Founded in 1991, the Republican Liberty Caucus works to advance the principles of limited government, free markets and individual liberty within the Republican Party.

Alabama RLC: You all are completely wrong on this. We should fully welcome Cong. Griffith and any other Party Switchers. This is not about Alabama or Parker Griffith or being principled: THIS IS ABOUT EMBARRASSING THE LIVING DAYLIGHTS OUT OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND THE LIBERAL MEDIA.

Parker seems like a nice enough guy. Conservative-leaning. But frankly, I don’t care so much about him. What I care about is DESTROYING OBAMA AND THE DEMOCRAT PARTY.

And Mr. Griffith just gave us a HUGE!! Christmas gift in that regard. Don’t go poking him in the eye for his graciousness.

Just think about what an awful message you all are sending to other likely Party Switchers. To sit there and pull an “Erick Erickson” and threaten them with defeat if they Switch. My gosh. Have you all completely lost all your political marbles?

We want these guys to switch. We need to welcome them with open arms.

Hell, I as a Libertarian Republican may even travel to upper Alabama to walk precincts for Parker Griffith. I’m only an 8 hour drive away.

Parker Griffith if you’re listening, this is one Proud Libertarian Republican who fully supports you!!!!!!!!!

I have to say that I agree with Eric. We need to make it *more* attractive for predominantly conservative democrats to switch, not less attractive. I live in Oakland CA and we’re lucky to see another moderately conservative person walking down the street much less in our state legislature, or congressional delegation. I’m not advocating compromise on conservative or libertarian values. The bottom line is that its a numbers game in congress now…we need numbers.

Let’s give Griffith the benefits of the doubt. He’s a free pick up.

Soon Aaron will be asying Sarah Palin isn’t conservative enough.

The point is we want them to join the Republican Party, not bring the Democrat Party into the Republican Party. It’s only fair to make it clear from the get-go, that we are wise to RINO’s, and RINO’s are not welcome. Only RINO’s would find this honesty offensive.

That all depends on how the word “RINO” is defined. Sean Hannatty asserted that the GOP lost in 2008 because the party moved away from embracing “conservatism.” How, on social or economic issues? Over the last 15 years in Michigan, every pro-choice GOP candidate for the state legislature has disappeared. From my stanpoint, the party has actually gotten much more socially conservative, at least in Michigan. On the other hand, the party has gotten far more liberal on fiscal issues. In Michigan, economic populism runs wild where the supposed conservatives are right with the liberal democrats when it comes to 1) protectionism (not just against foreign trade but out of state trade. E.G. A bill was proposed recently that only Michigan owned companies could be issued government construction contracts for roads and schools) 2) supporting the auto bailouts, and 3) opposing right-to-work. The party hailed the recent election of one Mike Nofs to the State Senate, a man endorsed by the NRA, Right to Life, as well as the Educational Association and the SEIU.

Dondero makes a great point because as a “libertarian Republican,” I myself have had the RINO label thrown my way by economically illiterate Christian conservatives in the party who only care about banning all abortion and gay marriage. If the GOP wants to preserve whatever shred of credibility it has left then it ought to essentially be a free market party who advocates actual spending cuts in addition to tax cuts. If Congressman Griffith can handle that, since he left the Dems over a fiscally reckless health care bill, then he ought to be embraced.

I am a constituent of Parker Griffith. He’s a self-described liberal/progressive trying desperately to hang onto a seat that would have gone Republican in 2008 were it not for Obama’s coat tails. Wayne Parker is not even a strong candidate…

This may be great for the numbers, but at the end of the day I’m not going to welcome and vote for a guy that was elected with AEA money, supported Pelosi as speaker, initially advocated single payer healthcare, donated thousands to the most liberal names in the Democrat leadership, and voted 84% with Pelosi overall. He was doomed as a Dem, and he’s slightly less doomed as a Republican, but it had nothing to do with principle and everything to do with saving his cushy job. Since he was run out of the medical community, he needs political power to feel relevant.

As for me, I’ll be busting my hump to elect Les Phillip. I say to Griffith, welcome to the party… and welcome to the primary.

I have to correct the writer of this blog post here on something. The article cited about Parker Griffith didn’t come from The Washington Times, but The Washington Independent.