Reaction to Republican Party of Iowa Chairman Jeff Kaufmann’s words from earlier this year about counties censuring Republican representatives is about what I expected it would be. I’ll share some of the reactions later in this story.
But Kaufmann’s claim that county central committees — and the Republican Party of Iowa included — cannot censure representatives is just about everything that’s wrong with the GOP today.
First, that is a top-down mentality and approach. The “head” guy of the Republican Party in Iowa publicly saying what grassroots central committees can or can’t do. I don’t think Republicans believe in a top-down approach. I believe that Republicans believe the power resides with the people.
Kaufmann said there is nothing in the bylaws that talks about censure. Yet some GOP central committee chairs I’ve talked to disagree.
Regardless, his demands for unity seem to go just one way. He demands the voter base embrace Republicans regardless of disagreement on issues.
The question, though, is how is “unity” formed? Just because someone has an “R” behind their name they should automatically be embraced with “unity?”
Liz Cheney. Adam Kinzinger. Mitt Romney. Susan Collins. Lisa Murkowski.
We should all embrace them because they’re Republicans? Policy be damned?
Unity is a good goal, but it requires common ground on certain things. There is plenty of room for disagreement on a variety of issues. But it can’t be a one-way street.
Unity requires being united. And the Republican Party of Iowa platform makes clear how Republicans in Iowa feel about the importance of marriage and the family.
Why are “the people” the ones being lectured about “unity” when it is “the people” who are standing up for what the Republican Party of Iowa claims to believe?
Meanwhile, the politicians have no expectation of “unity” in the sense they’re allowed to reject what the majority of the party believes and basically tell Iowa Republicans to shut up because they know better.
That seems elitist.
It’s great that Jeff Kaufmann is great at raising money, but that money doesn’t mean much if the Republican Party sells out on its principles.
Politicians never matter more than their policies. And I don’t care who we’re talking about. One day Joni Ernst will be out of the U.S. Senate. Mariannette Miller-Meeks will be out of the U.S. House, but their policies will remain.
As a political party, the GOP should care a little more about the policy part of things and a little less about the politician side of things.
People will pass, but policies will live on. In 50 years, Joni Ernst will not be in the U.S. Senate. But her decision to compromise religious liberty and codify homosexual marriage will be binding.
In addition, telling a county central committee what it can and can’t say — Kaufmann himself said censure is a “word to show disapproval” — infringes on the free speech rights of the central committee. Saying a county central committee cannot censure someone is censoring the voice of that central committee.
Kaufmann said in his remarks that “we’re a team.”
Well, teammates don’t score points for the other team. At least not on any team I’ve ever been part of. And if for some reason they would, the rest of the team would take care of it to ensure it didn’t happen again.
Ashley Hinson, Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Joni Ernst scored points for the Democrats. They joined the Democrats. They abandoned their “team” to help the other team.
It isn’t the Republican base in Iowa that Kaufmann should be lecturing about unity and loyalty. They’re simply defending the things the Republican Party claims to believe in.
Instead, he should remind the elected representatives they work for us. They should seek our approval, we should not seek theirs.
The Republican donor class and the Republican voter class have very different values. It’s always interesting to see when push comes to shove which side the people in power flock to.
This is why the Republican Party will never “save America” or help anyone “take their country back.”
The power resides with the People, not the Elected. Until party leadership realizes that, comes to terms with that and embraces that, the People will continue to be ignored.
Comments from readers regarding Jeff Kaufmann’s statement on county central committees not having the ability to censure lawmakers:
“What an absolute crock of garbage. We are not on the same team and don’t have to agree. There are certain issues that are non-negotiable with any candidate. The crap about we don’t have to agree all of the time is nonsense. On certain issues we need to agree 100 percent of the time. If we don’t then we need to do everything we can to purge the party of these candidates.” – Shawn Graham
“Considering everything that’s been done to the citizens of Iowa and the U.S. over the last two years, this particular situation is a real slap in the face to the people who served on committees, gave their time to platform committees, knocked doors and gave money to the GOP. The least they can do is to accept input and criticism from their base.” – Gene Stevens
“People need to open their eyes and realize most of the Republican politicians hate the conservative base and won’t hesitate to stab them in the back.” – Tammy Schreck
“That moment when you realize taking complete political control of Iowa is a mirage because it’s under RINO control.” – Aaron Lueders
“Kaufmann’s own words about censure: ‘It’s a word to show disapproval.’ Well Jeff, maybe central committees are tired of being expected to work their tails off for free to elect Republicans but then get told they can’t have an opinion about how those Republicans serve. Let the Democrats blindly follow their fools. Let Republicans voice our displeasure in ours when they deserve it.” – Lyle Brinegar
Well said Jacob. The establishment is out of control if they think we will sit silent while they betray our principles. I will never sit idle. This is a revolution and the establishment and Rino class betrayed us all. Time to act!
I encourage every central committee to act decisively to censure Senator Ernst and your representative if they go against Religious freedoms and endorse the disrespect of marriage act!
We are the grassroots and the power belong to the people!
Bravo, Jacob. As usual, we’ll said and in agreement with many of us.
Jacob, I agree with you totally. Senator Ernst is so out of touch with Iowa values that I have lost all confidence in her, and have lost trust on how she will vote on future issues where we need every Republican vote. Unfortunately, her actions speak much louder than her promises.
These republicans that turned against the platform and those that funded and voted for the are no more than con artists and swindlers. As for Kaufmann, he gets paid to keep republicans in office/power and cares not about the platform or the people’s interests.
IT would be nice that the government was for We The People, not for We the religious, which is what I am seeing here. Separate church and state. Religion will cause the next civil war, just like it has for thousands of years.