Andy Parrish: 'The Republican Party is an absolute disaster'

Andy Parrish: "The Republican Party is an absolute disaster"

By Aaron Rupar Thu., Jan. 31 2013 at 11:27 AM

Parrish thinks the MNGOP should remain focused on social issues.

Last night, a few hundred MNGOPers gathered at the Blue Fox Bar and Grill for a "Where Do We Go From Here?" panel discussion about the future of their reeling party.

SEE ALSO:
-- Mary Franson wins recount in belated MNGOP election night success story
-- MNGOP's Dan Severson on election results: "I'm not a Minnesotan for long"
-- Andy Parrish on marriage amendment defeat: 'We won 74 out of 87 counties'

As you'd expect, different factions of the MNGOP have different views about how to best proceed, and as you'd also expect, those differences weren't bridged during the course of a single panel discussion.

For example, conservative writer Sarah Jancek forcefully argued that the MNGOP should "get the hell off the social issues and focus on the fiscal issues," according to MinnPost's report about the event. Her remarks drew applause from attendees with libertarian leanings. But on the flipside, Andy Parrish argued just as forcefully that his party's sorry state is a result of the MNGOP abandoning social issues.

More from MinnPost:

"The Republican Party is an absolute disaster," said Andy Parrish, a former Michele Bachmann chief of staff who helped direct the unsuccessful campaign to pass the marriage amendment. Parrish argued the party has abandoned its social conservative principles and suffered as a consequence...

Parrish took the bleakest view of his party's future, suggesting the Minnesota Republican Party should file for bankruptcy and start over, a comment that elicited some nods of agreement. The two-hour discussion ended as it began -- with no unity on content of message, tactics or strategy but plenty of evidence that Minnesota Republicans are scattered well beyond the boundaries of the big tent.

Abandoning social issues? Was all the drama surrounding a marriage amendment that largely divided Minnesotans along party lines during the most recent election cycle just a figment of a weird dream I had, or what?

Anyway, the answer to "Where Do We Go From Here" that emerged during the discussion is perhaps best captured in this tweet:

Based on my Twitter feed the answer to the question #WDWGFH for MN GOP is several directions all at once. Not exactly clarifying.
-- ChadTheElder (@ChadTheElder) January 31, 2013

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swmnguy topcommenter

Andy Parrish should know "an absolute disaster" when he sees one. He probably has a resume and a mirror in his home.

CinBlueland topcommenter

Easy to dissect, tried with Emmer but closed ears. Get rid of tools like Broktob, and Tony.. Stay away from social issues.. Hammer on finance.

Dosent matter in the end, the leeches in the metro will vote for a ball of silly putty as long as it has D endorsement.

digitalprotocol topcommenter

1 Like

@CinBlueland LEECHES!!! great metaphor for a hick!

MicheleBachmann topcommenter

3 Like

@CinBlueland Democrats vote for smart sane people. Stupid bigot trash like you vote for Michele Bachmann, Mary Franson, and every other idiot politician in the state. Michele Bachmann alone has said more crazy stupid things in her career than every single Dem currently in office. Republicans are the stupid bigots that will vote for any crazy person with a R after their name. Stupid little crybabies like you are why the Republicans are such a joke. Lucky for America the dumb racist base of the Republican Party is dying off and people like Cin are too stupid to change the party. The Republican Party and their base of stupid white bigots is a joke. Your dumb ideas are the problem people have figured out Republicans are nothing but stupid liars.

keny1

@MicheleBachmann And nigger-loving welfare collecting, government dependents like you are the new dying breed. Just wait until 2016. JUST YOU WAIT!

DavidFoureyes topcommenter

2 Like

The answer to WDWGFH, is, of course, "Somewhere white. And scared. But white."

senatortombstone

@DavidFoureyes What is wrong with being white? Unless your avatar is not of you, you look pretty white to me. What is wrong with wanting to live in a community where most everyone is of your own race? Most people prefer to live amongst people of their own race. What does your neighborhood look like? What is wrong with being concerned that your political party is losing ground, nationwide, and want to recover that ground?

keny1

@DavidFoureyes Oh look! It is the fat fucktard "Progressive" Liberal who thinks he is a Chef and enjoys living in the ghetto because it is "culturally enriching" and sucks the shit out of Obama's asshole. Yet another white-guilt Liberal who thinks that ass-fucking, and sluts who have the "right" to have an abortion due to the fact that they are fucking sluts to begin with, as well as giving welfare checks to black "Welfaya" baby-making factory mama's is somehow "progressive" LOL. David hates being white so much that he would gladly allow a black man to fuck him in the ass to show that he apologizes for slavery. Typical fucking Liberal.

Tommy Fru

1 Like

It's a better plan to focus on fiscal issues. Showing the voters that you're a bunch of bigots isn't going to get you anywhere .

Trevor Ludwig

3 Like

Leave it to the party of fiscal responsibility to have to file for bankruptcy!

keny1

@Trevor Ludwig And when Obamacare kicks in................................................................

Dan Gustafson

1 Like

As someone who was in the room last night, I can tell you that the reception to Parrish was less than warm. He looked like he had no desire to be there, under the gun so to speak. He didn't hang around for chit chat afterwards either, he b-lined it to his car and left. I suspect he didn't want to hear more people telling him that his horrible campaign cost the election.

Shane Zako

1 Like

I might consider the republican party if they focused on fiscal issues again instead of a social agenda. I haven't voted for a republican since it became the social conservatism party instead of the fiscal conservative party.

Tommy Fru

2 Like

Obviously they are in trouble if they're hanging at the Blue Fox.

Jeff Cagle

1 Like

Andy Parrish doesn't get it. That marriage amendment cost Minnesota Republicans majorities in the House and Senate. After all, it was their party leaders who chose to focus on the marriage amendment instead of balancing the state's budget in 2011. Also, what good would filing for bankruptcy do for the party? So they can repeat the same mistakes again by focusing on social issues instead of fiscal issues?