'Turn out the lights' "The Party's over" for departing chairman

[sailingaway]

Well dang, that's one less county chairman....


The chairman of the Republican Party in a neighboring county officially stepped down yesterday. Before he did, Ashton Oravetz outlined his reasoning as follows:

“I am resigning as Chairman of the Smith County Republican Party as of Friday January 18, 2013. I have come to the conclusion that the National Republican Party cannot be reformed from within and that also applies to the State Republican Party. The establishment that controls both are not for the Constitution and limited government. They are for big government and crony capitalism. They will do everything in their power to prevent constitutional conservatives from having input in the party. They are willing to lose elections rather than cede power. The Republican Party no longer stands for anything, it is a hollow core. It is merely one of two platforms to run on to get elected to office. Elected officials are not held accountable by the party for following the National or State Party Platforms. The political system is broken beyond repair. I can no longer in good conscience tell individuals to give any more money to the National or State Republican Parties or to vote straight Republican. They should only give directly to, or provide other support to Constitutional Conservative candidates. Voters should only vote for Constitutional Conservatives. Even if a RINO (Republican In name Only) is uncontested, the lower vote total vs. other candidates will show their vulnerability in the next election. This may influence how they vote.

“The real power in conservative politics today is in the Freedom Movement. This consists of the Grassroots, Tea Party, Ron Paul people, Constitutionalists and others. They are the hope of saving our country by electing Constitutionalists who care more about what is right for the US rather than their political or personal careers. We need politicians with the character and conviction of those who signed the Declaration of Independence. They put their sacred honor, fortunes and lives on the line for Liberty.

“I do not plan to retire from politics, but become even more involved through Grassroots America - We the People, and working with other groups throughout Texas and the United States. I will tirelessly work to elect constitutional conservatives in Republican primaries to unseat RINO’s at the local, state and national levels. In the general election I will support constitutional conservatives no matter which party they run on.

“The time is short. Our culture and political system have failed. The anger and animosity in the country is raising to the surface. What people must realize is that it will never be like it was in 2007. We are either going back to the Constitution, limited government and our nation’s founding principles, or at best becoming Greece, Spain or Italy, but most probably becoming like Venezuela or Argentina.”

Read more: The Gilmer Mirror - Turn out the lights The Party s over for departing chairman


http://www.gilmermirror.com/view/full_story/21438243/article--Turn-out-the-lights-The-Party-s-over--for-departing-chairman?instance=home_news_bullets

[truthspeaker]

:(

I thought you were at first talking about R. Priebus. That man needs to resign. For the sake of the party. No, for the sake of freedom.

[truthspeaker]

oops. double post.

[sailingaway]

I wish. That's what I thought too, that it was about him, maybe about the Willis challenge...

[ClydeCoulter]

I admire his position, and his resigning for the purposes stated. I have asked such questions on this forum, how can we be hold a party office but maintain integrity.

[eleganz]

Was he one of ours? He sounds like one of ours...

Its a hell of a fight but we gotta do it. He makes a damn good point of the party having to hold elected officials accountable to the party's platform, it is indeed a hollow core.


I really feel him, especially after what happened after our executive committee meeting this past weekend. The establishment....sigh...


Was our semi-success at the Texas State Convention not enough for Ashton?

[eleganz]

Here is a video of him actually speaking about it in an interview

http://www.ketknbc.com/news/smith-county-republican-chairman-resigns

[Constitutional Paulicy]

This sucks. :(

Apart of me want to say HOLD!!! While another part of me sympathizes with his dismay.

[phill4paul]

I'm not judging. From my own perspective I believe if you are in then you need to keep pushing. It is one thing to be ousted. Another to just give up. I dunno. Like I say, not judging. I've not walked in his shoes.

[devil21]

Stepping down only makes it easier for the broken system to become even more broken. How much can you change when you give up the positions of influence that we do have currently?

Even if the influence is small, you're still a thorn in the side of the establishment. Heck, Ron Paul was but a "thorn" for many years....until he wasn't just a thorn but an icon of a movement. I don't understand stepping down voluntarily. It's too hard to win positions like that to just give them up.

[eleganz]

Stepping down only makes it easier for the broken system to become even more broken. How much can you change when you give up the positions of influence that we do have currently?

Even if the influence is small, you're still a thorn in the side of the establishment. Heck, Ron Paul was but a "thorn" for many years....until he wasn't just a thorn but an icon of a movement. I don't understand stepping down voluntarily. It's too hard to win positions like that to just give them up.

We don't know his circumstances, we give our chairman a hard time and we have a majority of the executive board and a very strong coordinated executive committee. After so many years, he probably feels like he is dragging his feet and there are more effective ways of winning the future.

He probably should've joined a Ron Paul meet up group!

[LibertyEagle]

Stepping down only makes it easier for the broken system to become even more broken. How much can you change when you give up the positions of influence that we do have currently?

Even if the influence is small, you're still a thorn in the side of the establishment. Heck, Ron Paul was but a "thorn" for many years....until he wasn't just a thorn but an icon of a movement. I don't understand stepping down voluntarily. It's too hard to win positions like that to just give them up.

Yeah, I don't get it either. Dang. Don't give up ground!!

[J_White]

i thought this was going to be about that Charlie guy from Maine.

[Keith and stuff]

It is sad that the Democrats elected the TX Speaker of the House again, but at least the guy has a R next to his name. If Rep. David Simpson is elected to another term in TX, he can run for the TX Speaker of the House position again. Who knows, maybe he will win next time?

If anyone is confused by my statement, see a more complete version of the story.

http://www.cbs19.tv/story/20582266/smith-county-gop-chair-oravetz-to-resign-saying-party-beyond-repair

Oravetz said he expects an exodus by other GOP county chairmen.

"I am not retiring," he said. "Instead I will double-down and work to elect conservatives with principle who want to save this country."

Oravetz said the final straw was the re-election of both U.S. House Speaker John Boehner and Texas House Speaker Joe Straus. He said the Republican Party is "at war." He said the party's base, the party workers and ardent conservatives, are incensed with the GOP establishment which is driven by money, power and crony capitalists.

"The party doesn't stand for anything anymore. It has a good platform but the establishment doesn't stand for its principles," he said. "The long-term goal will be to replace the Republican Party."

[Bastiat's The Law]

So when the going gets tough we give up? That's the take away I got from that article. Where's the positive in that? We're going to have to confront the people steering the GOP, and ultimately the country, into the ditch sooner or later. It's better we start chipping away at that sooner than later. We need to show our mettle and hold the line until reinforcements arrive, damn it!

[TheTyke]

Giving up a position of influence is not a good strategy.

We had a constitutionalist county chairman in KY, who stepped down and later ran for Congress as a Libertarian. Not only did he marginalize himself and get heard by a fraction (2%) of those who would've heard his message if he ran in the primary, but he also was not able to help our chairs/vicechairs when voting for state leadership. He is a great guy, and I sympathize with his frustration, but it was what the establishment wanted, and objectively a lose/lose decision.

[FSP-Rebel]

wonderful:rolleyes:

[angelatc]

I'm not judging. From my own perspective I believe if you are in then you need to keep pushing. It is one thing to be ousted. Another to just give up. I dunno. Like I say, not judging. I've not walked in his shoes.

Yep. I couldn't do it. But stepping down is a betrayal of everyone who fought to get him elected - he made fools of all of them. As long as the GOP knows that all they have to do is be mean to us to make us go away, they will be mean to us.

@Bastiat - "When the going gets tough, the Ron Paul people quit." Ron Paul's legacy ending with a whimper.

[belian78]

Don't burn the guy at the stake just yet, he did serve his area for 30 years. I dunno, yeah he probably should have kept fighting, but he just sent a message to the people in his local area. The Republican Party is sick, it needs us to fix it. I know if a man I worked with and respected for over 30 years gave me a message like that, It would really make me stop and think. So maybe this will have positive effects overall.

[Rocco]

This. The guy was NOT the only person involved in becoming county chair, and he just screwed every liberty person who helped get him elected. If you don't believe in the GOP, fine, but at least have the decency to serve out your term.


Yep. I couldn't do it. But stepping down is a betrayal of everyone who fought to get him elected - he made fools of all of them. As long as the GOP knows that all they have to do is be mean to us to make us go away, they will be mean to us.

@Bastiat - "When the going gets tough, the Ron Paul people quit." Ron Paul's legacy ending with a whimper.

[sailingaway]

I'm not judging him, I just wish he could have held out until he could have turned it over to someone else freedom/Constitution oriented.

[Keith and stuff]

I'm not judging him, I just wish he could have held out until he could have turned it over to someone else freedom/Constitution oriented.

Maybe he expected too much. The liberty movement have very little power in DC. The liberty movement has 1% of the US Senate (4% at most). It has about the same level of power in the US House. Even them, all of the liberty folks aren't going to be united on specific votes. We have seen this over and over again. We saw it in the race for chair of the MEGOP. We saw it in the race for US Speaker. We are seeing it in the race for the chair of the NHGOP. Maybe his county chair thought things would change much quicker than he thought. Heck, there is a chance that things might never change in TX. He got frustrated and tried a different path. Now he is going to push conservative issues from outside the GOP structure. Good for him. I wish him well.

[jbauer]

Don't burn the guy at the stake just yet, he did serve his area for 30 years. I dunno, yeah he probably should have kept fighting, but he just sent a message to the people in his local area. The Republican Party is sick, it needs us to fix it. I know if a man I worked with and respected for over 30 years gave me a message like that, It would really make me stop and think. So maybe this will have positive effects overall.

No kidding. Its not like the guy just got the position yesterday. He's been at it 30 years. What if he figures he can do more differently. Aren't we supposed to be "liberitarians"?? Shouldn't this guy do what he thinks is best for him and what he believes in?

[Carehn]

Dang :(

[Carehn]

I really wanted this party Idea to work, I really did. But I think he is right. And it sucks

[Brian4Liberty]

Well, he's been there a long time. He sounds like he burned out, and wants to expose the truth as he leaves.

[Brian4Liberty]

And in his position, he was responsible for raising money for the GOP. He couldn't do that anymore.

His suggestion stands:


I can no longer in good conscience tell individuals to give any more money to the National or State Republican Parties or to vote straight Republican. They should only give directly to, or provide other support to Constitutional Conservative candidates. Voters should only vote for Constitutional Conservatives. Even if a RINO (Republican In name Only) is uncontested, the lower vote total vs. other candidates will show their vulnerability in the next election. This may influence how they vote.