Kelly Horsley: The Grand Old Party?

So, here’s a little story I got to tell about a local party you know so well….  Which party?  Ah, yes, the GOP.  What comes to mind when you think of the current GOP, especially the one in Harris County?  I can tell you my thoughts on the subject.  Unfortunately lately it hasn’t been grand and hasn’t felt much like a party, and it’s getting old.

When I say old, I’m not talking about the age of the volunteers and participants.  No, old is used to describe the sentiment that we must always agree with each other and support the incumbent candidate AT ALL COSTS.  Folks, last time I checked the definition of insanity is to do the same thing over and over and expect different results.  If we keep electing the same people to office over and over again and you personally don’t like their voting record, then it’s time for a new person to be elected to do the job the previous officeholder didn’t or wouldn’t do.  Sounds simple, right?

We live in a free country, don’t we?  We are free under the first amendment to voice our opinion and support the candidate we feel best suited for the job, right?  WRONG!  The current leadership of the Harris County GOP wouldn’t think of allowing such radical thinking.  No, as a matter of fact, they want you to sit down and shut up and go along to get along.  They want to control you and if they sense that they can’t, why, then they’ll just relieve you of your position; simply because you have an opinion different from theirs.  Sounds similar to the progressive ideology that we are supposed to be fighting against in Washington, D.C. doesn’t it?  So you know what I say to that?  COME AND TAKE IT!  Come and take my non-paying precinct chairmanship.  I can still come to meetings and be involved without the title of precinct chair next to my name.

I also found out recently that the Harris County GOP has a ‘center of truth’.  Oh, yes, ladies and gentlemen.  Someone who wishes to be a filter for your thoughts and posts, (well, at least mine anyway).  Someone in a leadership position who is fearful of what you might think or say or the person you might be supporting because they feel that you are a threat to their future in politics.  If this is the type of leadership you want to remain at the helm of the Harris County GOP, then I urge you to vote for Jared Woodfill to continue to be a non-existent presence for the party.  Endorsed by Governor Rick Perry or not, Jared is a nice guy, a good cheerleader for the party, but now is the time when we need a real leader.

I’m taking a chance and choosing to speak out against the bullying tactics that exist within the party because I know that I am not the only one who has endured something similar.  People within the party are surely going to accuse me of trying to tear our party apart and ask questions if the end justifies the means.  I am of the mind that if we don’t have our own party in order, how in the heck are we going to be a force to be reckoned with come November 2012?  We can get up in our echo chambers and shout that we are going to defeat the progressive leftist agenda all we want, but we won’t be able to because a select few at the top wish to hold so tightly to the reins of control instead of stepping back and allowing help from others.  And I thought I was a control freak.

Kelly Horsley
Precinct Chair – Precinct 877