The Miller’s Tale

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Recently ousted Pima County Republican Party chairman Brian Miller has a guest opinion in the Arizona Daily Star today explaining his side of the story and taking a few shots at the "petrified" dinosaurs who control the Pima County GOP. Pima GOP missed its chance to uphold true Republican principles:

Instead of seizing the opportunity to break free of the echo-chamber that has alienated large swaths of voters, local party insiders and politicians have instead turned their fire inward to purge the "impurities" from their social club. The dissenting views were perfectly in line with stated Republican principles codified in both the Constitution and the GOP platform, principles that the GOP must embrace if it is to matter here. Is it possible to do what's right and for good politics to follow? I thought so – and still do.

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I was muzzled lest taking a principled position conflict with politics as usual. While Republican politicians routinely offer full-throated support of the Bill of Rights, that rhetoric is too often hollow or downright disingenuous. Republicans tout the right to keep and bear arms – until government troops arrive; complain that public-sector unions are dangerous – unless they're the kind we like; campaign on promises of smaller, local government – but pass laws that take control away from cities and towns.

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I maintain it is good politics to stand up for our community, to embrace a broad demographic and ideological spectrum, to be inclusive rather than exclusive. Unfortunately, the Pima County Republican Party power brokers don't see it that way. They prefer ideological purity – or rather petrification – to an inclusive, broad-based political platform.

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[I]t would have been a good move for the local party to actually embrace Republican principles. The opportunity was there; it was ripe. The Pima Republican Party blew it.