The republican party is starting to crack like humpty dumpty. As Kos's
recent piece pointed out, many beltway republicans returning to the arena of state-level politics find that the conservative ideology falls flat when it comes to solving real-world issues. The clocks have struck midnight and all the fine rhetorical livery of the conservative dream has turned back into the tattered sheets of an outdated paradigm.
This effect is magnified the further down you move on the governmental scale. That is to say, your average neighborhood association is likely to work for what the neighborhood needs; I'd be surprised if political affiliation even gets discussed. Contrast that to "real" politics, with races and parties and far less personal accountability. Despite the soul-crushing republican victory in the last federal election, Democratic candidates swept state and local contests, even in the red, red states: The conservative line only flies when it can hide behind the self-importance of D.C. It cannot meet the practical needs of reality-based governance.
But that doesn't seem to concern the GOP of Harris County, TX. They have recently come down on republican Houston City Council members for working with the Democratic Mayor on local initiatives.
The Harris County Republican Party has a warning for Republicans on Houston's City Council: Be careful about supporting Mayor Bill White.
..."There's a lot of disappointment that the mayor was able to get Republican council members to support him," said Jared Woodfill, chairman of the Harris County Republican Party.
..."We're not looking for council members who are going to go along and get along," Woodfill said. "We're looking for council members who are going to stand up for conservative values."
Party über alles, jawohl! Yoo vill vote ze vay ve tell yoo to vote!
Woodfill said the Harris County Republican Party has a good relationship with Republican council members and is not planning immediate action against them.
But he said the party is keeping a closer eye on them and may take more aggressive stances if they continue to vote for what he called liberal positions.
...Woodfill said the GOP executive committee could influence their political aspirations through such measures as endorsing an opponent and putting out "score cards" on their votes.
Harris County is the third largest county in the United States, comprised largely of the City of Houston. Houston, as greater Texas, is a republican stronghold. If dissent among the ranks is becoming public there, we know there are cracks in the dam. And dissent there be:
Republican council members who voted against the wishes of the local GOP said ...they voted their consciences and have been praised by many Republican constituents.
"Why does (Woodfill) think Safe Clear is a Republican issue?" asked Councilman Mark Ellis, a Republican who voted for Safe Clear
..."It is what it is. We're trying to better serve the public and constituents. Is street repair a Democratic or Republican issue?"
One of their own is calling them out on placing party above principle. Pass.the.popcorn.