Bloomberg no longer needs us!

Yes, Bloomberg, who has never been much of a Republican, has been pretty clear that this has all been a marriage of convenience, mainly his. Alas, NY Republicans are so benighted as not to recognize when they're being used. Or perhaps we're just too desperate to even think about that! In the general election, Bloomberg is clearly the best Democrat in the race, and people may want to vote for him for that reason. But what he's done to the GOP in NY is downright humiliating for us. He's rendered us completely superfluous and we've cooperated every step of the way.

The question before us now is how can we rectify this situation? Given that Bloomberg seems likely to win and to retain the Republican banner in so doing, and, more, likely to begin to assert some authority over the county organizations (since he now has to think about his political future and, if he can retain the Republican Party as a base, he won't have to compete in the periodic Democratic free-for-alls) he'll no doubt pose something of a threat to those of us who are not in his camp. He may even be able to wrest control of Queens from the group who led the abortive primary charge against him.

We can either line up with him, despite his shaky to non-existent Republican credentials, or continue the fight to reclaim the NY GOP at the grassroots level. Considering New York voters' Democratic bias and Bloomberg's great wealth and likely big win in November, this may be easier to propose than to do. If we choose to fight, then we have to do it below his line of sight, at the most local of levels, where he has relatively little interest and concern. We have to win back the party, one county committeeman at a time, one club at a time. We have to build an alternative organization that will be there at some point to field and seriously support real Republican candidates in NY, but candidates who still have a chance to win. We need the social conservatives in alliance with us but we cannot allow them to set the terms of that alliance. We need to develop our linkages with them based on realpolitik and principled flexibility. But too many social conservative types seem incapable of the kinds of compromises that entails.

I don't think we can afford to cut them loose but I also don't think we can afford to let them set the agenda for everyone as they demand. Their insurgent candidate for mayor, Tom Ognibene, has regrettably fizzled, showing the real weakness in voting strength that exists on their end of the political spectrum. Unfortunately, it's not likely they can be persuaded to recognize that or to trim their sails so we can make it to port together. -- SWM