So former Republican State Chair Chris Vance had a couple pieces at Crosscut about what he thinks Team Elephant needs to do in order to stop Team Donkey from shoving them into a locker every morning before gym class.
Basically it's Dino Rossi. Raise money. Sell used cars. Or something. There are 2,950 other words in Vance's two articles which I glanced over. Lots of wool gathering, short on mutton.
This topic has been discussed here in the past. What issues should the Republicans focus on here in the state? What strategies must be implemented?
I say keep it short and sweet.
Law Enforcement: You have recently released felons killing police officers and little girls. Drug dealers crawling over city parks. Meth maggots running amuck in rural communities. With the amount of attention focused on this in the media, and with Luke Esser basically telegraphing the punch, expect this issue to be on the forefront of every Republican campaign in 2008.
Education: Republicans have painted themselves into a corner here by being "anti-teacher" and "anti-school". When they don't like what's going on, their natural instinct is to retreat. Pull the kid out and send him to private school, or home school her. Or they talk about vouchers and the attritional strategy of interdicting funding. Or whatever.
The majority of citizens are going to always choose public schools. And the majority of citizens should always be able to choose public schools. That's where their tax dollars go in the first place. Why shouldn't they expect good service for what they pay for?
Transportation: Elements of the party have marginalized themselves here too. Witness the debacle in 2005 over I-912, the Anti-Gas Tax Initiative which mercifully failed. There's this so-called "libertarian" tendency of some folks to say "I live in Issaquah. Why should I pay for roads in Arlington or Steilacoom or Seattle?" The focus shouldn't be "No Taxes". Instead it needs to be "No Taxes Wasted".
Odds are the Sound Transit/RTID proposal is going to be shot down this November under the weight of its own hubris. In 2008 (or sooner) Republican candidates need to all get together in one big ceremony, focusing on one big issue, relieving traffic congestion, with one big list of transportation priorities they will pass when elected. And pound it over and over again.
It needs to be a list of specific projects that people see and understand. The 405/167 interchange, 520 floating bridge, adding lanes to I-5 in Everett. (Others can chime in here) Just as long as there is some funding for multimodal transportation options - increased bus service, ride-share, carpool, etc. - it should be a winner.
To be fair, Vance also mentioned recruiting good candidates for elected office. Start small. Despite the burgeoning size of local government budgets, city council and school board races are still usually one-name-on-the-ballot affairs.
Take a look at any county or municipal website and you'll see dozens upon dozens of boards and commissions (usually with openings) for individuals who want to volunteer their talents for the greater good of the community. Arts commission, parks commission, library board, planning commission. They're appointed positions but usually it's pretty easy to get the "Hey you".
Talk about a great way for young twenty and thirty-somethings to flesh out a political resume. Serve on your homeowners association for a year and you can run for Congress!
The Democrats figured this out a long time ago. To be honest they have an unfair advantage because, for whatever reason, their side tends to breed people whose main ambition is to be part of the government apparatus in order to save the world from itself. Republicans tend to attract individuals who want to be left the hell alone so they can go to work, run a business and provide food and board for their family while putting enough aside for retirement and college.
The Grand Old Party needs to fill its ranks of precinct committee officers. Most Republicans PCOs in the state can still remember when Hudson was a car company. Although this makes for a rip-roaring good time at your annual county taffy-pull or bake sale, it doesn't do much for increasing the party base in the future.
Once again this is an issue of "Are you alive?" Yes. "Can you make the meeting?" Check. "Are you a felon or illegal alien?" Er... "Don't worry; we'll get back to you on that later."
Odds are if you want to be a PCO you're in.
Stop wasting time and effort on state-wide initiatives. By default the strategy is a losing one. You can't push your agenda through Olympia so you need to dump resources on a single issue gathering signatures, getting voters to buy off on your plan while praying it doesn't get thrown out in court. Again.
Initiatives were originally to be rare affairs about a subject so big and important that citizens had to have a voice in it right away. Occasionally you have a good one. Here in King County I-25 probably fits the bill with voters on both sides of the fence.
For the most part though, it is mind boggling how many millions of dollars have been flushed away over the past decade on initiatives when ten volunteers and a few thousand dollars in a legislative race can swing a district.
Update:
At #12 Chris Vance, enlightens the readers by stating, what I gather, that no matter the issue local Republicans have no chance because of the political atmosphere nationally.
Interesting cop-out.
This is no doubt why for a half-decade as state chair Vance's leadership served as an inspiration to all Republicans. And when he finally stepped down, every wing and faction of the party was prostate with grief. Or was it prostrate? Better look that word up...
It's all very good to blame your deficiencies on the Bush Administration and the Iraq War. Trouble is W won't be an issue in 2008 and certainly not 2010. And opinions have widely fluctuated about Iraq and will continue to do so. The more arrogantly Democrats cheer over troop deaths while demanding a pullout-followed-by-genocide the more the American public will remember why that party is not ready for prime time yet.
Locally, law enforcement, education and traffic will always be winning issues. And as we've learned in the first half of the new century, local Republicans ignore it at their own peril.
Posted by DonWard at July 26, 2007 09:31 PM | Email ThisInteresting comment. Anyone got a link for King county?
Posted by: Steve in Queen Anne on July 26, 2007 11:00 PM
BS! It was adisaster that I-912 failed. What did get for that gas tax??? More money failed projects like the Port Angelas graving project? What about the viaduct that we were all told would fall down unless we voted for the gas tax - what in the hell have they done to fix that???
You sound like a Beverly Woods republican. She was one of the ones turned out by this voter precisely because she voted for the agregious gas tax.
What Real Republicans need to do is put their foot down and demand that the liberal legislature stop confiscating our money and throwing it down a rat hole.
the strategy the author advocate is precisely why Republicans lost last time. We will never be able to outpork Democrats. We should never try to. Why would any self respecting liberal ever vote for a me too socialist when they can get the real thing in their own party? Why would any Republicans tired of having their hard earned dollare confiscated for liberal pet project vote for a Republican who behaves like a tax and spend liberal?
The D's are for perverts and special rights, gun confiscation, higher taxes, destroying the first five amendments, free entrance to illegal immigrants, killing babies, and on and on.
Until the R's stand up and address the issues for what they are, the D's will march down the street with the R's nuts in a sack.
The R's are running scared in Washington.
Posted by: Independent Voter on July 27, 2007 05:24 AMWhen idiots with opinions like #5 aren't running your party, and when agendas like what you people shoved down the nations throat since 2000, then maybe moderate, considered, middle of the road people such as myself will be interested in hearing your ideas about more intelligently spending taxes, better balancing road construction with other needs, and getting better value out of schools.
I am no fan of the NEA, but until Republicans in Washington State quit sounding like the Sons and Daughters of Ellen Craswell, more worried about religion than on education, you can count me permanently out as a potential voter to your cause.
Posted by: DaveD on July 27, 2007 06:19 AM
At the national level the R's were in control of the administration and congress for years - did all of those things you list get accomplished? Did any?
Shesh.
Posted by: BA on July 27, 2007 07:27 AMI say let those who have built up a financial house of cards suffer the consequences of their profligate reliance on sub-prime loans, cash out refinances of their residence and such accounting tricks as interest only loans.
This push will be couched in terms as "relief for those affected by predatory lenders" and look for Republicans to climb on the bandwagon and attach riders to any legislation that will insulate the lenders from the consequences of their actions.
I personally don't care one iota about what the fallout of letting both parties suffer whatever financial repercussions follow on the heals of the upcoming meltdown. The effects of letting these groups go down will be more than offset by a return of discipline to the mortgage lending industry.
As for transportation, the D's have painted the R's into a corner by labeling them the "Party of No" on transportation, and unfortunately it has worked. The R's can and have come up with alternate plans, but they have gotten nowhere.
Now we have people like Reagan Dunn getting on board with ST2/RTID because of that. Unfortunate. I did not vote for Dunn in the primary, but grudgingly voted for him in the general. It might come to that again, but I'll never vote for ST2 in its current form.
Posted by: Palouse on July 27, 2007 08:06 AMHad I written this piece a few years ago I would have focused on issues and message, as you did. I believe, however, that Rs have generally learned that lesson.
Now we need to hope things improve at the national level and improve our campaign mechanics at the local level.
Posted by: Chris Vance on July 27, 2007 08:15 AMBarring that, nothing really matters. Nationwide, thousands of Republicans are going down the toilet because of Bush, Cheney, Condi, Rummy, Wolfie, et al.
Posted by: Frank on July 27, 2007 08:34 AM1. Get a new Iraq policy or somehow get some distance from the national GOP. Or else you have no chances locally.
State issues focusing on accountability and transparency:
a. Reagan Dunn's idea for a taxpayer's report annually -- extend it to the whole State -- a report like a shareholders report -- disclosing taxes and govt. spending and hey why not some performance measures?
b. Gregoire's indecision on transportation esp. Viaduct -- nonleadership=passing the buck=nonaccountability.
Putting roads package plus transit together in a coercive manipluative vote.
If you GOPsters want lots of roads and no transit, by all means say this whole process is corrupt and reflects an abdication of leadership. If we need these roads, why doesn't the State and the Governor just go fund and build them instead of creating new govt. entities like RTID then wasting YEARS which RAISES COSTS and then passing the buck by deferring the decision to voters and then coercively tying it to ST2?
It's all a trick so politicians fronm Gov. to the local level won't be directly accountable for transportation failures.
4. hit the election stuff hard but not whining over 2004 instead focus on I-25, this new fraud case, and propose a statewide elections offices accountability/equal standards/reform type measure.
5. stronger enforcement of sex offender registration laws with more monitoring and much harsher penalties for not registering. That one's easy.
6. Much better emergency/disaster/fires/terrorism preparedness--the current state of it is horrible. We couldn't even deal with a little old snowstorm last winter. God help us if we have a real earthquake or a real terrorist strike here. Could be some kind of volunteer/nonprofit led effort not expanded govt. if you want to follow your philosophy that govt. always sucks.
This issue builds on the acccountability theme as again politicians have no real plans. The idea we are all ready for 3 days without govt. services is far fetched and the idea 3 days is all we need is also far fetched. We are looking at Katrina style disaster if we have a real disaster, etc.
The advice is free but these are some ideas which could have support beyond the typical conservative base. Good luck!
loyal-oppositionally yours,
Posted by: Seattle Democrat on July 27, 2007 09:28 AMIn the first place, I never have cared much for the word "we." As for me, mind your own business, just stay the hell out if the way and I can take care of myself.
Posted by: JDH on July 27, 2007 09:33 AMChris,
I met with you briefly when Carlson was running for governor. I handed you court documents that proved racketeering by Locke and Gregoire. You had no interest in using the material. Why not?
If you want to read some more documentation, check out WA SC Case No. 77345-9 - In re: the Recall of Gregoire as Governor. Go to the court web site and enter this case number in the search box. You will not get a result. Why? Because they have hidden the case from the public. You read the pleadings and documents and you will see why they did so.
Why don't you call the court and ask why there is no published opinion in that case even thought it is required by the the WA Constitution, statutes and their own rules?
Surely the court will email the documents to you. I don't want to hear another word from you about Republican strategy if you are unwilling to expose the corruption of Gregoire and the courts; including the WA SC.
Did you know that our current AG claims that the separation of powers doctrine bars the prosecution of judges who commit crimes? I can email you the document if you want.
Posted by: Don on July 27, 2007 09:54 AMAs to #7, ummm, our founding fathers believed in a Republican form of government, not direct mobocracy. They were terrified of it, in fact, and for good reason. Why? They realized that your average citizen, as a mob, can't understand the long-term consequences of their actions. That's what Congress and the President and the Supreme Court is for. Anyway, the legislature has had the power of the purse and the power to tax for 200+ years, and I, for one, think that's worked out just fine. While I'd prefer to pay no taxes at all... if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Posted by: MAO on July 27, 2007 10:14 AMLOL...as one of the Republican PCOs in the 47th, I can't remember that -- but I can remember when the Chevy Impala was the number one car and I would sit with my dad and count them from the park at the side of the Belt Parkway.
Hey, those new GM models look pretty good and they might even bring back the Camaro...things are getting better every day!
Posted by: John Bailo on July 27, 2007 10:15 AMUmmmm...in our system of Govt., elected officials only have power insofar as voters give them that power. That means that it is YOU, the R's and those who joined with you to elect Bush/Cheney. You can't distance yourself from them with a quick wave of the hand. Even Ex-Chairman Vance was bragging about his early support and election-work on behalf of Bush/Cheney in this referenced article he wrote.
The truth is, even the R's down the ticket have yet to distance themselves from Bush/Cheney. And so long as that's the song you all continue to sing, I'll just laugh whenever you try to tell me that the Republican party stands for small government and accountability. Ha, what a joke! :-)
Posted by: Timothy on July 27, 2007 10:40 AM
1. a new Iraq policy--obviously Dems want that.
2. accountability and transparency: you gotta problem with that??
3. taxpayer's annual report: you get one when you buy shares in a company. Is govt. any less important?
4. indecision on transportation: Really. Nothing need be said. Go ahead, try to defend our trans. planning system if you want.
4. elected auditor, election standards and reform: you really gotta a problem with that??
5. currently the penalty for a sex offender failing to register is pretty minimal and there is no real monitoring of this. I suggested better monitoring and higher penalties. I guess if you have a problem with that you are agreeing with those on this site who say "D's love sex offenders." I don't agree.
6. "Much better emergency/disaster/fires/terrorism preparedness" -- what you want greater loss of life ?
Like many on this site you seem to be stuck in high school and just want to take sides based on the label not the substance. And BTW I never said this would be my platform or a D platform. So your asumption about what I personaly think is totally stupid. Yes, I know it creates a lot of cognitive dissonance for you and many others to think a D can talk R to an R or an R can talk D to a D. But if we can't why should we expect the Sunnis and Shi'as in Iraq to make one government together? Oh, we shouldn't right? And we shouldn't talk to each other here in the USA too, is that your position?
Posted by: Seattle Democrat on July 27, 2007 12:05 PMI usually can't wait until it peanut butter jelly time. I have to disagree with you here PBJ.
Building roads and infrastructure is not pork. It's one of those things that state governments are constitutionally mandated to do.
By fighting against the construction of new infrastructure, you fall right into the trap that the other side has set for you. They want people to sit in traffic so they either 1) leave the state or 2) take Sound Transit.
Rather than "cutting taxes" I-912 needed to focus those dollars on higher transportation priorities. In case you didn't notice, the roads around here pretty much look the same over the past 2-3 decades. The population, though, has doubled and doubled again over that time.
If American car companies started rolling out works of art like the Chevy Impala again, especially the 1964 SS, they'll do just fine. Can't wait to see the Mustang-Camaro rivalry reborn.
Back on topic...
Posted by: Don Ward on July 27, 2007 04:05 PMOtherwise, you have lots of well-intentioned folks getting their arses in a jam because they knew nothing about infection control and thus became carriers of a disease from a quarantined area to their homes and neighborhoods.
Or you have really nice people who know nothing about evacuation or extrication and who thus end up needing rescue themselves, tying up already-limited resources.
Or you end up with well-meaning people who know nothing about rapid community needs assessment or home safety assessment, who end up missing the important details about available resources, hazards, and interventive sustainability- among the other myriad of factors affecting the health and safety of a community before, during, and after a disaster.
I would also point out that training costs MONEY, even for volunteers. A nonprofit organization won't get enough money from donations- especially in our selfish little slice of socialist heaven- to fund the training for the number of volunteers needed for a large-scale disaster or mass-casualty event.
Speaking of volunteers, have you stepped up and received training? You know, the King County Public Health Reserve Corps can use volunteers right now. If you have a medical or nursing background, that makes you all the more welcome.
But if you intend to simply do a Sean Penn and go fishing for evacuees in a leaky Boston Whaler wearing a flak jacket, I suggest you just stay at home and save us professionals the time, hazard, and expense of saving your butt when we could be helping out the people who really need it.
Posted by: ERNurse on July 27, 2007 06:41 PMKing County Public Health Reserve Corps
There you go. Good luck, and thank you for considering serving your community as a trained volunteer!
Posted by: ERNurse on July 27, 2007 06:45 PMStill, your mention of bronto bones has given me a hankerin' for a steak-o-saurus rex. I'm going to fire up the BBQ and throw some good old carbon units into the atmosphere as a a burnt offering to atone for my being at the top of the food chain. I'll hoist a cold one for ya whilst farting in the general direction of AlGore, God of Hot Air.
Cheers!
Posted by: ERNurse on July 27, 2007 10:02 PMThe top of the ticket matters - a lot. Take a look at history. National tides tend to hit hard here. If we are getting blown out at the national level in 2008, as we were in 2006, what local candidates do won't make much difference. Republican candidates will lose.
If, however, the presidential election is competitive local efforts become crucial. That's why the Rs need to do the things I recomended: raise money and recruit better candidates.
Posted by: Chris Vance on July 27, 2007 10:25 PM1: When you've burned the people you went to for money for the last election, exactly where else do you go for the money?
2: Exactly who do you have in mind for a candidate who would survive the vetting process overseen by the same GOPeople who perpetrated the actions described in question #1?
Just askin'.
Posted by: ERNurse on July 28, 2007 01:37 AMThe B.S. has gotten so thick in WSRP politics that losing is now its own excuse: "It's hard to win in a Democrat State," they say, even though the only reason it is a Democrat State is because they keep losing.
So now the decay continues, the inevitable result of a Party that puts process ahead of principle and hates its own base (See what they've done on Illegal Immigration).
2006 was a continued disaster and we're already setting up 2008: Luke Esser working for months to set up Democrats to determine the majority of our 2008 national convention delegates(!!)
And Vance says it is the fault of the top of the ticket.
Right.
What was it in 2004?
Posted by: Doug Parris on July 28, 2007 12:58 PMI don't want to spend the rest of my life debating history, but I don't want to let people re-write it either. So..
1. Bush lost Washington State in 2004. To win, our candidates had to run significantly ahead of the President. We worked hard for the Bush campaign, but do you really think local efforts can outweight what people see on their TV screens? When it comes to presidential campaigns there is only so much you can do at the local level.
2. Yes, we lost legislative seats in 2004. Republicans lost ground in most states Kerry won. But we held on to two open congressional seats, elected the first Republican AG in 12 years, and did rather well in the Governor's race. If I get the blame for the losses do I get credit for the wins?
3. In terms of Dino's race, no entity contributed more than the WSRP. We gave Dino $380,000 cash, did $252,000 worth of direct mail for their campaign, and did another $300,000 worth of issue advocacy mail highlighting Dino's Forward Washington plan. In addition, our GOTV program sent out over 1 million pieces of mail, we made 3 million paid phone calls and over 500,000 volunteer phone calls. We fought hard for Dino during the election contest, spending another million dollars. Dino certainly thought the WSRP did a good job. As you know, he strongly endorsed my re-election.
In terms of the future I think Republicans need:
1. A presidential candidate who can win or come close in Washington State.
2. Dino Rossi
3. More money and better candidates at the legislative level.
Anything there you disagree with? Anything you would add?
Posted by: Chris Vance on July 28, 2007 02:25 PMIt is always fun when the "Mental" Ward is let loose on the internet,
Please tell us all "Don" exactly what infrastructure was built with the $87 million pissed away on the Port Angelas project or the mono-fail boondoggle. Hmmm?
Yes we do need roads and infrastructure. However what we get when politicians say they need more taxes for these things is a bait and switch.
I remember the scare tactics used to pass I-912 in the first place. They told us the viaduct would fall down if we did not pass it. Well it has been several years since its passage now and what the hell meaningful thing has been done to fix the viaduct?
One woudl have thought that such a crisis area as the vieaduct would have been project numero uno after the first increase was passed, but do you know what they did as the very first thing Don? They built a bicycle trail in Moses Lake. Can you imagine how the I-912 vote would have gone if they told us that the critical need was for a bicycle trail in Moses Lake??
Thing thing you and the Beverly Woods' of the world have forgotten is that tac payers are angry that when they write a check for project A, the politicians shuffle the money they gave them for project A and go right ahead with project B, their pet project and then come bacl for more money saying that project A must have.
Let me put it in a simple example even a mental ward patient should be able to understand.
Say your kid says he needs $10 for school supplies or he will not be able to do well in school. Concerned for his success, you give him $10. Then the next day you find out he spent that $10 on candy nad video games and is now asking AGAIN for $10 or he will fail in school. After how many ten dollar bills will you tell him the gig is up?
Sports Stadiums for Billionaires at the tax payers expense, "emergency" funding for non-emergency items. These are symptoms of people that cannot confront the child and tell him that, no he will not get $10 for "School Supplies" until he accounted for the previous money that was to go to supplies.
I don't know what brand of conservatism you are practicing at the mental ward, but in the real world, conservatives expect that their hard earned money will go to things that they were told it was for and not some sculture garden to immortalize some poltician.
I-912 wasn't about not building infrastructure, it was about putting down the foot of the taxpayer that has been stepped on over and over and oaver and demand accountability. Do you demand chang efrom an alcoholic by giving them a beer or the number to the nearest AA? Do you force politicians to be acountable with taxes by giving them a blank check or requiring them to show progress on exisiting projects before getting more money?
And why do the roads loo the same over the past 2-3 decades? Because we haven't been taxed enough? That is what you are saying Don. And that is the crux of the issue. You don't get it, you never will as I am sure Beverly Woods never did as well, even though all her PCO's told her to her face.
Your brand of Republicanism is found in the dictionary under Liberal.
Posted by: pbj on July 28, 2007 09:52 PMAll the money the State Party has ever raised under any chair is a drop in the bucket compared to what is necessary for a majority of candidates to win office statewide. Sane candidates do not and should not look to the State Party mechanism as a primary source of funding.
Nevertheless, the WSRP is the gatekeeper for future Republican success. The State Party should be the political leader, coordinating a war on liberalism by uniting the components of what in Washington has always been a broken and disorganized army; the activists and activist groups, candidates, officeholders and financial donors; uniting them in purpose and agenda with Republican principles as expressed by our Platform. The State Party is, moreover, the only force that could do it. But that has not been done since Dan Evans, Slade Gorton, Joel Pritchard and Ralph Munro organized for LIBERAL PRINCIPLES in the '70s.
We need a clear political direction and purpose to unify our candidates, inspire our volunteers and motivate our voters.
Today, in stark contrast to unified purpose, each GOP candidate is measured, standing by himself somewhere on a spectrum of what Diane Tebelius called "wonderful diversity." There is no unity because there is no ideological teamwork. Great conservative movements come and go and the GOP ignores, disperses, or even opposes them to maintain "diversity". Right now the Democrats are Pro-abortion, open-borders, Environmentalists. That's three issues that motivate their base and they're really fighting for those issues. The GOP, by contrast, is not fighting, as a Party, for Human Life, Immigraton Enforcement or Property Rights. We lose by default. Those three, highly motivating issues, do not recruit voters or volunteers for us and do not raise funds for us. We have no internal discipline to bring legislators together on those issues, to the contrary, we are organizing AGAINST THEM.
Our best organizers, like Tim Eyman, work OUTSIDE the Party. Our best minds, like Bob Williams, work OUTSIDE the Party.
Pro-abortion, gay rights, tax and spend, open-borders, environmentalist, anti-citizen-initiative, scofflaw global socialists like Sam Reed work, comfortably, inside the Party.
My organization recently brought the biggest spokesman against Illegal Immigration in America (who isn't actually running for President) to Washington for a major event. He was speaking to the hottest issue in American Politics from precisely the point of view of our Washington GOP Platform. A host of GOP candidates spoke. We were addressed, directly, by three 2008 Presidential candidates, each of whom sent messages to Washington State Republicans, one of them LIVE. AND WE WERE BANNED, without reason, FROM THE STATE PARTY EVENTS CALENDAR.
That is calculated sabotage of our principles, nothing less.
The WSRP hierarchy is working against the interests of the Republican Party. Dino Rossi, as a single candidate, can't possibly reverse the effects of that.
Lack of belief in our mission is destructive across the board - on recruitment, fund raising and volunteer participation.
We will never turn it around in Washington State until a grassroots conservative leader takes over the WSRP Chairmanship, not a warmed-over political process pragmatist who begins by securing the support of the Liberal wing of the Party.
Conservatism is the answer, across the board, for America. Conservatives are the majority of grassroots Republicans.
We only need leaders worthy of our principles.
I'm thinking, PBJ, that what you need at the moment is Maternity Ward. Come on fella. How about a hug?
Posted by: Don Ward on July 29, 2007 02:20 AMDoug,
So what exactly would you propose Republicans do at the state level in 2008? Please be specific.
Posted by: Chris Vance on July 29, 2007 10:12 AM So Doug is rewriting history.
Dino strongly supported my
Reelection. That you could
Actually say that with a straight face is amazing.
I'm not going to revisit
History again.Unless you
Really want me to.Chris we
Both know what actually
Happened back in 2004.
If I have to I will once
Again explain that whole
Thing to everyone here.I
Don't think you really want
Me to do that though do you?
You say you were born in Riverton Hospital. I am presuming that was the hospital in Wymoning (http://www.riverton-hospital.com/) for humans and not the veterinary clinic (http://www.rivertonvetclinic.com/).
May I ask how long you have been a resident of Washington Don???
Posted by: pbj on July 29, 2007 12:23 PMYou ask for specificity; but to be specific in the details about a long-term political war invites a great volume of words.
I have been writing (very regularly, and with a lot of specificity) about this problem for more than thee years. I do not mean to take credit for the vision of grassroots conservatism (it is shared by many and is more than just an idea) when I say that I can answer a whole lot of questions you might have about its prescription for change.
First, we need a new paradigm, or, more properly, we need to go back to the new paradigm. Piecemeal changes may make small improvements, but will not be adequate to renew the Party.
So, the first specific sounds like a generality. It is not. We need leadership at the top of the Party that takes a completely different view of its role. I wrote a 1900-word description of that change in about May of 2006, entitled "Republican Frustration, Collapse and Vengeance" but did not publish it until November 7, to avoid being accused of self-fulfilling prophesy. (I can establish the early date of authorship, however, because I delivered it as a speech in meetings of both the Reagan Wing and Republican Roundtable.) In that piece, written as fictional "history" from 40 years in the future, I predicted, in advance, the Republican collapse of 2006, explained the reasons, and laid out a blueprint for change as if it had already happened.
Read it here: Republican Frustration, Collapse and Vengeance
To bring the predictive elements of that article up to date with recent events you only need to change "President Allen" (George Allen) to "President Thompson," (Fred Thompson) and shift the dates of the beginning of the new Republican Revolution at least two years ahead, since we did not get a Revolutionary State Party chair in 2006. But the political forces and principles it outlines are unchanged.
So, realistically, the quickest way to affect the necessary change is for a New State Party Chair to step in and do things that, it is more than obvious, Luke Esser and his supporters will fight, tooth and nail, to prevent happening. You did too. It is, overall, establishing, for activists, office holders and candidates alike that the purpose of the GOP is to make conservative principle public policy, that we do not seek victories that take us in the wrong direction. That is the only course that can restore confidence.
Two practical (and to me, obvious) immediate steps:
1. Announce that the delegates to the 2008 Republican National Convention will be chosen, not by Democrats and the Media, but by Republican Party activists in caucuses (just like the Democrats have used to build a grassroots Party structure that is beating us every election.)
2. Change the role of the grassroots PCO from "Collector" of data for the exclusive use of candidates who disagree with him to "Distribtor" of issues-oriented literature that he not only agrees with, but that will move the electorate and inspire him, creating future victories.
For instance, we could, right now, be ruining the careers of Democrats who just voted to impose gay rights on Washington, by exposing each of them to their constituents, door to door, in their precincts, in literature complete with colorful pictures of the actual wackos who are taking advantage of the new law next to their State Legislator's. It would win new voters, new donors, new volunteers and, in 2008, elections. 70% of the general public opposes gay rights. They should associate the GOP with that position and the Democrats with advocacy for homosexuality and its attendant diseases.
Why will this political slam-dunk not happen?
Michael Young,
Lori Sotelo,
Sam Reed, Alex Hays and all of Mainstream,
Fawn Spady,
Ann Adams,
Stefan Sharkansky,
Matt Rosenberg,
Andy MacDonald,
Chris Vance,
And, of course,
Luke Esser.
But don't give up hope. I think we'll turn it around nationally before we begin to make progress in New Massachusetts.
Doug,
1. The delegates will be chosen by the state convention, as always. All the State Committee did is increase percentage delegates who will be required to vote for the winner of the presidential primary on the first ballot at the national convention. I had nothing to do with this decision, but it isn't a new practice, and it is typical across the country. I fail to see how this minor change will affect Republican candidates.
2. You want PCOs to go door to door? You think that is going to overcome the massive advantage the Ds have built up in terms of money, national message, and candidates? Good luck with that.
I hope you're right about Fred Thompson. I hope he is the new Reagan. We'll see.
Posted by: Chris Vance on July 29, 2007 03:19 PMSorry. You're history.
Posted by: ERNurse on July 29, 2007 09:18 PMSorry, yes, it is a new practice, this uneven dislocation of nominating power between the Dems and GOP being the combination of of recent legal action with regard to the rights of Parties and the inexcusable (intentional or unintentional) actions of Mr. Esser. I know of no previous primary/caucus where 51% of Republican nominating votes, but 0% of Democrat nominating votes were determined by a process open to both sides, while 100% of Democrat nominating votes were protected by a Democrat-controlled process.
The problem it creates for our national party is that 51% of Washington State's votes for the Presidential nomination will be determined, not by Republicans, but Democrats. I think it could be grounds for a credentials challenge of Washington's delegation at the National convention.
The problem, locally, with giving Republican grassroots strength away to Democrats is that it ravages the faith grassroots Republicans have in their Party and disempowers them. On both fronts that is the opposite of what a State Party Chair should be doing.
2. I am not at all surprised that you think relatively little of what the grassroots can do in politics. It has been clear for a long time. It is good that you have come right out and said it.
The Dems have no advantage of national message. They have warmed-over Marxism and it can easily be defeated. It just can't be defeated by mealy-mouthed, middle-mongering, milquetoast, MSM-appeasing, McRomney-ite, "mainstream," namby-pamby, "non-partisan," unprincipled pragmatism.
Candidate advantage?
Candidate advantage? People like Patty Murray, Christine Gregoire and Maria Cantwell?? Are we breathing the same air? Is this the planet earth?
Conservatism is morally bankrupt. It is also NOT democratic. It is about imposing antiquated ideas on the populace.
Go Doug!!!! :-)
Posted by: Timothy on July 30, 2007 07:07 AMIf I had presumed I wouldn't have asked. I was hoping there was some excuse for your being ignorant of the enormous incompetence of our DOT (such as being new to the area), but I guess I will just have to conclude you are incapable of understanding.
And you never did answer my questions. Would you give the kid the $10 bill over and over and over and over?????
Go ahead and keep dodging the question. I will keep asking.
Posted by: pbj on July 30, 2007 09:04 AMIf you are so impressed with the "massive advantage the Ds have built up in terms of money, national message, and candidates," why haven't you joined them yet?
Posted by: Michelle on July 31, 2007 09:12 PMEven if it fails narrowly, the loss will be attirbuted to voters in Pierce County first and Snohomish County next - every piece of data suggests it will pass handily withing the urbanized portions of King County.
That means that the GOP is split between urban and rural. And it also means that the majority of voters in King County will punish whomever is perceived to be obstructing progress on transportation.
Right now the prime obstructionists in King County appear to be losing GOP longtooths like Jim Horn and his losing funder Kemper Freeman. These guys and their antiquated ideology are conspiring to drag the GOP to its death in King County.
Stand up GOP youth like Shawn Bunny and Reagan Dunn are paving the way to a brighter future. Support them.
Posted by: redflag on August 2, 2007 07:36 PMEven if it fails narrowly, the loss will be attirbuted to voters in Pierce County first and Snohomish County next - every piece of data suggests it will pass handily withing the urbanized portions of King County.
That means that the GOP is split between urban and rural. And it also means that the majority of voters in King County will punish whomever is perceived to be obstructing progress on transportation.
Right now the prime obstructionists in King County appear to be losing GOP longtooths like Jim Horn and his losing funder Kemper Freeman. These guys and their antiquated ideology are conspiring to drag the GOP to its death in King County.
Stand up GOP youth like Shawn Bunny and Reagan Dunn are paving the way to a brighter future. Support them.
Posted by: redflag on August 2, 2007 07:37 PM