Dancing with the Devil

My reply to OFIR's endorsement:

I hope $axton paid you well, because you can now kiss my support goodbye.  I want nothing to do with any organization that is so easily taken in by this lying liberal.  All further e-mails from OFIR shall henceforth be deleted without reading.

Comments

[Max]

I hold a similar view. I'd planned on attending the OFIR-sponsored protest at Portland's Mexican Consulate today. But after their endorsement of Saxton, I decided to stay home and haul wood-chips around, re-doing the paths on my property. I know, I could have hired illegal aliens to do this labor that "Americans won't do", but it seemed more productive than standing with OFIR.

[Coyote]

I decided to pull down the protest announcement from my website.

There just is no reasoning on their behalf regarding this Saxton endorsement. I mean the guy has held at least three positions so far this cycle that I know of.

I mean I don't care that Atkinson is in the race or not. Saxton is just all over the map on so many issues that I don't know how anyone can believe him.

Should a guy like this ever ultimately win the election (which he won't) you just know he will let you down. Then tell you to try to beat him as an incumbent in the primary.

Gully I know you really don't like Mannix, but even HE has been more consistent on this issue than Saxton.

[Gullyborg]

Ron is a pure opportunist. He says whatever he needs to win endorsements. If OFIR asked him to, he probably would have posed for a photo op standing on the border with an M-16. Doesn't mean that as Governor he'd actually DO anything. I mean other than make promises that fly in the face of SCOTUS precedent...

[Rick hickey]

GUYS How Immature! So if Jason (a good guy)doesn't get the primary win are you going to vote for TED or not vote and let the Democrats win the seat?
One guy was gron up enough to wear a Jason for gov shirt & hat and hand out flyers and get Jason some FREE TV & Radio time.
That would have been the SMART & PRODUCTIVE thing to do.
Oh by the way, IF Jason does win the primary, I will help him get elected and thousands with OFIR will also, despite your comments.

[Independent Thinker]

Rick, you have been bought and paid for by the devil.

[Gullyborg]

Rick, if the choice is between Ted or Ron, I'm voting for Ben Westlund. Ben's positions on the issues are actually about identical to Ron's, you just don't realize it. At least Ben is honest about what he believes in, and is principled enough to run as an independent rather than lie in order to win party favor.

This is called PRINCIPLE. It's something the OFIR obviously doesn't understand.

You yourself have commented here and on other blogs how impressed you are with things like Ron's fundraising. That obviously is a motivator for you. You want to back a "winner" in the race. Well, I'd rather back the person who has principles. Jason has principles. If he is not on the November ballot, I will feel no shame in voting for Westlund because, while he and I disagree on some big things, the man has principles. Plus, he'd still be better than Sleepy Ted.

Now let's talk about principles could have done for the OFIR and Jason.

Jason is the best man on immigration. He really is and you know it. You, however, obviously felt that Ron was somehow more "electable" because of his money. So you sucked up to him. You aren't concerned about the issue. You are concerned about the power.

That in and of itself is not a sin. In fact, I can respect it. You don't get to enact change unless you win elections.

But OFIR prides itself on being a group that puts principle ahead of politics. Obviously, this has been a lie all along.

And the irony is: if more so-called "conservatives" like you actually lived up to your principles, and rallied behind the conservative candidate, he'd be up by a huge margin in the polls.

Groups like OFIR have the power to boost candidates. You could have stood behind Jason and made a difference. But you didn't.

I now know that OFIR does NOT represent my interests in the immigration debate. I now believe OFIR is just like any other sleazy lobbying group, following the money and looking for power.

Well, you chose wrong. Real conservatives are not going to rally behind Ron Saxton. He was Mr. Moneybags in 2002 and came in third in the primary. He may do better in the primary this time around, but he will still fail to excite the conservative base. Come November, expect the real race to be between Ted Kulongoski and Ben Westlund if Ron Saxton is in the race. And I know where my vote will go in that scenario, since all three candidates, in their hearts, like illegal immigrants. So I'll go with the one who is man enough to admit it.

In the meantime, OFIR can forget about winning any support from me. You have been weighed and measured, and came up wanting.

[darepdx]

So Gully-

You've shown that Westlund is a threat to Republicans. As you have argued repeatedly that he wasn't I'd just like to illustrate this. He's the same type of spoiler as what Tom Cox had been.

Also, I think your going a little strong on a guy in your own party. I as well disagree with Saxton but I don't think he paid off anyone or is out right lieing. He's politicking Portland liberal style and he's attempting to buy support by suggesting input into his adminstration.

He would also be a better Governor than Ted or Ben. Just suck it up and accept your Rockafeller Republican roots within the Oregon big tent. To deny it and refuse to engage it fails to accomplish anything.

[Jeff]

Westlund isn't a threat to Republicans - as long as an actual Republican is in the race.

Ron Saxton isn't a real Republican.

[Independent Thinker]

Ron Saxton in Mahonia Hall would do more to undermine the conservative movement than Ben Westlund or 4 more years of Sleepy Ted.

I applaud Gully for being willing to reject Saxton outright on principle rather than being blindly partisan and supporting someone just because he calls himself a Republican.