Open Letter to Michael Steele, Chairman, Republican National Committee
by Not long ago, Chairman Michael Steele of the Republican National Committee published his “Blueprint for Tomorrow — En-route to a Republican Revolution,” outlining his view of the future for the Republican Party in the U.S.
Representative Paulsen:
Since when is LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT a FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ROLE?
Of course, in a re-election campaign your opponents might say that you voted AGAINST money for law enforcement. Now, WHO could possibly be against more or better law enforcement?
Naturally, that’s a justifiable reason for IGNORING the U.S. CONSTITUTION.
P.S. One of the things I’ve noticed about writing to you regarding issues is that, if you and I agree, you frequently respond. If we do NOT agree, I seldom (to never) hear from you. I would respect you more if you told me something like, “I know it was the wrong thing to do from a Constitutional point of view, but it was a political expedient.”
At least then I would know you were being honest with ME and with YOURSELF. Furthermore, I would know that you actually KNOW and UNDERSTAND the CONSTITUTIONAL LIMITS of the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
It appears that “Republican”-branded Congressmen are just as willing to keep state and local governments suckling at the federal teat just as much as the Democrats are.
Earlier, Congressman Paulsen supported extending the CHIPS provisions, and I wrote to him as follows:
Representative Paulsen:
I’m sorry. I thought you were a Republican. Please tell me why your new television advertisements boast about your willingness to access public tax monies for the benefit of a limited group of individuals in the extended socialized medicine program? Also, please cite for me the Constitutional provision that grants to Congress the right to take such actions.
It cannot be the “public welfare” provision, for that only allows Congress to take actions that benefit or will tend to benefit all the public — not restricted or qualified groups.
If you, as an individual, choose to indulge in charity for those less fortunate than yourself, then you are free to do so at your own expense. I will do the same in my personal affairs. But the Constitution does NOT grant to Congress the authority to extort monies through taxes for the purposes of meeting the wants and needs of the “poor” or any other group smaller than the group of ALL U.S. citizens.
We elected you, and you swore an oath, to uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States. Please do so.
I trust you understand the “brand confusion” out here in the general population a bit more clearly now. I would be delighted to correspond with you further on this matter.
If you’re interested, I am attaching two articles that I have written that you may find of value in understanding middle-America’s sentiments regarding just what “Republicans” stand for beyond “re-election.”
Thank you for your willingness to read this. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Very sincerely yours,
/signed/ Richard D. Cushing
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Post CommentDonald Dale Milne
On May 5, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Excellent letter. I wrote something similar to the Michigan State Party chairman, Saul Anuzis, after the 2006 election. Apparently, it was largely ignored as we lost more seats in 2008 by NOT running against some unpopular tax increases. I also believe the brand is lost, as everything it used to stand for has been severely compromised, mostly in the past 8 years. We are in the same situation as a store generic can of beans, where the beans taste the same as a name brand. Only we have lost the advantage of low cost that the beans enjoy.
Rick Pangrazio
On May 6, 2009 at 8:36 am
Excellent letter and I mean that sincerely. I have a few comments and don’t have time to be gentle so I will be candid:
* besides “cleaning house” which I agree with where are the constuctive ideas? We need ideas not just criticism no matter how deserved.
* the Republican brand may be extinct but we need an alternative to the short sighted policies of the Democrat brand. Their brand is very clear. Big government spending disigned to shift the wealth to help those entitled because they are less fortunate. A nice thought but we must remember that when we give a man a fish and we don’t teach him how to fish we just have postponed when he starves.
* we need a grass roots revival of the conservative base and we need it quickly. I don’t have time now but I would encourage discussion as to how we can make this happen.
RDCushing
On May 6, 2009 at 9:44 am
Thank you for your comments, Rick. I have offered constructive ideas — and sent them Mr. Steele — in my article entitled “Too Late for Conservatism,” which you can find at http://link-url.com/a_way_back.
Shane Louthian
On May 7, 2009 at 8:41 am
Awesome letter. Great content, and excellent context.
Branding is my business. I would love the opportunity to guide the restatement of the GOP brand, and help get this party and this country back on its feet. The unfortunate part is, I hate politics. I despise politicians, especially those in it for life or with their own personal, greedy, agendas.
I find the need to join their ranks to initiate any sort of change. I rather stick my head in a barrel full of scorpions, but someone has to be the sacrificial lamb. I do this at the expense of my family, because I refuse to give up my principles. The political scene is one of vipers and backstabbers, and it has a changing effect on many a person’s soul. I will fight the tide, I refuse the easy route. I will challenge mediocrity. I do this because it needs to be done.
Sure, the post I am seeking is on the smallest of stages, but it isn’t easy to find a serpent’s head when it is all coiled up, sometimes you have to start with its tail and work your way up.
I put it to all of you reading this, join me in the effort. Run for your local offices, run for your state offices, run for your national offices.
If you are a person of moral fiber, with a heart shielded by what is True, you can be tempted but never turned. It is your duty to turn the tide and join me in the belly of the beast we call Government. If not for your children or grandchildren’s sake, then for what you hold true, and for what our Founding Fathers held true.
If you agree with anything in RD Cushing’s blog, you are a person of virtue. You have the ability to bring us back as a nation.
jamesl
On May 7, 2009 at 2:11 pm
This is a very good letter. We need too clean house, however; how can you clean house when the tools needed to clean house are corrupt, dirty, and broken. When we can actually agree on the correct moral principles. Then maybe we can fix the problems we have not only in our party but OUR Nation. Until we can do this we must pray that God our Father in Heaven coutinues to watch over us and give us daily strength too do what his wishes are!
TakeBackTheRepublicanParty
On May 10, 2009 at 6:20 pm
My name is Scott Babbidge, Founder of Take Back The Republican Party. Great to see so many like minded people looking for solutions to the problems our party and our country face today and as we move into the future.
Take Back The Republican Party is 100% grass roots. And it is that way by design. Only when we the people come together and work toward common goals of fixing the GOP and the country will we be truly successful. You can learn more about us at http://www.TakeBackTheRepublicanParty.com
My personal e-mail address is scott.babbidge@TakeBackTheRepublicanParty.com and I always welcome questions from anyone who cares enough to take the time to write.
(We are presently a .com as we await word from the IRS on our petition to be classified as a non-profit organization, in case anyone is wondering.)
Now, on to what makes TBTRP different and better than any other group out there today.
First, we are an action based organization. It is great to have all the talking heads, but at the end of the day, the only way we are going bring about the changes needed to save America is to act.
So, what does TBTRP believe and what actions is TBTRP taking to change things?
1. First, and most important, we must understand that there is a difference between Conservatism and Republicanism. Republicanism, like Socialism, is a set of governing principles.
Conservative, Moderate and Liberal are social philosophies. Over the last 15 years, the people in charge of the Republican Party have essentially pushed out of the party everyone who is not a social conservative. As a result, people who actually want to vote Republicanism because that’s the group of governing principles they agree with, are so turned off by the divisive tone and intolerance of the GOP, that in protest they either do not vote, or they vote for Democrats.
2. Once we understand and accept that people want to vote, first and foremost, based on their governing principle beliefs, and that a person can be Republican and have a moderate or even liberal social philosophy. This is because people who believe in Republicanism that are moderate and liberal, and all people who believe in socialism, be they conservative, moderate or liberal ALL put governing principles ahead of social philosophy. It is only those who favor Republicanism that are also conservative that, to date, put social philosophy ahead of governing principles. As a result, we elect people like President Bush who are wonderful social conservatives (and it should be noted here that I am a social conservative too) but though they run on the Republican ticket, when it comes to governing principles, they are anything BUT proponents of Republicanism.
3. In addition to outlining the reason why the GOP has lost power (#1 and #2 above) we also understand and have created a simple marketing message that regular people easily relate to their own lives. Very simply, that no matter what the liberal media tells them, the fact of the matter is that REAL Republicans believe in small government, low taxes, the restoration and preservation of personal freedom and individual liberties, and defending and upholding the Constitution.
Our platform calls for a 50% reduction in personal income tax rates. It also calls for a 50% reduction in corporate income tax rates and the elimination of the capital gains tax. Every day, I look people in the eye and ask them to go look at line 44 of their tax return, that’s the amount of money you earned that the government TOOK from you….would you rather have Obama’s $400 tax cut, or would you rather have 50% of what the government took from you back in your family’s monthly budget? You already know the answer….every person wants the 50%!
4. In addition to these things, and the others listed on our website, we are also actively recruiting and supporting REAL Republicans who will run on Republicanism as a set of governing principles. We are also placing a emphasis on recruiting veterans to run for office at every level. The best leaders in the history of our country served in the military, and instead of treating our veterans like second rate citizens the way Democrats do, we think our brave men and women are great leaders and will have the discipline and courage to lead our country.
From a long term perspective, we are working hard to raise money to get REAL Republicans elected and to set up scholarship endowments at Rhodes College and Hillsdale College and we will shortly be starting work on the creation of a proper Republicanism based civics and economics curriculum which we are going to give, free of charge, to every high school in America.
Thanks for reading, and I welcome your involvement. We are a national grass roots team. We need everyone to get involved with us to help spread the word and grow our influence. In our first 5 days in existence our web site got hits from each of the 50 states, and ever since our exposure is growing. But we need people to get off the sidelines and get into the game with us.
Together we can fix America!
Scott