MI4CS also tried to affect a coronation not much different than the one for Hoekstra. It wasn't accepted, and we got Hoekstra and then Stabenow.

I don't like coronation politics or dictatorships. I'm not an autocrat as chair. Those that autocrat to me get pushed out of the way real quickly. I don't take well to my way or the highway (I take the highway - then take down the dictator just for good measure), and that's what I see from that camp. My way or the highway. It's not much different than the autocrat wing of the establishment. It's two sides of the same coin. My coronation comments go for Romney's coronation. That goes for the attempts at Paul's coronation. That goes for Hoekstra and Glenn too. Make your case, and we'll make our own decisions.

And for Gods sake get off the "worker" thing too.  Some people are GREAT workers, but they SUCK in principles defining policy.  Yeah.. THOSE are the ones the 'establishment' elevates.

What is "policy" and who defines it? Esp when it comes to parties (County/District/State)? We don't select (although we can recruit) candidates outside of rare circumstances (ie recall replacements). Our job is to assist our candidates with campaigns, esp in general election.

If these people are on the sidelines while we're busting our arses, why should we're do anything for them if they take over and run the show without showing up and paying their dues (not necessarily money)? These workers are the same grass-roots who show up all the time. We as leaders need to prove ourselves to our grassroots. Those who wish to be leaders need to prove themselves to us - the grassroots. I can't speak for elsewhere, but our establishment in Livingston is conservative. It's been worker-based for a long time. I get along well with both our establishment as well as tea party wings. Why? They show up. That's why.

"""Say so in a clear and concise manner, and watch the grassroots that carried the 2010 races once again sit on their hands in 2014 as they did in this last presidential cycle."""

Really? The grass roots to me are the ones that show up. That is the grass roots.

""Sometimes those who have been comfortable for too long not participating, decide they want to affect the outcome of races and policy NOW.  Is that really bad?"

Affecting the outcome of elections by showing up, working, and helping with campaigns, no. That's a GOOD thing. That earns my respect. That's how retakeourgov and Brighton Tea Party earned my respect. If they want to get involved in policy as well after working on elections, I'm all for it. They paid their dues. Demanding that we do things their way without showing up and doing the work - that is bad. That's "the mouth." That's why people resent. Some people (me - since I think it costs votes) don't do phones. There's other things that can be done. Doors. Data Entry. Helping at the dinners. Parades. Number crunching. Planning. Strategy. Events. Rallies. Something. Could be something I haven't thought of and think is a great idea. If it's great, run it by me. You may be surprised at my response. I'm not a dictator.      

Those who support taking over also assume that those - the grass roots - who worked for the previous candidates are automatically going to work for those who to use words used here "take over" the party. That ain't gonna happen.

Damn straight it is hard to do it without workers, but you cannot be looking at it as if there has not bee a paradigm change.  The work is done in other ways.  Instead of knocking on doors and the insidious robo calling, we reach out for dialogue in different ways.  Our WORK is different.

We need more workers and activists and less mouths. When I say worker, I don't mean necessarily how I would work, but something to help candidates. Mouths sit on their butt, complain, do nothing, and then demand things are done their way or the highway. You're not a mouth since I know you've worked, but I've seen plenty of mouths -- in all factions.

As far as 80-20 goes, I didn't hear that at all. I don't know where those numbers came from. I didn't expect it to be as close as it was, but I thought it would be about 60-40 or so. I knew it tightened up some when I saw a lot of the delegates weren't there. I did underestimate the homeschoolers. I can't blame them for supporting Courser since they know him from that.

Is there discontent out there? Yeah. A lot of it. Rove, Boehner, and DC are killing us every time they open their mouth. Snyder's gas tax. A lot of us are upset with that. I am too. So's my senator with the gas tax. While there isn't much that can be done with Rove and Boehner here (anyone in Cincy burbs up for a primary?). What we can do is make sure we reward those we have who HAVE stood up to the leftism and make sure are elected, and make sure we have good people in the open seats. I am limited from a county chair standpoint on what I can do in a primary, although Retakeourgov and Brighton Tea Parties are not. Neither are you.