What is one to make of the Republican Party of Florida? Is the governor of Florida the decision maker of the state party? What does the state party do? Another question: when you are giving money to the state party, what is the money for?
These questions keep coming to mind reviewing the deposition transcript of Jim Greer, who was chairman of the Republican Party of Florida during the Crist term. It is clear from the transcript that Charlie Crist was the decision maker of the RPoF, but it is not clear that the state party was anything more than a romper room for certain wealthy and egotistical maniacs.
I can't say what the Republican Party was under Jeb Bush, except to venture that Jeb! was a micromanager with a team of advisors and consigliere -- like Marco Rubio -- whose loyalty was measured by how close they could keep to a script. (Jeb! was the anti-Crist.)
Then there is Rick Scott. The Miami Herald this morning notes Scott's abysmal poll numbers in Florida. One top Republican legislator sniffs along the line that anyone who can spend $73 million of his own fortune gaining the governor's mansion really doesn't need the state party for anything.
So what purpose does the state party serve? The same question should be asked of the Democrats, but there is nothing like the view provided by the Jim Greer Affair.
Barack Obama bypassed the Florida state party in organizing his 2008 Florida win, and the state party has had no impact in state-wide elections beyond being a virtual billboard for big issues (ie. redistricting).
I can't say I know what state parties do. They hold endless rounds of fundraisers, visit with individual donors who can make their time worthwhile, but with the splintering of campaign investment vehicles into a thousand pieces, who needs the state party?
On the other hand, there are troubling questions served by the vacuous nature of state political parties. For example, is there such a thing as state platforms for political issues that candidates and elected officials should use and abide by, organized under the umbrella of the state political party?
So far as I can tell, nothing of the sort exists. That is partly why the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC, for short) and its role in disseminating Koch Brothers- funded programs through Republican majority states and local government is so deeply troubling. The ALEC "platforms" are not vetted through any democratic process. These are specific legislative initiatives from ideologically driven industries that spring wholly formed into the hands of GOP state and county majorities.
At any rate, the Jim Greer deposition is better reading than anything on the NY Times best seller list. More on that, later.
These questions keep coming to mind reviewing the deposition transcript of Jim Greer, who was chairman of the Republican Party of Florida during the Crist term. It is clear from the transcript that Charlie Crist was the decision maker of the RPoF, but it is not clear that the state party was anything more than a romper room for certain wealthy and egotistical maniacs.
I can't say what the Republican Party was under Jeb Bush, except to venture that Jeb! was a micromanager with a team of advisors and consigliere -- like Marco Rubio -- whose loyalty was measured by how close they could keep to a script. (Jeb! was the anti-Crist.)
Then there is Rick Scott. The Miami Herald this morning notes Scott's abysmal poll numbers in Florida. One top Republican legislator sniffs along the line that anyone who can spend $73 million of his own fortune gaining the governor's mansion really doesn't need the state party for anything.
So what purpose does the state party serve? The same question should be asked of the Democrats, but there is nothing like the view provided by the Jim Greer Affair.
Barack Obama bypassed the Florida state party in organizing his 2008 Florida win, and the state party has had no impact in state-wide elections beyond being a virtual billboard for big issues (ie. redistricting).
I can't say I know what state parties do. They hold endless rounds of fundraisers, visit with individual donors who can make their time worthwhile, but with the splintering of campaign investment vehicles into a thousand pieces, who needs the state party?
On the other hand, there are troubling questions served by the vacuous nature of state political parties. For example, is there such a thing as state platforms for political issues that candidates and elected officials should use and abide by, organized under the umbrella of the state political party?
So far as I can tell, nothing of the sort exists. That is partly why the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC, for short) and its role in disseminating Koch Brothers- funded programs through Republican majority states and local government is so deeply troubling. The ALEC "platforms" are not vetted through any democratic process. These are specific legislative initiatives from ideologically driven industries that spring wholly formed into the hands of GOP state and county majorities.
At any rate, the Jim Greer deposition is better reading than anything on the NY Times best seller list. More on that, later.
4 comments:
You forgot...the state GOP exists to pay David Rivera's personal expenses.
If the state democrats had any money, they would waste it too.
It’s nothing new that State political parties don’t carry the weight they used to. Most people who work on campaigns don’t depend on them for anything of merit and actually pay them no attention.
I cannot point to one thing they do to put the right candidates in office. They don’t get involved in campaigns except for the big ones and, few local candidates depend on them to help especially with fundraising and putting boots on the ground. For most local offices, they are useless.
Whoever gets elected Governor puts one of their friends in the Executive Director position, a person that the rank and file have never heard of and many times resent, if they care at all.
Such as Greer. When Crist took office and put him in charge, nobody knew who he was…NOBODY... and look what they got. Both parties have had their problems with those holier than thou directors who take over as if they know what they are doing. They come in not knowing the movers and shakers or the real people who make things happen and before you know it, they start insulting top fundraisers and grass root workers who really know the voters and who work in the trenches.
Local executive committees used to work for local candidates, but that depends on who the Executive Director is. Have you ever seen any of them in your area during campaign time?
And the new breed of local consultants? Why would I want a consultant working for me if I were running for office? They don’t care who they work for; one year it’s Republican and the next cycle it’s the Democrats. How can we trust them? Where is their loyalty? I have never seen this happen in other state, but this is Miami-Dade County so who knows? They have a very “unique” way of doing things political down here.
Crist had greer appointed because he wanted greer in the sack. greer has testified to that.
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