Over the last year I have watched a group that calls themselves the “New Summit Republicans” and wondered just what they are all about after seeing blogs they posted that were critical of local Republican leadership, as I have been.  A post of mine last November pointed out the battle for control in our county party, and noted that it’s website was a complete blank only days before an election.  This resulted in many prominent members of the party calling and asking “Are you a New Summit County Republican?”  My response was no, considering no one had issued me a card, or shown me a secrete handshake, or invited me to any meetings.  I then began to look into this movement a little more, and the more I looked the more concerned I became.

Let’s be clear here, I am not making a case for or against them, simply presenting the facts.  Afterwards you can make your own decision.

As I got involved with the TEA Party movement, which looks to change politics and politicians in both parties, I soon learned the true meaning of the term “Progressive” and learned that such beliefs exist in both parties.  I know that names and logos have meaning, and neither of these aspects of this group made me feel very comfortable. Any time I hear the name “New” associated with a group, I get a little nervous. 

What's In a Logo?	What's in a Name?
The logo is a red circle containing an elephant signifying the Republican Party.  The shape of Summit County is depicted on the left, rather ironic considering how the electorate is so strongly controlled by the Democrat Party machine.  This elephant is divided in half, signifying the group’s intention to divide the party.  The front half of the elephant is walking or progressing away from the county as it seeks control from a greater power at the regional, state and federal levels.  Are these symbols of a Conservative group or a Progressive group?	The use of tern “New” is most commonly fount in liberal or progressive circles, here are some examples you may be familiar with:   Progressive Groups: New Idea Fund & Brave New Films   The New Republic - an American magazine of politics and the arts.  The magazine generally supports liberal social and social democratic economic policies.   The New Deal - FDR was an expansion of Progressive Republican Herbert Hoover's new approach to managing economic downturns with government intervention.    "The New Republican Party" was one of the most liked articles on the Huffington Post this month, as its members cheered on the movement that stands to completely divide the party.

Much of the traction this group got was when it attempted to unseat the party's chair several years back.  This was visibly led by several members within the county as well as one who was a sitting member in the House of Representatives in Columbus.  The attempt’s failure to unseat the long standing chair, served only to enrage its members.  The result was a series of legislative battles in an effort to enact revenge on current leadership and its key supporters.  Here are just a few examples:

<< Rewind to Last Year

When Stow built the new Courthouse to house and serve both Cuyahoga Falls and Stow courts, the city of Cuyahoga Falls retained the Mayors court for small traffic violations.  Like many communities throughout the state this is ultimate reflection of the importance of keeping governance close to home. If the people didn’t like what was going on, they could vote to change the Mayor; where if this was part of Stow, their ability to control their local judicial power would be greatly diminished.  Smaller local government is a core tenant of the Republican Party.  In an act of legislative revenge, the New Summit Republican founder Kevin Coughlin introduced legislation in the State House to outlaw Mayors courts State wide, giving up such control, and specifically named his target Mayor Don Robert of Cuyahoga Falls in the bill.  One must ask:  How could I support someone who would go against such an important core value in the name of revenge?

After loosing the legislative battle over Mayor's courts, this group set it’s sites on a new approach for changing control. We all remember hearing about the sudden removal of Jack Morrison Jr from the University of Akron Board.  What most do not know, is that he too was a supporter of the current leadership in Summit County.  With the help of the Secretary of State (a Democrat mind you), they presented trumped up charges, and got Morrison's removal from the Akron University Board, clearing the way for a more progressive person to decide the education of your children.  This was all a bonus, the real end game was what happened next.  As expected Morrison was also removed from his seat on the Summit County Board of Elections.  The real goal was to win at all cost, no matter who replaced him.  As with most cases of revenge, the ramifications after the act are of little importance compared to the act itself.  So who replaced Jack?  Ray L. Weber, who was well accepted by the Akron Beacon Journal, one of the most liberal news papers in state.  Ask yourself: Did this act further or hinder the voice conservatism in Akron?

Fast Forward to Now >>

Now the group is taking shots at State Senator Tim Grendell as he prepares to run again for a House seat.  This was a decision made at the request of many of the leaders in Geauga County.  The group begins by referring to him as a “trud in the punchbowl” followed by a series of half truths in an effort to paint Grendell as something he most certainly is not.  Knowing this organizations track record, one must ask: Is Senator Grendell on the same list of true conservatives that stand in the way of this “New”, or dare I say, “Progressive” agenda?

I watched the Senator speak at the Akron Tea Party last summer, and that is certainly NOT the man described by this group.  I even went and testified for his State Sovereignty bill last fall in Columbus.  I was shocked that after the bill passed the Senate, never once did Kevin Coughlin contact me to help push it through the House.  It has never even come up for a vote.  The idea of a resolution that reaffirms the constitutional limitations of the Federal Government in the eyes of most progressives is like holy water to a vampire.  Does a person who leads such a fundimentaly conservative charge scare the New Summit County Republicans?

Listen to Senator Gendells Speach at the Akron TEA Party beginning at 13min 30 sec 

 

Just this week after filing a law suit, pro bono by the way, for the more the 100,000 home owners State wide (not just in his district)  to block PUCO’s insane attempts to force massive energy hikes on all eclectic homes. Senator Grendell won a case stopping the massive increase on these homes that FirstEnergy sold as a cheaper solution to gas heated homes.  Imagine waking up one day to find that your total heating and electric bill was about to go up 40%, this from the same company that convinced you to build it that way in the first place.  No one else was going to get the hike in their gas homes…just you.  I didn’t see a single member of the New Summit Republicans come out against this travesty; after all there are all electric homes in Summit County, too.  Why do these guys only attack people in Saul Alinski style, rather than take on such important issues?

Let me remind you that I am only stating the facts here, and asking you to make your own decision.  But before you do, ask yourself this one last question:  Does legislative revenge and personal attacks equal leadership?