"The Dirty Little Secret of the Utah GOP" or "The Nephi Complex" By Ben Smith

Here it is, are you ready for this? The GOP does not like or want Constitutional Conservatives. Of course that only applies to the ruling class, the aristocracy who run the party. Don't get me wrong, they love the dutiful turnout and "sustaining vote" of the constitutionalist grass roots, but their participation is something to be carefully managed. You see, the grass roots believe that the GOP is a tool for them to advance "conservative" (generally constitutionalist) principles, and genuinely believe in and support the Republican platform. The problem here is that for the ruling class there is only one plank in the platform they believe in and it is unwritten, though constantly alluded to.

Alluded to by rulers like the Chair of the Utah County Republican Party, who in a panel discussion asked a leading question concerned with too much "constitution thumping" going on out there. More specifically invoked by Orin Hatch when he cautioned convention-goers in 2009 against supporting anyone who was not a moderate. Code for flexible in their interpretation or application of the Constitution. Supported by the recent actions of the State Central Committee; a super-majority of which believe that delegates should no longer have the authority to change their own constitution without the permission of the much wiser republican aristocracy on the SCC. An SCC who cited the poor decisions delegates of the past have made, such as adopting Roberts Rules of Order, and enacting "Closed Primaries"

So, what is the plank? "You can't govern if you don't win". Though an obviously true axiom, this subtle bit of sophistry really means "Do whatever it takes to win". Support for this plank is easily mustered by scaring the daylights out of the constitutionalists grass roots by conjuring images of how bad the democrats are and how they would lead the country speedily to destruction. Not that I disagree, but when this fear is used to convince delegates to support the "lessor of two evils", what we wind up with is simply politicians who lead us to the same place but at a slightly slower speed. A "We must win at all costs, because the democrats are so bad" attitude, has not only become the battle cry of the party, but the litmus test for any who seek office within the party. A test applied by those of the ruling class who have attained the power to anoint candidates to victory and wield the proverbial sword in lopping off the political heads of any who do not pass the test or who stand in the way of this agenda.

Power. That is the one thing that matters to the leadership of the GOP. EVERYTHING ELSE is simply a tool for achieving this end. It used to be the other way around. I believe it can be again if people like Dave Duncan can be elected as the Party Chair. "The Extreme Right Wing", or as another great constitutionalist Ezra T. Benson liked to call it "The Correct Political Center" is looked upon as a liability or obstacle to be overcome because, lets face it, their beliefs are difficult for the socialist indoctrinated masses who are uneducated in principles of liberty to understand. This is an impediment to electoral victory and power. THE unacceptable impediment. In spite of the negative picture I am painting, constitutionalists have made some progress recently. We have been able to elect a couple exceptions to this rule who, so far, are singing our song. Time will tell if they will continue faithful as they become acustom to the flavor of power. My fear is, and the evidence suggests that rather than dismantle the political machine that stood against Rep. Chaffetz , candidates like him who have attained office may attempt to take control and make it their own. The irony of this whole situation is that this attitude among the "powers that be" has fueled a fire that we have not seen in a long time and may just prove to be the impetus behind a bloodless revolution where the power corrupted are replaced by the principled. It is further ironic that most of these rulers, at least in this neck of the woods, really truly believe that their reasoning is sound, and that they are the ones who are wise enough to save the country from destruction. In fact, I believe the reality is that they believe their agenda of "win at all costs, because the democrats are so bad" is good and in fact, holy. So much so that they fancy themselves tools of God and therefore anyone who stands in their way must be enemies of GOD. This delusion justifies them in, as I said before, "lopping off the political heads of any... who stand in the way of this (holy) agenda". For the greater good of course. Unfortunately, their destruction is not confined to political activity and sometimes extends to an "enemies" personal reputation and even livelihood. To the "powers that be" in Utah Politics, it is better that "one man" should parish than a nation suffer with another party, any other party, at the helm.