Abilene issue brings out the Republicans of convenience

Pratt on TexasI enjoyed the KRBC story last week out of Abilene about Taylor County Republican Party chairman Winston Ohlhausen sending out a letter, “penned by party member” opposing the downtown hotel issue.

“In the letter, Amanda alleges, “It is NOT the city’s place to get involved financially in business. Furthermore, it is not fair to the local business owners who own hotels to have to compete with a city-backed and built downtown hotel,” the letter read.

KRBC quoted a Facebook post from one Kevin Halliburton who wrote: “…I want to make it crystal clear that this conservative, Taylor County, resident Republican strongly disagrees with the anti-hotel letter… sent out by a handful of Taylor County Republican Party members on the party letter head yesterday.”

I get a kick out Republicans of convenience, as opposed to conservatives of conviction, who love to stamp their feet over the Party standing for, well, what the party stands for.

Halliburton is perfectly free to support government forcing taxpayers to subsidize a hotel developer but, it is he who is out of line in opposing Republican Party officials actively supporting the GOP’s official platform positions.

This situation is exactly why we often have local parties that do nothing and are controlled by downtown insiders. They want a party that is useful to them at general election time but does nothing to get in the way of their non-Republican, non-conservative agenda the rest of the year.

Thankfully, Taylor County Republicans now have an active Republican Party and one not afraid to assert the platform principles its members adopted in convention.

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Comments

  1. Here are some of the subsidies the Taylor County Republican Party Chair, Winston Ohlhausen claims to oppose: https://farm.ewg.org/persondetail.php?custnumber=A05691409

    He’s personally tapped tax payers for about $230K. Republicans of Convenience Unite!

    • Pratt on Texas says

      Ridiculous as he has no personal power over the federal items nor is a national party officer. We all fight our battles in the ring in which we find ourselves. You might want to grow up mentally.

  2. Nathan Walker says

    Well fortunately I know Kevin Halliburton a bit better than you do, Mr. Pratt, as your analysis of him is from one Facebook comment, and mine comes out of nearly a decade of personal friendship. You say he’s a Republican of convenience, not of conviction. I respectfully disagree.

    Kevin is a man of deep conviction, and doesn’t say anything lightly. He is also the same person no matter who he is talking to. I have a great respect for people are consistent and intentional in their beliefs and actions, even if I disagree with those beliefs.

    Moreover, Kevin cares deeply about Abilene and wants what is best for the city. That hasn’t changed in the years that I’ve known him, and I’m proud to consider him a friend. So again, Mr. Pratt, I respect your opinion, but I must absolutely disagree.

    • Pratt on Texas says

      All you say may be true and has no bearing on what I said in my commentary. I simply compare his words and position to that of the political party as well as ideology to which he claims to subscribe. The argument is prima facia – easy to see clearly on the face of it.

    • Robert Morris says

      Amanda who wrote the letter doesn’t even live in Taylor County. And if the local Republican party wants to send out something on their letterhead where they are “endorsing” a particular position on an issue or candidate, I’m ok with that…. but they MUST have a vote from either their members or their executive board first. You can’t just have 2-3 members send out something without checking with the others first.

      • Pratt on Texas says

        Someone does not lose their right to speak to political issues because they live elsewhere. The party platform is already binding and does not require new votes nor is it dependent upon someone who notices living in a particular area. And yes, the chairman, the only one elected in a full election of all county Republicans can send something out.
        If it’s such a minority and unreasonable opinion why all the worry over it?

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