In Chicagoland, appearing friendly to minorities, and making sure this friendliness is visible to the soccer moms, is essential to getting the soccer mom vote. Here soccer moms are turned off by the mean spirited image of the Jim Ryan-Tancredo-Buchanan-Dornan-Pete Wilson leaders of the Republican party. In Chicagoland Jim Ryan will lose more soccer mom votes than minority votes for his framing of innocent Rolando Cruz.
1) Be principled and right of center; andConservatives tend to talk facts and figures, statistics and probabilities. We talk about failing schools by quoting cold facts, instead of highlighting Sally Smith who is trapped in a failing school, had a rat eat her lunch, or is handed a condom before she can read the directions on how to use it.2) Think with their head, but speak from their heart.
Conservatives need to embrace the feelings of the voters, clothing our right and just ideas with compassion and mercy, hope and opportunity. We can't continue to talk about billions of dollars and a 50% illiteracy rate without talking about $2,000 for every child and Johnny Jones (picture) not learning how to read.
Democrats' ideas are failed socialist re-tread, but they have won (so far) the battles because they talk to the voter's hearts.
Bill Simon is the exact mold we need for the Republican Party. He is cut from the same cloth as George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan and Jack Kemp. We need to reach out to ALL groups. We're not going to win the Latino vote, I think it's foolish to think we can right now. But we can make inroads. And, if we make inroads, we'll on the natural bring in the squishy Republican women and the independents who like the fact that Bill Simon is personable, talks with heart, and sounds like a real person who you'd like to have a beer with.
Who wanted a beer with Dan Lungren? Not me, and I voted for him!
Republicans can not win by selling out on important issues like abortion and gun rights and character education. Republicans CAN win by softening the "hard" image with compassion for our fellow man.
It's not that hard. Read the Gospels. Jesus Christ has the winning message, and Republicans who embrace His compassion and tone and justice will win.
God bless Bill Simon!