Response to a fundraising letter

Representative Tom Cole
Chairman, National Republican Congressional Committee
320 First Street SE
Washington, DC 20003

Representative Cole:

I recently received (and filled out) the “Ask America 2007 Nationwide Policy Survey,” and wished to amplify a few of the thoughts I expressed therein.

I’ve been a Republican all of my adult life. My parents were such true believers that they actually named me after Barry Goldwater. I’ve been politically active, donating money to, raising money for, and sometimes volunteering for Republican candidates at the local, state and Federal level.

I am a small-government conservative who is pro-business and pro-civil rights, the sort of person who used to form the backbone of the GOP.

And I don’t recognize what used to be my party any longer.

In 2006, after six years of relentless Bush administration incompetence, I had enough, and changed my party registration to “Independent.” (I certainly couldn’t bring myself to register as a Democrat, but just as clearly, I couldn’t remain a Republican.)

Six years of pervasive managerial ineptitude, calculated fiscal irresponsibility, egregious foreign policy ignorance, relentless demagoguery on unimportant issues, a blockheaded and idiotic denial of science that would do any Luddite proud, and a frightening and apparent disregard for civil rights at home and human rights abroad (as long as pandering excuses could be made under the imprimatur of “national security”)…

Enough.

As Alan Greenspan observed in his recent book, the Republican Party in recent years has traded principle for power, and as a result they now have—and deserve – neither.

So you might want to take me off your mailing list, as contacting me is just a waste of your money, and both your time and mine.

I’m not giving a dime, or lifting a finger, to help Republican candidates this year.


Sincerely,


Barry Campbell