Hear David Boze every weekday at 6am on 770 KTTH
 David Boze
Get David's Books
The Little Red Book of Obamunism: Quotations from The One
It's the must-have election resource of 2012! It's a pocket-sized collection that reveals not just what the president says, but what he means!
Buy it now on Amazon.com
Look inside: Read a sample

Kumar Joe, The Singing Crow
Kumar Joe, the Singing Crow is the tale of a little crow who was born with a heart for music, but not a voice for it.
Buy it now on Amazon.com
Look inside: Read a sample



King County GOP wrong to oust Paul supporters

April 26, 2012 @ 1:57 pm (Updated: 5:07 pm - 4/26/12 )

I've spent a lot of time talking with conservatives angry with other conservatives this year--a LOT of time. It's fallout from a competitive primary season and dissatisfaction in some ranks with Romney as nominee. But it is not unique to Romney. I've seen it happen plenty before.

However, I thought what I read about the King County 37th Legislative District Caucus was unusual. According to the Seattle Times, Ron Paul supporters were booted from the caucus for winning it. A vote was held as to who should chair the meeting. King County GOP leadership suggested one candidate (former Councilman David Irons) and Ron Paul supporters nominated another (Tamara Smilanich). Ron Paul's supporters won.

At that point, what should have happened is Smilanich should have been given the gavel to run the meeting. Instead, King County GOP Chairman booted the Paul-dominated caucus outside. She declared, "I am going to have to step away from responsibility and have to ask you to take your caucus elsewhere."

That was wrong. The vote was held, Irons lost. Everyone at the caucus had the right to nominate their own candidates to run the meeting. Any chairman still has to follow parliamentary rules. It's true that chairs can affect outcome, but if your candidate loses that doesn't mean you can just eject those who are not on your side. It was an unfortunate mistake.

In the report, Sotelo laments, "There is no other campaign that feels the need to poke the party in the eye like the Ron Paul campaign." This is probably true. In my experience, many Paul supporters are so enthralled with their own passion, they don't pause to think about how they will NEED to persuade other people to help them, should any of their candidates win a primary. Of course, when something like the caucus ejection happens it can create a vicious cycle of animosity.

No doubt Ron Paul supporters will be holding this as proof of party evils against them, but a more constructive thing to do might be to use this as a time of reflection. Is Sotelo right? Are you hitting the party regulars "with the firehose" as she clearly feels? If so, maybe you should think about how you could find ways to disagree while still leaving room enough for relationships that would allow you to work together on the things you do agree with.

Jobs like Sotelo's are often fairly thankless. Folks in the Party volunteer a lot of time and do a lot of work when other people are not involved. It's a good something to keep in mind.

Also, while I doubt there is a legal requirement to give folks their $10 back (they still used the school grounds), it seems reasonable to return the money if it was supposed to pay for the building rental.

More David Boze

MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments (20)


  • Add A Comment

  • roomtemp wrote...
    "No doubt Ron Paul supporters will be holding this as proof of party evils against them_"
    April 26, 2012 2:12 pm
    Yes, we'll get right on that. Filed Under: Exhibit #479,671 [Subheadings: electoral fraud - party; republican.] I'll put it next to all the others.

    "_a more constructive thing to do might be to use this as a time of reflection."

    Sure, I'll reflect on rigged elections, corrupt parties, and banker selected presidents. Doesn't sound like it ends well. Now what?

    "Are you hitting the party regulars "with the firehose""

    How dare they have a sense of civic duty and speak their minds! How dare they! Didn't they hear the media say he's unelectable?

    "_while still leaving room enough for relationships that would allow you to work together_"

    FFS Boze, what's the point if they just kick you out? What kind of a relationship were the party men interested in? What does it takes to wake you up?

    "_on the things you do agree with."

    What things?(!) Name one. The fact is that the only things we'd agree on are things that republicans pay lip service to but never do. Nope, no rah rah for the GOP pandering lies. Not buying it any more.

    Don't count on hugs and kisses from the Paul camp after the way we've been treated.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Gundy wrote...
    @ roomtemp
    April 28, 2012 1:33 pm

    Gotta side with you on this one, roomtemp. The snit thrown by the District 37 honchos is inexcusable. Why even bother to elect a caucus chair in the first place if only one option is deemed "acceptable" by the powers that be? If the delegates are only allowed to "elect" an approved set of leaders, then the election itself is a complete farce, not an "unfortunate mistake."

    This debacle stings particularly badly because of what GOP-supporting conservatives like myself have been telling Paul-ites like you for the longest time now: "The only way to effect change without pitting conservatives against each other and conceding elections to the socialists is to work within the established party framework." One of the main reasons I respect Ron Paul is because he's been willing to do just that - to concentrate on changing the GOP from within rather than running off on his own in some hopeless and counterproductive spasm of antiestablishment cynicism. But this kind of petty elitism among GOP officials renders that approach very unattractive, to say the least.

    By no means am I suggesting that Paul supporters deserve a disproportionately loud voice, or any other form of special treatment. I myself spent eight hours last Saturday on the floor of my district caucus working hard to make sure we didn't send even a single Paul delegate to the state convention. But for God's sake - if Paul supporters happen to constitute a majority of delegates at a district caucus, hand over the podium! They've earned it.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    What was Sotelo doing at the 37th caucus in the first place ?
    April 26, 2012 2:22 pm
    We had our 33rd Dist. caucus this past saturday and needed no outside help from the county organization. ............................ Be that as is may, does Sotelo think she is a liberal. 'democratically' deciding who is and who is not a republican ?? Granted, she was probably pissed that Irons was denied the honor of chairing the meeting, but fair is fair. ..................... Reminds me of the state 'Convention on the Lawn' in 1968 when Gov. Evans and all refused to seat the King County delegation. But WE were the conservative radicals back then.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Careful, Repubs, don't shoot yourselves in *both* feet;
    April 26, 2012 2:35 pm
    Alienating the Ron Paul supporters isn't a good political strategy.

    Alienate them enough, and they will muster some sort of third-party write in campaign.

    Introduce a third candidate from the right wing, and you can pretty well start printing the 2013 Inauguration commemorative tee shirts with Obama's picture on the front.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    "if your candidate loses that doesn't mean you can eject"
    April 26, 2012 2:54 pm
    "Those that are not on your side" WHAT? Of course it does ,in the GOP world. It happened Right here in King county.THey should have allowed the Libertarian to run the meeting ,if only to see just how far out those people are.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 0623 wrote...
    @ ron prevost
    April 26, 2012 5:06 pm
    I usually agree with you; (and your question of why the County Chairman was at the caucus is definitely valid.) But you seem to mis-remember the 1968 state convention. In the first place Gov. Evans did not preside or take ANY active role. The King County delegation was not seated; because their chairman, Ken Rogstad, had violated every state party rule in refusing to call a county convention to select the delegates and, in essence hand-picked them himself. I was the member of the credentials committee who exposed his feeble excuses for his behavior.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    OK - 0623
    April 26, 2012 5:31 pm
    We all build our myths over the years, especially from when we were young and foolish. Being just 22 at the time, I was not privy to all the reasons, only that Dan Evans with far too liberal. Of course, to some today, Ronald Reagan might be too liberal and Barry Goldwater certainly would be. .................................. But if you were on credentials then, my guess you would than have been at least 30. Let's not do the math, but it's great that your memory is so sharp.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • 0623 wrote...
    ron prevost re: OK -623
    April 26, 2012 6:31 pm
    Isn't it lovely to have someone with whom to disagree without being disagreeable? (Actually, I was 40; and I do believe it was 1970, rather than 1980. I remember saying, "Mr. Rogstad, I'm a county chairman, myself. Are you telling me you do not have the right to call a county convention on your own authority?" I was not county chairman in 1968.) And yes, it's a real blessing to still have that sort of memory at 84.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • ron prevost wrote...
    623 = 84
    April 26, 2012 6:58 pm
    Yup, it was 1970, not 1968. I've lately had a few people tell me I should get back involved, so I guess, I'll be going to State this year, after really not doing anything since the Reagan years, except a little in 1996 because of Jack Kemp for Bob Dole. Congrats on 84, and at least a couple of elections more for you too.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sportsguru wrote...
    lol, hard to build relationships
    April 26, 2012 6:53 pm

    Boze, when you keep getting slapped upside the face everytime you open your mouth,lol.

    Apparently, the gop is just as crooked as the democrat party, you suckers are going to fall for the banana in the tail pipe trick again and they know it.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    sportsguru
    April 26, 2012 9:03 pm
    the banana in the tailpipe trick is politically incorrect in these edgy times. How about the potato in the tailpipe trick?And yes they will (do) fall for it every time
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    Did someone really post:
    April 26, 2012 9:38 pm
    "...the banana in the tailpipe trick is politically incorrect in these edgy times..."?

    How so, exactly? ;-(

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    soo p
    April 27, 2012 8:13 am
    Never have given the Right any points for actually having any creative thinking and after reading your post I never will, sigh.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • roomtemp wrote...
    Bananas don't work anyway...
    April 27, 2012 9:49 am
    Experienced folks know that you need to use a potato for maximum tailpipe carnage...

    BANG! -Knocks stuff of the back shop wall. Yeah!

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • FormerMarineSgt wrote...
    Wow... Now if Dems had of done this exact same thing....
    April 27, 2012 6:34 am
    If Dems had done the exact same thing, Good ol' 'fair and balanced' Boze would have gone off the deep end with an extremely negative rhetoric filled column. In this case, he merely states 'he was wrong' and ends it there. Gee.....
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • CH wrote...
    King County should oust GOP party!
    April 27, 2012 7:13 am
    side note for Paul: your the best Clown on the ticket.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • messiah101 wrote...
    Why hasn't the LEFTY media taken this story National?
    April 27, 2012 1:34 pm
    It says so much about the GOPers mind set.They will do,say anything they will lie,twist facts.They are a lower form of life and certainly should not be looked upon as true Americans
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • soo purletiv wrote...
    @ messiah101
    April 27, 2012 9:45 pm
    Us "righty's" are just trying to figure out what you "lefty's" are trying to say.

    Why is a banana in a tail pipe too edgy?

    Never mind, you "lefty's have no clue, so how should us "righty's impinge upon your mind?

    Now I get it!!!!

    No, actually I don't.

    Banana... tailpipe. Banana....tailpipe. Banana....tailpipe.

    Oh, now I get it!

    NOT!!!!!!.........

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }