Dear Friends:
As I write to you today, the Republican Party Establishment is attempting to put the fix in and rig the 2000 nomination in favor of its anointed candidate, Governor George W. Bush.
And we need to protest this outrage, right now! That's why I've attached to this letter a note I hope you will sign, stamp, and mail to Governor Bush today.
Even as our principled conservative message -- an America First foreign policy, immigration reform, life and economic nationalism -- draws larger and larger crowds, backroom deals are being cut between Bush agents and party functionaries to prevent grassroots conservatives from having their voices heard and votes counted in this nomination battle.
The Establishment's scheme: cut out the conservatives by eliminating the straw votes and caucuses, where we do well, and deliver the nomination in a nice, neat package to Governor Bush - an untested national candidate, who has refused to speak out on the vital issues facing our nation.
Here's the latest.
The Bush campaign is working behind the scenes to eliminate all pre-election year straw votes around the country... exactly the kind of straw votes that gave us our early victories and momentum in 1996.
Media reports indicate Bush agents tried to "persuade" Iowa Republicans to cancel the famous straw vote, scheduled for August 14th in Ames. So far, Iowa Republicans have resisted and this straw poll should take place as scheduled. Remember -- this is the same straw poll where we stunned the experts with our strength in 1995!
In Florida, where the state GOP machinery is controlled by Governor Bush's brother, the Bush campaign has eliminated the straw vote from its October 8th candidates forum in Orlando
This was the straw vote where, four years ago, Senator Bob Dole, the frontrunner, was humiliated when two out of three straw voters cast ballots for someone else.
If the same rules had been followed this year, 70% of the Republicans eligible to vote would have been rank-and-filers chosen by lot, whose votes could not be controlled by the Governors Bush. This was a risk the Bush campaign did not want to take -- so the straw vote is history!
Friends, the Republican Establishment is working night and day not to have a Buchanan versus Bush race for the nomination.
The most troubling news comes from Louisiana and Michigan.
In Louisiana, the Governor, a Bush ally, is trying to "restructure" the GOP caucuses that gave us our tremendous upset victory in 1995, that gave us enormous momentum going into the Iowa caucuses, and New Hampshire.
This year, the Bush operatives do not want to risk another Buchanan Brigade ambush -- so they will try to rig the rules in Louisiana to make the primary work in their favor.
In Michigan -- the state that sent the largest number of Buchanan delegates to the 1996 GOP Convention -- Governor John Engler, angling for a vice presidential nomination, has all but singlehandedly changed the Michigan primary from a "proportional" to a "winner take all" system. His aim: Lead a "100% Bush - 0% Buchanan" delegation to the GOP Convention in Philadelphia. We intend, however, to go all out to win in Michigan!
My friend, a frightened Bush organization is trying to rig every contest they think they can win, and avoid every contest they cannot control -- and keep their candidate out of debates -- through their insider network of governors and party functionaries.
Their plan is to eliminate all early votes, where a lean, tough campaign like ours, with little money but grassroots support, can win... and try to load the entire nominating process into the February-March 2000 primary season. There they think that Establishment endorsements and Big Money can buy the nomination.
Well, my friend, that is the formula for yet another conservative-Republican defeat in 2000.
And I want you to put Governor Bush's Texas agents on notice that conservatives are not going to be cheated out of a fair shot at the nomination! That's why it's important that you sign and mail your note back to Mr. Bush in Texas.
We are working night and day to keep this process open and win this
Republican nomination for conservative values. And as support for the
Buchanan positions grow on issue after issue, we are definitely slowing down the Bush juggernaut.
What we urgently need right now from our Brigade members, like you, is financial help. Can you rush an emergency contribution -- for $50 or even $100 -- back to "Buchanan 2000" today?
Your maximum contribution today is absolutely critical to helping us build our organizations in the key early states, staff our campaign and keep the pressure on the party establishment to insure that we have a fair shot at this nomination.
The truth is the Bush campaign does not want to expose its candidate to the rough and tumble of debates, and he seems reluctant even to address the issues. How they expect to win the White House with that strategy is beyond me.
But we owe it to our conservative convictions to make sure our voices are heard, and conservatives are allowed to play a central role in this historic process.
If you can rush our campaign a contribution today, we can block this cynical power grab by the GOP Establishment. Please be as generous as you can when you send back your contribution!
Patrick J. Buchanan
P.S. In this fight, every day counts. Please mail your note to Governor Bush and rush back your maximum contribution to "Buchanan 2000" as soon as you possibly can!
P.P.S. I read an article recently describing how the Republican "leadership" in the House of Representatives is lining up in lock step behind Governor Bush to create a "common agenda." Perfect -- a rudderless House majority, that offers neither programs nor policies, is creating a "common agenda" with a candidate who refuses to say anything! My friend, don't let the Establishment and its backroom agents decide our nominee again. Please be as generous as you can when you send back your contribution!
Click here to send a note to Governor Bush!
