| First of all, Flanagan was not inspired by Rick Santelli -- he founded the CSA in October 2008, because the "looming Liberal landslide" threatened "'Fundamental Changes' that would result from putting radicals in charge of our country. ... We've had enough of radical Left-wing ideologues out to destroy our country. We will be Silent No More!!"
And his Republican activism did not start with the 2008 campaign.
In rough chronological order (from his campaign bio), Flanagan:
* Was a Republican committeeman for 22 years in Brightwaters and West Islip.
* "Advocated and lobbied for endorsements of Ronald Reagan by (subscribers to Flanagan's) business publications. Personally interviewed and endorsed Reagan myself."
* Was rewarded with a patronage job from 1984 to 1987, doing communications/PR in the FAA's Eastern Region office.
* "Worked in the Buchanan for President New Hampshire primary campaign in 1992 as a advance man in charge of analyzing Clinton campaign events." (This one's odd -- Buchanan was not running against Clinton in the NH primary.)
* Was, like many Republican activists, working the anti-tax/anti-union angle in local school districts, served one three-year term on the West Islip UFSD board, and helped elect "more than a dozen" school board members.
* Volunteered in too many Republican campaigns to list, most of them prior to 2008.
We now know that Flanagan's decades of dedication to the conservative Republican cause are not unusual among the tea party remnant. He's probably more active than most, leading a tea party that claims 5,000 members and has contributed to several Republicans winning public offices.
But Flanagan is like most other tea partiers in one essential way -- he's always been a very conservative Republican.
Which, thankfully, represents just 20 percent or so of the electorate. |
