Every two years we hear the same hysterical protests from liberal Republican legislators, when their voting records are exposed by our “Taxpayer Advisory Bulletin” ratings. Florida resident Jesse O’Hara’s guest column in the Flathead Beacon was a perfect example.
O’Hara called the ratings “concocted.” I’d like to know how one “concocts” 75 officially recorded votes from the House and Senate floors. These votes show that in every session, there is a solid block of Republicans, including O’Hara, who consistently side with the Democrats – creating a working majority for the Dems that makes it almost impossible to pass any mainstream Republican legislation (school choice, tax cuts, etc.).
Voting records cannot be refuted. So O’Hara’s only “defense” is to resort to Democrat-style name calling, using the epithet “extremist” nine times to describe GOP conservatives. Name calling is always the last refuge for those who have no arguments.
Pay close attention to what is happening here. Montana Conservatives provide exhaustive voting record information, and ask the simple question, “Why elect a Republican if he is going to vote like a big-government Democrat?” Our solution is to work within the party primary system, by nominating GOP candidates who are better aligned to the core values of the party platform.
By contrast, O’Hara and his cohorts openly support Democrats in the general election, whenever they judge their party’s nominee “too conservative.” In the last PSC-3 race, for example, eight of these “Republicans,” including O’Hara, publicly endorsed ultra-liberal Democrat John Vincent over Republican Roger Koopman.
If this doesn’t tell you who the real and loyal Republicans are, nothing ever will. The self-described “responsible” (read: left wing) Republicans can fling all the mud they want at the conservative center of their party, but mainstream Republican voters aren’t buying their baloney any longer.
Scott Orr, president
Montana Conservatives