FL GOP Chair just resigned admist "Civil War"

[Perky]

Greer resigns: Foes were willing to 'burn the house down'

In an emotional conference call with reporters just now, Florida Republican Party Chairman Jim Greer said he would resign his post amid a civil war in the state GOP.

"I cannot be a participant in the shredding and tearing in the fabric of the Republican Party," said Greer, blaming his conservative critics for their plan to stage a divisive fight over his post at a party meeting Saturday. His critics were willing to "burn the house down and try to destroy the Republican Party," Greer said.

Greer, a close ally of Governor Charlie Crist, is the highest-profile casualty to date of the conservative insurgency that, in Florida, backs Marco Rubio against Crist.

"I am not a purist," Greer said, begging his fellow Republicans to "stop the fight between moderates and conservatives focus on electing Republicans in 2010."

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0110/Greer_resigns_Foes_were_willing_to_burn_the_house_down.html?showall

[Lost-in-FL]

1. ...

:nopity:

[roguevalley]

16. ah, a post christmas present. :-D

[BOSSHOG]

2. Oh Mr Greer they are doing a fine job in destroying the republican party

Their goal, purge the goal of borderline lunatics and replace them with the real ones.

Yes, wouldn't it be great to get an American History lesson from tea baggers. Maybe they could tell us what the Boston incident was all about.

[The Backlash Cometh]

8. Here's the problem.

Florida belongs to whoever has the biggest balls to skirt the laws. So, moderates can only remain moderates if they're ruthless about it. The greatest irony is, that the more conservative one's politics lean in Florida, the more crooked they are likely to be.

Of course, all this would be resolved with a criminal justice agency that took public corruption seriously, and, taking the power out of the bar association to disbar lawyers...

...but don't hold your breath.

[Hamlette]

15. what does disbarring lawyers have to do with it?

if you don't like the way politicians are being (or not being) prosecuted blame it on the elected official over the criminal justice agency and vote the bastard out of office.

It's not the bar's responsibility (necessarily).

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Boy, you really don't have a handle on this, do you?

In Florida it's not uncommon for attorneys to have major conflicts of interest. I mean, like a City Attorney whose law firm represents a land owner/developer inside the City limits, and the City attorney looks to cut deals that will favor that land owner. And it's not uncommon for these interests to involve "looking the other way" as elected officers realize they can barter with the ruthless son of a bitch and...um...but I'm speaking hypothetically, of course...

[Hamlette]

25. sorry, guess I don't

in my state, the city attorney isn't in a "law firm" and if s/he did something for personal gain, s/he'd be voted out of office. I didn't know that government employees were in law firms.

[The Backlash Cometh]

28. What state do you live in!

Damn. You don't know how lucky you are.

The other name for Florida is "Corrupt Lawyers R us." There's a good ole boy ring with connections into Tallahassee that extends from Brevard, through Seminole, Orange and Osceola Counties. Incidentally, along the I-4 corridor. Co-inky dink? I think not.

The Republican good ole boys center their power locally and, currently, into Tallahassee. Where the Democratic good ole boys boast of strong ties to Washington.

An enterprising lawyer in Florida could really find a niche representing aggrieved homeowners against these malefactors of great wealth. (Assuming they know which judges to avoid.) The corrupt groups within Florida have strong roots and they have lasted as long as they have because their corrupt ways filter into the community, infecting the next generation of corrupted community leaders. It's all about the money. You would be surprised how lucrative it is to sell out your neighbors and community whenever there is a construction project involved.

And believe me once these "entrepeneurs" get caught, they have a list of sympathetic reasons for their "mistakes." Here are just a few:

"I have six children to put through college."
"My wife is dying."
"I'm dying."
"I lost my job."
"I couldn't even put my kids through college and need money for retirement," (said the man with two houses and a motorcycle for recreational purposes.)
"We're being treated as stepchildren!"
"I want to live like a white man."

Don't we all? It's like a drug. Once they're in, they stay in as long as they're willing to support the network of corruption.

And, by the way, these little networks are the sole reason why affirmative action becomes necessary. Yes, they will select a few tokens to hold positions of leadership, but, this is as close to a "legally" sanctioned, Caucasian mafia as it comes.

[Ian David]

3. To which Greer added, "I get enough of that same shit at home. I don't need it at work, too." n/t

[Hamlette]

14. What? Did Greer say that? If not, why so sexist? n/t

[Ian David]

22. Who says it has to be coming from his wife? He could have a houseful of awful sons. n/t

[Hamlette]

26. oh yeah

that's the first thing that we all think of when you use that phrase. Bad sons.

(rolling eyes)

nice try

[WeDidIt]

4. Rubio will probably win the nomination, then

We've got a chance for a pickup in Florida now.

[Gman]

5. all the better for moderates to come over to the Democratic Party

good. Very good.

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. I liked this quote from the local paper:

Jim Greer accused his critics of launching a deceitful, scorched-earth strategy to either oust him from power or “burn the house down and try to destroy the Republican Party.”

“These individuals who have turned their guns on fellow Republicans instead of defeating Democrats have done nothing to serve our party,” Greer said, announcing that on Feb. 20 he would step down and allow the executive committee to elect a replacement.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/news_politics/2010/01/greer-resigns-accuses-critics-of-trying-to-burn-the-house-down.html

Deceitfulness and character assassination. That's not just for politics. That's the Florida lifestyle. Make no mistake, if they do this to members of their own party, you can just imagine what they're capable of doing to the rest of us.

[Beetwasher]

7. Sweet! I Think People Are Overestimating The Repubs Chances In 2010

n/t

[Brother Buzz]

13. Even Steele doubts GOP will win, Honest Injun

They got nothing. Zip. Nada. Zero. Zilch.

:rofl:

[Yavin4]

9. Meek Doesn't Really Have A Chance

Looks like Rubio will take that seat.

[Perky]

11. Unless Crist switches Parties

Hee hee

[Lost-in-FL]

18. That would only please Lieberman.

We don't need more politically unstable people in the democratic party.

[Perky]

21. Or maybe Arlen Specter

Look. First of all on more politically unstable person is not going to make much distance when half the party is there already. We have to be very carful not to have our own purity test. Its the price for having a big tent.

Crist is a moderate. He has to be given the number of Seniors in the state and against Rubio it is his best shot. Plus Fundamentally, grabbing Crist alter the Florida landscape in 2012

It would be a political coup for us to get him to defect the crazies on the right.

[quaker bill]

19. I don't know where you draw this conclusion

Perhaps from the same sort of data that indicated Obama did not have a chance in FL?

I think you underestimate the potential anger among the voters with Republican leadership. Seen all the layoffs? The damage they have done to the schools and other public services? We have had little but Republicans to blame for it as they have controlled the Governor's mansion and the legislature for a dozen years now.

I think we can run against them and do quite well this year. the Dems just need to get on board with Hometown Democracy, as I think it will be a big winner, and all the republicans are against it.

[PopSixSquish]

20. If Rubio is the Rep. Nominee Then Meek's Chances Go Up Dramatically

[Kdillard]

10. Sounds good to me. k and r

[Dr.Phool]

12. I'd be willing to give them Karen Thurman, the Fla. Dem. Chair!

She already works for a Republican lobbying firm, and can't stomach progressives.

[Clio the Leo]

23. Good ..... let the whole party move as far right as it possibly can. NT

[Peacetrain]

24. Some things are just delicious, and this is one of them

[dkf]

27. Yay teabaggers!

May this be only the beginning of things to come.