They Are Right - Michael Steele MUST GO!

For several months I have been on the fence regarding Steele. I’m ready to jump off the fence and say it's time to let Steele go. But maybe not for the same reason as everyone else.

The issue has been addressed by Smash Mouth Politics, Dan Riehl, The Other McCain and many other sites. I recommend you seek out their opinions.

Michael Steele’s recent comment was not so much wrong as woefully incomplete. To be perfectly honest, I agree with the first part of his assertion – the RNC has NOT historically done enough to reach out to some ethnic groups. Instead the RNC has ceded that fight to the DNC, chalking it up to a fight it cannot win. THIS is where Steele loses my support.

EVERY MAN AND WOMAN WHO BELIEVES IN CONSERVATIVE PRINCIPALS IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR.  SO IS THEIR VOTE!  To me, that includes every ethnicity, it includes GLBT, it includes every religious persuasion.  Yes, every swinging "Richard" in this country.  They are all worth the effort, and ceding them to disinterest or poll numbers is ignorant.

Conservative ideology need know no ethnic border. There are people of all races and creeds who believe in Conservative principals. White, Black, Latino, Asian, Pacific Islander – doesn’t matter. Same with Protestant, Catholic, Taoist, Buddhist and yes, even Muslims. The Conservative message rings true within all groups. As an educated man of a particular ethnic heritage, Mr. Steele should be EMBRACING this outreach, and taking ACTION to rectify it. Not simply making excuses as to why it’s been done that way before.  Maybe we will never have 90% of the black vote.  Nor a great block of the Hebrew vote. Maybe GLADD will never support Conservatives. Big deal.  Want to bet if blacks (used as an example) who support socially and fiscally conservative candidates added 30% of their vote to the RNC, we wouldn't have the "SUPER-MAJORITY" in Congress right now?  I'd take that bet...

I am now convinced Mr. Steele is not equipped to succeed in this position – not for white GOP members; and especially not for GOP faithful of any other group. And the longer he stays on the job – botching the job as he is today – the more damage the GOP will inflict upon itself in upcoming elections.  It's as if Steele is saying "load gun, point at foot, pull trigger, repeat..."

Or, to say it another way – Steele will have the GOP snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. It’s time to move on Mr. Steele - time for you to go as head of the RNC.  And respectfully to those who say he needs to stay: you have it wrong.

-LTB