Jefferson County GOP must say 'good bye' to the days of in-fighting

August 2009 was one for the record books. In no uncertain terms, it reminded the Washington elite that they are replaceable. What August 2009 ought to have taught Republicans is the tremendous role grassroots involvement can play when the citizenry is educated and engaged and Jefferson County Republicans were among the nations most vocal and involved. Town Hall after Town Hall, concerned citizens traded in their Saturday morning rituals for a visit with their elected officials. Week after week, they listened on as Congress inanely consigned their frustrations to the nation’s circular files. So caught up in their own invincibility our nation’s leaders boldly and unapologetically spent our money and pillaged our private sector industries.

Many of them are now up for re-election.

The country is at an obvious crossroads and one much more pivotal than that which presented itself to Barack Obama and John McCain in the 2008 Presidential Election. Most would agree the last Presidential cycle was little more than a war of empty speeches. It was fought in an intellectual arena which allowed for empty platitudes to harness actual votes. The fight now before us is far richer in reason and inherently more precarious for elected officials who had assumed President Obama’s coat tails would have dragged them a bit a further than October of 2009. The American People are livid. Voters are growing tired of the sort of change the President has been peddling. Even Keith Olbermann would be hard-pressed to deny the swelling disdain for President Obama’s agenda.

At the close of August recess, the American People had succeeded in making their opinions known. Nevertheless, it is now nearly October and Congress is keenly aware of American forgetfulness. As the nation redirects its focus to the 2010 election cycle, it is imperative the Republicans maintain their offensive momentum. Colorado has a vital role to play in that process. As 2009 draws to a close the Mile High State is primed to undergo two highly volatile campaign battles. Colorado’s current Democratic Governor, Bill Ritter, faces a weary uphill battle to re-election. With his waning approval ratings, some formidable Republican opponents have already thrown their hats into the ring. In conjunction with Ritter’s vulnerable positioning Senator Bill Bennet’s days in the halls of the U.S. Senate seem inarguably numbered as well. And much like his executive counterpart, Bennet is not lacking for prominent Republican opposition.

Our government’s domestic growth has soared to new heights and its commitment to international appeasement has left many Americans rightfully worried for the safety of our country. As easy as it would be to rest the better portion of the blame on the Obama Administration, we must accept that our party’s abysmal performance in the 2006 election battle was much to blame. In organization, platform solidarity and participation, we failed the country. Here at home, the Jefferson County GOP learned a great deal about the broad-sweeping consequences of internal party strife. Cycle after cycle, Colorado Republicans have grown more divided in their loyalties and efforts, resulting in ever-increasing irrelevance. That dynamic must change. Jefferson Country Republicans have an exhaustive and up-hill battle to contend with. The road to the Primary will bring with it countless Republican debates and GOP’ers must remember to caution their words and control their emotions. More vital than Republican victory is the re-emergence of an America that believes in the private sector and stands up to the rhetoric of international despots.

This autumn, slighted Americans tuned in as their representatives’ arrogantly criticized the boycotts of the President’s agenda as nothing more than the posturing of an irrelevant, bigoted and fanatical fringe group. Republicans have long insisted that their message of Conservatism is simply a devotion to the principals upon which this nation was founded. Now is the time to test the veracity of that claim.