Lowell Weicker was a RINO. So was Lincoln Chaffe for a while. And John Linsday, the mayor who tried to destroy New York City in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
RINO stands for “Republican In Name Only.” Rhinos and Elephants are both pachyderms, so it’s a pretty clever name for people who join the Republican Party but prefer the Democrat platform.
The problem is, some people take the concept to extremes. They make themselves look foolish and reactionary. They label someone a RINO over any disagreement on any issue.
Saturday, the House of Representatives voted unanimously to pay federal workers retroactively for time lost due to Obama’s partial government shutdown.
That prompted at least one St. Louis man to declare every Republican in the House a RINO.
.@ProVergent BTW, Bachmann and Steve King vote for the bill. Are they RINOs, too? @RepAnnWagner
— Bill Hennessy (@whennessy) October 5, 2013
@whennessy @RepAnnWagner Yes they are RINO’s too. This is what Democrats do. Pay people not to work.
— Scott Simon (@ProVergent) October 5, 2013
According to this gentleman’s standards, if you see your name here, you’re a RINO:
- Steve King
- Michele Bachmann
- Steve Stockman
- Trent Franks
- David Schweikert
- Matt Salmon
- Ann Wagner
- Plus all the others
Seriously? All these people are well above the Heritage Action Scorecard Republican average. And the Heritage Action Scorecard is the best index of Congressional conservatism in the world.
If every member of the US House is either a Democrat or a RINO, then our cause is lost. There’s no point in continuing.
Republicans in the House, and a handful of brave Senators, fight every day for the things we believe in: limited government, fiscal responsibility, and the rule of law.
Maybe you believe Ann Wagner’s heart isn’t in this fight. So what? On the CR, she’s voting right. And I have no qualms with challenging Ann Wagner. Support her before someone else does. If you called or tweeted or visited her office asking her defund Obamacare, thank her for doing as you asked. Please. We want her to know that we’ll defend her when she sticks her neck out.
And if you really think Steve King and Steve Stockman are RINOs, you better find another party. Or bigger hat, because your dunce cap is showing.
But if you disagree with one insignificant vote, disagree with that one insignificant vote. Don’t go calling for heads to roll.
To avoid collateral damage during your RINO hunt, check the Heritage Action Scorecard. If your target is above the Republican average, you might be shooting someone’s pet.