They say if you're getting lots of flak, you must be over the target. Obviously the Idaho Republican Party is directly over the target. Witness the whining, moaning and gnashing of teeth of the Democrat party bosses and their willing instruments in the media regarding the Idaho Republican Party's recently concluded convention. If it wasn't completely clear to you that the "legacy" media is the official mouthpiece for progressives and statists, AKA Democrats, it should be now.
Let me address what the Democrats and their fellow travelers in the media have dubbed a "loyalty oath." This is one of the most absurd allegations I think I've ever witnessed. Read the plank of the Idaho Republican Party referenced for your self; it's posted at http://grassrootsidgop.wordpress.com/ and is titled "Integrity in the People in Government" with a subtitle "Candidate Disclosure."
You will note that no such "oath" exists and such language is a fabrication created to cause a negative reaction. The use of a pejorative as a tactic is most often associated with the term propaganda and that's precisely what we are witnessing here folks - propaganda!
The Idaho Republican Party is only asking candidates to disclose to fellow Republicans if they agree with the principles outlined in the Idaho Republican Party platform and, if they don't, where they disagree. Such a disclosure is only applicable prior to a Republican primary. That's where we choose our candidates.
Does it not make sense to find out if candidates who claim to be Republican actually believe in the principles of the Idaho Republican Party before choosing them to represent the principles of the Republican Party in a general election? Any Republican who now claims they will refuse to sign an "oath" actually hasn't been asked and won't be asked to sign any such thing.
There are many private organizations such as the Idaho Education Association (teachers union), Realtors, National Rifle Association and many other such groups that routinely send candidates questionnaires and ask the candidates to sign them attesting that their positions are the actual positions of the candidates themselves. No one has ever suggested that such a statement is a "loyalty oath" to those groups but rather a candidate disclosure regarding the actual positions of the candidate. Even the Idaho Statesman asks candidates to fill out a questionnaire, and I suppose their endorsement is based in part on how a candidate answers. I'm sure they don't call that one a loyalty oath.
Oddly enough, however, there is a loyalty oath that is currently used by the Idaho Democrat Party. Any citizen that would like to participate in a key Idaho Democrat function, their closed caucus used to select candidates for president of the United States, must sign a statement of allegiance or loyalty oath to the Idaho Democrat Party prior to participation. Furthermore, if the Idaho Democrat Party chooses to publish that loyalty oath, they can. Even Kevin Richert, Statesman editorial page editor, acknowledged the same, "In order to participate in the process, and the horse-trading and delegate-picking that goes on, one must first sign a card declaring allegiance to the party." There are two words that fit perfectly regarding Richert and others current caterwauling - double standard.
Rod Beck is the former Republican majority leader of the Idaho Senate and is currently chairman of Region 4 of the Idaho Republican Party and a member of the Idaho Republican Party Executive Committee.
