What is the definition of a RINO [Republican In Name Only]? A RINO is a politician who caucuses with Republicans but more often then not votes with Democrats on very many Progressive Bills, spending Bills, and Confirmation hearings.
For a longer sensing, I ask that folks go first to the American Conservative Union [ACU]
Website:
The ACU surveys twenty important Congressional votes each year and stakes out a conservative "yea/nay" position and then measures each Member of Congress [MOC] against that standard: Year to Year, and over their Career. They reasonably suggest that a Conservative Member of Congress [Republican or Democrat] meet a benchmark of 80% to be considered Conservative. The ACU is a highly respected organization, and above reproach. Unlike the Left, their reporting is charitable toward the opposition Left. Unlike many Liberal-Progressive counterpart organizations, and the ACU avoids "bomb-throwing."
Most of you dear readers probably do not know the ratings of your MOC. So, here is your shot to learn how they voted and spread the word far and wide to your friends and neighbors.
If you live in a Liberal State and/or District you may/may not be surprised that your MOC has a rating below 20%, which I conclude is the obverse rating and signifies Liberal-Progressive. The spread of Twenty to Eighty Percent [20-80%], would seem to offer quite a bit of room for moderates to operate. But, not so fast my friend ... you may also be surprised to find out that there are, in reality, are no such things as "Moderates" in in either Chamber of Congress. Being most generous, I would say that no more than 10% of the MOC are "Moderate." The overwhelming Majority are, in fact, Liberal-Progressives.
So, when looking at the issues, and deciding how a Tea Party Candidate stacks up against the Establishment Republican or Democrat, check their positions about and compare them to your current Representative of Senator. There are very reasonable and valid explanations why sitting Senators Lisa Murkowski [AK] and Bob Bennett [UT]were defeated . This is also why Tea Party Conservative Nominee Sharron Angle took the GOP Nomination in Nevada and scares the hell out of Senator Harry Reid, [who may very well lose]! Establishment GOP Rep. Mike Castel, running for the Senatorial Nomination against Christ O'Donnell in Delaware, is having to face up to his RINO sins of commission and omission.
The Senate breakdown offers a perspective:
Thirty-two Senators are conservative Republicans. There are no Conservative Democrats. Let's put an end to that myth once and for all.
Republican Senators on the Conservative Bubble [Below 80%]:
Lamar Alexander, TN - 79
Judd Gregg, NH - 78.7
Richard Lugar, IN - 77.7
Richard Shelby, AL -75.4
George Voinovich, OH - 69.8
RINO Senators [so-called"Moderates"]:
Susan Collins, ME - 49.4
Olympia Snowe, ME - 47.9%
Suspected RINO:
Scott Brown, MA [no rating yet]
Democrats Senators above 20% [so-called Moderate Democrats]:
Ben Nelson, NE - 46.9
Bill Nelson, FL - 35.5
Mary Landrieu, LA - 22.7
Evan Bayh, IN - 22.5
Thirty-two Conservatives, and Eight Moderates/RINOs, and Four Waffling Democrat Liberals do not a majority make ... not even close. That's a total of Forty-four "sometimes" votes versus Fifty-six committed Liberal-Progressives. This helps explain our current mess and brings it into focus. We have been toddling down this road to Statist Oblivion for some time now. The necessary course change is mandatory and immediate.
Do your own analysis of the House of Representatives where the results are possibly more dismal and you will see why we must begin to turn things around in November. This task will not be completed until every Liberal-Progressive is gone or in significant minority. If the Democrat Party does not change, they will become an openly Marxist-Socialist within a decade. If the Republicans do not change, they will go the way of the Whigs in 1856. Republicans had better listen to the Tea Party or they will perish. Phony Conservative Elites [you know who you are out there] need to get with the program and re-examine your values, or fall by the wayside too.
The issues for the next Twenty-five years are not about Republicans and Democrats. The old Establishments must fall. The issues are: The Constitution versus Statism, Freedom versus Slavery. Truth versus Lies, and Free Markets versus a endless Soviet "Six Year Plans." This is why Electing folks like Miller in Alaska, Angle from Alaska and Marco Rubio from Florida to the Senate is so important. Also, support Alan West in Florida's Twenty-Second District. Spread the word about other similar candidates with whom you are familiar. If you have money to spare, send it to these candidates, write an article, march in a rally for them. Let's put up candidates that excite the People and give us hope!
We did it again in 1980 and 1984, but we forgot to drive the stake into the heart of that blood sucking vampire: Big Government. The Shining City on the Hill needs to balance it's budget and its residents must throw the Statists and Socialists out of office once and for all. We cannot ever let this happen again. For ourselves or our posterity let's win!
William R. Mann——
Bio and Archives
William R. Mann, is a retired Lt. Colonel, US Army. He is a now a political observer, analyst, activist and writer for Conservative causes. He was educated at West Point [Bachelor of Science, 1971 ]and the Naval Postgraduate School [Masters, National Security Affairs, 1982].
