Solutions
OK - I set the ideals and I laid out what the base is saying is wrong with the Republican Party. Now is the time for solutions. I think it's really pretty simple.
1) Along with identifying the RINO's we need to identify and encourage those Republicans that are sticking to their principles! When you find the RINO's, chastise them. Let them know where they have strayed, but when you find the ones that are sticking to their principles, encourage them. The more the ones that stick to their principles hear from those of us who appreciate them, the more that they stick to their princples. It IS a self fulfilling prophecy!
2) The party activists look to the state party (and it's sub-divisions in the Congressional Districts and the BPOUs) for direction. GIVE IT TO THEM!!!! Give them something to believe in, something that they can share with their friends and neighbors.
3) When you do communicate with the activists - give them a positive message! The line that we got over the last two years - "you don't want the Democrats in charge do you?" does not jazz up the volunteers and donors. They want IDEAS - ideas like tax cuts and fiscal responsibility. Once they latch on to the ideas and put you in power - do everything you can to impliment those ideas. Don't listen to the lobbyists and the press tell you it can't be done.....do the right thing and JUST DO IT!!!!
4) Give the rest of the world a simple message - one that is easy to understand. The MNGOP Party platform is a cumbersome beast! Boil it down to 10 simple points. The family knows best - whether it is abortion, health care, school choice, charitable giving or spending....THE FAMILY KNOWS BEST. You can cover multiple planks in a simple sentence! Go back and read my post "Why I am a Republican." and turn the plank into something that simple!
5) Listen to the your base. When your base is happy, share the joy. When they are dis-satisfied, listen to them. Don't tell them to just shut up and come vote, because if they do shut up, they will NOT come out and vote for you on election day. Don't believe me - go back and look at the last election! Don't rely on pollsters and outside advisors.
6) You can not rely on the middle to win elections for you alone. You still need to court your base.
Now it's your turn, fellow Republicans. We have one month to decide the direction of the Republican Party of Minnesota. What do YOU think they should do to move the party forward?
1) Along with identifying the RINO's we need to identify and encourage those Republicans that are sticking to their principles! When you find the RINO's, chastise them. Let them know where they have strayed, but when you find the ones that are sticking to their principles, encourage them. The more the ones that stick to their principles hear from those of us who appreciate them, the more that they stick to their princples. It IS a self fulfilling prophecy!
2) The party activists look to the state party (and it's sub-divisions in the Congressional Districts and the BPOUs) for direction. GIVE IT TO THEM!!!! Give them something to believe in, something that they can share with their friends and neighbors.
3) When you do communicate with the activists - give them a positive message! The line that we got over the last two years - "you don't want the Democrats in charge do you?" does not jazz up the volunteers and donors. They want IDEAS - ideas like tax cuts and fiscal responsibility. Once they latch on to the ideas and put you in power - do everything you can to impliment those ideas. Don't listen to the lobbyists and the press tell you it can't be done.....do the right thing and JUST DO IT!!!!
4) Give the rest of the world a simple message - one that is easy to understand. The MNGOP Party platform is a cumbersome beast! Boil it down to 10 simple points. The family knows best - whether it is abortion, health care, school choice, charitable giving or spending....THE FAMILY KNOWS BEST. You can cover multiple planks in a simple sentence! Go back and read my post "Why I am a Republican." and turn the plank into something that simple!
5) Listen to the your base. When your base is happy, share the joy. When they are dis-satisfied, listen to them. Don't tell them to just shut up and come vote, because if they do shut up, they will NOT come out and vote for you on election day. Don't believe me - go back and look at the last election! Don't rely on pollsters and outside advisors.
6) You can not rely on the middle to win elections for you alone. You still need to court your base.
Now it's your turn, fellow Republicans. We have one month to decide the direction of the Republican Party of Minnesota. What do YOU think they should do to move the party forward?
Labels: MNGOP, Republicans
posted by The Lady Logician at
6:09 PM
2 Comments:
You are suggesting that, had we just replaced the Captain of the Titanic, shortly AFTER that "little incident," we could have saved everyone aboard.
Your ideas are pretty close to right, but they must be accomplished all up and down the heirarchy, and that means "refocusing" every BPOU in the State on advancing the principles of the Party, rather than just winning elections. The former is the essential of the latter, while the reverse is what got us into the mess we're in. We expected that electing Republicans would advance our principles, but failed to pay attention to what "kind" of Republicans we were electing. Which only proves my point-- the Chairman of the State Party, whoever he/she may be, does not control who gets endorsed at each BPOU; the BPOU does!
You are right about State Central being pivotal, but not for the reason you cite. The four Task Forces (formed by the /current/ chair) will report on Strengthening the BPOUs, Reclaiming the Suburbs, [Improving the] Platform, and "Building the Farm Team." Translating, that means simplifying and targeting the message, spreading the [positive] message widely, finding lots of good messengers, and tipping them ONLY when they deliver. I'm very optimistic that this can all happen IF (and only if) we get past the notion we can elect one person to do it all for us.
J. Ewing
By
Anonymous, at 8:05 AM
I'm not necessarily advocating a change of captain. However, I do have concerns about the captain's ability to institute the changes that the Task Forces may recommend.
As far as making change up and down the heirarchy, absolutely. That even includes those "non-partisan" posts on the county and city level. I would venture to guess that we could all tell what "party" our city and county leaders belong to just after 5 minutes of discussion. Those that claim to be Republican need to be held to the ideals of the party just as much as the other candidates do. Those city and county officials are the "farm team".
The only thing that the chair can do is provide inspiration and leadership. "We are not the dems" is not inspirational at all. Neither is that leadership. Leadership is stating what we ARE. That's all I'm saying.....
LL
By
The Lady Logician, at 8:33 AM
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