Just say Yes!! ...to what?

At the RPV convention Bob McDonnell had a section of his speech he spent running through the issues and going "Democrats just say no... but Republicans just say yes". Bob seemed to be tripping over this part of his speech at the convention as if he wasn't totally comfortable with it yet. This slogan was used immediately after the convention as the name for the ticket airport rally tour.

When I first heard the "Just Say Yes" slogan at the convention I knew their was something wrong with it, but I couldn't pin point it. My first thought was that it was conceding to the Democrats their idea that the Republican party is just an obstructionist party, and promising to change that course.

While admitting Republicans may be part of the issue, the real problem with the slogan comes out when you ask the question just say yes to what? When any issue is proposed people can say yes to it, or say no to it. When solutions to issues arise that disagree with our conservative principles, should we just say yes? If we are focused on saying yes, so we are the party of positive change instead of obstructionism, then we will take the moderate solution to difficult issues.

The focus of this campaign like any campaign should not be saying yes to ideas, but applying the constitution and the ideas of the founding fathers to the issues that face this commonwealth. I want a governor who isn't focused on saying yes to possible solutions. I want a governor who is willing at times to say no to the moderate position on issues inorder to force people to take the more conservative idea when the occasion arrives.

GOP Ticket Stops at Dulles

Yesterday the McDonnell/Bolling/Cuccinelli ticket made a six stop tour of the commonwealth. I had the opportunity to attend the rally in Dulles. A group of about 50 people with a couple camera crews packed into a small conference room for the event. Sen. Jill Vogel introduced the candidates and all three of the candidates shared their thoughts on the major issues facing the commonwealth. Just like at the convention, Cuccinelli received the loudest and longest sustained applause. It seems clear that he brings energy and enthusiasm to the ticket. I hope McDonnell sees that and takes advantage of it.

McDonnell made the point that this is the most experienced ticket in Virginia history and detailed the combined number of elections won and years in public office served by the ticket. All the candidates focused on energy and jobs (with a special focus on cardcheck) and acknowledged that those issues would play a major role in the campaign. McDonnell used the "Just Say Yes" portion of his convention speech. (Something that seems a little forced.) He also emphasized the importance of results over rhetoric. Bolling brought up the importance of school choice, and Cuccinelli mentioned the importance of doing everything in accordance with the constitution. He made the point that we should have solutions the founding fathers could support if they were here today and understood 21st century America.

It was an energetic event with people excited about winning in November and working hard to make sure we win. Please check out these reports on the Weyers Cave and Norfolk events.