The Party Left Me Behind

I first became active in Virginia politics in the early part of 2005.  At the time, I was halfway through high school and was very impressionable.  I grew up in a conservative part of Virginia, Mechanicsville in Hanover, and was sure there could never be a better politician than Bill Bolling.  Bolling at the time was heading into his first primary for Lieutenant Governor against Sean Connaughton.  Looking back, I know I made the right decision in supporting Bolling.  However, I am not sure I joined with the correct political party.

I can assure you that I am not a Democrat, rather far from that in fact.  I joined the GOP and lent much of my time and money to help ensure that Republicans were elected.  I always did it fighting for the cause of limited government–my most important issue.  Looking back, I cannot help but regret many of these Republican candidates I have supported.  Whether it was Eric Cantor, Bob McDonnell, Jim Gilmore or one of the many others, I wonder why I believed that they would ever accomplish anything they promised to do.

I read the platform that was passed at the 2008 RNC Convention and was quite shocked to see the new positions that the party is taking, rather, the positions John McCain is saying the party will take. I watch in disgust as the most liberal ticket in the history of the GOP is seeking high office against the most liberal Democratic ticket in history .  I wonder why anyone who claims to be Republican based on principle is supporting McCain?  The common answer is Palin.  I laugh inside when I hear this answer.

Governor Sarah Palin is a fine person.  But, as many Republicans often forget, she is running for Vice President NOT President.  I hear people say she will make John McCain take better positions.  I say, show me evidence.  McCain (Maverick) has never listened to anyone in his career.  He is proud of that.  Does anyone who honestly understands this man, this party, and history think that John McCain is going to seek the advice of Sarah Palin?  Give me a break.

I continued to be involved with RPV from high school and on into college.  I even lost a car in the process (I totaled my car in an accident while delivering yard signs).  What did I seek in return?  A politician who would deliver limited government at last!  Surprisingly, none of the people I have ever helped have delivered on their promise of that.

After much thought and consideration, realizing that I would never see the day when the Republican party as it currently stands (and has for the last 40 years) truly deliver on the promise of limited government, I have decide that I would look elsewhere for candidates.  When I made this decision I got a lot of heckling from those inside the GOP.  Even more interesting was the fact that I was called a purist!  How could I be a purist if I support a platform that the party has adopted and the candidates have sworn to uphold?  Isn’t that called following the rules?  Shouldn’t those in violation of those rules be punished?  From all of my experiences with the GOP, those who follow the platform (rules) are the ones who are punished.  Just ask me and I could give you a dozen examples.

I left this party sick, sick of the backroom politics and underhanded lying.  People like Bob McDonnell who say one thing but do another, the people who run the local parties, the people involved in state party leadership, the people who tell everyone else how things run.  I am sick of it.  I am sick of being involved in a party that prides itself on running horrible candidates who defy what they claim to believe in.

Ron Paul was right; there is something wrong with the Republican Party.  I was so involved in the party hierarchy that when Dr. Paul first came about, I like my fellow counterparts rejected his ideas as falsehoods.  But, I am proud to say, I was smart enough to realize my mistake.  After taking a second look at not only what Dr. Paul says, but also what he has done and continues to do, I realize that he is what is needed.   He is also 100% correct on his analysis of the current state of the GOP.

Not only has the GOP abandoned any of its limited government positions, it will vilify you if you actually get into an office where you can make those positions a reality.  Looking at candidates in Virginia like Bob Marshall or Ken Cuccinelli one can see for himself.  Marshall was vilified by party insiders for being the wrong candidate.  Was it wrong that Marshall actually stood and ran on the platform?

It is funny to watch the McDonnell office scramble to block Cuccinelli as he prepares to run for Attorney General.  McDonnell did everything in his power to stop the convention from happening in hopes of having a primary.  Not only was McDonnell scared for his own chances at securing the nomination (which I don’t understand if he is who he says he is), he did not want to have to share the ticket with Cuccinelli.  Cuccinelli is just too far out many claim.  Funny, he believes in the exact same platform (not a different one) that you all claim to have sworn allegiance to.  The difference, he stands on it.  I wonder why even bother to be a member of this party if you don’t believe in it.

I have seen so many inside party dealings that I can no longer take it.  I have seen who is corrupt, who isn’t, who will squirm on any issue when pressure is put on them, etc.  My days with RPV are over, and I am only 20 years old.

I have watched people vilify this very blog, claiming that it is the project of some candidate seeking to smear others.  The mission of this site is to get Virginia Republicans to think before they blindly support candidates.  Blind support hands the reigns of the party to someone who will never give them back – a serious mistake.

I had considered for a time to shut down this blog.  I had gotten so sick of everything that I didn’t want to write here anymore.  I am happy that I decided against that.  I want people to come together and finally take control of this party and force our politicians to stand on our platform and deliver to us the principles of limited government.  This blog will be a tool to expose those who seek to destroy the party.  I will not align myself with the party again until I know that it has changed.  I will take part in making that change a reality.

Join with me to help make this a reality.  Send me an email to let me know of any ideas that you might have or to tell me something that you want to see posted on this site.  I can be contacted at redvablog@gmail.com.

I am in this fight until the end.  That end is achieving a limited government that operates within the laws set forth by our Constitution.  People should not be scared of their government; government should be scared of their people.  We all know that there is something wrong the GOP and now is the time to fix it.

-Adam Bitely a.k.a RedVirginia (RVA)