GOP Debating Purity Tests for Repug Candidates

[Emit]

I applaud all efforts of the Tea Party folks to divide the GOP. :D

The Republican National Committee, pressed to find a way to more clearly distinguish itself from Democrats, on Friday adopted a rule that will prod GOP leaders to provide financial support to only those candidates who support the party's platform.

The resolution, enacted by voice vote with no opposition at the party's winter meeting here, is an alternative to a more stringent proposal that would have required GOP candidates to support 10 policy positions if they wanted party help.

~snip~

The platform is adopted every four years at the party's presidential nomination convention.

The new rule will not prevent support for moderate Republican candidates but will bar funding for those judged to be too far to the left, Crocker said.

"No more Scozzafavas, please. No more Specters, please. No more Chafees, please," Crocker said, referring to Dede Scozzafava, a GOP candidate for a U.S. House seat in New York whom conservatives opposed; U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, who switched his party registration from Republican to Democrat last year, and former U.S. Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, a liberal Republican.

Crocker urged the party to "present candidates who will be attractive" to the people who, like those in the Tea Party movement, "are really dissatisfied with our political conduct over the past several years."

Bopp withdrew his proposal and supported the alternative, contending it will be more effective because party leaders will have to consider a broader range of issues than just those cited in his resolution.

His proposal would have barred financial help for GOP candidates who disagreed with three or more of 10 policy positions, including support for "market-based" health care reform and climate change policies, and opposition to gun control, government abortion funding and amnesty for illegal immigrants.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/29/gop-adopts-platform-test-_n_442776.html

Edited to add, Dick Armey was there:

~snip~

Armey said Republicans need to stick to their conservative fiscal principles or risk a revolt from tea party activists.

"We don't particularly care to hang around with people who are making insincere promises to fulfill their political objectives," Army told CBN News during the Republican National Committee meetings in Hawaii.

"If they don't understand the idea is bigger than the man, the idea is bigger than the party, the idea is bigger than the moment, then we're not particularly willing to be with them and give them the sense of our endorsement," the Tea Party leader warned.

Some conservatives say the tea party activists could form a third political party.

~snip~

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/politics/2010/February/Armey-to-GOP-Stick-to-Fiscal-Principals-or-Else/

[louis-t]

1. The teabaggers will help destroy GOP.

They act more like nazis every day.

[MUAD_DIB]

2. It could actually turn out worse...

IF there was an adequate populist that would speak for the teabaggers they might kill off what is left of the present GOP and make it into a far darker and evil mechanism than it already is.

Social movements, great or foolish, can always be counted on to attract the bottom feeders that wish to attach themselves to it: while they try to grab some power.