As I have noted, Andrew Bales is one of my opponents in the May 5 GOP primary for United States House of Representatives in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District (INCD5). Mr Bales has called me an “imposter” as a GOP candidate.
The word “impostor” is defined, in this context, as “One who assumes a false character, or passes himself off as some one other than he really is.” Oxford English Dictionary, 1971 ed. Mr Bales tweeted last evening: ..when your platform is farther left than all 4 of the Democratic Candidates running in your District, you might be a GOP imposter...”
Mr Bales appears to be ignorant of several things: the meaning (and spelling) of “impostor,” the history of the GOP, and my posts about the Indiana GOP. I shall reiterate several points, for his edification.
First, the Indiana Republican Party (“Party”) is a nonprofit corporation organized under the laws of the State of Indiana. There is no ideological litmus test for a corporation to exist, but it must file articles of incorporation when it is chartered. Here, the Party’s articles include its purposes and powers: “To further the rights of Indiana Republicans to freely associate to achieve the goals of ... the Indiana Republican Party...” (Art. 3.)
The 2020 Republican State Convention will meet this summer. Until then the platform is subject to the free market of ideas.
Second ,the Party Rules define what it means to be a Republican. A “Bona Fide Candidate” is a “Qualified Primary Republican who has opened a campaign committee for a particular office, or has File a declaration of candidacy for an elected office or party office.” (Rule 1-12.) I have filed my declaration.
“A ‘Qualified Primary Republican’ is a voter who cast a Republican Party ballot at the most recent primary election in Indiana which the voter voted, and who is a Republican in Good-Standing.” (Rule 1-24.) I cast a GOP ballot in last May’s municipal primary, the most recent.
A “‘Republican in Good-Standing’ shall be defined as a Republican who supports Republican nominees and who does not actively or openly support another candidate against a Republican nominee.” (Rule 1-25.)
There are no Republican “nominees” to date. I have not “actively or openly” supported any candidates in this election cycle. The Party could have defined a “Republican” as someone, such as Mr Bales, with the most reactionary of views. It did not.
Third, Mr Bales apparently misunderstands, or simply is ignorant of, the GOP’s history. He should read my posts of 12/23 and 30/19 and 01/8, 13, 14, 15, 17 and 20/20 on civildiscoursenow. The GOP, historically, has been a progressive party.
Fourth, the “tea party” movement, in 2009, organized and, in 2010, used the political primary - and transformed a noun into a verb - to challenge candidates in the GOP who, in “its” views, were not sufficiently right wing. They wrenched some control over the GOP.
The move was pretty savvy. too. They could have formed a new or “third” party, but, under Indiana law, the two “major political parties” enjoy significant advantages. See I.C. §§ 3-8-6-2, 3-8-6-6, 3-8-6-8.
When viewed as the hostile takeover of a corporation, devoid of ideological restrictions - Machiavelli would have loved it - control of the corporate entity was taken by the far right. The takeover did not change the raison d’etre of the GOP.
Fifth, Mr Bales has chosen to ignore my recent blogs, some addressed to him specifically, about the progressive - dare I say “socialist”? - roots of the GOP. At one time the two “major” political parties had conservative and liberal wings.
Sixth, my roots in what I view as true conservatism are far deeper than Mr Bales’s. I donated twenty-five percent (25%) of my income, at one time, to the GOP ticket for Pres/VP. I hassled classmates about the Republican Party. More recently, I spoke at the first tea party rally in 2009 at the Indiana Statehouse.
To be clear, my donation was 25 cents - 1/4 of my weekly allowance of one dollar - and I was nine years old. I should be given some slack for being young and impulsive as I advocated Senator Goldwater’s candidacy.
In 2009 I did not know the group that resulted from that rally would evolve - wait; maybe “grow”? I don’t want to employ mere “theory in this context - into the “tea party.” That term had not yet gained traction, but another term had.
On February 27, 2009, at “the first anti-stimulus New American Tea Party” rally in D.C., a protestor’s sign read: "Tea Bag the Liberal Dems before they Tea Bag You!!" The Washington Independent's David Weigel called it "the best sign I saw." The Week, 05/05/10.
On March 2, 2009, Americans for Prosperity, a Koch brothers group, advocated sending tea bags to elected officials “to protest the economic stimulus package”. Several other lobby groups follow suit. Id.
On April 1, 2009, “several Tea Party protest sites” encouraged “readers to ‘Tea bag the fools in DC.’ “Jay Nordlinger at National Review Online later” admitted Conservatives started “tea bag” but “others ran and ran with it." Id.
I was shocked, later, to realize what it means to “tea bag” someone. That was about the time that I Googled the term “Santorum.” I know sexual repression can lead to weirdness, but this was bizarre.
Finally, I have not tried to sneak anything past anyone. From the get-go I have said I am pro-choice. A Nixon nominee to the Court, Justice Blackmun, wrote the opinion in Roe v. Wade.
I am pro-environment. As previously noted, President Nixon, a Republican, was proud of EPA, created during his administration. President Theodore Roosevelt started the National Park Service. He, too, was GOP.
Isolationism was advocated by Senator Taft, a GOP Senator from Ohio. Our undeclared “wars” only have made us less safe, cost us hundreds of billions of dollars, and ended with the deaths of many - our military, civilians where we have gone, and brought injured veterans home.
Our veterans have suicide rates far higher than the general population. Many are homeless. We should increase care for them. I also believe, aside from a surprise attack by another country, we should declare war before we commit our military any place.
I am Mark Small, a candidate for U.S. House in Indiana’s 5th Congressional District. I am proud to be a progressive and carry on that tradition of the Grand Old Party. I approve of this blog. Hell, I wrote it.