Steele Threatens to Quit if RNC Undermines Funding Authority

[jefferson_dem]

Sorry about the FauxNews link...

Steele Threatens to Quit if RNC Undermines Funding Authority

Michael Steele, who is delivering a speech Tuesday on the future of the GOP, says some of the animosity in the RNC is from people in the party who supported other candidates for chairman.

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele told FOX News that part of his job is to "manage the money" and suggested that if committee members strip him of that authority he'll step aside.

"They can contemplate all they want to, but the reality is if they want a figurehead chairman you can have a figurehead chairman, but it won't be Michael Steele," he said.

Steele aides insist the chairman was not threatening to quit, but merely to fight over retaining his authority. But his comments reflect the persistent tension within the Republican National Committee over his chairmanship.

On Wednesday, RNC state chairmen will vote on the funding issue, among others -- such as whether to label the Democratic Party "Socialist."

For now, members are expected to re-establish standards that had already been in place before they lapsed last year. Among them is a requirement that Steele have a co-signer for all expenditures above $100,000 and that a comptroller-treasurer administer funding.

Steele had already agreed to those standards. What he objected to was the possibility of increasing the powers of the comptroller-treasurer, in turn minimizing his own authority. That issue will probably be pushed off until July, but it's not going away yet.

<SNIP>

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/19/steele-threatens-quit-rnc-undermines-funding-authority/

[Bleacher Creature]

1. NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Please stay! I'll do anything!

[Happyhippychick]

2. We'll send you a check Mikey, please don't go!

[jefferson_dem]

3. Here's a video link -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxbOY5ZgvSU&feature=player_embedded

[OswegoAtheist]

4. DU will host another fundraiser, right?

After all, Steele is one of the best things to happen to the Democratic Party!

Oswego "I empathize right on Michael Steele's behind" Atheist

[Clio the Leo]

10. Seriously! Where do I send the check? NT

[HopeOverFear]

5. Like they care... nm

[Number23]

6. Republicans just cannot figure this sh*t out

A party that is desperately trying to remain relevant in the 21st century by appealing to racial minorities finally elects a black man to be its Chairman.

And the FIRST thing they do after appointing Steele is try to take away his authority. So the party that wants to appeal to racial minorities tries to (publicly) put a dog leash around the first non-white they've put in as Chairman and reign in the Chairman's powers for the first time ever.

Is there ANYONE at the RNC that has the sense God gave a turnip and that could tell these people that this is not a winning strategy???

[centristgrandpa]

7. Co-RNC

Repub nation has a funny way of doing things, quite a passive aggressive attitude them GOP have...

[ShadowLiberal]

8. That'll probably just encourage them to put even MORE restrictions on him

It's no secret that the RNC people hate Steele, and that there's been talk about getting rid of him already. Steele resigning would save them a whole a lot of trouble.

Besides, they already decided they were going to put the restrictions on him instead of dumping him at the meeting, as a way of saying "we win this battle" to Steele.

[Arugula Latte]

9. To quote the old song: "Won't you stay just a little bit longer?"

We've become accustomed to your face, Michael, as well as your screw-ups, and your apologies, and your backtracking, and your lame attempts to make the GOP sizzle fo shizzle.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

11. no you can't leave Mikey

[saltpoint]

12. It would be a real shame to loose Steele at this point. He's one of the

most outrageous figures to embarrass the Republicans in some time.

He's not the only one to embarrass the Republicans, certainly, but his performance was done in a relatively short period of time.

If any DUers have not seen JeffR's 3-part video on DU regarding Steele, they're in for a treat. Link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x313457

[Orsino]

13. It's like a speeded-up replay of the GOP's retreat from Bush.

The more he blusters, the more he alienates the party members who are already beginning to disengage from his reign--and the more pathetic he looks.