Robin Hayes's battle with foot-in-mouth disease | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's note: Brant Clifton keeps the listing on the NCGOP in his "bare knuckles" Conservative online publication known as The Daily Haymaker.

    I am really amazed that Robin Hayes survived as long as he did in Washington. I've seen plenty of video of him in action as NCGOP chairman. It appears that his brain and his mouth have a laissez-faire relationship. Whatever happens, happens. No self-policing measures whatsoever. That relationship seems to be most noticeable when Herr Chairman steps in front of a camera. For example: Here, here and NOW HERE.

    This latest video seems to throw cold water on the idea that Rockin' Robin has seen the error of his ways and is now interested in seriously fighting for the concept of limited government. Grassroots activists had submitted two resolutions for consideration by the NCGOP executive committee at its meeting Saturday in Cary. One resolution asked Governor-elect McCrory and the GOP majority in the legislature to (1) return the federal money for estabishing an ObamaCare health exchange, and (2) joining the fight to oppose the establishment of health care exchanges at the state level. The other grassroots resolution sought to get the NCGOP on record as opposing the drastic rules changes rammed through at the 2012 national convention.

    Watching this latest video, you see and hear some interesting things from the Duke of Concord. First of all, Hayes does not seek a quorum before voting on the measures. He also pairs the resolutions together and makes every attempt to limit discussion or debate. He appears to treat the two measures which addressed (1) a blatant effort by the RNC to strip states of their rights, and (2) the lack of response by leaders of the state's 'conservative revolution' in opposing ObamaCare, as minor annoyances.

    On the video, Hayes can be seen making statements like -- oh -- THIS:

    [...] "Let's take the two, put them together, and move on. [...] These are non-binding resolutions. They're not really going to do anything."

    On the tape from Saturday, Hayes can be heard criticizing the rules changes at the 2012 Tampa Convention. These remarks from Saturday appear to directly contradict what Hayes said on this tape from Tampa. One attendee at Saturday's meeting rose to ask Hayes about his apparent change of heart (at the 15:05 mark on the tape from Saturday's meeting).

    She had apparently been in the room in Tampa when Hayes was brow-beating his troops to back the RNC changes. Here's what Herr Chairman had to say in response:

    "There is no contradiction in terms. I did not flip-flop. We got surprised by a circumstance down there that none of us saw coming. And we tried to deal with it best we can. What we are doing today folks is trying to move forward the concept that has been ably put forward by [inaudible]. We, the grassroots and the state party, have got our role and we're not being served by the national committee. And these -- they're not being presented properly, they're out of order -- and we found a way to do it because we all agree this is something important."

    Of course, we didn't get a direct answer to the lady's question. But I've got a translation of Hayes's response: I kissed up to the Romney people because I thought he was going to win and take me back to DC. Since he lost, I'm stuck here with you people. So, I am going to work really hard to pretend that I'm with you, and have been with you all this time."

    Toward the end of the tape from Saturday, Hayes appears to get flustered by all of the questions and comments from the floor, and moves to shut off discussion. From the beginning, the whole idea was to sweep the issues raised by these two motions out of the way as quickly as possible.

    What's the lesson here? If you want our state to resist these tyrannical moves by the Obama administration and the RNC, you can't count on party leaders and elected officials to do the right thing ON THEIR OWN. The people need to make their voices heard loud and clear. Make it clear to our leaders how we feel about these two matters, and how we'll feel if they don't take our concerns seriously and act on them.