Against the Establishment

Posted by BigDog

A short Sitrep: District 23 in New York is having a special election for their House seat. Its a three-way race which surprisingly includes a strong third party challenge from Doug Hoffman from the Conservative party. Recent events have shed light on and damaged the Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava. Including calling the police on a Weekly Standard journalist. Honestly, what a wimp.

Many prominant Republicans have endorsed Scozzafava, including Newt Gingrich. Gingrich's strongest argument is that we can't let the Perfect be the enemy of the Good. While I understand and agree with the concept, I don't think Scozzafava is the Good at all, therefore his premise is wrong. She says she opposes Cap and Trade and ObamaCare. Well and good. While she has signed a no new taxes pledge, I think its questionable given her later statements. She also favored the Stimulus and is endorsed by labor unions, the NEA, abortion groups like Planned Parenthood and of all people Markos Moulitsas of the Daily Kos. Huh.

(For the record, I am not anti-abortion, but imo Planned Parenthood is a radical leftist ideological group as much if not more than an abortion group.)

His other strong argument is that she was chosen by the local Republican establishment, as opposed to the national one. Fair enough. But that doesn't mean Gingrich is obligated to endorse her just because she has an (R) behind her name. IMO, Scozzafava in office as a Republican would be worse than having democrat of any political leaning.

Doug Hoffaman isn't perfect by any means. In his NY Post article he talks entirely too much about himself and he refers to the "9 trillian dollar deficit", I think he means 9 trillian dollar DEBT. Oops. Dude, have someone proofread. But Hoffman is the Good. He is endorsed by Sarah Palin, Dick Armey and Santorum, the Club for Growth and much of the Conservative base.

Its this kind of thing that proves Palin is a genuine rogue - dare I say genuine Maverick? - willing to buck her own party on principle. As opposed to a community organizer who votes Present most of the time or an old Mcfart who picks whatever position will give him the most notoriety.

Were I in District 23 and I had only the choice between the Republican Dede Scozzafava and Democrat Bill Owens, I would vote for the Democrat. Running Scozzafava is the very establishment Republican behavior which lost the 2006 and 2008 elections as well as leading to a relatively weak showing in 2004. Scozzafava is the type of candidate or elected official who would actively damage Republicans. Ours is a center-right nation, and moving center-left in hopes of capturing a minority of votes while alienating the majority is a losing strategy.