By DOUG IBENDAHL • November 3, 2011
Actually we're sure this girl is far too smart to waste her allowance on a fake vote.
Last week we told you about the Chicago-style straw poll Mark Kirk and Illinois GOP Chair Pat Brady are pushing.
For every five bucks you pay you get a “vote” that means absolutely nothing and which will have zero impact on the presidential election.
But you will be propping-up a guy who is doing a lousy job as State Chairman and helping guarantee that our GOP in Illinois remains irrelevant.
My guess is Ron Paul will win the straw poll handily. His supporters seem to specialize in straw polls. And as many of Paul’s folks are more Libertarian, they are less likely to be familiar with or care about the state of the Illinois GOP.
The question is whether we’ll ever know the true results. It would be an understatement to say that standard ballot integrity protections aren’t in place for this event, especially the online aspect. That’s a big reason why no serious organization has ever pushed an online straw poll like this. (And no, as a matter of fact I don’t trust Pat Brady. He’s given us all far too many reasons not to.)
People are free to do what they want of course. For those who want to play pretend, go ahead. It’s your money.
But to the more serious Republicans out there, I say you deserve a real vote, not a meaningless one.
99.99% of Republicans in Illinois are still denied a vote for their State GOP leadership. We have much less of a voice than the Democrats provide in their party. It’s shameful.
Pat Brady is part of the failed wing of our Party that wants rank-and-file Republicans to remain disenfranchised so that he and his friends can stay unaccountable. How has that been working for Republicans?
We’re all supposed to be good little chumps and forget about having a real vote. Pat Brady wants us to be excited about having a phony one, and he expects us to pay for the privilege.
Well I say it’s asinine.
I urge serious Republicans who have not already signed-on as Senate Bill 35 supporters to do so now. That list is HERE. (You can read more about SB35 and its direct election reform HERE.)
And we don’t charge you a cent to express your preference.
Another way you can make a real difference is by running for Republican Precinct Committeeman. If you live in Cook County, all 50 Republican Ward Committeemen are up for election in Chicago.
December 5th is the last day to collect and file petitions for all of these Party offices, as well as for all public offices including State Representative and State Senator.
Let Pat Brady and Mark Kirk play their little fantasy game. At least it will keep them out of the way.
Grown-up Republicans have far too much work to do and little time to do it.
Doug Ibendahl is a Chicago Attorney and a former General Counsel of the Illinois Republican Party.
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