Cabarrus Cheap Seats

Before I get started, let’s consider a term - RINO or “Republican In Name Only”. What makes one officially a Republican is to go down to the Board of Election office and to register as one. However, Republicans themselves have differing criteria for when to consider someone else a Republican. When a Republican doesn’t meet that criteria - you consider them a “RINO”

The RINO charge is something that gets thrown around nowadays - and is more likely as the Primaries get closer. Mike Bloomberg, current Mayor of New York City, has been accused of being a RINO because shortly before he ran for Mayor - he changed his registration to be in a less competitive primary. Because we are trying to be the “Party of The Big Tent” we have no problem with anyone becoming a Republican - just as long as they don’t run for anything.

Facing a strong challenge from Grace Mynatt, our local Paleoconservatives (they are old both in age and ideology) tried throwing that charge on Grace Mynatt. For those of you who subscribe to Harold Smith’s newsletter - you are aware of the recent exchange between he and I. For those who aren’t - here’s a quick recap.

Saturday night, Harold sent out an e-mail with the following claim:

Grace Mynatt changed to a Republican when she filed as a candidate for county commissioner. 

Very early Sunday Morning, I looked up this information on my voter registration archives. I discovered that, according to my earliest records, Mrs. Mynatt was a Republican. I informed Harold and told him he owed her an apology. While he didn’t offer an apology, he did demand that she tell him how long she’s been a Republican. He promised that he would “report back the findings”.

He didn’t.

He took out one snippet of an e-mail about her running non-partisan in a non-partisan election and called her a RINO. However, in style typical of the Privette gang, he didn’t tell the WHOLE truth.

Here’s why - according to Grace Mynatt - she’s been a Republican since 1953. That’s right, she’s an Eisenhower Republican. While she didn’t offer up any pictures of herself wearing an “I Like Ike” button, I tend to believe her. She was a Republican when my parents were toddlers.

I wondered why Harold wouldn’t say that. At first, I considered the fact that his ego is as frail as his intellect. However, it goes deeper than that. The Republican Revolution in this County started within the past 20 years or so. One of those who were Republicans when they were a jilted minority in this County was a fella by the name of Ken Payne. He served as a Commissioner and is a friend of my family. You’ll notice that he ran an ad in the paper strongly opposed to Privette, Freeman, and Suggs. He strongly endorsed Larry Griffin.

The more I think about it - if you talk to the people who had strong involvement locally in the party going back to its days as a jilted minority - you’ll find less support among them for folks like Privette, Suggs, Harold, etc. Because back then, they did put principles ahead of politics. And that’s really what separates them.

I registered in 1996 (when I was 18). I participated in the election that followed and voted majority Republican for the past 10 years or so. I’ve had to split my ticket from time to time; because it’s harder to be principled than to be a Republican. Don’t get me wrong - I’d love to vote a straight ticket; but my party rarely gives me the opportunity.

So, if I’m a Republican who doesn’t just vote for someone because they are in the same party, does that make me a RINO? If I consider the facts and follow my principles and judge those first before submitting my ballot, does that make me a RINO?

I guess so. Because the way I was raised, you don’t join an organization like a political party or a church and adopt their ideology - you join one of those because it’s closest to who you are. I registered as a Republican (after a little time unaffiliated); because I felt that the part was closest to my own beliefs. Now the beliefs of both myself and/or my party can (and probably will) change. However, I know that neither will happen without having to endure the bleating of mindless sheep in our party.