I imagine some of you caught Bill Lueders’ article about the retirement of State Senator Dale Schultz (R – Richland Center) that was published yesterday at Urban Milwaukee titled ‘Say Goodbye to the Party of Lincoln’. Part of the article relates the story about the resolution passed at the Wisconsin Republican Party’s 6th Congressional District meeting. The resolution: ” affirmed Wisconsin’s right to secede from the union.”
As Schultz relates, one attendee objected: “Wait a minute, we’re the party of Abraham Lincoln” — who, as a matter of historical fact, was not a big fan of secession. Someone else then rose to criticize Lincoln.
Schultz, 60, a Republican who is stepping down after 32 years in the Legislature, most as a state senator, is dumbfounded: “Who’d have ever thought you’d be at a Republican function and have to defend Abraham Lincoln?”
Yes, who’d of ever thought indeed. But wait, Mr. Lueders’ article was reprinted this morning under an opposing opinion by professional GOP apologist, Christian Schneider. So, here’s the late breaking skinny on what really happened…it was late…nearly everyone had gone home…so the resolution passed with only 25 delegates still in attendance out of the original 822. But even then, it wasn’t Republicans who voted for the resolution, it was LIBERTARIANS! Just think, LIBERTARIANS are now hijacking the GOP following in the foot prints of the Tea Party!
Wisconsin’s 6th Congressional District GOP passed a resolution asserting the state’s right to secede from the U.S. government. As caucus chairman Dan Feyen later pointed out, the resolution was the last one passed after three hours of debate on other resolutions and after most of the tired delegates had gone home. The 6th District GOP has 822 delegates, yet because of the thinned crowd, the resolution passed with only 25 delegates in support.
The truth is, the secession enthusiasts typically aren’t even Republicans. Generally, they are Libertarians whose influence on the party’s operations exposes a Faustian bargain the GOP has struck with its cousins further to the right.
. Libertarians can hold Republicans hostage by threatening to run third-party candidates, shaving a few points off the GOP advantage in any given race. Thus, the GOP is best off welcoming them in the fold.
But, as is the case when you make your party’s tent bigger, you’re bound to end up with more bearded ladies, lizard people and secessionists. Libertarianism has its benefits, and most Republicans subscribe to its insistence on smaller government and free markets. However, Libertarians aren’t motivated by the prospect of GOP electoral success.
So there you have it…the GOP is awash with Libertarian fever and would never never have thought about throwing Abraham Lincoln under the bus and suggest that Wisconsin has a right to secede from the union. It’s those pesky LIBERTARIANs. Maybe the Republican Party of Wisconsin should institute Voter ID at their gatherings instead of foisting it on the general electorate.
(note: I will duly click the sarcasm and snark buttons on this one!)
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