No, Pat Brady, it’s not a “New Day”

So I read the speech and as expected, discovered Mr. Brady’s confusion is the same as his predecessor’s. He even used Andy McKenna’s favorite phrase — “new day” — as he closed.

From the speech:

I think it is important that I make it perfectly clear that as the new Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party, my allegiance is to the fundamental principles of the Republican Party…and not to any individual or group.

Actually, he answers to the State Central Committee (SCC) and a handful of large donors — all of whom are against fundamental reform of the state and the IL GOP. All you need to do is check the record — see who the members of our Party’s SCC are, and check the financial disclosure statements to see who is paying the bills.

The name of the party chairman might have changed, but since he was already a part of the group, that’s not much of a change.

I did not get this position because of someone’s agenda. I am not part of a chummy club.

Actually, Pat, that’s exactly why you were elevated to that spot. In fact, as of today I believe you still are the National Committeeman too, so you must not be much of a threat to the agenda of that chummy club if you’re trusted with two important jobs.

I receive no financial benefit from this position. I do not lobby. I do not have commercial zoning or property tax appeal clients.

That is not the case with some of those who elected you party chairman.

Simply put, I am not beholden to ANYONE, except the Republican Party and I will act in the common interests of ALL Republicans in the State of Illinois. I believe this is the proper role of the State Party Chair and it is how I will run the Illinois Republican Party.

I’m sure former party payroller John McGovern wrote similar words for Andy McKenna when he took over. Actually, you can’t work in the interests of people who are going in two different directions. To cite just one example, liberal Republicans are going left, Platform Republicans are going right.

Here is a paragraph that Pat Brady and I agree on:

I also believe that it is imperative we succeed. Illinois needs a strong voice in opposition to hold the Democrats accountable and break their single-party stranglehold on Illinois. The citizens of Illinois cannot afford to have the Illinois Republican Party to be ‘Missing in Action.’

We’re approaching the seven year mark — and the IL GOP — under the leadership of former party chairs Judy Baar Topinka, Andy McKenna, and many of our current Central Committee members — has shown no proof that it even cares to provide that strong voice of opposition.

Brady lists a number of ugly facts about our state — including:

  • We have one of the highest deficits of any State.
  • We have one of the most oppressive tax structures.
  • We rank at the bottom in education.
  • We rank 46th in the country as a place to do business. The Chicago Tribune said: “The inconvenient fact here is that Illinois is tanking as a state in which employers want to do business.”
  • And we have the unemployment rate to show for it — one of the highest in the nation — at 10.4%.
  • We rank 46th in job creation. We have not created a net new job since 1997. (Source: Professor Geoff Hewings, U of I)
  • Over the last 7 years, the Democrats have imposed more than 300 different business and professional fees and eliminated a substantial number of tax incentives.
  • And their newest idea to make everything better? Raise our taxes.

Seven years have passed and Illinois voters still haven’t heard exactly how Republicans would reverse course. Seven years!

And please, Mr. Brady, all those tax and fee increases were passed with Republican support — including a tax increase and expansion of gambling back in May.

Later in the speech Brady said this:

Simply put, we put our faith in the people — not in the Bureaucrats, and certainly not in Party Bosses.

In light of his opposition to SB600, that’s a pretty funny — dare I say — Obama-like statement.

The worst — most nonsensical part of the speech — was this:

Finally, and as important as anything else I mention today, within our party, we respect and value differing opinions and ideas. We are not a clone of the Democrats, who punish ideological deviation…

We need to hold our candidates accountable to our core principles and to value differences… This strengthens us. It unifies us. And it guides all of us to victory in November, after family disputes in our primaries.

I’ll let you email me and make that case that those two paragraphs are not emblematic of the anti-intellectualism rampant in Republican politics. People just don’t want to think. What he said there makes no sense whatsoever. It’s either perfect foolishness or simple dishonesty.

Pat would be well advised to start listening to people who have been outlining solutions to his predecessor’s mistakes — and stop listening to those who were happy as a party boss under the previous “new day” party chairmanship.