Instapundit on NY-23
Instapundit Glenn Reynolds writes at the Washington Examiner, Oct. 31, about the special Congressional election tomorrow:
…. If Hoffman wins, or even hands the election to Democrat Bill Owens, the grass-roots activists will feel that they’ve sent a message, and will watch to see if the GOP establishment responds. If the GOP plays its cards right, and indicates that it’s received the message that people want a hard line on spending and corruption and smaller government, that energy can be harnessed and put toward the 2010 elections. If it seems, on the other hand, that the GOP still doesn’t get it, and if the response is condescending or dismissive, then, well, anything can happen.
If Scozzafava manages to eke out a victory, meanwhile, GOP leaders may be tempted to dismiss the grass-roots anger altogether. This is understandable, but they’d be better off remembering how nervous it made them, and taking steps to address those concerns, rather than dismissing them.
Likewise, if Tea Partiers get too carried away and full of themselves — like the Nader Democrats of 2000 — they will wind up handing the elections to people they really don’t want running the country. The third-party threat is a good way to get the GOP establishment’s attention, but, as they say, the value of the sword of Damocles is that it hangs, not that it falls. Like a nuclear deterrent, it’s a threat that’s best not employed.
Washington Republicans need to recognize that their constituencies outside the Beltway have been unhappy with them for years, and they need to change their ways to re-establish trust. Ultimately, it’s not enough to say that the Democrats are worse. They have to stand for something besides a simple return to power.
For the grass roots, meanwhile, my advice is this: Remember that all politics is local. Got a local Republican officeholder that you don’t like? Run against ‘em in the primary. Even if you lose (and you probably, but not certainly, will) you’ll get their attention.
And look at your local party apparatus. Everybody focuses on national stuff, but getting involved in your state or local party is very easy — usually, all you have to do is show up. And even a few dozen committed people can make a difference in a congressional district. Party politics at the local level doesn’t get a lot of attention, especially in between presidential elections, which means that those who do pay attention can have a lot of influence….
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“Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and Senators and Congressmen and Government officials but the voters of this country.” (Roosevelt)
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