The poor College Republicans. They used to represent so much good. Figures like Karl Rove, Lee Atwater OK, maybe not good for good, but at least good for whatever they were fighting for (what was that again?).
For much of my time at UW-Madison, they were a miserly organization. Comically poor public speaking skills made the College Republicans the laughingstock of the campus press. However, I talked to the new heads of the College Republicans last year and they seemed aware of the need to re-image the organization from the customary parade of far-right speakers and self-pitying op-ed columns (liberal campus, wah, wah, wah) to advocacy for a more palatable brand of conservatism.
And yet, that message has apparently not reached all corners of the state. Just a few months ago, the head of the statewide organization resigned and then became a Democrat. As she told me, "the College Republicans at Eau Claire are like Waukesha Republicans." Translation: Crazier than hell. The straw that broke the camel's back was a racist comment the chair of the Eau Claire County GOP made on her facebook page.
And then there's this story, courtesy of Bill Lueders, about the head of the UW-Whitewater Republicans, who ran into some trouble for being a Dave Westlake fan:
Sands finds it objectionable that the party would try to discourage him from talking about why one candidate is better than another, given that voters have yet to decide who will get the nomination.
As for whether it's poor form for him to criticize Johnson, the choice of party leaders, he has this to say: "Endorse a better candidate and I won't have to bash him."
Welcome to politics kid. You want values? Don't join a political party, especially not the Republican Party. You might want to give Pro-Life Wisconsin a try. They don't make any compromises.
Thank you Peter Rickman.