I can appreciate the fact that Virginia Republicans are nervous right now. They’ve lost the last two gubernatorial elections, they lost last year’s U.S. Senate race, they’re about to lose next year’s U.S. Senate race, they lost their majority in the State Senate, and there’s some evidence that the national Dems consider the state in play at the presidential level. It’s enough to make any state GOP committee a little panicky.
But loyalty oaths? Seriously? (thanks to L.M. for the tip)
If you’re planning to vote in Virginia’s February Republican presidential primary, be prepared to sign an oath swearing your Republican loyalty.
The State Board of Elections on Monday approved a state Republican Party request to require all who apply for a GOP primary ballot first vow in writing that they’ll vote for the party’s presidential nominee next fall.
There’s no practical way to enforce the oath. Virginia doesn’t require voters to register by party, and for years the state’s Republicans have fretted that Democrats might meddle in their open primaries.
Virginia Democrats aren’t seeking such an oath for their presidential primary, which is held the same day — February 12th.
As the Roanoke Times editorialized today, “The Republican Party of Virginia has no interest in thoughtful voters. It only wants mindless party loyalists who will vote Republican no matter what. That’s the sad message of a new GOP policy for next year’s presidential primary approved by the State Board of Elections this week.”
If this were limited to Virginia, it would merely be disappointing. Alas, these Republican loyalty oaths seem to be catching on elsewhere.
The GOP is taking a similar approach, for example, in Kansas.
The state Republican Party is forming a loyalty committee so that it can punish officers who endorse or contribute to Democrats. […]
The state committee’s actions struck a sour note for some Republicans, particularly moderates on issues such as abortion. Bob Beatty, a Washburn University political scientist, suggested the loyalty committee could prove a “public relations disaster.”
“Ironically, it smacks most of the Communist Party,” Beatty said Monday. “That’s the kind of public irony that most parties try to avoid — the party of freedom telling people they have no freedom.”
Kansas Secretary of State Ron Thornburgh added, “It gives me pause for thought anytime someone requires a loyalty oath of anyone from any organization.” Andy Wollen, president of the Kansas Traditional Republican Majority, added, “When you hear the term loyalty committee, what runs through your mind? Joseph McCarthy. George Orwell.”
Or how about this gem from 2004?
The [Bush-Cheney] campaign goes to great lengths to ensure events are open only to the most loyal fans.
On Vice President Cheney’s recent trip to New Mexico, residents were allowed in to hear his Albuquerque speech only if they signed a loyalty oath swearing they “endorse George W. Bush for reelection of the United States [sic].”
Or, how about this one, a few months later?
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — “I want you to stand, raise your right hands,” and recite “the Bush Pledge,” said Florida state Sen. Ken Pruitt. The assembled mass of about 2,000 in this Treasure Coast town about an hour north of West Palm Beach dutifully rose, arms aloft, and repeated after Pruitt: “I care about freedom and liberty. I care about my family. I care about my country. Because I care, I promise to work hard to re-elect, re-elect George W. Bush as president of the United States.”
I know the Bush-Cheney campaign occasionally requires the people who attend its events to sign loyalty oaths, but this was the first time I have ever seen an audience actually stand and utter one. Maybe they’ve replaced the written oath with a verbal one.
“Party of freedom”? Please.
