Hood takes on "moderate" Republicans | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This editorial came to me by way of the Beaufort Observer as an editorial by our ongoing contributor, Hood Richardson, who has recently had this recent entry published in the County Compass of Pamlico County. I just wanted to bring it to you as soon as possible.

    Hood Richardson, arguably one of two of the most conservative Beaufort County Republican County Commissioners (along with Stan Deatherage) has penned an editorial in our partner newspaper, the County Compass. He addresses what we think is going to be one of the seminal issues going into 2012: What is the futue of the Republican Party, and specifically what will its relationship be to the Tea Party. We'll have more to say about that in the coming weeks but here's an introduction to Hood's article in the County Compass:

    Larry Britt is no longer Chairman of the Beaufort County Republican Party. That is a good thing.

    While he was chairman, he attacked Republican office holders for their stand on the Hospital issue. In doing so he provided a perfect example of what is wrong with the local Republican Party. Simply stated it is that we have a small group of people in the local GOP who call themselves "Republicans" but who do not stand on the principles of the Republican Party. They often as not side with the Democrats and this sends the wrong message to the unaffiliated voters and to conservative Democrats, thus damaging what the Republican Party could accomplish for the county, state and nation.

    We have the exact same thing in Raleigh and Washington, D.C.: Republicans who do not stand strong for conservative principles. They too often sacrifice principle for personal gain, or so they think.

    That is exactly what Larry Britt, Jay McRoy and Al Klemm have done over and over again. McRoy and Klemm vote with the liberal Democrats more often than they vote conservative and have almost always voted for more spending. They do so, I believe, because they believe it will gain them votes, not because they believe in conservative principles. Klemm and McRoy voted to exhaust our fund balance (savings account) over the last three years and now we are in a financial crisis going into next year. They have voted to give taxpayer money away to a number of "causes" because they thought it would gain them votes. Most recently they voted to support a liberal, Democrat money laundering scam called the Golden LEAF and they did so by selling their soul for a pittance of money. They voted for over six million in wasteful school spending. When we needed conservative fiscal management they voted to spend and spend some more.

    Now Beaufort County is faced with two choices: Cut spending or raise taxes. For a conservative, that is a no brainer.

    The same thing is true with the Hospital. Britt attacked my and Stan's position that the Board of Commissioners has a fiduciary duty to get the best business deal possible for the people of Beaufort County in any Hospital deal no matter who the buyer is. Stan and I took the position that a competitive bidding process would be the best way to protect the interests of the People of Beaufort County in resolving the Hospital's crisis. Britt, McRoy and Klemm took the position that the Hospital should be sold to UHS for whatever UHS wanted to pay for it. They actively worked to undermine the competitive bidding and negotiating process by catering to a vocal minority intent on torpedoing the bidding process. I believe they did so because all three of them, like Jerry Evans and Derek Davis, think it will aid their political ambitions. In so doing they have cost the People of Beaufort County millions of dollars and likely will give away our ability to influence the decisions that will impact our health care, and the future of our children and grandchildren's health care, for years to come.
    Long time commissioners (nearly 15 years each), Richardson (left) and Deatherage (right) find something to laugh about.
    The Hospital issue is and never was a political issue until Klemm, McRoy, Evans and Britt tried to make it political. In doing so they did a grave disservice to Beaufort County. The disposition of the Hospital should have been a sound business deal based on a competitive negotiated process, no matter who the chosen buyer was. That's how an honest conservative would approach it.

    And that is exactly what is wrong with the Beaufort County Republican Party under the recent leadership. It has been led by people who put political gain over principles. And by "principles" I mean conservative principles and specifically a commitment to fiscal conservatism. This small group has put personality and personal preferences over principles that are best for the People of Beaufort County.

    As we head into the budget season with Beaufort County facing the worst financial crisis in many years it is vital that conservatives stand on the principles of smaller, limited government that spends less and spends only for the fundamental government services county government is supposed to provide.