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Health & Fitness

The Republican Party Purge

I have been watching with interest the goings on with the National Republican Party, but in particular the Wisconsin GOP. Many observers and commentators have focused attention on the changes of the Republican Party and its decided turn to the extreme political right.

Wisconsin has not been exempt from the trend to purge the 'Party' of those whose credos are questionable. Since the beginning of this year, the Wisconsin GOP has targeted its 'problem members' and has gone to quite extensive maneuvering to purge itself of the errant or undisciplined.

Mike Ellis, the President of the State Senate, is one of the latest to fall. Some of the dirty laundry has been aired revealing a general dislike by other Republican State Senators for the powerful and outspoken Ellis. His recent announcement that he won't run again is proof positive that he had lost the support of the State GOP. If he hadn't resigned, he was going to be faced with a primary challenge. I think, Ellis decided it was better to voluntarily pass the torch of power before it was torn from his grasp in an embarrassing election process.

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The announcement by State Senator Dale Schultz that he wouldn't run for reelection should not be surprising to anyone. Schultz has been considered somewhat of a moderate and from time to time didn't remain in lockstep with the other Senate Republicans. In today's State Republican Party, there isn't any room for moderates and compromise. Another victim of the decided swing to the right has been Congressman Petri.

Congressman Petri first took office in 1979. Although considered conservative, he has displayed a streak of moderate in his overall record. I'm sure that he has grown tired of the antics of the Tea Party element of the House, but his decision to retire shifts the House more to the right. This has provided an opening for even more conservative Republicans such as Glen Grothman to run for the absent seat. In some ways the state would benefit with Grothman leaving the State Senate. He has been one of the major ideological voices of the extreme right and his departure would probably allow the Republican controlled Senate to move back toward the center. As of this writing, there is no guarantee that he will be successful in his bid since he will be severely challenged in the primaries.

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Our gaze now falls on the 'bad boy' of the GOP. Assembly Majority Leader Bill Kramer has become a huge liability of the State GOP with his penchant for unwanted sexual advances. This powerful Republican may be ideologically desirable, but his abuse of his powers can't be tolerated any longer. I am sure that if he hadn't been publicly observed in his most recent incidence in Washington DC, he might still be in his powerful position.

I don't think the State GOP is finished with making adjustments. They have a surefire means for exercising their authority with the threat of a costly primary against the ideologically errant. I am curious to see how many other GOP members don't make it past the primaries.

The GOP needs to take into consideration the long term impact of their purges to promote ideological purity. By limiting moderate views they are seriously limiting the candidate's appeal to a broader section of the electorate. The current strategy make be successful in individual conservative districts, but the wider appeal is lacking.


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