County GOP’s Commitment to Cause a Lesson in Success

A series of articles in The Times Orange County edition on local Republicans has detailed the remarkable grasp on power held by a tightly controlled and well-financed cadre of political operatives. As local Republicans have extended their power base to Sacramento, and risen during a period of Republican ascendancy in Congress, the reach of the party’s philosophy and influence inspires pride in supporters, and awe and envy in enemies.

As impressive as all this is, the portrait also ought to prompt those who may not agree with the agenda of party leadership, or who may generally consider themselves more moderate on particular issues, to participate more fully in the political process. There is no question that there are many potential voters in Orange County who are not now taking part, and there are some who feel that their options are closed off by a tightly guarded system. Both instances are lamentable. In the end, democracy flourishes best when ideas, candidates and political programs must compete in a marketplace of viable alternatives.

For those in the know, there was much to recognize. For those who have not been so interested, there was much to learn about how power is exercised. It may have raised a few eyebrows to see how people are rewarded and punished in the hurly-burly of local politics. The fact that there are these two groups is itself instructive. The citizens who are relatively uninvolved represent a powerful constituency that at times may find itself unrepresented on particular issues.

For all the storied conservatism of the county nationally, The Times Orange County Poll results showed that Republicans in this heavily GOP county are far less united in their views on specific topics than the people who represent them. For example, there is a whole range of opinions on everything from gun control to the environment to abortion.

Meanwhile, the political opposition both within and without the party tends to be woefully unorganized and incapable of producing inspiring candidates. This effectively has ceded the domination of local offices and government positions to a core group of disciplined regulars. They shrewdly have capitalized on public mistrust of government in general and anti-tax sentiment.

You have to give them credit. The leadership’s continued domination and its statewide ascent is a tribute to its hard work, committed ideology and strong organizational skill. The party is successful at handling its own internal squabbles, so that it presents time and again a far more united front than the national party.

There are those who feel there is no room for those who dissent from the loyal party line, and stories abound of alleged strong-arm tactics and long memories. It would be good for all if the party could find room for more who consider themselves “loyal Republicans” but who may disagree under the big tent.

Love them or hate them, what the local organization has demonstrated is that in this, as in any political arena, the spoils go to those who organize, are well-funded, and are visible. Even those who disagree can learn something from observing how the party does the little things successfully. For example, party Chairman Thomas A. Fuentes is easily one of the county’s best masters of ceremonies, whether at party-sponsored events or at those for nonpartisan civic causes.

Those who sit on the sidelines and complain about the quality of their government really have only themselves to question in the end. The formula for success is not all that difficult to fathom. Ironically, the political achievements of the local GOP rest on some of the same principles of party discipline to be found in Democratic strongholds in the older parts of the country in the North and East.

So in a sense, even with all that we hear nowadays about low voter turnout, and voter apathy, the story of the local GOP offers a lesson. It is that the old elements of success in American politics are there to be relearned.