the fallacy of the big tent in the GOP

Mark Tapscott’s article entitled “New York race exposes the big tent GOP myth Updated!” at the Washington Examiner gives me the impression that this is a nationwide phenomenon. The democrat-lite GOP leadership here in Illinois should take it as an instructive lesson about our own February primary. Here in Illinois the GOP has ALSO established a cozy little bipartisan combine. Here are some excerpts from that article which should give the Illinois GOP establishment whiplash with a serious reality check.

Conservatives owe Dede Scozzafava a big thank you because her candidacy in New York’s special congressional election has exposed the utter bankruptcy of the “Big Tent” school of faux Republicanism.

*snip*

Dede Scozzafava is running for Congress in New York’s 23rd district as mentioned earlier here when I published the call by FedUpPAC for volunteers in the New York area to help defeat her. The congressional seat she’s bidding for was vacated early in 2009 by Republican incumbent Rep. John McHugh when he accepted President Obama’s Secretary of the Army appointment. Scozzafava is opposed by Democrat Bill Owens and Conservative Party of New York nominee Doug Hoffman. Obama took the time to campaign on the stump for Bill Owens, once Rep. McHugh left office. It’s an exciting race because conservative activists are involved and lighting New York on fire. New York’s special election for this congressional seat is representative of a national trend.

“Surveys show the race is tightening, with Owens and Hoffman battling for the lead and Scozzafava fading in third place.”

*snip*

Scozzafava epitomizes the Republican-In-Name-Only (RINO) phenomena. She supports abortion on demand and special rights based on sexual preference. She’s voted repeatedly in the New York legislature for higher taxes and more government spending. Even ACORN’s Working Families Party has endorsed her, as has far-left blogger Marcos Moulitsas of Daily Kos.

The campaign’ pivotal moment came last Sunday evening when Scozzafava’s campaign manager – her husband, a local labor leader – called the cops on reporter John McCormack of The Weekly Standard after he persisted in questioning her about her views. The next morning, her press flak accused McCormack of screaming at Scozzafava, then changed his story when the reporter played a tape recording of the encounter for AP.

See also Michelle Malkin’s “Upstate lib in Republican clothing” at the New York Post from October 19.