One of the serious problems facing the Republican Party is that their leadership cadre is aging and ossifying. The people who make up the county and state committees all over the country are getting older and older and increasingly out of touch with the grassroots of the party and the younger people who vote Republican but aren't at all satisfied with what the party has come to stand for or the way that it is run.
The party desperately needs new blood and younger leaders who can relate to young voters. Yet it's awfully hard to get the entrenched blue-hairs to open their fists and share a little power, and even when they do they often aren't comfortable with the results. Young people want to actually do things and stand up for principles and make the party dynamic and effective and for people who are set in their ways and just want to do the same things that have produced mediocre results for years, that's threatening.
A classic example of this conflict between the dinosaur elite and the younger generation who want to make the GOP an effective party and a party to be proud of is now on display in Tucson Arizona. Last year they elected as Chairman a young Air Force veteran who had just concluded an unsuccessful run for Congress. Thirty-six year old Brian Miller seemed to be the model of what the party leaders were looking for in a younger Republican to join their ranks. He was younger but not too young and had a military background they could admire, plus he was articulate and had already showed his political commitment by running for office.
For a few months it looked like the Pima County GOP was going to move forward and do great things under Miller's leadership. Then came the horrendous death of Jose Guerena at the hands of the Pima County Sheriff's Department SWAT Team. Guerena was a decorated Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War who was gunned down unnecessarily in a bizarrely excessive SWAT raid on his home in which he fired no shots and was shot 22 times.
The incident became an international scandal. Miller was understandably outraged by the situation and sent out an email as Pima County Republican Chairman objecting to the tactics used by the police in the raid, writing "It is my hope that this tragic event will lead to a renewed discussion of the policies that routinely lead to heavily armed and militarized local police invading private homes and a renewed interest in the civil liberties codified in our Bill of Rights."
Article comments
1 - Realist
So when are you going to run, Dave? You are young enough, and you certainly have no shortage of ideas - no matter that most of us wouldn't agree with them much.
2 - Tim
I see this as well with older conservatives. Younger conservatives tend to be libertarian while older ones seem to be for social values. There is nothing wrong with practicing ones own religion but liberty does not interfere with that at all. Making things about liberty as in the liberty to practice and express your religion is not the same thing as the belief that America should be a Christian nation.
3 - Dave Nalle
Realist, I feel more confident should I ever run, knowing that I can count on your vote.
Dave
4 - Dave Nalle
BTW, it appears that Miller lost in his effort to retain his Chairmanship by a single vote above a 2/3 majority.
Dave
5 - Del
Dave you are correct; however, they had to disenfranchise the Appointed Precinct Committeemen to do so. I think Brian Miller has such a great law suite against the Executive Committee of the Pima County Republican Committee and if my analysis is correct the whole meeting could be "Voidable".
6 - Dave Nalle
Del, do you have details on that? I heard that there were PCs who were excluded from the meeting despite having been legitimately appointed to fill those positions.
Dave
7 - Ken
You folks need facts. Mr. Miller lost the first election for the bylaw with 71% of the elected and appointed PC's voting yes.
Only elected PC's voted in the second election because the elected PC's are the ones who voted him in as chair. This vote was 80% in the affirmative.
Hope you will address Miller's financial malfeasance, spending large sums without the requisite executive committee formal approval.
8 - Roth Hillman
@ken - Thanks for the percentages. You beat me to it. Difficult to spin hard numbers.
Got to say this: These guys try to burrow into the Republican Party because their ideas get them absolutely nowhere on their own. They want cliche-spouting zombies for followers and don't believe they have to compromise with anyone on any issue.
9 - Dave Nalle
Malfeasance? Please. He spent a reasonable amount of money on two projects which fell excplicitly under the description of the Chairman's responsibilities in the by-laws.
Miller was the victim of a witchhunt and a power grab plain and simple. He was working for a better party more true to its principles and the mendacious minions of mediocrity could not stand for that.
Dave
10 - Realist
"Realist, I feel more confident should I ever run, knowing that I can count on your vote."
I don't know, Dave. Are you fit enough to be Dogcatcher? [/snark]
11 - Dave Nalle
Not an elective office here, Realist. I'll see if I can find something equivalent, though.
Dave
12 - Maurice
Very disturbing. Hope this is an isolated case and not a trend as you suggest.