Outgoing Wisconsin College Republicans Chair Tells GOP to Suck It

Her parting shots appear to be hastily thrown together, long-winded and even rambling, but former Wisconsin CR chair Lora Rae Anderson clearly is not happy with the Republican party.

Here's are some of the highlights from her press release, which isn't exactly written to MLA specs:

• In 2008, the Republican Party was happy to announce that they had passed their “most conservative platform ever.” This might be appealing to current members of the Republican Party but is not appealing to the vast majority of moderate Americans.

• The Republican Party is alienating a younger, more progressive generation through its new ‘conservative platform’ which ignores issues such as gay marriage ... This is an area where most College Republicans agree, but for one reason or another, stay quiet and don’t stand up to the older members of our party” said Anderson.

A CR chair who supports gay marriage? Next thing you know she'll be calling out Glenn Beck!

• A few notable individuals in the Republican Party and in the Conservative Movement (which the Republican Party bows to), have gone unchecked in the past year. One such example was Pat Robertson and his comments on the victims of the Haiti earthquake. Others include those Republicans who voted against Senator Al Frankin’s amendment to the 2010 Defense Appropriation Bill, condemning rape. Also to be included would be Glenn Beck, who, in his speech at CPAC this year criticized all government spending and was hypocritical enough to express that he was self taught in his paradigm, and learned at a public library.

Yikes! (Hey, we know she watches the Daily Show.)

• I will not be renewing my membership to the Eau Claire County Republican Party or the Republican Party of Wisconsin for the year 2010.

• Juneau County DA, Scott Southworth threatening prosecution to any teacher who teach sex education because of his clearly skewed and extreme interpretation of law. It has been proven time and time again that sex education reduces abortion rates, and has helped society.
  

• “I understand that the issue of ‘promoting the party at all costs’ exists on both sides of politics, but at this point I wish to call out the Republicans as I have supported them and worked with them and they have yet to attempt to bring justice to a diverse group of Americans. Extremism has never done anything productive for any majority in history. I ask that members of the Republican party open their minds but more importantly open their hearts. To those individuals who have held ‘unpopular’ opinions in the party, I ask you to speak out, as I regret having not about numerous issues. You may not make a difference right away, but eventually we can make real progress for Wisconsin and the United States and help political activists to understand that sensible moderates can bring progress to America.”

If Anderson wanted a career in GOP politics -- and as state CR chair she was certainly in the fast lane to reach that goal -- this is a career suicide note. It's the kind of principled stand only a young person could accomplish. This type of act took guts, independent of political beliefs or party affiliation.

I, for one, would love to hear the rest of her story. Anderson should seriously consider writing a book about her experiences with the CRs. They make wonderful reading material -- here's great example from the New Republic. I'm sure she can relate.