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GOP Operative: Party Campaign Committees Probably Won't Honor 'Purity' Resolution

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A Republican operative tells us that if the Republican National Committee ends up passing the so-called "purity" resolution - which would cut off party support for candidate that violate three or or more out of ten key conservative policy positions -- it's unlikely that party campaign committees will actually abide by it.

"The litmus test puts too little emphasis on people's most pressing concerns of spending and taxes and therefore cannot be considered an effective tool to fully judge a candidate," the source said. "Because of this, its doubtful this will be a major factor in candidate support."

The resolution officially calls for cutting off support for candidates from the Republican National Committee. But another important question with this resolution is whether the party's other campaign committees -- such as the NRCC and the NRSC, among others -- would obey the edict to exclude candidates who don't measure up. As far as this one GOP operative says, probably not.

The resolution, officially called "Proposed RNC Resolution on Reagan's Unity Principle for Support of Candidates," comes in the wake of a conservative revolt in the NY-23 special election, in which moderate GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava was forced out of the race by right-wing activists and politicians, who instead favored third-party Conservative Doug Hoffman. Scozzafava then endorsed Democrat Bill Owens, who won the election.

"The goal of the resolution is to take a position ... towards reclaiming the Republican Party's conservative bona fides," RNC member James Bopp, the author of the resolution, told NBC News. Bopp also explained that a goal of the resolution is to "demonstrate that we are open to diverse views," but also that "you have to agree with us most of the time."

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12 comments

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November 25, 2009 1:17 PM   

Not surprising. If the GOP actually followed this resolution it would not be able to support at least a third of its politicians currently serving in Congress.

Maybe that's what the RNC wants; it wants the GOP formally viewed as a conservative party rather than as a conservative party with some moderates and a few liberals.

But that will only lead to splitting the conservative vote next year, which will only lead to net gains for Democrats.

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November 25, 2009 1:23 PM   

Umm... is it just me, or isn't there some irony in having "Purity" not being honored in the GOP? This in the land of the Promise-Keeper men, and the Golden Promise teens.

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November 25, 2009 1:54 PM   

The litmus test puts too little emphasis on people's most pressing concerns of spending and taxes and therefore cannot be considered an effective tool to fully judge a candidate

So a two-point litmus test on spending and taxes would be better to "fully" judge a candidate than a ten-point litmus test? Because those are the only things that "people" consider to be pressing concerns? (And that's not even considering that Saint Reagan would get a zero on the two-point litmus test, as opposed to the four out of ten he got on the original.)

Man, I hope these tools believe their own spin and act on it!

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November 25, 2009 4:24 PM   

Of course not.
Nobody in the GOP complained about deficits when Cheney growled in 2003, "Reagan proved that deficits don't matter. This is our due."

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MLD

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November 25, 2009 5:08 PM   

Sign it and you open yourself up to a broadside from your opponent; don't sign it and you open yourself up to a broadside from the wingnuts. Not a pleasant situation to be in.

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November 25, 2009 6:06 PM   

They should have done this before Bristol Palin got knocked up when she was a minor. If this passes doesn't that mean Sarah Palin will get no support?

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November 26, 2009 1:29 PM   

'Bopp...explained that a goal of the resolution is to "demonstrate that we are open to diverse views," but also that "you have to agree with us most of the time."'

How quaint, "you can have your views but you can't show them"

Kind of a right wing "Don't ask Don't tell" philosophy?

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November 26, 2009 1:49 PM   

'Bopp...explained that a goal of the resolution is to "demonstrate that we are open to diverse views," but also that "you have to agree with us most of the time."'

How quaint, "you can have your views but you can't show them"

Kind of a right wing "Don't ask Don't tell" philosophy?

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November 26, 2009 11:40 PM    in reply to monel9959

Mark Twain publicly resigned from the Republican party because of its view that, in order to think for oneself, one had to unquestioningly adopt the party line in every paricular.

I think that was how the Nazis operated.

And that was before Orwell's 1984.

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November 26, 2009 7:56 PM   

Ya gotta love it!

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November 26, 2009 10:29 PM   

I wonder if they'll make female Republican candidates wear purity rings, like conservative brides.

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November 26, 2009 10:35 PM   

Of course they won't follow it.

Just like they never reduce spending or make the Govt smaller.

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