Prince William County Republicans

Comment

Comment by Fletcher "Rocky" Johnson on February 2, 2009 at 8:08pm

Thank you for the support Mr. Walsh.

The GOP will move smartly on the impending implosion of this "Stimulus Package". I have much faith in Michael Steele and as long as our local GOP leadership stays the course, then there should be a huge lift come next election cycle.

I did learn some great things from the Hispanic Outreach event this past weekend at Debbie and Tito Munoz home. Discussion among those who attended understood that there needs to be outreach to demographics not typically courted by the GOP. As it turns out, there are many conservative minded demographics who vote "Democrat" due to lack of exposure and lack of education of what the "true" GOP is about. It seems that there is a consensus that the GOP is unfair and not truly supportive of conservative politics.

That is entirely unacceptable. There is a huge group of conservative valued and conservative minded people who would vote for conservative candidates if there was outreach that mattered. Not just lip service, but genuine discussion, followed by genuine conservative leadership.

Comment by James Walsh on February 1, 2009 at 8:25am

Mr. Johnson is right on....."The GOPs message of; Less Government, Less Taxes, Free Enterprise, etc... has been left behind in the GOPs most recent past"....
Our plan needs to include a counter move to respond to when the Dems concept of let the Federal Govt buy our way out of this economic mess implodes. The unintended consequences of a worthless dollar, run away inflation, followed by ridiculously high interest rates will set them up for a big fall. Our party needs to be broadcasting that message and planning for how we clean up the mess that they will leave for us and our children.

Comment by Fletcher "Rocky" Johnson on January 31, 2009 at 9:42am

Michael Steele brings in a new start. Steele has shown his conservatism by lauding the ideals of conservative values and conservative government. Although I am a big fan of our 43rd president as a person, my disappointment of the enlarged government and his over spending administration is what I believe drove away voters in the recent past. Michael Steel will be able to appeal to the more moderate voters, and with hope, he will help create a message of core principles.

Like I have said below and in other discussions, there needs to be an effort to concentrate on "Concrete" issues and form a plan around those. The "fanatically conservative/right wing" folks that I believe my friend Mr. Scoggins is referring to focus on what I term as "Belief" issues and there is NO winner in those arguments. Let us not forget that perception is reality in politics and the perception of the GOP by many moderate leaning voters (and I may argue, fiscally conservative leaning) is not positive. Why, my thoughts are that there is no message. The GOPs message of; Less Government, Less Taxes, Free Enterprise, etc... has been left behind in the GOPs most recent past. Too much time has been taken on issues that are based in peoples beliefs, which is leaving a bad taste, or perception of negativity toward the GOP.

Perception is that the GOP is closed to outsiders, closed to social discussions, closed to minority groups, closed to helping others, closed to change.... All rhetoric f course, but still perception. We need candidates and leadership who will help foster (and vote) a simple focus of what makes the GOP great. What it was founded on. Core principles that deal with Fiscally Conservative "concrete issues"

Mr. Steele brings with him an ability to speak out against inclusiveness and to speak out for conservative values regardless of party affiliation. The GOP can be conservative again, drop the "Right-wing" rhetoric and concentrate on the conservative core values from which this party began.

Comment by O. P. Ditch on January 31, 2009 at 6:28am

Don, I consider Steele a good Conservative and he will be a great leader. But I think more positively about the issue and I sense there is a growing positive response to the RNC returning to it's basic conservative principles of less government/taxes, free enterprise, etc as stated in the Republican Creed. Lets NOT pit each other's hard core issues against the others, but let us come together under the umbrella of the core principles and start winning again. It is my opinion that using the term "fanatical" in NOT the way to attain this. And pitting "right wing" against "moderate" is also NOT the way to move forward. Please watch the video in the Main page "We are Republicans", and lets move forward.

Comment by Donald E. Scoggins on January 30, 2009 at 10:30pm

Congratulations to Michael Steele. He risk not becoming the next RNC chair because of efforts to reach out to less ideologically conservative Republicans. Conservative myself is it possible other Republicans regarding themselves less so could find acceptance within the GOP? Considerations such as this must be addressed if the Republican Party is going to grow. Our current unfortunate circumstances were self inflicted because we drove away people not fanatically conservative/right wing. Adhering to such rigidity especially turns off the young.

Comment by Jay on January 30, 2009 at 5:03pm

Steele elected as RNC chairman

Comment by Fletcher "Rocky" Johnson on January 28, 2009 at 12:32pm

Tom,

I look forward to seeing and talking with you this Saturday at the Taco Fiesta.

Rocky

Comment by Tom Whitmore on January 28, 2009 at 11:12am

Thanks for the kind words, Rocky. Don't underestimate the value of promoting our core principles. They are a door opener and attention getter, and can be the foundation for building voter trust, as we move forward.

Comment by Fletcher "Rocky" Johnson on January 28, 2009 at 10:10am

All,

I simply listed a sample of issues that are not based on Beliefs. Yes, there will always be a “you say, I say”; that is called debate. What I think we currently fail as a party is how we line up on these issues as a team. It is time to stop fighting within and come up with a focused debate on the “Non-Belief” issues. It is time to stop fighting over issues where there is no winner.

The core party debate is strong, proven, however, nobody can argue against the fact that the most recent national GOP administration has strayed from the core GOP principles that Tom has so eloquently displayed. This is what created the wave of Democratic voting. This is why the GOP lost its footing with moderates and independents. The GOP has moved away from the very principles Tom listed.

I want to thank Anke Cheney for understanding my point. I am not challenging the GOP core values, quite the opposite, I am challenging the most recent “political game” of debating issues based on personal beliefs and how that has taken the GOP off course and into an argument that nobody can win. The democrats win every time the GOP engages in these unwinnable “belief issue” arguments.

Anke, much better than I, stated what I think is the obvious; "One big thing that our party has lacked for a long time is well-articulated and formulated issues, offering the electorate solutions rather than mere rhetoric. What does the public care about core principles if a candidate cannot articulate the actual real life issues represented by those principles, which are what they actually care about."

For the GOP to move forward, there ought to be a concerted effort to meet, greet, discuss, ask questions of the people here in PWC and then, like throwing a stone in a pond, let the ripple effect take over. Remember, this is not a sprint, it is a marathon. It is my opinion that we engage with the people. Find out what moves us. What “Concrete” issues are most relevant. PWC has a diverse group of people. It has been argued that, even though we come from many ethnic backgrounds, the majority of us share conservative family values. This is what from, a base can be built.

Future candidates need to reach out to ALL groups and find out what moves them. Find common ground, based in GOP core values and move forward with a focused plan. People vote, not money. When people are involved, have a stake in the process, and their “concrete” issues championed, that is how change truly takes place.

I simply suggest, and believe in my heart; that reaching out and discussing with, rather than talking to, learning the true “concrete” issues that moves our county, not getting caught up in the democrat trap of “belief” argument, is the way the GOP moves forward.

Rocky

Comment by Tom Whitmore on January 27, 2009 at 11:22pm

Anke, the debate is not so much about us here, and where do we stand, it is about going out and finding among the voters in this land enough new ones who agree with our core principles and encourage them to put those principles first in their thinking and join us. Sure we have to have some solid solutions and we have to have positions on the moral issues, but we must also be ready to educate folks on the danger of the path our country is on. Most people can't listen to two politicians debate an issue, each offering their solution and figure out which one has the best plan. some of the issues are just so complicated. They will tend to favor their current political leaning. Remember nearly one third of the voters in the last election considered themselves independents. If everyone felt as strongly about and understood fully the importance of our core principles as we do here then our Republic wouldn't be facing the dangers it is today. Many folks don't know who to believe, these days when it comes to the everyday issues impacting their lives, they feel like "what's it matter". By educating them we can show them that the Republic is worth fighting for and it does matter! That's it, no right, no wrong, just my take on one very important aspect that I have found to be missing in recent campaigns.

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