Skip: January 2009 Archives

The Republican Caucus is off to a great start and I am happy to report that our whipping system is up and running thanks to the efforts of both our Caucus Whip, Shawn Jasper and his Deputy Whip, Andy Renzullo. In the coming months they will be working hand-in-hand with our committee policy leaders and whips to make sure that we all remain on the same page when it comes to legislation affecting our core Republican issues. Of course, we will continue to oppose any new taxes or fees as well as any increase in spending. At any point during this session if you have a concern with a bill, please bring it to the attention of your committee policy leader. I also encourage you to bring any issue with you to our Republican caucus meetings, which will be held on a regular basis during this session.

To that end, I would like to thank all of you who made an attempt to attend our first major caucus of the session on Jan. 21st. It turned out to be a very successful meeting. We had the opportunity to hear from Representatives Neal Kurk and Norm Major on matters regarding both the budget and revenue. In the coming weeks, we will continue to bring in legislators with expertise in areas such as the budget, revenue, education, and the retirement system, among other topics. We will also, of course, give everyone the opportunity to discuss legislation currently in committee. Our next caucus will be held on Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 3:00 PM in Representatives Hall.

The next House Session, on Jan. 28, is not expected to be a long drawn-out affair. We will be asked to vote on a couple of bills, including HB 30, requiring operating budget reductions for fiscal year 2009. Although it passed out of Finance Committee unanimously, 25-0, it clearly—while a good first step—does not go far enough. Rep. Neal Kurk, our policy leader on Finance will brief the caucus on all of the details, both pro and con, during our Tuesday caucus.

Here are some of the key points in HB 30:

• It reduces our current deficit by $16.25M. Accord ing to Rep. Major’s figures, this will leave the deficit at $65M.
• The appropriations for the judicial branch will be reduced by an additional $441,000.
• The operating budget of the legislative branch will be reduced by $700,000.
• $1.75 million of the general fund monies ($6.75M) that were transferred to the highway fund will be returned to the general fund.
• The Finance Committee has “swept” $6.6M in excess monies from several dedicated funds with no serious impact on services.

We will support the decision of the Finance Committee because it does somewhat reduce our deficit. But it is clear that there were no tough decisions made and, although it is a good first step, there is a lot more work to be done. I hope to see a good turnout at our caucus so we can further discuss HB 30 and its impact as well as many other issues facing us this session. Please remember that the door to the Republican Office is always open to you.

During the past few days, leadership has signed-in, testified and taken a position on a number of bills being heard in committee. Here is a complete list of those bills:

HB 131—relative to meetings and reports of the juvenile justice advisory board. (oppose)

HB 198—permitting an insured person injured in a motor vehicle accident to obtain damages under his or her own

uninsured motorist coverage when the insured’s damages exceed the motorist insurance coverage of the
person at fault for the accident. (oppose)

HB 199—requiring motor vehicle insurers to pay benefits to insured persons under their underinsured or uninsured

motorist insurance coverage in cases of bodily injury or death cause by uninsured or underinsured negligent
motorists, except under certain circumstances. (oppose)

HB 200—permitting the stacking of medical payments coverage under motor vehicle liability policies purchased by

members of the same household. (oppose)

HB 202—relative to provisions in insurance policies limiting payment of full benefits.(oppose)

HB 283-FN—establishing a solid waste management fund and assessing a beverage container fee. (oppose)

HB 275-FN—increasing the state reimbursement amounts for payment of bailiffs. (oppose)
HB 285-FN—authorizing the supreme court to establish a fee to be imposed when a court extends the time for

payment of a fine. (oppose)

HB 133—requiring employers to report certain information regarding outsourcing to the department of

labor. (opposed)

HB 91—allowing municipalities to extend the veterans’ tax credit to veterans who do not have service in a war or

conflict, and relative to the definition of veteran. (support the concept)

HB 43—relative to subdivisions and the site plan regulation waivers.(oppose)
HB 92—requiring municipalities to establish volunteer civilian police review boards. (oppose)

HB 205-FN-A—relative to certain boating fees. (oppose)

HB 34—relative to rules of the road. (oppose 2 of 4 parts)
HB 54—requiring vehicle impoundment for driving after revocation or suspension. (oppose)
HB 95—relative to motorcycle equipment and noise levels. (oppose)

To my New Hampshire GOP Friends,
 
Although my letter to the members of the RNC, a copy of which is below, did not mention this issue, I want to assure you that as a precondition of my even considering the qualifications of a candidate, I needed to have their assurance that they were supportive of our first in the nation primary status.  That is part of the trust the State Committee members placed in me when I was elected to represent you on the RNC.
 
Saul Anuzis has told me that he is strongly in favor of New Hampshire retaining our primary status and has given us his word that if he is elected Chairman that he will put a member from New Hampshire on the Temporary Delegate Selection Committee so we will have a continued voice in whatever plan is presented to the RNC as a whole next year. This is in addition to the "carve out" for New Hampshire and Iowa that has already been placed in the rules.  He has also confirmed his support in writing to me, Gov. Sununu, and Sean Mahoney as well.  If Saul says he's with us on this issue I take him at his word as a person of character.
 
Phyllis
 
---------------------

Dear Fellow RNC Members,

Fully realizing the importance of our choice for an RNC Chairman, I have approached the task of selecting the candidate who I will support as most of you have - with much serious study, analysis, and deliberation. As a relatively new member, I have been extremely impressed and heartened by the talent and quality of all the candidates who are running for this office. We are fortunate to have so many fine individuals who are willing to “step up to the plate” and we owe them all our thanks and gratitude for what they have brought to the process.

However, after speaking with them all and reading their plans, and after giving thoughtful consideration to each person running, it is with the utmost confidence that I am enthusiastically endorsing Saul Anuzis for RNC Chairman.

I believe Saul Anuzis stands out as the kind of “boots on the ground”, easily accessible, and responsive leader we need to get our party back on track. His ideology is most closely aligned with my own on core Republican values and social issues, and like me, he’s an indefatigable optimist. He has the unique ability to bring our social and economic conservatives together. As a movement conservative and someone who has long been an activist in conservative causes, he has the credibility and relationships to bridge the gap as we work to regain our majority by appealing to Reagan Democrats and independents alike. As someone said, Saul is a “full spectrum conservative.”

His Blueprint lays out a vision and provides specific steps in an ‘action plan’ in each area to make that vision a reality. His plan is the most comprehensive, detailed, and achievable that has been presented. It also provides an opportunity for all for participation and ownership in the party. He is open to, asks for, and encourages input from others. As a grassroots activist he practices what he preaches and leads by example with his work ethic and optimistic “can do” attitude. He has limitless energy, tireless dedication, tactical and strategic expertise, and exceptional communication and fundraising skills. These are all qualities that make him exceptionally well-suited to assume the role of RNC Chair.

Saul has pledged to work to preserve our conservative values and believes they can be a winning strategy. We don’t need to ‘moderate’ our message - we need to ‘modernize’ it and present it in a fresh new light. Never timid, and always candid, Saul had the courage to say that we were trounced in two straight elections, not because of ideology, but because of hypocrisy. He realizes our first and toughest challenge is to reclaim the trust of the American people. We have to start “walking the walk” and putting our words into actions. We must also have candidates who will talk about the issues on which they have credibility and who will hold firm once elected.

Saul believes that to be successful, Republicans must present bold, conservative ideas that deliver on a promise of less government, more freedom and strong national defense. He knows we must present a vision of hope and opportunity for all and convince people that we are the party of innovative ideas that has better solutions to problems. We must talk about education, health care and the environment, as much as we talk about taxes and national security in a way that grabs the interests and meets the needs of ordinary people.

His experience qualifies him as the most tech savvy candidate which is a vital prerequisite in the quest to win the support of young voters, expand our voter base, and redouble our fundraising efforts. The depth and breath of his knowledge and expertise in the communication field will be an indispensable tool in our arsenal as we head into battle to win the “technology war” with the Democrats. He understands the need and the transforming power of technology and networks, and is the best equipped to lead the GOP out of the darkness and into being the leading party of the new IT age.

His optimism inspires hope, and his energy and enthusiasm are infectious. Having persevered and stayed the course in Michigan under the most difficult of situations, Saul has shown that he sees challenges as opportunities and will never abandon his optimistic attitude no matter how rough it gets. When the national campaign pulled out of Michigan, Saul persevered and led the fight to find emergency resources to keep Victory programs functioning throughout the state. Newt Gingrich has described Saul as the greatest State Chairman in the Republican Party and called him a person of courage, hard work, and determination.  Coming from a state that has to fight for every vote in every election, he’s ‘battle tested’ and that’s what we need now.  This is the kind of ‘hands on’ dynamic leader who will lead us in the fight to reclaim the “heart and soul” of the Republican Party.

As a fiscal, social, and foreign policy conservative, Saul embodies the perfect combination of skills as a fundraiser, recruiter, spokesperson, and organizer. We need someone with his vision, resolve, and determination to work on renewing and restructuring the Republican Party. He is an inspirational leader and encourager and he is about as young as you can be and still claim the experience, history, and savvy to undertake this enormous responsibility. Saul Anuzis is like a ‘SPA’ for the ailing RNC; he has the right combination of Skills, Personality, and Attitude that is needed to refresh, revitalize, and bring new energy to our party.

Saul is a straight shooter. When questioned, he is unequivocal. He gives direct, logical, and precise answers and gets right to the heart of the issue. He has earned my trust. In these times it is imperative that we have a leader of uncompromising character and unquestionable integrity. SauI embodies these qualities. I ask you to consider joining me in putting your confidence in Saul Anuzis as the candidate who has the plan, the experience, the ability, and the character to best lead the “Comeback” of our party.

Phyllis Woods
National Committeewoman for New Hampshire

Today, I officially came out of ‘political retirement’ to accept election as Chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party. I am doing this because our great state is being ruined by a Democrat Party which appears not to understand what makes New Hampshire special.

New Hampshire is facing a crisis… a crisis in management… a crisis in spending… a crisis in accountability.

Since the Democrats took control of the State House:

• The State Budget Has Produced Our Largest Deficit Ever!
• New Hampshire’s Education Funding Crisis Remains Unresolved!
• The Quality of NH State Services is Now Ranked As The Lowest in The Nation!
• The State Retirement Fund is Facing a Multi-Billion Dollar Shortfall!

It is time for the Republican Party to bring back the New Hampshire principles of Low Taxes, Limited Government and Local Control.

If we want to fix this problem, we need to prepare for the 2010 election cycle with all the energy and all the commitment and all the resources we can gather. I hope to energize our constituencies and get our Party back on track. But this is an effort I cannot accomplish alone. It is time for all of us to get involved and contribute in every way we can.

Your financial support for our New Hampshire Republican Party is needed right now. The Democrats outspent us by 3 to 1 in the last election.

Thank you very much. I look forward to an exciting and successful two years for the Republican Party.

Sincerely,

John H. Sununu
Chairman
NH Republican State Committee

Election Results:  New Officers for the NH GOP:

Chair:                       Former NH Governor John H. Sununu
Vice-Chair:               Wayne MacDonald (re-elected)
Treasurer:                 Robert Scott
Asst Treasurer:         Eileen Smiglowski
Secretary                 Chris Wood
Asst Secretary:         Jay Flanders

Area 1 Vice-Chair:     Steve Hellwig
Area 2 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>
Area 3 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>
Area 4 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>
Area 5 Vice-Chair:     Fran Wendelboe
Area 6 Vice-Chair:     <unknown at this time>

News also came in from Twitter that former NH State Senator Carl Johnson fell ill during the proceedings (along with one other delegate) - our prayers go out to him and his family.

We had two special speakers this past Wednesday - Jeff Newman and Fran Wendelboe who are both running for the Area 5 Vic-Chair position.  Due to timing constraints, Jeff spoke early in the evening and Fran spoke later.

Video of the meeting can be seen by clicking on the Video guy below!

Belknap County Republicans also voted on the who the next officers of the Belknap County Republicans would be.  The Nominating Committee (consisting of Don Flanders, Helen Holbrook, &  George Roberts) put the following out for consideration:

Chairman:     Tilton, Chair
Vice-Chair:    Bill Tobin
Treasuer:      Bob Holebrook
Secretary:     Karen Brickner

There were no other nominations - Don Flanders (acting Chair during this deliberation), asked the Secretary to cast one vote for each to complete the election.

As Chair, Frank Tilton, is already part of the NH GOP State Committee, thus an opening for a new Delegate was filled by a runoff between Coach Fitzgerald and Skip Murphy, with the former being elected to the position.

Volunteers were taken to create a new set of By Laws (Alan was volunteered by Jan, Skip Murphy volunteered; discussion about the website and a request for more contributors was made.

Date:        01/14/09 (Wednesday)

Time:       5:30pm   Buffet Dinner ($14)
                6:30pm   Meeting

Place:      Shanghai Restaurant
                331 South Main Street
                Laconia, NH
                (603) 524-4100
                (see map below)

Agenda:   

• Special Speakers:  candidates for NH State GOP Area 4 Vice-Chairs (Area 4 includes Belknap and Merrimack Counties and City of Concord):
  

• Discussion / reconstruction of the missing Belknap County GOP By Laws

• BelknapCountyRepublicans.org website discussion
  
• Discussion - keep as a minimalist website?
• Discussion - other contributors?
  
• Belknap County GOP elections.
  

• Discussion: Gov. Sununu's three priorities that he will follow in leading the NH GOP:
  
  • Organize the Party so that there are comfort zones for all different groups but no battle lines between them.
  • Help articulate, define, and get out the message of the difference between the Republican Party and the Republican Party.
  • To raise the money and do the work to communicate in such a way that we win the elections we have to win.

Map to the Shang-hai restaurant:
    (map)

A $50,000 to $60,000 / year position with benefits:

In the coming year, MoveOn will organize a massive campaign to help President‐elect Barack Obama pass progressive legislation to end the Iraq war, win health care for all Americans, address the climate crisis, and move to a green‐jobs economy. The backbone of this effort will be the MoveOn Councils—a national network of committed, trained volunteer leaders and teams. Nationally, there are 16,000 active leaders organized into nearly 200 city‐wide Councils. Over the next year, MoveOn Council volunteers will organize rallies, vigils, protests, petitions, district meetings, and other creative tactics. Our actions will back up Barack Obama and win big on national issues.

Granite State Progress

For any candidate interested in winning elections in New Hampshire, the math is pretty simple. Our state is about 30 percent Republican, 30 percent Democrat and 40 percent independent. Neither party is able to win elections when it only appeals to its own base.

It took huge defeats in 1992 and 2002 for New Hampshire Democrats to figure out this basic math. The Democrats realized that when they advocated for broad-based taxes, gun-control and left-wing social policy, they made their base happy at the expense of having any chance with centrist voters who have other priorities.

So New Hampshire Democrats changed. They became less ideological and more pragmatic. Today, they take The Pledge against broad-based taxes, give lip service to Second Amendment rights, and while they haven't abandoned left-wing social causes, few Democrats lead with them either. The Democrats expanded the portion of the electorate willing to listen to them, and they started winning elections.

After suffering back-to-back defeats, now New Hampshire Republicans need to adopt a similar strategy. When Republican candidates and activists focus too narrowly on taxes and social issues, most of our base wags its tail, but we aren't addressing the top concerns of the swing voters who decide elections in our state.
 
How much of a disconnect between New Hampshire voters and Republican candidates is there? It's worse than many activists think. According to exit poll data from last November, 31 percent of Republicans and 37 percent of self-described conservatives voted for Democrat John Lynch for governor. In the U.S. Senate race, John Sununu carried men, 53-45 percent, but lost among women, 60-37 percent -- a staggering 31 point gender gap.
 
Sure, all Republican candidates suffered collateral damage as voters expressed their disappointment in the Bush administration by voting for Democrats at all levels. But it's awfully hard -- no, make that mathematically impossible -- to win elections when we are only talking to base Republicans and ignoring the priorities of centrist voters.
 
To appeal to a broader segment of the electorate, Republicans need to talk about a broader range of issues that swing voters care about. Specifically, Republicans need to offer positive proposals dealing with education, health care and conservation.
 
I'm not saying we need to moderate our positions or move to the middle. We can talk about a broader range of issues while still offering conservative, free-market alternatives that are consistent with our principles. But it can't be all about taxes and social issues all the time.
 
A new GOP agenda for education needs to be emphatically pro-public education and transcend school choice by allowing students to get credit for real world, out-of-classroom learning. It needs to address the affordability of higher education that makes parents worry that even if they open a college fund and put money away, their kid who works hard and gets good grades still won't be able to attend the best school she can get into because of cost.

A new GOP agenda for health care would embrace the idea of universal coverage instead of defending a system in which people without insurance are left to hope they never get hurt or sick, and to go to the emergency room when they do. Republicans should fight for using market competition to control costs so more consumers shop for health care like we shop for other goods and services; Republicans can be for universal coverage and still oppose government as the single payer. Accessibility and affordability are the two health care issues voters care about -- for themselves, for their children and for their elderly parents.

A new GOP agenda for conservation and open space preservation -- which are fundamentally conservative ideas -- gives our party something positive to talk about with voters who have bought the left's theories about climate change and who are turned off by the GOP's perceived indifference to environmental issues.

Just six years ago, New Hampshire Democrats suffered huge defeats. They made changes, became relevant to voters and started winning elections and advancing their agenda on all fronts. New Hampshire Republicans can do the same thing and have the same success -- but first we must broaden our message.

Fergus Cullen's two-year term as chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party ends this month. He can be reached at ferguscullen@aol.com.
=============================================

WON'T YOU BE MY FRIEND?  As I prepare to leave the chairmanship in a couple weeks, I hope to stay in touch with many of you via Facebook.  If you are a user, please become one of my friends!
 
Fergus Cullen
Chairman, New Hampshire Republicans

From PolitickerNH:

House GOP group elects new chairs
By Brian Lawson, PolitickerNH.com Reporter

The New Hampshire House Republican Alliance announced last week that it has elected two new co-chairs for the upcoming legislative session.

The group of conservative Republicans said that state Rep. Nancy Elliot (R-Merrimack) was re-elected as co-chair and state Reps. Robert Mead (R-Mount Vernon) and William O'Brien (R-Mount Vernon) were also elected co-chairs of the group.

Mead and O'Brien will replace state Reps. D.J. Bettencourt (R-Salem) and Andrew  Renzullo (R-Hudson), who have been appointed to leadership positions within the House Republican caucus.

State Rep. Laurie Boyce (R-Alton) was re-elected to be the group's secretary and treasurer.

"Democrat legislative leadership and Gov. Lynch failed to prevent and, indeed, often promoted the extreme social and special interest laws enacted over the last session," O'Brien said in a press release. "Republicans in the NH House have their work cut out for them because we see more such radical and special interest legislation is being filed by the radical wing of the Democratic Party."

O'Brien added, "We look forward to working with the leadership of the House Republican caucus to protect the people of New Hampshire from these irresponsible fiscal and social policies."

The House Republican Alliance is comprised of Republicans who argue that legislators should support bills that are fiscally responsible and does not raise taxes.

From Townhall.com       Posted by: Matt Lewis at 10:08 AM

I have obtained a copy of the long-awaited and highly-anticipated responses to RNC Committeeman Morton C. Blackwell's questionnaire.  All six declared RNC Chair candidates responded.  The answers are below:

Questionnaire for Candidates for Chairman of the Republican National Committee

Prepared and distributed to candidates for RNC chairman November 25, 2008, by Morton C. Blackwell, Virginia Republican National Committeeman, 3128 N. 17th St., Arlington, VA 22201, res. xxx-xxx-xxxx, off. xxx-xxx-xxxx

The 37 questions are in bold.  The answers are just as provided by Saul Anuzis of Michigan, Ken Blackwell of Ohio, Katon Dawson of South Carolina, Mike Duncan of Kentucky, John "Chip" Saltsman of Tennessee, and Michael Steele of Maryland.  I deeply appreciate the cooperation of all these candidates. -- MCB


1.Democrats beat Republicans badly on the ground in 2008 by pouring vast amounts of time, talent, and money into an unprecedented, high-tech effort to identify and register supporters, communicate to those supporters, and get them to vote.  As RNC chairman, what would you do to make sure that Democrats do not have a comparable ground-game advantage in 2010?

Saul Anuzis:  The challenges we faced in 2008 had less to do with infrastructure and more to do with a passion deficit that our party experienced throughout 2008.  The articulation of good ideas breeds passion; Passion breeds excitement; excitement breeds volunteers, and volunteers are the life's blood of a political ground game.  So our first task is to be the party that is effectively communicating conservative ideas, so that we can once again stir the passions of our nation.  Then, we have to do an operational and programmatic audit of every aspect of what the RNC currently does and make adjustments accordingly.  On some fronts, the RNC is doing a great job.  In other areas, we need to make tweaks, and in yet other areas, we need to completely revamp the system.  I plan to seek input from those that have run successful campaigns; candidates; and state party leaders to make the changes necessary to be successful nationally.

Ken Blackwell:  Developing a nationwide ground game will be one of my top priorities. However, to have an exceptional ground game, our Party must first inspire thousands of people who can then be activated to work for our shared values during the election cycle. Lately, our party has become overly focused on mechanics while failing to articulate a clear, concise, positive and practical message. To inspire enough prospective Republican volunteers to be a part of a new "ground game," we must stand firm for our core beliefs: Limited government, traditional values and a strong national defense. If we become the "Obama-lite" party, we will not be able to recruit the substantial number of volunteers needed for such a massive effort.

As chairman of the Republican Party, I will lead by articulating a clear conservative vision that paints in bold strokes, not pale pastels. Doing so will rally a dispirited Republican base and present a vision that stands in stark contrast to the failed left-wing policies of the Obama Administration. This is the first and most important step we can take to rebuild the ground game of the Republican Party.

The second part of developing a nationwide ground game will be more difficult and much more expensive than many imagine. We cannot wait until 2010 to begin working but must start right away. In general, Republicans must recruit people in every area and in every walk of life who will help us spread our message of hope and optimism.

Republicans must recruit a new generation of precinct leaders and block captains. Since one size does not fit all, people will be encouraged to organize in a manner that best fits their lifestyles and talents. We will strive to develop new models to complement the traditional model that works so well in many areas. For example, models may include friend-to-friend programs utilizing the telephone or Internet.

Within the first 30 days after I take office, I will call a nationwide summit to develop a new ground game for the Republican Party. No such effort can be effective without leadership from the top. I will personally preside over the summit. I will personally walk door-to-door in Ohio. I will personally participate in a "friend-to-friend" or "friends and family" voter ID program. I will lead by example, and I will challenge every staff member and RNC member to participate, too.

But first, we must develop a national consensus on what the best, most effective ground game will be. I would not suggest a typical RNC program that dictates to states the way it must ID voters. Rather, I want to develop a new era of cooperation in which state and local leaders committed to having an effective ground game help develop the plan from inception. Theory will get us nowhere. We need something that will work in the field. Any successful 72-hour programs or state and local precinct organizations that are functioning will be closely examined to see if the effective components can be used or implemented elsewhere. I envision a nearly paperless ground operation in which all data is permanently stored, electronically edited and kept for use by state parties in future years.

As outlined in my December 5, 2008 announcement letter, I want to pursue employing a large number of field workers to supplement our volunteer effort to register new voters. I would focus on three projects:

• Hire coordinators to work with churches and other conservative organizations across the country to help them sign up the members of their congregations who are not registered to vote;
• Expend an unprecedented amount of RNC funding to build vibrant College Republican chapters on every major university campus in the nation and use those chapters as a base to register young people to join the Republican Party, and;
• Hire teams of workers to walk door-to-door in targeted neighborhoods to register voters.

I am aware of the legal hurdles that we would need to clear to implement these three programs, and I believe that we can do so effectively. I also believe that we can incorporate fundraising into these projects to offset much of the cost.

Katon Dawson:  If we are to truly spread our message of conservatism across America and have it once again resonate with voters from all walks of life, the Republican Party must have a presence on "Main Street America".

In 2008, the GOP's strategy of "winning 50 percent plus one" and sticking strictly to the electoral math cost us dearly.  The result was Democrats making gains almost everywhere -- even in the reddest of states.  Our message was lost and good candidates didn't have a chance due to the monetary and strategic advantages of the Obama campaign. Republicans can't wait until the next election season to improve our on-the-ground operation -- the rebuilding must start now.

For decades, Republicans have neglected urban areas and the Northeastern United States. Our party didn't invest where it thought it couldn't win, and now conservatism is stale or nearly dead in these areas. The consequences can be felt all the way down to the local and state levels, where unchecked increases in taxes and spending and failing school systems are now commonplace.  All of this is unacceptable to voters, and should be unacceptable to the Republican Party.

That is why I am spearheading Project 3141, an effort to build our Party's state and local organizations and push the Republican message in all of our nation's 3,141 counties. By creating a presence in each county, we will be able to communicate directly with individual communities. Republicans can offer these communities conservative solutions to the problems they face and show Americans from all walks of life -- from rural communities to urban areas -- that conservatism works.

All counties in America have different identities and different needs, even if they are in the same geographic region or the same state. Voters will begin to see that Republican solutions can be applied to a wide range of issues; that we can also fix our failing schools, make healthcare more affordable for small-business owners and families, and preserve our natural resources. Americans will indeed see that there is room for everyone under our banner of strong traditional values.

My plan for Project 3141 is twofold. First, it allows us to infiltrate areas that are solidly Democrat or have been neglected by our Party in the past, and it allows us to strengthen the conservative movement in areas where Republicans have made gains.

In counties and regions that are historically blue or have recently become blue, the GOP needs to make a considerable push to reach voters and build grassroots organizations. The party-switching of the past will never happen again if the Republican Party does not start reaching out to every community in every region.

By strengthening Republican organizations in each of these blue counties and recruiting candidates to run for every office on the ballot, voters will see a clearer distinction among Democrats and Republicans. I believe our candidates will start winning once communities realize that Republican solutions lead to job creation and greater opportunities for families, and state and local governments now dominated by Democrats will experience a common-sense check in government.

But most importantly, the seed will be planted in these blue counties for a conservative alternative that will only grow in future generations.

Project 3141 is also imperative to those counties that have existing or thriving Republican grassroots organizations.  We must not take our victories for granted, and we must not become idle in these GOP strongholds. We must recognize the potential for Democrats to make inroads to traditional Republican strongholds -- the 2008 election proved the Obama campaign was successful at doing just that. Project 3141 will enable the Republican Party to strengthen our county organizations.  

Coalition-building is imperative to a successful party organization. By rebuilding the Republican Party starting at the county level, our conservative message will be organically planted into existing community groups and organizations.

With the approach of the 2010 Census and the potential for congressional redistricting, organizing in each county through Project 3141 also provides a better roadmap for victory. Instead of reacting to the addition or subtraction of districts in each state, the Republican Party will already be proactive in preparing for each congressional race wherever the lines are drawn.

Project 3141 calls for considerable effort from the Republican National Committee to help empower our state parties and county organizations.  Coordination and communication among existing and future organizations will be tantamount in the projects success.  County organizations and regional field operations must have the tools they need.  Both existing resources, such as Voter Vault and existing e-mail and volunteer lists, and new resources, such as outreach with new media, must be used to get the job done. County party leaders with thriving organizations can mentor counties that are just forming with the RNC providing further support as needed.  

The future of our party depends on our ability to communicate our conservative message to all Americans.  Project 3,141 will help accomplish that goal.

One key to our success will be developing and deploying a comprehensive technology strategy. My Operation eGOP plan sets several priorities that will integrate the latest information technology across all RNC departments to save cost, increase productivity, recruit new activists and influence elections at all levels of government.

The RNC will create regional eCampaign Directors to work with state and local parties to guarantee that they have the resources necessary to execute their plans. The eCampaign Directors will be expected to work with state party staff to assist them in their effort to learn and use tactics with new media, social networking and other Web 2.0 applications

Second, the RNC will invest in new technology to build a platform so that multiple vendors can use RNC technological and information resources for candidate websites and tools. The RNC will use a competitive bidding process by seeking solutions from the leading information technology and Web 2.0 companies in the world.

Third, the RNC will invest in a robust and open social network that allows our activists to network and share ideas to make them more effective advocates for our party. The network should allow activists and users to create their own applications to improve and expand the network

Finally, we will commit to recruiting 5 million new online activists. Technology is rapidly changing American politics.  To be successful at the ballot box the RNC must embrace and capitalize on it.

Mike Duncan:  In 2008, the Obama Campaign put forward the best ground game that Republicans have ever faced.  They accomplished this by raising and spending unprecedented amounts of money that paid for offices and staff to offset every Republican volunteer.  They have also effectively broken the public financing system for Presidential campaigns.

While we can learn from our opponents, I firmly believe that the media has created a myth that Republicans forgot how to run a ground game.  The RNC had one of the most robust ground games in history, contacting twice as many voters by and phone and by door-to-door activity as we did in 2004.  Our Victory efforts in Georgia for the run-off election of US Senator Saxby Chambliss are a great example of what can be done when everyone works together.  Our early vote/absentee ballot program gave Saxby a lead of 200,000 votes going into Election Day, an advantage he did not have in the General Election.

One area where we must improve is in capturing votes before Election Day.  Methods of early voting are growing in popularity and our traditional "72 Hour" volunteer model is no longer adequate.  For example, we need to help State Parties better integrate online social networks and other new media technologies into our voter turnout strategy, as the RNC was able to do in the Georgia run-off election.  As a part of my focus on making the RNC a Member driven committee, I will ask RNC Members to volunteer on a working group to identify best practices for early voting and make recommendations for all State Parties to consider.

I am also calling for resources to be committed in every state via Partnership 2010, an initiative that will support a paid staff member for every State Party to assist with Victory programs, voter registration, candidate recruitment, and redistricting/reapportionment.

John "Chip" Saltsman:  As Republicans, we must ensure that all fifty states have a strong party infrastructure capable of winning elections at all levels of government and in all political environments. As RNC Chairman, I will begin my term by consulting with each state's Chairman, Committeeman, and Committeewoman to develop a comprehensive strategy for voter registration, voter identification, and voter mobilization. Working together with state party leaders, we will identify the most effective techniques and programs and, where applicable, urge state officials to adopt the best practices of their colleagues. My state-based strategy, coupled with a major investment in technology by the national party, will help Republicans leapfrog the Democrats' online advantages from the 2008 cycle. However, I want to emphasize that technology, in and of itself, did not produce the superior Democratic ground game in 2008. A strong ground game is directly linked to voter motivation. The Democrats were simply more inspired to act in 2008. Without strong and appealing ideas and attractive candidates, all the technology in the world will not produce success at the ballot box.


Michael Steele:  As Chairman, starting day one, I will focus the RNC's energy, time, and resources towards building our grassroots thru our State Parties.  We can't wait until a few weeks before an election to mobilize our ground troops and expect positive results.  In fact, any ground-game strategy must begin in 2009   in Virginia and New Jersey!

We need to update our technology while adjusting and developing new winning strategies.  This will only happen if we invest early in technology while at the same time exploring ways to maintain that personal voter touch that only the Grassroots can provide.  Our efforts should begin with strategically targeted voter registration programs designed to build the ground infrastructure and supporter network simultaneously.

Democrats had a far superior ground game in 2008. They invested heavily in it.  They also had a unified message that energized liberals within the party and allied groups outside it.  Traditional Republicans voters were far less energized (and our allied groups were fractured and scattered). In short, our conservative base depressed and disconnected.

As Chairman, I will work with every state and local Party organization to craft a unified strategy that will prove effective in each of the 435 congressional districts but will have devastating results when leveraged across 50 states and one nation. We will form a disciplined, tight-knit, responsive network to build a vigorous and representative national Republican presence.

It will be my goal to recruit and train 25,000 grassroots activist leaders by 2012 drawn from every state in the union.  Many of these folks will become campaign managers.  Others will help organize, train, and mobilize volunteer organizations in their communities. Our Party will re-engage its base and the beat the Democrats!

2.When Democrats hold the White House, the RNC chairman has a greatly increased role in advocating what the Republican Party stands for.  Many conservatives are intensely unhappy with the failure of party leaders to advance outspokenly the conservative principles of limited government, free enterprise, traditional values, and strong national defense.  Social conservatives, especially, have been heard to say they are treated by Republican leaders as Democrats treated American blacks.  That is, the party wants and gets all our votes but then pays little or no attention to us.  Given the election results of 2008, conservatives might ask whether or not that means that next time we get to elect one of us as President of the United States. No issue politically important to major elements of the Democrats' coalition is absent from the Democrats' communications.  As RNC chairman, what would you do to make sure that the RNC, in a balanced way, speaks out for the social issues so important to a huge number of potential Republican voters and so clearly stated in the democratically written and unanimously adopted 2008 National Republican Platform? 

This is to give you an update on the happenings at the RNC. I will be in D.C. on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week.  On Monday, Grover Norquist's group, Americans For Tax Reform, is hosting a debate for the candidates for RNC Chairman on Monday at the Press Club.  If you'd like to tune in it will be live streamed at www.rncdebate.org and it begins at 1 PM.
 
On Tuesday, from 9 AM to 4 PM there will be interviews of each individual candidate, a discussion about the candidates, and a straw poll.  This is being sponsored by the RNC Conservative Steering Committee of which Sean Mahoney and I are both members.  The purpose of this new committee is to advance the conservative principles of the Republican National Committee by providing a forum for informal discussion among conservative RNC members regarding issues of common concern.  The committee now has eighty-seven members, a majority of the RNC, and is primarily concerned at this time with electing a conservative leader.  Jim Bopp, the Chair of this committee is also the prime sponsor of a resolution authorizing the RNC to take all steps necessary to oppose bailouts of industries, individuals, or governments.  There are twenty-five people signed onto this resolution and Sean Mahoney is one of the co-signers.
 
Then on Wednesday, January 7th, there will be a special meeting of the RNC which is being called at the request of the members.  The RNC bylaws provide that if members representing a minimum of sixteen states request a special meeting, the Chairman is required to hold one within ten days.  There were 23 members, representing nineteen states that petitioned the Chairman to hold this meeting to discuss the upcoming election and the chairmanship.  This will not replace the winter meeting of the RNC which will also be held in D.C. from January 28th through the 31st at which time we will elect the new RNC Chairman and the rest of the officers of the committee.
 
There are several announced candidates and most of them will be at the debate and meeting.  They have been actively calling, writing, meeting with, and courting all 168 members.  It's getting pretty intense.  This is an extremely important election as the Chair of the RNC will be the spokesperson for the GOP during a Democrat administration.  I, along with the other members, have been reading each of their plans, questioning them, and assessing their qualifications.  This will be a very thorough vetting process and the competition is heating up which means we are hearing attacks on the character and qualifications of all the members from time to time.  We have some outstanding individuals who are seeking the office of Chairman
 
Just a FYI, this is the list of candidates who have officially announced:
 

• Mike Duncan  (Current Chairman)
• Katon Dawson
• Saul Anuzis
• Ken Blackwell
• Michael Steele
• Chip Saltsman
• David Gosselin

 Thought you might like to be appraised of what's going on and I'd welcome any input.
 
Phyllis

WHEREAS, America is embroiled in an economic crisis which threatens to become a severe and
prolonged recession; and

WHEREAS, as an alleged remedy to the economic crisis, the United States Congress proposed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 (“Bank Bailout Bill”), which would authorize the United States Secretary of the Treasury to spend up to $700 billion dollars to bail out the financial industry from the consequences of its own poor decisions and misguided government policies, by purchasing distressed assets, especially mortgage-backed securities, and make capital injections into banks; and

WHEREAS, when the original Bank Bailout Bill failed to pass, it was augmented with$150 billion dollars in additional, unnecessary spending designed to earn the incumbent politicians who voted for it the support of their constituents back home; and

WHEREAS, Congress adopted, and the President signed, the bloated Bank Bailout Bill; and

WHEREAS, the Bank Bailout Bill has neither reversed the economic crisis nor protected the taxpayers, but rather has added $850 billion dollars to their tax bill and raised the national debt ceiling from $10 trillion to $11.3 trillion, which has the potential long-term effect of further weakening the economy; and

WHEREAS, the Bank Bailout Bill effectively nationalized the Nation’s banking system, giving the United States non-voting warrants from participating financial institutions, and moving our free market based economy another dangerous step closer toward socialism; and

WHEREAS, what was needed, and is still needed, to fix the banking industry is not a bailout, but rather a commitment to fiscal responsibility. This entails more than considering only the quick fixes for Wall Street. It also entails considering how to restore Wall Street to sustainable profitability. It involves common sense legislation from Congress, such as (1) eliminating the capital gains tax, which will lead investors to flood the real estate and financial markets in search of tax-free profits, creating liquidity in the markets; (2) examining, and if need be, amending the Community Reinvestment Act (Pub.L. 95-128, title VIII, 91 Stat. 1147, 12 U.S.C. § 2901 et seq.), to ensure that it accomplishes its purpose of preventing discriminatory lending without also forcing the financial industry to engage in high risk lending; and (3) adopting a “hands off” approach from government toward the financial sector, so that free-market forces can correct the market; and

WHEREAS, there have been other federal government bailouts, including the $85 billion dollar bailout of American International Group Inc. in return for its nationalization, with the United States acquiring an almost eighty percent equity stake in the company, a bailout and nationalization of Fannie Mac and Freddie Mac, and a bailout of Bear Sterns; and

WHEREAS, the cost to the American taxpayers of the various bailouts enacted by the 110th Congress and signed into law by the President is potentially $8.7 trillion dollars; and

WHEREAS, none of these bailouts have forestalled the economic recession, protected the jobs of American workers, made American companies more competitive, or relieved the tax burden on American taxpayers, but rather have threatened to deepen the economic recession, and have increased the national debt and the burden faced by the American taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, the “Big Three” Automakers (Chrysler, General Motors, and Ford) appealed to Congress for a bailout bill of their own, seeking up to $34 billion dollars in emergency aid; and

WHEREAS, the American people overwhelmingly oppose a bailout of the Big Three, with 61% of those polled opposing government assistance to the automakers and 70% saying that such assistance would be unfair to American taxpayers; and

WHEREAS, when faced with both Congressional and public disapproval, Ford announced that it did not need actually need federal money at this time, but Chrysler and General Motors continued to request financial assistance from the government; and

WHEREAS, on December 11, 2008, the House of Representatives passed the Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act (H.R. 7321) (“Auto Bailout Bill”), which authorized $14 billion dollars in loans to the automobile industry in exchange for, among other things, the nationalization of the auto industry, whereby the United States receives warrants for up to 20% of the common or preferred stock of each automaker, and the appointment by the President of an executive officer (“Car Czar”) to oversee various aspects of the auto industry’s business; and

WHEREAS, the Auto Bailout Bill was rejected in the United States Senate, garnering only 52 of the 60 votes necessary to bring the Bill to the Floor for consideration; and

WHEREAS, on December 19, 2008, the President announced that he would create a $17.4 billion dollar Auto Bailout Package for the auto industry, taking the money from the funds appropriated by the Bank Bailout Bill; and

WHEREAS, the President has announced that Chrysler and GM must prove they are financially viable by March 31, 2009, or face the possibility—but only the possibility—of the recall of the funds extended to bail them out; and

WHEREAS, President-elect Obama is under no obligation to insist that Chrysler and GM meet this obligation, or pay back the money used to bail them out and the UAW is already calling on President-elect Obama to reject the wage reduction requirements of the Auto Bailout Package; and

WHEREAS, the Auto Bailout Package is not only a bailout of the bad management decisions of the leadership of the automobile industry, but also a bailout of the leadership of the United Auto Workers union (UAW), whose excessive labor wage and benefit demands have substantially contributed to the automobile industry’s financial woes, as demonstrated by the fact that the average hourly cost to the unionized Big Three Automakers for its workers’ salary and benefits is nearly $80 per hour, compared with Toyota, Honda, and Nissan, whose total hourly U.S. labor costs, with benefits, are about $48 per hour; and

WHEREAS, the UAW has steadfastly refused to renegotiate its current labor contracts to ease the financial burden on the Big Three, and has also self-servingly insisted that bankruptcy was not an option for any of the Big Three, because bankruptcy would allow a renegotiation of their labor contracts; and

WHEREAS, bailing out the UAW with the Auto Bailout Package will not make the automobile industry solvent, because it does not address the underlying cause of its financial difficulties, but merely applies a band aid to tide the industry over for the time being; and

WHEREAS, the open-ended nature of the Auto Bailout Package, which only contains the possibility of a recall of the bailout money if Chrysler and GM do not have a plan for financial viability by March 31, 2009, will not provide incentive to their leadership and the leadership of the UAW to create a financially viable business plan, but rather will encourage them to continue ‘business as usual’ and count on future government bailouts whenever such are needed; and

WHEREAS, the men and women who work in the automobile industry are patriotic Americans who work hard to supply America with automobiles and also to provide a decent living for themselves and their families; and

WHEREAS, America’s auto workers are not helped by a temporary band aid which does not require the automobile industry and the UAW to change practices and create a sustainable profitability. Rather, they need a solution that will enable the American automobile industry to recover and thrive again in order to ensure the long-term survival of their jobs; and

WHEREAS, what is needed to fix the American automobile industry is restructuring that will eliminate the competitive disadvantage faced in their costs and finished products relative to foreign brands, which can only be accomplished by (1) negotiating new labor agreements to align their pay and benefits to match those of their competitors; (2) reducing the benefits paid to their retirees so that the total burden per auto for the Big Three is not higher than that of foreign companies; (3) restructuring their business plans with an eye to the future, such that they invest in competitive products and innovative, fuel-saving technologies; and (4) recruiting management teams who excel in marketing, innovation, creativity and labor relations; and

WHEREAS, a group of governors met with President-elect Obama to press for their own bailout plan, whereby federal taxpayer would pay $136 billion for state infrastructure projects and untold billions of dollars for state health care costs; and

WHEREAS, President-elect Barack Obama decided to propose an enormous public works project, which is really a cleverly disguised Government Bailout Plan designed to bail out state and local governments by providing federal tax dollars to repair and rebuild their local infrastructure; and

WHEREAS, some have proposed spending up to $1 trillion dollars to fund the President-elect’s Government Bailout Plan; and,

WHEREAS, the Government Bailout Plan will be the biggest earmarked spending program in our Nation’s history;

WHEREAS, the Government Bailout Plan will not fix our economic woes, but rather will extend the current economic crisis, much as President Franklin Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration extended the Great Depression, and will cost the American taxpayers $1 trillion dollars or more; and

WHEREAS, what is needed to ease unemployment and stimulate the economy is not a Government Bailout Plan to bail out state and local governments from their deficit spending, but rather common sense solutions which will work, including (1) lowering our corporate tax rate which is the second highest in the world and fifty percent higher than our international competitors, so that corporations will have more ability to invest in product development and job creation; (2) lowering taxes on the middle class and eliminating the capital gains tax, so that America’s families will have more money to invest and spend for their families’ needs; (3) spending to replenish and, where necessary, modernize our military equipment and improve our national defense capabilities against both foreign nations and terrorists; (3) investing in energy research, exploration and development to free our Nation from its dependence on foreign oil; and (4) eliminating wasteful government spending and restructuring government programs that can be accomplished more efficiently. Together, these measures will create jobs, energize the economy and protect our national freedoms, all of which will improve the quality of life of the American family; and

WHEREAS, the Republican Party must, for the good of America, reestablish our commitment to the common sense, conservative values of free enterprise, free markets, limited government, and personal responsibility, which are advocated by the Republican National Committee in its national platform; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Members of the Republican National Committee commend the Members of Congress who have opposed the bills seeking to bailout American industries and to nationalize American companies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Members of the Republican National Committee call for all Members of Congress to oppose any and all future bailouts that might come before the Congress, including President-elect Obama’s public works program; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Members of the Republican National Committee call on Congress to identify the government programs and policies which have lead to the current economic crisis and to revise or repeal them in favor of government policies which promote free enterprise and free markets;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee, in cooperation with Republican Members of Congress and the Republican Governors of the various states, shall be authorized to engage in vigorous debate on public policy issues, including calling for Congress to oppose measures which are detrimental to the welfare of our Nation and our People, consistent with the conservative principles of the Republican Party as expressed in its national platform, and to devote appropriate resources of the RNC for this purpose.

Submitted by

James Bopp, Jr., NCM IN
Randy Pullen SC AZ
Lilly Nunez NCW CO
Dick Wadhams SC CO
Sharon Day NCW FL
Steve Scheffler NCM IA
Kim Lehman NCW IA
Cindy Moyle NCW ID
Dee Dee Benkie NCW IN
Helen Van Etten NCW KS
Kris Kobach SC KS
Evie Axdahl NCW MN
Cindy Phillips NCW MS
Pete Ricketts NCM NE
Sean Mahoney NCM NH
Rosie Tripp NCM NM
Carolyn L. McLarty NCW OK
Solomon Yue NCM OR
Donna Cain NCW OR
Giovanni Cicione SC RI
Cynthia Costa NCM SC
Mary Jean Jensen NCW SD
Cathie Adams NCW TX
Fredi Simpson NCW WA
Diana Vaughan SC WY

Max Boot has another good article from The Next Right on a focus for reinvigorating the Party:

There have been a lot of great posts on this site about the future of the Republican Party and the Freedom Movement. I want to add mine to the pile, but do so in a way that offers a clear framework and three-step process going forward: 1. Reboot, 2. Rebuild, 3. Rebrand.

1. Reboot – Coalesce around a Vision

Like many large, powerful organizations, the Republican Party began to suffer from inefficiency, mission creep and stagnation. Why does this happen? These organizations become victims of their own success. They lose their way because they lose site of the Vision. Losing site of the vision means paths diverge, the organization splinters—all of which can lead to dissolution. But isn’t it possible for an organization to get its footing back? Remember when Steve Jobs returned to Apple? He brought the Vision back. Now we have iPhones. Luckily, we already have what Jon Henke calls an “organizing principle” around which to coalesce. It’s called liberty. Or, if you like, the Vision of the Founders. Rebooting requires getting the vision back in the manner of a Thomas Jefferson circa 1774, or a Ronald Reagan circa 1979. In case anyone here needs a refresher, here are the Top 5 ingredients of that successful Vision, already given to us by the Founders:

• Freedom is good for its own sake. (We don’t like tyrants or nannies.)
• Freedom gives rise to prosperity. (It helps us to be prosperous.)
• Freedom can only be guaranteed through limiting government. That may mean “going local” (federalism), checks and balances (constitutional reform), or financial constraints (tax & spending reform). As Madison warned: There are no angels in Washington.
• Freedom must never be auctioned off. (That means must never be sold to special interests, politicians, corporations—even for short term political gain).
• Freedom’s protection and preservation is the sole purpose of government. (Freedom sacrificed to equality (or “crisis management” or “pragmatism” or X) gives us neither.)

Once everyone has bought back into that Vision, things get a lot clearer. People remember why they were doing any of this in the first place. They have a both a beacon in the darkness and a reason to fight. Right now, we’re still in reboot phase. But with a President-elect and Congress that is both Keynesian and Machiavellian, we have a perfect opportunity to re-embrace the principles of the Founding and define ourselves by way of contrast. (They, after all, are but sloganeers, demagogues and opportunists.)

Read the whole thing.