COLUMN: RINO’s and Blue Dogs and Bears, oh my

The announcement of Logan Mayor Randy Watts’ endorsement of Democratic candidate – Sam Granato – for U.S. Senate didn’t come as a huge shock to anyone but highlights a trend that has been frustrating me lately – the betrayal of party values by claiming certain affiliations for the purpose of getting elected.

    So Mayor Watts, are you just harboring bad feeling about Bennett being ousted at state convention or do you really align your opinion more closely with liberals? If that is the case, why do you generally identify yourself as a Republican? Could it be because after surveying the Utah electorate, you know that is the only way you can win an election? Not to worry. I do not foresee your winning any other elections and I’m confident you have sunk any chance you had for re-election.

    There is nothing wrong with going against the mainstream school of thought. Unique perspectives are crucial to accurately representing all Americans. It is those that pander to the left or right merely to get elected rather than uphold their true values that infuriate me.

    Senator Bob Bennett is a perfect example of this. He claimed to be a Republican, yet voted contrary to the core principles of his party on issues such as TARP, universal healthcare, and increased federal spending.

    If it isn’t outright lying which drives them to abandon their party, it is good old-fashioned poor sportsmanship that does. Case in point – Senator Mike Castle of Delaware. Castle, an incumbent, lost to Christine O’Donnell, who became the Republican nominee after the primary election. It is customary for the loser to congratulate and endorse the nominee winner in the interest of uniting the party and bolstering the winning candidate past the other party’s candidate whose views are even more contrary to yours. Castle apparently didn’t get that memo. Instead, he is considering a write-in campaign, which would arguably divide the party and ensure a win for Chris Coons, the Democratic candidate. He isn’t doing it to see any of the principles he ran on come to fruition. He is doing it simply to stick it to O’Donnell, a classic case of sour grapes.

    Another prime example of a sore loser hell-bent on revenge at the expense of their party is Jim Bennett. Bennett – the son of Senator Bob Bennett and his former campaign manager – has apparently ignored all previous convictions and is now running Granato’s campaign. There is nothing philosophically compatible between these two men other than their desire to dig our nation into more debt through reckless spending. His new position is simply his immature way of flipping Mike Lee the bird. You win Jim; now please, go to the dark side and stay there.

    Sheryl Allen was always a moderate Republican, and I’m all for diversity within a party, but by hitching her wagon to Peter Coroon, Democratic candidate for Utah governor, she has shown her true colors. Coroon is one of the most liberal Democrats in the State of Utah and by aligning herself with his cause, she has either done a 180 with her political values, or was never really a Republican to begin with and only added the “R” next to her name to get elected in the first place. My money is on the latter.

    This type of party infiltration and dismissal is not limited to just the right. Democrats have, and are, experiencing the same thing. “Blue Dogs” has become a popular term to describe liberals that lean to the right. The Blue Dog Coalition is a group of 54 conservative Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Utah’s own Jim Matheson is among them. For the most part, I applaud their efforts to showcase diversity among their party, but many on the left would like to hang them for high crimes of party treason.

    Our great nation is comprised of many different people from varied and unique walks of life. Just like snowflakes, no two are exactly alike, having different values and experiences. This is why a straight party ticket is not in my political vocabulary. I consider myself a strong conservative, one that would make Rush Limbaugh want to salute the flag, but I still take a compassionate view on immigration. I don’t hate the philosophy behind cap and trade, and have even encouraged a tax increase or two. It is core beliefs that make someone a Republican or Democrat, and it is when you flip-flop on those beliefs that I draw the line between diversity and treachery.

Renae Cowley is a senior majoring in public relations. She can be reached at renaecowley@gmail.com