On a cold night in early December the Montgomery County (PA) Republican Committee took another big step towards dumping a decade of internal discord by the side of the road. The rifts that seemed insurmountable only a few months ago, have been bridged and will finally begin to fade from memory. The Party can push on to a brighter future.
And no peeking backwards is allowed ...
As new Co-Chair of the MCRC Finance Committee, Bob Asher stated during October's MCRC love fest, " ... we can't have any more rearview mirrors on the bus." Asher, along with his Co-Chair compadre, Vahan Gureghian will form a solid backbone for future Republican success in Montgomery County.
The struggles that have faced the Montgomery County GOP in recent years have been expensive, costing opportunities for leadership of County Government; control of County Row Offices; and a growing disadvantage to Democrat registration numbers. In addition, the infighting has cost the County GOP dearly in unity and focus.
Then suddenly the skies cleared; the feud was over!
In the days leading up to the annual MCRC dinner in October, that would feature an appearance by Governor Tom Corbett, the leaders of the Montgomery County Republican Committee put differences aside to form a much stronger alliance, and created a powerful mechanism for promoting Republican ideals that have made Montgomery County among the choicest counties in which to live.
Then out of the blue MCRC Chairman Robert Kerns submitted his sudden resignation leaving the County GOP leaderless at a crucial time, a crisis that threatened to undo all the progress the Party had recently made.
And into the breach stepped Pennsylvania State Representative Mike Vereb!
Vereb has served in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives since 2007, and has run successfully for re-election in 2008, '10 and '12. Previous to his successful run for the PA State House, he worked in the West Conshohocken Police Department and served as President of the West Norriton (PA) Board of Commissioners.
Now, I haven't been much of a regular attendee at the Montgomery County Republican Committee events despite my membership as a Horsham Republican committeeman. High-powered politics is not my forté. I prefer to observe, comment (Hence the blog!) and support in whatever way I can those whose values and policies I agree with.
Those who stumble from time-to-time on this tiny slice of the internet super-megatropolis may be familiar with some of my more pointed rants and ravings when it comes to issues like wayward Liberal logic or deception, poor leadership, and - more recently - the dangerous tendency by my political party when it comes to marginalizing its moderate wing of thought.
If it comes to this, so be it!That last point is one that's been weighing on my mind for quite some time. For me, the issue illustrates just how willing the GOP is - on both regional and national levels - to take seriously the depth and breadth of viewpoints existing within those who labor for the ideals the Party represents.
It has been a discouraging to hear constantly that only Big C Conservatives speak truly to the important issues of the day. That, if you do not share their vision, you are not pure somehow as a Republican. That only those who hold tight to the hard Right vision are worthy of expressing their views.
Worse from my point-of-view, it's really very, very bad politics, particularly in a region where so many Moderates live, work and raise families. And when it comes to Electoral Math, it certainly does not improve the chances of success Nationally.
It was with this mindset I resisted the idea of attending Mr. Vereb's unchallenged rise to the MCRC Chairmanship. That was until he made a somewhat personal appeal that I attend such an important event. (OK ... It was simply a personal Facebook plea, but nonetheless ...)
So on a chilly night in early December I schlepped out to the Westover Country Club to see what would happen for myself. I wanted to HEAR the message that would come from the prospective Chairman.
I was quite pleasantly surprised!
Chairman Vereb recognized that the Party had become complacent, living off past victories, and not consistently or effectively communicating its message. It's a message that should ring loudly for many, including our Democrat neighbors, who have chosen Montgomery County as the place to live for its good schools, safe communities and low taxes.
The message to be stressed is that these things do not occur by accident. That such development was the result of excellent leadership, sound policies, and effective management. That throughout the County these successes resulted from decades of Republican stewardship.
The strategy worked quite well for Horsham Republicans on Election Day 2013.
The message should be a tone-setter for all efforts to promote Republican leadership, the foundation for MCRC efforts to win elections in those areas where the Party's leadership has a demonstrated record of Success.
At this point of Vereb's speech, I still wasn't really totally listening. It was what Mike said next grabbed me and convinced me the County GOP is headed towards much, much better days!
" ... the best interests of our party must always come before personal agendas. ... we must be inclusive and welcoming not only of different ideas about how to effectively promote our party and its candidates, but as to what the practical policy goals of our party must be."
Music to my ears ... But the best what yet to come.
"No political party ever expanded its base by requiring unquestioned adherence to a single ideology or perspective. ... We are residents of a diverse county in one of the most diverse states in our nation ..."
A lesson with which those at the highest reaches of the Grand Old Party will someday have to come to grips. To win elections - and with that the opportunity to lead, to shape, to find success - the Republican Party has to maximize its philosophical reach to those of moderate economic and social viewpoints.
"Demanding uniformity from our fellow Republicans will only invite electoral losses and policy disasters. However, by accepting reasonable differences of opinion we will be better positioned to achieve our overall goal of electing Republicans who will make sure government operates efficiently, effectively and is responsive to the interests of hard-working taxpayers."
Now, to be honest, I'm not entirely sure whether Vereb was speaking of outside political fortunes or the exorcism of past Committee sectarian conflict, but I chose to interpret his message on the broader political stage.
The simple fact is that Republicans can not be politically successful in the four suburban counties surrounding Philadelphia without embracing some moderate social and economic views. So the MCRC must find a way to accommodate such thinking in concert with traditional Big C Conservative ideals.
A challenging task? Certainly ... But Mike Vereb's take on diversity, inclusiveness, and Republicans of all stripe working together to extol the civil virtues of Republican leadership to voting taxpayers, who enjoy living in Montgomery County, sure sounds like a recipe for Success!
