California GOP Faces The Mariachi Music And Quits Political Activities In The Golden State For First Time Since 1854.
By ADRIAN MARKS
November 13, 2013
Weary Republicans, watching their party teeter on the brink of irrelevance in solidly blue California, finally have given up hope to expand Ronald Reagan’s once “big tent.” In particular, the GOP has quit trying to win over some of the millions of Latinos and other minorities that have flooded the state during the past 30 years.
On Friday afternoon California Republican Chairwoman Harmeet Dhillon announced that the California GOP would cease operations as a political entity. Going forward it will focus on social and charitable endeavors.
“Failing to win a single statewide office this past election was a wake up call for the party and our donors,” said Dhillon. “We simply could not capture the imagination of Latino voters, and I’m not sure we ever could without sacrificing our bedrock political principles.”
Realizing its predicament, the California GOP faced a stark choice: continue wasting donor funds losing elections or pack it in for good.
Usually these so-called charitable events cost more than they raise for charity.”
California GOP Treasurer Mike Osborn made a proposal that would make lemonade from the lemons in the state party’s basket. “We have over $50 million in our treasury which we may use for either political or charitable purposes under federal election laws,” said Osborn. “Rather than just return all this money to donors and dissolve the party I thought it would be far more desirable to apply the money to charitable ends.”
Under Internal Revenue Service regulations political parties may spend money on events – such wine tastings – so long as some amount of money is raised for charitable purposes. “The intent of this rule was to allow pack parties to entertain political donors,” said tax and election law expert Peter Goldstein. “Usually these so-called charitable events cost more than they raise for charity.”
Dhillon said that the state GOP would continue to endorse more moderate Democratic political candidates but that the party would no longer nominate or fund the election of its own.
“We did our best to attract the new Meso American Californians and apart from some of their older customs of human sacrifice – which I am assured does not go on anymore – we respect and admire them,” said Dhillon.
Not all of the party faithful are excited by the demise of the only conservative political party in the state. Dorothy Cole is a fifth generation Californian and not pleased with the demise of the GOP in the Golden State. “I believe in a government that is smaller, and smarter and limited… and stays out of your life,” said Cole. “Now I don’t have any alternative.”
For GOP enthusiasts, party activism in California might have to take place on the polo grounds rather than the ballot box.