How Steele Could Go
If I was a gambling man, I would bet that Michael Steele is going to make it.
I realize that he's not popular, that a lot of people in the Republican Party would like to see him go and as Josh Marshall pointed out he doesn't have a single, solid constituency like the conservative Christian activists or state party chairs united behind him.
But look at Roland Burris. I point to him not because of race, although surely the forcible removal of the first African-American chairman of the Republican National Committee would have racial overtones. Burris is arguably much less popular among his peers than Steele is with the Republican National Committee members who elected him RNC Chairman in January. Burris seems like a goner just a few weeks ago. Now, he's a Senate regular and his ouster seems unlikely in the extreme.
Still it's worth examining just what the party rules say about removing a chairman if it comes to that. If you look at Rule 5 of the RNC rules it says explicitly: "The chairman or co- chairman may be removed from office only by a two- thirds (2/3) vote of the entire Republican National Committee." The ballot has to be open under Roberts Rules of Order which is the playbook for RNC rules--which is kind of amusing given the opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act. That is a pretty high bar.
And the vote could only come--as best I can tell; I have a call into the RNC-- at one of the two semiannual meetings of the RNC. Thus, you couldn't have a phone coup d'etat or the Executive Committee of the RNC lead the fight.
Can Steele hold a third of RNC members? My bet is yes although the fact that it's even a question is pretty amazing.
By the way, the shortest chairmanship of the RNC ever was C. Wesley Roberts of Kansas who served four months as chair in 1953. According to Wikipedia, Alvin Scott of The Kansas City Star won a Pulitzer Prize in 1954 for local reporting for a series of articles that drove Roberts to resign. Roberts was accused of collecting a $10,000 commission on the sale of a hospital to the State of Kansas which the state already owned. His son, interestingly, is U.S. Senator Pat Roberts.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Katon Dawson yesterday
Katon Dawson today
Katon Dawson forever
Mark Sanford will engineer the coup de grace
March 11, 2009 3:21 PM | Reply | Permalink
also, another reason steele is probably safe: republicans can never admit they screwed up or got something wrong. they are the masters at digging in and bunkering down and just taking whatever drubbing they have coming to them because admitting they were wrong would be a sign of political weakness and republicans think its better to be strong than right.
March 11, 2009 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's hilarious. But entirely consistent with the mindset of the Republican Party: Do what we say, not what we do.
I'm really torn on this Steele issue. On a personal level, I don't want him to leave--he's too entertaining. As a political junkie, I don't want him to leave, either, because right now, he's simply creating problems for Republicans. Which, I shallowly admit, I tend to think is a great thing.
On the other hand, I'd like the pale 'Pubs to oust the African American and then try to explain how they're going to reach out to minorities.
Which, come to think of it, they already are: those 28%ers living in the Deep South.
March 11, 2009 3:29 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Pale Pubs": did you make that up or has it been said somewhere. Either way, it's really funny.
March 11, 2009 3:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
I made it up as I wrote it.
That's what they are!
March 11, 2009 5:47 PM | Reply | Permalink
{fingers crossed}
Please let Steele hang on, please let Steele hang on, please let Steele hang on,....
March 11, 2009 3:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
You offer no reasons to back up your proposed wager. Are we supposed to take this post as your opinion, or is there something to report here besides the RNC's bylaws?
March 11, 2009 3:36 PM | Reply | Permalink
Plus, the title states the opposite of your argument ('your' being Matt)--shouldn't it be 'why Steele won't go'?
Besides, Eric, just a couple of threads ago outlined the forces (ok, just Katon Dawson) moving in the background against Steele.
March 11, 2009 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
"The ballot has to be open under Roberts Rules of Order which is the playbook for RNC rules--which is kind of amusing given the opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act."
Since Robert's Rules don't include thumb breaking union thugs I don't see the parallel.
March 11, 2009 3:48 PM | Reply | Permalink
"Thumb breaking union thugs"? You are watching too much tv. It's just a republican fantasy to keep screwing the little guy who's trying to make a living. Total bs.
March 11, 2009 3:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's simple...the current system allows "the little guy" to avoid "pressure" from "zealous" co-workers by signing the union card but allows them to vote their conscience in secret. The EFCA removes that safeguard.
March 11, 2009 4:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
Horseshit.
It simply gives workers the option of filling out a card instead of secret ballot. It does NOT remove the option of the secret ballot.
March 11, 2009 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
...no it gives union organizers (ie over zealous coworkers) the option of card or secret vote. They choose card signing then apply the pressure.
March 12, 2009 8:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
And what about the pressure on "the little guy" from "zealous" management who don't want a union to be formed? ECFA allows the "the little guys" to use the secret ballot to determine their wishes!
March 11, 2009 5:06 PM | Reply | Permalink
Thumb breaking thugs are more likely to work for the CIA or some other group covered by a John Yoo memo.
March 11, 2009 5:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
The "SFC" is never one to let facts bother him. Haven't you noticed yet?
March 11, 2009 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
I believe that SFC meant to say "thumb breaking company thugs".
March 11, 2009 6:43 PM | Reply | Permalink
I think you are right. That makes more sense. The "union buster" thugs that employ coersion and other slimy tactics to keep the "lowly" employees in involuntary servitude. Throw in the huge healthcare problem and workers are nothing more than indentured servants. Yep. You are correct.
March 11, 2009 7:09 PM | Reply | Permalink
Steele will eventually resign. Some combination of offer and threat will produce a deal he won't refuse.
March 11, 2009 4:54 PM | Reply | Permalink
Oh yeah right, protecting the "little guy" is the priority of these company boards who oppose EFCA. It's the companies' objective to keep the workers compensation as limited as possible while the board lives lavishly and fly around in their jets, and the result is what we have been seeing during the last several years, the middle class disappearing leaving only two social classes in America: the struggling and the wealthy. And to hell with America's promise, greed consumes all.
March 11, 2009 4:56 PM | Reply | Permalink
Getting back to the chairmanship issue, I would be happy with Mr. Limbaugh, provided he would agree to appear in public and vigorously giggle himself up and down on a regular basis.
March 11, 2009 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
If he goes, it sounds as if it will have to be for actual malfeasance rather than incompetent mopery. So expect a lot more leaks of shady financial going's on at his former campaigns and at the RNC, probably with a bunch of other republicans taken down as collateral damage.
March 11, 2009 8:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
I predict Steele will get the ax ... and will sign with the Buffalo Bills next week.
March 12, 2009 9:10 AM | Reply | Permalink