"I Have Not Yet Begun to Fight"

For the past three years I have been wondering why the GOP has refused to play offense. As a party we have had to think about minimizing losses heading into election day instead of talking about which key Democrat Senator or Congressman we will knockout this time. There is now nolonger a single Republican in New England, and in the last presidential race key Republican states went Democrat while we were unable to flip a single Democrat state red.

For someone wanting to stop playing political defense, I was inspired and encouraged when I ran across a new movement called Rebuild the Party. Rebuild the Party is a new movement advocating a proposal set forth by a number of young political operatives lead by Patrick Ruffini on what the Republican Party needs to be doing to set itself up for 2010 and 2012. Those working on the project realized that we blew it on so many levels this election: fundraising, voter contact, organization, volunteer organization, use of technology, voter registration, etc, etc, etc... It then lays out a 10 Point Plan detailing what the next RNC Chair should do, and how to do it.

While introducing the website to his readers only days after the election, Patrick Ruffini said of the group who created Rebuild the Party,

"We challenge the idea that the Internet is more than a fun little add-on or that it's enough to prove you "get it" by setting up a Twitter account. The Obama campaign proved that the Internet is so much more than that: it is a serious platform for transforming literally everything about how your campaign is run, from media to fundraising to field."

After Obama used the internet to his avantage throughout his campaign, Republicans must stop sayign they don't know how to use the internet. They need to get out and embrace the internet and find new and creative ways to use the internet. Patrick Ruffini and the folks involved with Rebuild the Party understand the need to use the internet to it's fullest capacity, as well as fundamentally restructuring the GOP and rebuilding it from the ground up.

Please go to Rebuild the Party, endorse the plan, and hopefully the next RNC Chair will embrace the plan and do what it takes to get this party back on the right track.

Jeff Frederick is still my Chairman

Any time a party loses an election plenty of finger pointing goes on. Within the GOP the most popular fingerpointing game is for the liberals and the establishment in the party to blame the social conservatives and grassroots for the loss. On the national level we have seen this with the ridiculous attacks on Sarah Palin.

On the state level conservatives are witnessing a similar attack as one of Tom Davis' surrogates is pushing for Jeff Frederick to be removed as RPV Chairman. For a fairly comprehensive summary of this discussion, you can take a look at the e-mail that started it all, and then check out this analysis/summary.

Jeff Frederick is a young energetic articulate principled conservative. When he was elected to the House fo Delegates, he was the youngest delegate since Thomas Jefferson. He has been a constant target of the Warner/Kaine machines, but has won on the outskirts of NOVA. While he has not been a perfect chairman, he has been blunt at times about the problems, and stuck to his principles. At the very least he has updated the RPV in a very visible way by giving it a much better website (as opposed to this). I respect admire and trust Jeff Frederick, and I believe he is the man to guide us to success in 2009. I was proud to beable to vote for Jeff Frederick for party chair at the last state convention, and I will continue to support him in any way I can.

Now There's a List of Endorsements...

Especially during primary seasons candidate's try to lock up key endorsements early on to give themselves credibility, and draw more support.

In the AG race, Ken Cuccinelli has been demonstrating that he has the support of the grassroots by touting his list of endorsements from unit chairmen, and John Brownlee has been bolstering his prosecution/law enforcement message by touting the list of sheriffs who support him.

While the nomination contest for Attorney General has been going on almost as soon as Virginia's legislative session ended, only recently have people been able to sort of talk about a "nominating contest" for lieutenant governor in Virginia. Since the end of October Patrick Muldoon an attorney from Alexandria has been campaigning to challenge Lieutenant Governor Bill Bolling in his bid to once again run as the Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor. While Bill Bolling doesn't face much of a threat from someone whose last significant bid for elected office was a failed attempt to oust Rick Boucher as the congressman from the 9th district, Bolling's campaign decided to try to squelch this insurgency early. In an e-mail sent out this afternoon Bolling sent out his endorsement list. Bolling has the support of almost every Republican leader. The list is devastatign to the Muldoon campaign because it will be difficult for Muldoon to find significant party support.

Here is the list:

REPUBLICAN PARTY LEADERS SUPPORTING BILL BOLLING FOR LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

State and Congressional Leaders

The Honorable Robert McDonnell, Attorney General and 2009 GOP Gubernatorial Nominee

The Honorable George Allen, Former Governor and Senator

The Honorable Jim Gilmore, Former Governor

The Honorable John Hager, Former Lieutenant Governor and Former RPV Chairman

The Honorable Jerry Kilgore, Former Attorney General and 2005 Gubernatorial Nominee

Congressman Eric Cantor, House Minority Whip, 111^th Congress

Congressman Tom Davis, III

Congresswoman Thelma Drake

Congressman Randy Forbes

Congressman Virgil Goode

Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Congressman Rob Wittman

Congressman Frank Wolf

John Brownlee, Candidate for Attorney General

Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, Candidate for Attorney General

David Foster, Candidate for Attorney General

State Senate

Senator Thomas Norment, Jr., Senate Minority Leader

Senator Steve Newman, Senate Republican Caucus Chair

Senator Ken Stolle, Republican Leader Pro Tempore

Senator Walter Stosch, Republican Leader Emeritus

Senator Ken Cuccinelli

Senator Emmett Hanger

Senator Robert Hurt

Senator Steve Martin

Senator Ryan McDougle

Senator Mark Obenshain

Senator Fred Quayle

Senator Frank Ruff

Senator Ralph Smith

Senator Richard Stuart

Senator Jill Holtzman Vogel

Senator Frank Wagner

Senator William Wampler

Senator John Watkins

House of Delegates

Speaker William Howell

Majority Leader Morgan Griffith

Delegate Kirk Cox, House Republican Whip

Delegate Sam Nixon, Jr., House Republican Caucus Chair

Delegate Dave Albo

Delegate Clay Athey

Delegate Rob Bell

Delegate Kathy Byron

Delegate Bill Carrico

Delegate Ben Cline

Delegate Mark Cole

Delegate John Cosgrove

Delegate William Fralin

Delegate Tom Gear

Delegate Todd Gilbert

Delegate Phil Hamilton

Delegate Frank Hargrove, Sr.

Delegate Clarke Hogan

Delegate Tim Hugo

Delegate Sal Iaquinto

Delegate Riley Ingram

Delegate Bill Janis

Delegate Chris Jones

Delegate Terry Kilgore

Delegate Steven Landes

Delegate Scott Lingamfelter

Delegate Matt Lohr

Delegate Manoli Loupassi

Delegate Danny Marshall

Delegate Jimmie Massie

Delegate Joe May

Delegate Don Merricks

Delegate Jackson Miller

Delegate Harvey Morgan

Delegate Dave Nutter

Delegate John O'Bannon

Delegate Glenn Oder

Delegate Bobby Orrock, Sr.

Delegate Chris Peace

Delegate Brenda Pogge

Delegate Charles Poindexter

Delegate Bob Purkey

Delegate Chris Saxman

Delegate Edward Scott

Delegate Beverly Sherwood

Delegate Terrie Suit

Delegate Robert Tata

Delegate Lee Ware

Delegate Tommy Wright

State Central Committee Members

Morton Blackwell, National Committeeman

Kathy Terry, National Committeewoman

Michael Thomas, First Vice Chairman

Polly Campbell, Secretary

Rick Neel, Treasurer

Walter Curt, Finance Chairman

Juanita Balenger, Eastern Vice Chairwoman

Kevin Gentry, Eastern Vice Chairman

Trixie Averill, Western Vice Chairwoman

James Hale, Western Vice Chairman

Tom Foley, 1st District Chairman

Gary C. Byler, 2nd District Activist

Mike Wade, 3rd District Chairman

Jack Wilson, 4th District Chairman

Tucker Watkins, 5th District Chairman

Fred Anderson, 6th District Chairman

Linwood Cobb, III, 7th District Chairman

Michael Ginsberg, 8th District Chairman

Michelle Jenkins, 9th District Chairman

James Rich, 10th District Chairman

Becky Stoeckel, 11th District Chairman

Michael Lowe, 1^st District Rep.

John Van Hoy, 1^st District Rep.

James Bowden, 1^st District Rep.

Carol Dawson, 1^st District Rep.

Allen Webb, 1^st District Rep.

David O'Kelley, 2^nd District Rep.

Chuck Smith, 2^nd District Rep.

Roger Miles, 2^nd District Rep.

Shirley Darnauer, 2^nd District Rep.

Ken Golden, 2^nd District Rep.

Bryan Meals, 3^rd District Rep.

Christopher Woodfin, 3^rd District Rep.

Cortland Putbrese, 3^rd District Rep.

William Flanagan, 4^th District Rep.

Irene Hurst, 4^th District Rep.

Linas Kojelis, 4^th District Rep.

Robert Wheeler, 4^th District Rep.

Chris Shores, 5^th District Rep.

Gene Smith, 5^th District Rep.

Rachel Shoenewald, 5^th District Rep.

Edward W. Early, 5^th District Rep.

Mickey Mixon, 6^th District Rep.

Matthew Braud, 6^th District Rep.

Lynn Mitchell, 6^th District Rep.

Wendell Walker, 6^th District Rep.

Kristi Way, 7^th District Rep.

Marie Quinn, 7^th District Rep.

Edward Fuhr, 7^th District Rep.

Brian Plum, 7^th District Rep.

David Fuller, 7^th District Rep.

Vellie Dietrich-Hall, 8^th District Rep.

Michael Giere, 8^th District Rep.

Mark Kelly, 8^th District Rep.

John Kilgore, 9^th District Rep.

Jerry Lester, 9^th District Rep.

Judi Lynch, 9^th District Rep.

Howard Lind, 10^th District Rep.

Mary Gail Swenson, 10^th District Rep.

Keith Damon, 11^th District Rep.

Patsy Drain, 11^th District Rep.

Rick Hendrix, 11^th District Rep.

Michael Rumberg, 11^th District Rep.

Lori-Ann Miller, Young Republican Federation of Virginia President

Neil Miller, Young Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Andrew Vehorn, Young Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Sam Bradshaw, College Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Adam Erby, College Republican Federation of Virginia Rep.

Angie Hall

Carol Ford

Ed Gillespie, Former Republican Party of Virginia and Republican National Committee Chairman

Don Huffman, Former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman

Kate Obenshain, Former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman

Gary Thomson, Former Republican Party of Virginia Chairman

Unit Chairs

Timothy Raynor, Accomack

Christian Schoenewald, Albemarle

Chris Marston, Alexandria

Loren Newman, Jr., Alleghany/Covington/Clifton Forge

Mary Alice Williams, Amelia

Stephen Witham, Amherst

Evans Thomas, Appomattox

Mark Kelly, Arlington

Bill Shirley, Augusta

Kevin Corwin, Bedford County / City

Joyce Kistner, Bristol

Elaine Cogsdale, Brunswick

Jerry Lester, Buchanan

Gene Smith, Campbell

Jeff Sili, Caroline

Carolyn Honeycutt, Carroll

Patricia Meyers, Charles City

Anthony Pascuita, Jr., Charlotte

Donald Williams, Chesterfield

Hon. John Wood, Colonial Heights

Don Bishop, Craig

John Coates, Culpeper

Susan McCammon, Dinwiddie

Carla Cash Harris, Emporia / Greensville

Blake Slusser, Essex

Jim Kaplan, Fairfax City

Jim Hyland, Fairfax County

James P. Fisher, Fauquier

Gene Bishop, Floyd

Doug Johnson, Fluvanna

Teresa Preston, Franklin City / Southampton County

Bill Stanley, Franklin County

Bob Seale, Frederick County

B.J. Huff, Fredericksburg

John Walsh, Gloucester

Ben Slone, Goochland

Dawn Cox, Grayson

Gary Lowe, Greene

Pat Barksdale, Halifax

Kyle Adams, Hampton

Angela Kelly-Wiecek, Hanover

Kerri Wilson, Harrisonburg

Mike Wade, Henrico

Don Lawson, Henry

David Kiser, Highland

Phil Justice, Hopewell

Rick Batten, James City

William Rilee, King & Queen

John Hubbard, King William

Joan Blackstone, Lancaster

Damie Carter, Lee

Robert James, Jr., Lexington / Rockbridge / Buena Vista

Pat Mullins, Louisa

Adam Erby, Lunenburg

Mark Peake, Lynchburg

John Tucker, Madison

Tony Kostelecky, Manassas

William Wren, Manassas Park

Timothy Halpin, Martinsville

Michael Lowe, Mathews

Tim Boyle, Mecklenburg

Lee Davis, Middlesex

Patty Manthe, Montgomery

Jane Ladd, New Kent

Steve Groce, Newport News

Pam Brown, Norfolk

Colin Cowling, Northampton

Jeanne Kling, Northumberland

Ronald Chipper, Nottoway

Doug Rogers, Orange

Charles Butler, Jr., Page

Elizabeth Stanley, Patrick

Linas Kojelis, Petersburg

Tom Arthur, Pittsylvania

John Anderson, Poquoson

Bryan Meals, Portsmouth

Ray Kramer, Powhatan

John Marsden, Prince Edward

Daniel Robinson, Prince George

Lyle Beefelt, Prince William

Beckie Cox, Pulaski

Mark Armentrout, Radford

Cortland Putbrese, Richmond City

Debbie Harper, Richmond County

Adam Boitnott, Roanoke City

Graham Leonard, III, Roanoke County

Michael Meredith, Rockingham

Gregory Habeeb, Salem

John Kilgore, Sr., Scott

Michael Monahan, Shenandoah

Adam Tolbert, Smyth

Bryce Reeves, Spotsylvania

Susan Stimpson, Stafford

Stephen Trent, Suffolk

Earl Hall, Surry

Aaron Roberts, Tazewell

Kenny Golden, Virginia Beach

Lisa Mauck, Warren

Patty Denton, Washington

Chris Darden, Waynesboro

Robert Fountain, Westmoreland

Richard Hill, Williamsburg

Patricia Jackson, Winchester

Ben Boggs, Wise

Aubrey O'Quinn, Wythe

Doug Meade, York

So far the top of our ticket has unified the party as we head into 2009. Hopefully it will stay that way and help us as we try to sweep all three executive offices next fall. As we work towards that end pleas sign up to be a delegate to the Republican State Convention next May 30th, and let's prove to the nation that Virginia is not some purpley blue state.

Not My Money

I was getting ready to head off to bed and wake up and eat turkey the next morning when I ran across a scary article. According to the Washington Times Treasury Secretary Paulson announced yesterday that the bailout package would increase by $800 billion. No debate, just an announcement.

The federal government expanded its financial-rescue effort by another $800 billion Tuesday to encourage more lending to home buyers and consumers, bringing the national bailout tab to $1.5 trillion and counting.

The program introduced Tuesday by Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. would commit $600 billion to assist the mortgage markets, and a second program would provide $200 billion of increased lending to consumers. Both would be operated by the Federal Reserve and do not need congressional approval.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/26/bailout-increases-by-800-billion/

When the $780 billion bailout package was being pushed a month ago it was touted as "the solution" to our economic crisis. Almost immediately after it was passed people started referring to it as "the first step." Now we are going to have another $800 billion added to the cost of the bailout, and Obama still wants another bailout bill passed shortly after getting into office.

You have to wonder where the politicians think this money is coming from. The more money you print off, the more you devalue the currency, reduce the buying power of the dollar, and indirectly tax every American. This trillion dollar package will further ruin this nation's already bleak financial future.

Beyond this, it is destructive to the Republican Party for President Bush to advocate yet again an insane spending package. If this party learned anything as a result of the general election hopefully it was that we need to be willing to draw the line in the sand and hold fast to our conservative principles. Wasn't their some Joe the Plumber guy who didn't like Obama because he wanted to "spread the wealth?" Now George Bush is trying to do it again. I hope when the Republican leaders wake up in the morning from their turkey induced slumber, hopefully they find their backbone and see this proposal die in the dustbin of failed socialist proposals.

All that said the scariest thing is that Paulson can allocate that much money to a purely socialist policy proposal without any kind of congressional authorization. When the first bailout bill was passed it took two house votes, presidential pressconferences, and a suspended presidential campaign to give Secretary Paulson $780 billion to save the economy. If Secretary Paulson can simply allocate himself $800 billion to continue saving the economy, he is either stretching his authority, or going beyond it. Either way he has way to much power, and the congress needs to stop him from going forward with this proposal.

Freedom!!!!

As a young person I am passionate about politics. I started campaigning in the 2004 presidential race, and have been unable to pull myself out of it ever since. That said, I don't love politics just for the sake of it, although I have a blast campaigning, etc... The reason we must be involved in the political process is to preserve the freedom we enjoy in the greatest nation in this great nation, and to reclaim the freedom that has been lost. With the many challenges we face it would be a great privilege and quite an accomplishment if we could give the generation yet to be born a nation better than the one we enjoy.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you keep dropping by as I post about the political happenings in D.C. and this beautiful commonwealth of Virginia.