LV Congressman Charlie Dent, Pennsylvania AG Tom Corbett and State Rep. Karen Beyer were all snubbed at Friday night's Lehigh Valley Conservative Voice's candidates' night, appropriately conducted on April Fool's Day. I was told this was a night for outsiders, but gubernatorial candidate Sam Rohrer (R), an 18-year veteran of the state house, was the headline speaker. So there goes that theory.In reality, it was a night to shun the more moderate, i.e. reasonable, members of the Republican Party.
Unelected Tea Party leader Joe Hilliard was very importantly getting up every three seconds to adjust his debtclock power point, which was completely unreadable but looked very impressive. And the Queen of the LV Tea Party, Kim Schmidtner, was allowed to give a speech excoriating Republicans who are willing to work with Democrats as a "cancer."
Rank and file Republicans pretty much ignored this event, as they should. Attendance was only around 70-80, less than half the number that came to the last open event.
No time for questions.
I'll tell you about the speakers tomorrow.
Ironically, the person who impressed me most isn't running for anything. Retired LC Controller Peter Shaffer spoke quietly, yet very effectively, about the importance of educating voters. He explained this PAC was initially set up to fund conservative candidates, but after seeing only $1.47 in the till a few months ago, they decided to focus on education.
"That's how we roll at Conservative Voice."
Peter, when you snub some candidates while promoting others, you fail to educate voters.
Since Tom Corbett is the PA GOP endorsed candidate that's why Sam Roher would be the "outsider". And I think the word "Conservative" in the group's title would be a slight hint as to why they would not be interested in those moderate candidates.
ReplyDeleteNothing too surprising here, will be looking forward to what your other impressions of the night were.
And yeah, I've seen Joe diddle with that debt clock projection before at another function. He really should get that fixed.
Bernie,
ReplyDeleteStart your own political action committee and then you can invite whoever you want. Spare us the “inclusion” talk, what a laugher that is now coming from anyone on the Left.
American’s have the right to form associations and invite whom they please as speakers, we have the right to criticize our government, our elected officials, and as you demonstrate, others taking advantage of these rights.
Conservatives understand that the Left routinely uses smears and slanders against their political opponents. So confident in their (liberals/progressives) own goodness they feel the ends justify the means. It is all about the power, getting it and keeping it. The good news is that this methodology is now becoming apparent to the average American.
Scott Armstrong
Dent is not a conservative. Why does he keep showing up at these events?
ReplyDeleteDent was not at the event.
ReplyDeleteWayne, If this event was for outsiders, why wasn't Peg Luksik invited? If it was for "conservatives", then what the hell was Towne doing there? He is not even an official candidate and his views on foreign policy and the role of our military are certainly not conservative.
ReplyDeleteScott,
ReplyDeleteAlthough you, John Hinkle and Mr. Shaffer could not be nicer, this was a mistake. Instead of bringing people together, this drives them apart.
I appeal to your sense of fair play. In a meeting for conservatives, why not invite all those who hold themselves out as conservatives, and listen to them?
In the case of Dent, what happened was wrong. He was triple-teamed, and was denied the opportunity to rebut many of the things being said.
Is 1 of 12 people coming here from Mexico really of Middle Eastern descent, as Mat Benol claimed? Dent, who sits on the Homeland Security Committee, might be able to answer that?
Should we just pull the plug on Afghanistan and leave, as Towne suggests? Dent, who has been there a few times, might have a few words on that point.
And should we all sit idly by as Kim Schmidtner villifies Dent, as she did Friday night?
Tea baggers won't even recognize the man in the picture. Who's that? he looks smart...must be a liberal commie...
ReplyDeleteBernie,
ReplyDeleteI know this is going to break your heart but again, we didn't put this event together to please you or the Republican establishment. We didn't invite Luksik because we do think Toomey is the best thing since sliced bread. Again it was our event and we did as we pleased. We are shameless in that regard.
Scott Armstrong