The Birth of a RINO

It takes about sixteen months from conception for a rhinoceros baby to be born while a human being’s gestation period is only nine months. Nine months from now it may just be that we will see a combination of the two happen – a human rhino being born. Somewhere in America rhinos, or republicans in name only, are preparing right now for a 2012 elect run.

Like a baby most politicians have a formula that they will depend on to help them convince the public they deserve their vote. Rhinos have to have a special formula – it includes heavy doses of deception and self promotion.

For the purpose of this article let’s look at possibilities for the rarest and most dangerous kind of rhinos coming forth right here in Liberty County. These rhinos are rarely seen because the voting public is usually much too alert to have over half of the voters get conned out of their vote. This kind of rhino is the party switching rhino who claims their party change and their commitment to conservatism is the same kind of switch that other well known Republicans did – they simply were later to reveal their change.

It is mind boggling to think any politician would come in to this next election trying to sell this snake oil, but let’s pretend one or two do just to expound on what kind of things it takes to pull this off. Before anyone writes in to ridicule the possibility, let’s acknowledge any Democrat planning on running in 2012 who was concerned about the spend spend spend politics of our current Democratic leadership in Washington should have publicly announced their intention to run Republican months ago. No one in Liberty County has since December 2010. Anyone hanging with the Democratic Party and Obama through the last election has no rationale to switch now.

But if one were to try, what would it take for us to see one of these rare rhinos hatch between now and nine months from now? What kind of formula would their campaign use the next nine months?

First, let’s also acknowledge anyone switching this late would have to be desperate. The most controversial local Democrat on the ballot in 2012 is a good example. Mike Little has never had an opponent, but he is sure to have one or more this time. He was tied to the hip with recently defeated District Judge Rusty Hight, recently defeated County Judge candidate Michelle Merendino, and recently defeated County Judge Phil Fitzgerald. None of the scandalous accusations against these people or the crazy liberal policies of Obama caused Mike Little to announce a party switch.

If a candidate wants to switch parties, no one can stop them. Mike Little has plenty of negative baggage local Republicans should want to avoid but Little can still switch if he wants. By election time it is difficult to say whether rape and sodomy charges against him will have gone to court yet. Maybe he will have that behind him, but what political party wants new candidates with that kind of background.

It is not likely charges of selective prosecution charges will be behind him by December. It seems to be a growing possibility that any connection Little has to the Liz Beausoliel/stolen mail case will not be cleared up by then. Allegations of bloating his budget may or may not be under public scrutiny by November.

Republicans have fought this guy for year, if he turned rino the only good thing for real Republicans would be that they could beat him in the primary and all of his long time Democratic compadres would have very Little to say about it.

Of course it is a ridiculous to even think this might happen, but if Mike Little did, he would be a great example of the rarest most reviled type of rinos. The irony of having the person who has refused to prosecute and ignored all of the years of corruption run as a Republican is interesting, but what real Republican would want him.

Write in if you are a long time conservative Republican and would be excited about Mike Little or any other Democrat switching. Sign your name. Explain why you think this would be good.