Conservatives or Cannibals?

An old proverb says that all that glitters is not gold. That same logic could apply in politics where all Republicans are not conservatives, as the Tea Party movement in New Jersey has recently learned. In New Jersey, the Tea Party has networked and been tirelessly fighting an uphill battle for conservative values and restoration of constitutional government. While the mantra of these patriots is “principles, not politics,” other supposed like-minded proponents do not hold to the same standards. These proponents have launched unfounded and slanderous attacks against some of New Jersey’s most respected patriots. It has become clear that with these individuals ego trumps principle and working together toward a common goal is a foreign concept.

As plans to hold the first statewide Citizens’ Convention, labeled “The Battle for Trenton” are underway, the egos of those not included in the program have taken center stage. The Convention was designed in two parts:

1. Educate volunteers to be effective contributors to candidates whom they support; and
2. Present vetted candidates running in New Jersey districts against vulnerable liberals.

Since Democrats represent many, if not all, of these targeted districts, one would think that the Republican establishment would be anxious to support the Convention in any way possible. That has proven not to be the case. Similarly, many who claim to be conservative opted early on not to join the cause.

In New Jersey it has gone beyond not just supporting those who profess to be like-minded. An anonymous person or persons published a scathing letter against the Convention and its keynote speaker. Had the letter contained a modicum of truth, the intentions of the writer(s ) could be to their credit, but that is not the case. The fact that the letter was anonymous speaks volumes about both the character of the writer(s) and the likeable-ness of its content—a fact that has not escaped the Convention’s organizers and other Tea Party groups around the state who associate its anonymity with cowardice. The letter in question was filled with deliberately misleading and twisted statements that painted the speaker as not only liberal, but a term all tea partiers hate: RINO.

This counterproductive action has revealed its author(s) to be cannibals rather than Conservatives. It is thought the writer(s) may be political operatives not chosen to be speakers at the Convention. Their actions have proven that their interest in New Jersey is more about personal power than Conservative principles. Conservatives are usually practical planners rather than utopian visionaries. So in New Jersey the Convention organizers expected all Conservatives to unite toward a common goal—to change the balance of power within the state.

In an ideal world the logic of that expectation would be reasonable. In New Jersey, as long as some Conservatives devour other Conservatives, the task of Constitutional restoration can be a more difficult road to travel than it ought to be. Should physical manifestation of such proponents occur, one would expect that a stroll through Trenton would reveal many limping politicians resulting from their shooting themselves in the foot by inflicting wounds on the Tea Party which could have proven to be an extension of their own body and their best ally.