Republican Governors Take a Hard Look At How to Rebuild Party

Wall Street Journal ^ | November 13, 2008 | Christopher Cooper

[flattorney]

MIAMI -- Republican governors met here Wednesday and tried to figure out what went wrong in last week's election. The Republican Governors Association's two-day meeting included some of the party's rising stars and some of the likeliest candidates for the 2012 presidential election. But the main topic of the annual meeting was the party's losses at the presidential, congressional and state levels, and how the party could be rebuilt. "We have to match our actions with our rhetoric," said Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, touted early as a vice-presidential contender this year. He said years of excessive spending, and the recent conviction of Alaska GOP Sen. Ted Stevens on seven felony counts for failing to report more than $250,000 in gifts, did little to win over voters. "Let's be candid, it was a pretty sweeping victory [for the Democrats]. They fired us with cause," said Gov. Jindal, who is 37 years old and the youngest Republican governor in history.

This year was the second political cycle in a row that Republicans experienced a major defeat. They lost the White House, and saw Democrats make broad gains in state capitals and Congress. The governors group was among the hardest hit, with membership falling to 17 from 28 members before the 2006 election. Amid the gloom were some signs that Republicans haven't completely lost their star power. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republican vice-presidential candidate, swept in late to a luncheon, causing a stir in the hotel lobby. She will speak to the group Thursday.

[flattorney]

MAR

[flattorney]

11.04.08 - RGA: The elections of Governor Jon Huntsman, Jr. and Governor John Hoeven ensure that every incumbent Republican Governor won tonight by wide margins. Earlier tonight Governor Daniels and Governor Douglas dominated races that were targeted by national Democrats. The success of Republican Governors at the polls offers a bright spot for the GOP, and their victories tonight show their importance to the Republican Party’s future. “Republican Governors prove that when we govern well and stick to our principles the nation still supports the Republican Party,” said RGA Chairman Governor Rick Perry. “The plan that Republican Governors developed two years ago is working. Next week the Governors will expand on their plan and bring fresh leadership and new ideas to the GOP. Tonight’s results show how important Republican Governors are to the Republican Party moving forward.” “When Republicans focus on solving problems we can win in any environment,” said RGA Executive Director Nick Ayers. “It’s now time to focus on rebuilding our Party at the state level — not in Washington DC — and our governors are poised to do so.”

MAR

[Soul Seeker]

Pawlenty and Crist need to shut up. Crist particularly. If not for Jeb’s goverance he wouldn’t be governor or Florida right now.

Sarah, Jindal and Sanford are the best voices in that group.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

This reads like they are figuring out how they want to rearrange the deck chairs on the Titanic.

[RescueTheRepublic]

the main topic of the annual meeting was the party's losses at the presidential, congressional and state levels, and how the party could be rebuilt.

Might be profitable if they followed the admonition from a long forgotten voice -

If we wish to erect new structures, we must have a definite knowledge of the old foundations. - Calvin Coolidge

[kevkrom]

Rebuild the party by defining a strong national platform — remind people of why being a Republican is different from “Democrat Lite”.

Focus on some key issues, and then tap the “rising stars” within the party to be advocates for those issues. For example, Governor Palin can lead the effort on promoting a sound, comprehensive energy policy.

Explain these policies in terms that connect with “everyday” folk — going back to the energy example, talk about how it will fend off future crises like we just went through (and may go through again if the ‘rats continue to stall on drilling) and redirect the money spent on foreign oil back to the U.S., creating jobs and increasing the tax base which will mean lower tax rates.

Roll out a national advertising campaign, discussing these issues and why the Republican point of view is the right point of view. Build up the Republican “brand”.

At the same time, some in-ranks purging needs to take place. Republicans are going to be held to higher ethical standards than Democrats anyway, so there’s no need to give them any additional ammunition. Create a code of conduct and demand that national Republicans follow it; failure to do so will mean withdrawal of all support, up to and including funding primary opponents.

[Condor51]

Republican Governors Take a Hard Look At How to Rebuild Party

Here's some ideas...

1. Get rid of the RINOs. If they want to act like Democrats let them be one.
   
2. The 'Big Tent' doesn't work. The GOP is the party of ideas and ideals, aka: principles. If you believe in that Welcome to our small tent. If not, get out.
   
3. A republican can never out Dem a Democrat. Whatever freebie you offer the Dem will offer ten times that - so knock it off.
   Blacks and (cough) 'Hispanics' will always vote for the Democrat - period. So pandering to them is useless, it's like trying to ask a Scorpion not to sting you.
4. Family values DO stop at the Rio Grande. So man the Borders, round up the illegals and ship them home. You won't lose one vote, you didn't have it to begin with.
   
5. Always remember: Government IS the problem, not the solution.

This may hurt some feelings, 'republican' Governors, but tough noogies.

[rbmillerjr]

This is all good stuff. The GOP needs to bang it out and decide what they are.

I’m convinced that this will lead us back to strong general conservative principles.

Some of the GOP Country Club set will want to take the easy way out and we shall know their names lol.

This process is part of losing and it will allow us to see who the conservatives are that will run in 2012.

2010 is first though and let’s see who campaigns for what should be a great midterm snapback for the Republicans and let’s see who puts a great organization together that has all 3 legs of conservatism: economic,social, national security.

[Niuhuru]

The GOP needs to work hard at working together, being of one mind, and sticking with each other thick and thin. It’s the biggest strength of the Democrats that they protect and fight dirty for each other.

[Bryan24]

Heard a clip of Pawlenty a few minutes ago. Essentially said we need to forget Ronald Reagan, he’s in the past and the world had changed. Said we can be conservative and moderate at the same time.

Guys like this need to be marked, isolated, deprived of conservative support and run out of office.

[Condor51]

*** The GOP needs to work hard at working together, being of one mind, and sticking with each other thick and thin. It’s the biggest strength of the Democrats that they protect and fight dirty for each other....***

Before my post #7, I was looking for a quote from Ronald Reagan and came up empty. It goes something like this...

"The Republican Party can't be all things to all people."

There may be more to it, but that's the part I recall. RR was definitely saying the GOP is a 'small tent' party.

As to the RATS; they would defend, excuse, and/or rationalize the actions of Adolph Hitler, Stalin or Pol Pot if they had a 'D' after their name. They are a party of criminal reprobates, perverts, deviants, godless communists and every stripe of anti-American subversive under the sun. IMO they should all be in prison for Treason and Sedition.

[Eddie01]

think think think

Eliminate all government programs except National Defense and Infrastructure.

Eliminate all pork.

Move to a low flat tax based only on what is required to achieve the above.

Tort reform to lower health care costs.

Remove judges who legislate from the bench.

Imprision anyone who employs an illegal alien (lord knows there are a lot of legal unemployed folks who could use those jobs right now).

Conduct huge anti-thug culture PR campaign. http://www.thugreport.com

Anyone that uses a gun in the commission of a crime gets mandatory life wo/ parole.

Institute a strict conservative litmus test before anyone is allowed to join the party.

Energy independence in 5 years. NO MORE UGLY WINDMILLS. Drill. Solar. Wave.

Reform education. Any teacher engaging in political discourse outside of a political science class is immediately suspended. American history mandatory. History of socialism/communism and its successes.

I’m sure there are more...

[GirlNextDoor]

From an independent conservatives point of view, the main problem is that they look a whole lot like socialists anyway. Additionally, they run weak campaigns and let fraud and corruption go unchecked. This is a choice from democrats?

This country is changing. There is a tide moving to the center and the left. You can't just ignore this and stay viable. You also can't give up on your principles and still keep what dwindling base you have.

There used to be a 'pendulum' to politics, but that may not come into play as much now as it did in the past. There has been too much corruption, too little educating, and a whole lot of laziness and 'get mine' in this country than I think our country has ever seen before.

I'm just saying that this all comes into play. The republicans may never be able to go back when times are not the same anymore and they aren't going back either. So, leading into the next election, what can be salvaged and repackaged for the generation leading our future? How do we get them educated?

For a while now I have told as many conservatives as I know that we need to take the battle into the schools. Get an army of conservatives willing to go into the front lines of education and get to the kids. That is where the real swing has come in the past 40+ years, isn't it?

So many want to know what to do to help. I think this is way too important to overlook and let remain in liberal hands. Conservatives can home school and encourage and just do all they can to take the battle into the schools to teach...Marxists knew/know where to take the battle and it has played out as they planned.

Then, of course, there is the need to do the same idea in the media.