Category: Politics

Explore some history about the Republican Party in Raleigh County, WV.

History is objective in that something real happened. It is subjective in that we often don’t have complete details on what happened, and we have few details about why. History has been used as a political tool since Cicero. At the same time, history provides a fascinating look at our forebears, and why we are where we are today. I have assembled a little history about the Republican Party in Raleigh County, WV. Whatever your political stripe, I encourage you to discover a little bit about the past as a way to inform the future. Politics is tough but it doesn’t have to be hateful.

We are all concerned about coronavirus, civil unrest, and recession. Amidst these worries,  Raleigh County Republicans have some things to be happy about:

Continue reading “Republican Political History in Raleigh County WV”

Political parties, just like church choirs or high school football team booster clubs, are associations of like-minded citizens. Such associations have been found everywhere on the globe throughout all human history, whether or not they were specifically called “political parties.” From factions in the Roman Senate to parties in the German Bundestag, and whether peaceful or not, people have joined with others like themselves to accomplish shared goals in their societies.

George Washington is the only president not to have represented a political party. He actively opposed the “spirit of party,” as it, “serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.”[1] Nonetheless, parties known as the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans developed during Washington’s administration. The Democratic Party, the oldest political party in the world, was formed in 1824. After the issue of slavery destroyed the Whig Party (1833-1856), the Republican Party was founded in 1854, specifically to oppose slavery. Political parties have remained an important part of the American political scene since.

But what do political parties, and in this case specifically the Republican party do?

Continue reading “What the Republican Party Does”

As we approach the primary elections on May 10, many people ask who to vote for. West Virginia, once a deep blue Democratic state, has become a deep red Republican state. As a result, many candidates who were once Democrats have switched parties. They switch for several reasons:

1. Some have had a change of heart and genuinely believe in conservative values.
2. Some still maintain their current non-conservative positions but feel that the modern Democratic party has gone too far to the left.
3. Some have had no change of heart and have no problem with the current Democratic party. They switch simply to get elected.

A Republican in Name Only (RINO) falls into the second and third groups. While no two people agree perfectly on every issue, real Republicans are conservative. Since 1854, the Republican party has been the party of individual rights, individual responsibilities, Rule of Law, strong defense, free markets, respect for America’s institutions, and problem solving at the lowest level. We are the party of traditional social mores, including protection of the unborn, marriage between one biological man and one biological woman, free speech, and gun rights. Specific Republican stances are written in our Platform. Candidates who do not hold conservative values are not conservatives and should not be supported by conservatives.

So how can voters tell which candidates are RINOs?

Continue reading “Electing Conservatives”