There has been so much talk in the wake of the McCain's defeat about the Republican party regrouping for 2010 midterms and the 2012 Presidential and it seems people fall into 2 camps.
Camp One: They got away from message or had no message and ran a dreadful campaign. Conclusion: If you get a better (read younger, more moderate) candidate we will fare better.
Camp Two: The party is completely jacked up and the realities of an incompetent campaign is merely a distraction from the big picture problems. The party has been taken over by passionate single issue people and by radical talk radio types that energize the base but inspires nobody else. Conclusion: We've become the party of radicals in an increasingly post racial, pluralistic society and we have to take back the party and redefine it at its core.
I'm in Camp Two. Immigration, guns, abortion, homeland security and deregulation are examples of the hot button issues that have driven the radicals in our party. The only one of these that help us is homeland security. They others divide us and fail to energize new fringe voters.
My opinion is that we need to get back to what makes a conservative a conservative and it isn't necessarily those issues. Most hardworking people support the notion of self reliance and personal responsibility.
Deregulation and Enforcing Laws: Stop talking about deregulation when CEO's are stealing their companies blind. We need to talk about efficiently enforcing our laws that should be designed to create a level playing field for all to compete. We need to promote transparency and oversight not increase government's role in businesses beyond what is necessary.
Crime: KC is piling up murders fast. A no nonsense approach to dealing with crime and cleaning up our nation's major cities will actually attract urban votes we have ceded to the democrats. Look at what Rudy Guiliani did in New York. He cleaned up Times Square, cracked down on crime and everyone noticed the city was safer. During that time he was unstoppable. We could actually win in the cities if this is accomplished.
Running Government Services Better: I know KC is a tired example but the way this city is run is disgraceful. Chicago is full of deeply inbedded corruption. I'm sure there are many other examples. From our school boards to our city councils and county commissions we need be the ones to run things tighter, more efficiently and deliver more to the citizens in terms of service and responsiveness. Citizen satisfaction surveys show people are not happy with basic city services. Let's make them feel like they are getting a good deal again for government.
Education: If we want to court the LEGAL immigrant and minority vote show them that will help them educate their kids everywhere in America not just the suburbs. Nothing will make them feel like assimilating like feeling like they are an equal partner and have an equal shot at the dream. We have the first black president and he is sending his kids to the same tony private school Chelsea Clinton attended. The schools in DC are that bad that people won't even challenge him on it. He should be challenged on it. Why isn't public school good enough for his kids but good enough for everyone else?
Redefine what Smaller Government Means: Smaller government doesn't mean letting wall street steal from main street. It means create a level playing field and let the games begin. A well officiated sporting event means you hardly noticed the refs were there.....but they are there and they do their jobs. Less government also means staying out of our personal business as much as possible. Not outlawing something doesn't mean government is promoting it. We should say that outlawing something is the lazy and way to do things. Changing people's minds on an issue so they don't engage in it is the best way to change behavior. If we really believe that abortion is killing then we need to engage people and services that encourage adoption and that means being willing to take a baby somebody else doesn't want. Maybe instead of providing no cost government funded abortions we provide no cost government funded prenatal and delivery of children put up for adoption. Now that supports a culture of life. Smaller and less restrictive means on our personal lives too.
Let Freedom Ring: Instead of pissing off immigrants...especially Mexicans....by talking about locking down the border and building walls we should talk about how much we want them in our country but that they need to come legally and help make that possible. We should open the doors more widely for honest, hard working people who want to share in our dream. If you can contribute we want you but please come through the front door. Check out New Zealand's immigration policy. Nobody calls them racist.
Finally, engage the 18-29 age group: Obama was incredible in everything from cultivating volunteers, raising money, getting out his message using new technology. He is a crackberry hound like us. We sent bulk email and made excuses for McCain that he didn't use a keyboard because of his war injuries. Shoot, there are people who use computers by blowing in straws for God's sake. If McCain wanted to nothing would stop him. He redefined how campaigns will be run in the future and how they will be funded. We ran around asking for max donations from the same old people and he raised $600 million dollars in small increments and estimates are that he will raise over $1.5 BILLION for his reelection bid in 4 years. He hired the Facebook guys and had a staff of technology people larger than the entire RNC staff. We sent bulk email. We need to engage the smartest technology people now to build and run this thing and do it now.
Stay classy Johnson County.
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4 comments:
He didn't raise money in small increments.
MAJOR SOURCES gave him money in small increments.
The way his site was set up, you could give a hundred bucks with no ID
Just do it a million times! Bawhahahahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!!!
Warning, possible long post, let's see how long this is by the time I'm done.
Let me start off by saying good post, as are all on your blog. I live in Olathe, and find it nice to hear local perspective.
Forgive my conspiratorial thinking, I can't help it, but do you personally believe the Republican party wanted to win? Now many might say, well isn't the sole objective of a political party to win? Yes and no, if I were older I'd have some historical events to back up my statements, so you'll just have to take me for my observation. Look back at CPAC, that's a good example, around early 2008. Newt Ginrich arrived to a cheering crowd on standing on their seats, walked up to the podium and gave several statistics that spell out a Democratic landslide in the year of 08. All of them referring to the primaries, for the most part. He said something like how we don't really have a candidate who people want to get out and vote for. "We need to declare ourselves (Conservatives) independent from the Republican Party."
No one who really energized the base, let's be honest, Palin was nice, but McCain was such a burden, so unconformable to watch. He didn't really look like he wanted to win, now we may fall into the emotional charade of the electoral process. I'm not inclined to believe that men in the back behind a curtain chose McCain to be the guy, I'm not a lunatic, at least I don't think, but I do believe that Republicans didn't put their full resources with the possible understanding of the potential future.
We're going to have much economic burden, at least for several years, Mr. Obama has no clue, at least based on what I hear to solve the crisis at hand. Things will happen, I don't know everything, but many predict gloomy prospects. People are going to demand results, the media can prop him up as much as they want but don't underestimate how quickly the American people will turn on him. When the winter gets rough and unemployment isn't getting any lower, "change" and "yes we can" will be forgotten. Let's be honest with ourselves, the party probably found an opportunity and took it, this guy could have been stopped, but the resources weren't tapped to do so.
Now if you want to ignore all that fine, I'll talk in what is apparently factual to me, at least. The party is broke, we need new leadership. I don't know who and don't care. Anyone with good character and proper experience is fine for me. Male or Female, homo or hetro, human or not, We need someone who can articulate a message, and not resort to simple talking points like, "lessen our dependence on foreign oil." After you hear their garbage long enough you just cringe. We need someone who speaks their mind, but well disciplined. We need new ideas (don't misunderstand, Conservatism with substance), not the old, someone who can bring out people to vote, of all ages, and all demographics. When the next primaries start, who knows maybe sooner this time around for 2012, we need to all sit back and carefully think about it. I can remember myself changing my mind several times, perhaps because I wasn't pleased with any of them, even went with Ron Paul once. Who knows, let's just sit back watch the next four years, hope we pick up seats in Congress and trust that the party leadership will figure out what we want. I don't think they're that stupid.
Camp One was right in that McCain ran an awful campaign, and I think if the Republicans had a better candidate, they would fare better. McCain did not speak well, his message was garbled and Sarah Palin was the wrong choice for VP. I like a lot about Palin, but she wasn't ready because he didn't give her any TIME to get ready. He jerked her out of Alaska with literally only the clothes on her back. That did not speak well for his judgment. Also, I did not agree with many of his positions (global warming, immigration, Anwar). However, I disliked Obama a whole lot more and so I reluctantly pulled the lever for McCain.
I agree with your approach to several of the issues but there are some issues that I and many conservatives will not give on just as the left will not give on some of theirs e.g. abortion. That IS what makes us different. By the way, did you know that Planned Parenthood of Indiana is promoting Christmas gift certificates for their services, including abortions! And we, the taxpayer, fund their activities...never will I agree with that.
You are correct on deregulation, crime and running gov services better. We need regulations, sensible ones. Without them, our food would be rotten, our drugs would kill us and we would be driving 85 miles an hour on city streets. Crime is huge too. I'd really like to see Guiliani take on the gang problem in this country.
Education is one of our biggest costs, yet one of our biggest problems. The more $$$ we throw at it, the worse it gets. I don't believe it takes more and more $$$ to improve our education system. It takes better parents, better communities, better school boards and better morality. Most suburbs don't spend as much per pupil as the inner schools do. However, there is much the Republicans could do to improve the education system.
Our immigration system is broken, no doubt about it, but it's because we haven't enforced our immigration laws and have let the greedy employers get away with disobeying the law in the name of the almighty dollar. I could write a book on this one. Let's just say I'm not for coddling the illegal immigrant but I'd like to see a lot of employers serving time in the tomato fields.
You forgot health care. The Republicans really need to get this straight. Our society cannot deny health care to all who need it. It's just not humane. I supported Hillary Clinton on this one and if she had won the nomination, I probably would have voted for her over McCain, despite some of the failings of the Democratic party.
Nuff said...time to get to work on Turkey dinner. Have a good one.
Some passionate comments from all. Thanks for leaving them. For Travel....we'll never abandon what it means to be a conservative. I'm just saying that we need to get away from letting them define us by single issues and letting the single issue folks control our discourse. It reminds me of the all the liberal crazies back in the 90's.
About the first comment on raising money. I gave online and I think you will find you are incorrect. They kept records of all giving.....beyond that if it was a PAC or special interest then they don't have to collect information.
ChowChow...I'm not a conspiracy nut either and I don't think we wanted the repudiation of our party quite like this. I think it is more a lack of talent and lack of creative thinking that cost us keeping too close to old strategies. We'll be back because the ideas are right.
Travel, I'll never agree with public funding of abortion either. NEVER. I think we have to find a new way to approach this issue and funding is a good one. Trying to outlaw abortion probably isn't going to work. I think people generally agree that we could all work to reduce abortion and start from there.
Somebody mentioned health care as another issue. I think we shouldn't take anything off the table. I'm not sure how to tackle that one though. Agreed it is a hot issue and just saying no isn't going to work.
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