliefs and tenets of each Party and align their party affiliation accordingly.

FAIR AND BIASED

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Trump has the most to lose by not signing the RNC loyalty pledge!

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PARTY AFFILIATION IS IMPORTANT! by Steve Fair- written in 2009

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