Dear Fellow Conservative:
Election Day 2008 produced a liberal governing majority that no one envisioned even as little as two years ago. The Democrats control both chambers of Congress as well as the Presidency. And while they are motivated by politics rather than solutions, Americans perceive them as the true agents of change and reform.
Buried within election data is troubling news. The Republican Party is losing grassroots support, and conservatives are peeling away from the party. According to exit polls, one-in-five self-identified conservatives voted for Barack Obama, clearly illustrating the Republican Party’s inability to project conservative values with credibility.
And this reality has been manifested into a set of greater truths: Americans in 2009 believe that Republicans are tied to the status quo, cannot be trusted on the issues that matter most to them, and are incoherent when articulating a positive vision for the future.
But in light of this, I believe Republicans, by firmly embracing conservative solutions-based traditions, can rise again and set the best course for America. From the desk of an eternal optimist, better days are ahead.
Before coming to Congress, I helped transform the Republican Party in the State of Georgia from permanent minority party status to a governing, conservative, principled and solutions-based majority. Now, it is some of the most fertile ground for conservatives in the nation. This happened in Georgia because of a commitment to what is at the core of leadership: to lead with principle! Yet right now, conservatives are correct about a Washington in which too few are fighting consistently for their values and concerns.
The Republican Party is at its best when its leadership has a bold vision and is rooted to conservative principles: personal responsibility, liberty, limited government, traditional values, providing for the common defense, and optimism about the future. But Republicans seem to have lost the ability to intelligently or ideologically define these principles and convey them to the American people.
Moreover, elected conservative leaders need to act immediately in order to facilitate the rebuilding of the Republican Party and reconnect it to the conservative movement.
- Back to basics: The first step starts with a little bit of self-reflection and “re-learning” the core principles of conservatism. Only through understanding the past can our core principles be applied and developed into meaningful solutions to tackle the challenges facing America.
- Party of Solutions: A new Republican platform of ideas and language must be created and championed, built on a foundation of conservative solutions. It will also need to be built from the ground up from fresh and innovative ideas.
- Rebuild the party’s infrastructure and coalitions: There must be a specific focus on nurturing the grassroots, shoring up ties with existing coalitions and leading thinkers, and creating new infrastructure to meet the challenges of politicking in a new century.
- Hold Democrats accountable: This begins with a proactive and coordinated strategy between elected conservative leaders and outside allies. Americans need to be reminded on a daily basis that Democrats want to play politics and centralize power, raise taxes, cut defense spending, and undermine traditional values.
- Go on offense, engage and educate: Yes, Virginia, someone in Washington is fighting for you. And when Republicans stay on offense and engage, then it garners attention and provides opportunities to educate every American on conservative solutions that work. Look no further than the Energy Revolt on the floor of the House of Representatives this past August which gave Republicans a needed voice and identity.
- Remain unified and disciplined: Hostile Democrat majorities and liberal special interests are more energized than they have been in decades. Without unity and discipline, the differences between the two parties become blurred, and conservatives have every right to question allegiance to Republicans.
- Reclaim the American lexicon: Democrats have been successful in altering the mindset of what made this nation great through language and institutions. Once, Americans valued “responsibility,” “self-determination,” and “hard work.” Now, these ideals have been replaced by fuzzy appeals to “diversity,” “fairness,” and “social justice.” No longer can Republicans cede the language or institutions.
- Broaden the appeal: Republicans win elections when they run on an across-the-board conservative solutions-based agenda. However, the appeal must be broadened to acknowledge and embrace the demographics in our country. Failure to do so will relegate the party to permanent minority status.
My letter ends with a direct appeal to you. With continued optimism and clarity of purpose, action can be taken to rebuild the Republican Party, reconnect it to its conservative roots and provide the solutions to tackle the challenges facing America. Last week’s principled and unified opposition to a big-government spending spree that would mortgage our nation’s future and prolong economic strife was just the beginning. Please join me and set us on the course for a better tomorrow.
Yours truly,
Tom Price, M.D.
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That’s sho’nuff is nice, Rep. Price!
Now, if only (a) Republican “leaders” in Washington will listen, and (b) Republican “leaders” in Georgia will listen.
But your bigger problem is that the grassroots conservatives in our Party have already been fed this line, over and over and over. It’s going to take a complete overhaul of the LEADERSHIP to convince most of us that the Party is serious about returning to true conservative principles, and not “Democrat lite” that we’ve had for a decade or so.
Will you help KICK OUT all of the current squishy leadership, both nationally and in our state? Hmmmm?
Seriously. I mean, in the House you just elected the SAME FRIGGIN’ LEADERS that you had before. The new RNC leader doesn’t exhibit the conservative “values” you just espoused. And the leadership of the GA GOP are a bunch of party hacks who are willing to “rally ’round the (party) flag” no matter what, including when we’re handed a Democrat as our presidential nominee.
And if something isn’t done to dispense with the neo-conservatives and welcome in the one million new Old Right (read: Ron Paul) activists, our Party will die on the vine. Or else they’ll just take back their Party and dispense justice themselves.
The future of our country is at stake here. We either lead the way to return to limited government, truly free markets, sound money, low taxes AND spending, and traditional values, or our country is headed down the crapper. What say ye?
Taft Republican
The problem is not everyone agrees what is conservative. Also we have real problems that need real solutions. In theory I agree with Ron Paul on spending issues. But what many of you are calling for is not practical with the problems we face today.
The tone of country especially younger voters are not tied up into debates about ideology. The American people are looking for adults to sit down and have a rational conversation and solve the issues.
The GOP cannot be a party that makes government the enemy. The party must focus on proper management and limiting the government.
The reality is like it or not both parties but us on the hook via the lending crisis. So we can blow up the system and point fingers like you want or roll up our sleeves and solve the problem.
“we have real problems that need real solutions”
You really don’t get it, do you John? THAT is the attitude that insures we will only get band-aids to these real problems, because when someone offers up the REAL solutions — the ones that will work long-term and not just in view of your short-sightedness — he’s dismissed as being “not practical” in his solutions.
GET OVER IT. This nonsense has gone too far. It’s thanks to people who just want to just “sit down and have a rational conversation” instead of doing what WORKS (NOT doing what makes GOVERNMENT work, through nonsense like “proper management”), that we’re in this mess today. You keep thinking it’s a lending crisis. IT’S NOT, and until reality is faced and REAL solutions are embraced, we’re gonna end up with the same old crap — strike that, WORSE crap — dumped on America AND the world.
I don’t think you’re actually paying attention to EVERYTHING here, John. The one million “younger voters” that went for Dr. Paul last year weren’t “tied up into debates about ideology,” they recognized that they had been LIED to about what the problems AND solutions were, and they decided to get involved to try to DO something about it.
That’s not “blowing up the system,” that’s CORRECTING the system and bringing it back to where it belongs, and where it can actually WORK for a change.
“Election Day 2008 produced a liberal governing majority that no one envisioned even as little as two years ago.”
Booeffinghoo Congressman.
Elections have consequences. you and your party failed at governing.
Next.
Taft Republican
You gave a great emotional speech. I am a businessman who deals with the reality of the cards I am dealt. Show me pragmatic solutions that do not blow up the system making the problem worse.
“Election Day 2008 produced a liberal governing majority that no one envisioned even as little as two years ago.”
actually, many of us envisioned it long ago as republicans began to stray from the core principles soon after taking control in 1995.
“Now, it (Georgia) is some of the most fertile ground for conservatives in the nation.”
really? the same state that elected governor go fish twice? this is the heart of conservatism?
taft is right. conservatives are disgusted with the lies. conservatives are especially disgusted by seeing those who carry the conservative cause to congress support liberals like saxby chambliss. conservatives are downright tired of holding their noses while yet again voting for the lesser of two evils — see mccain.
congressman price has done a good job and deserves credit for moving right since becoming the 6th district representative. but it is going to take more than words in a letter to get conservatives excited again.
konop, only those who think they are conservative, but really don’t support conservative principles have difficulty understanding what is conservative. look in the mirror.
Three Jack
You made my point. Dogmatic thinking like that is why the GOP is in trouble.
Define limited government conservatives/social conservatives?
Define conservatives on trade/immigration?
Define conservatives on healthcare?
Define conservatives on foreign policy?
Define conservatives on taxes?
Define conservatives on spending?
Rep. Price,
I agree with rugby, the Republicans failed at governing. I would likely disagree with him in that I think that the Democrats are not going to fare better. It is just the same ol’ same ol’ corruption from top to bottom as well as partisanship for the sake of partisanship and not for the benefit of the country.
There is really only one thing that Republicans can do to regain respect from Conservatives, as it was the glue that held the coalition together for all of those years. Republicans must immediately adopt as its one overriding goal to get the Federal government out of lives and off of the backs of the American people. Everything else you have in mind is just a simple repackaging of the same old failed tactics that slowly strangled the party to death. The Federal government is a monstrosity, and for the past 8 years, Republicans have been first in line trying to make it bigger.
This one thing will accomplish most of the things you mention about expanding the appeal and regaining respect for the Republican Party and Conservatism in general. Return power and influence back to the state and local governments, then more people can fit under the national tent of Republicanism. The entire national will reject forcing them to live under Southern values, just as the South would reject Californian values.
As an important second, the Republicans have got to stop protecting corrupt and damaged politicians. Mark Foley, Duke Cunningham and Ted Stevens should have been stopped many years before they became festering boils. You talk about holding Democrats accountable. Republicans should be holding Republicans accountable first and foremost. This includes the leadership, the outgoing President, the former Defense secretary and many others. Discipline is not something you apply first to the enemy.
I wish you luck in improving the party, but if your strategy is one simply of marketing, you will fail and fail miserably.
dogmatic?
Define limited government conservatives/social conservatives?
limited government means limited government, that is conservative whether it applies to fiscal or social policy.
Define conservatives on trade/immigration?
limited government interference in trade beyond the treaty requirements clearly stated in the constitution. secure the border.
Define conservatives on healthcare?
limited government, keep tom daschle away from the system.
Define conservatives on foreign policy?
protect america.
Define conservatives on taxes?
lower.
Define conservatives on spending?
decreased.
John,
If the dogmatic conservatives would just stop trying to legislate social items from Washington, many of those problems will go away. Romney is a good example of a Massachusetts conservative who would not stand a chance in Georgia, yet he can win election in Massachusetts. Social issues should be decided in the community and sometimes the state. It has no place in Washington whatsoever.
TR pretty much has it right I think. It’s about time for as close to a revolution as we will ever see in the modern world. I think taking some drastic actions are what’s needed now. AND I don’t believe that it would “blow up” the system. Assuming you mean the system where our nation works and prospers and gets our government out of the business of being the largest wastrel in the world.
Problem is, unless Warren Buffet or Bill Gates decides to donate a few billion dollars to a conservative 3rd party to make an all out assault on the established parties nationwide, local and state & national. That will happen right about the time satan has to start wearing ice skates to get to his weekly status check with his minions up in DC.
We will just have to do our best to elect every conservative politician we can, make em stick to their guns, and maybe in a generation or two we can see a change in this nation. Assuming its still here & our Constitution hasn’t been “updated” to bar us from speaking our minds. It is aliving document ya know….
*sigh*
Three Jack
Once again you made my point. If you think it is that simple than you should do some reading.
Doug Deal
I 100% agree with you!
All should read the post! And I would vote for Doug being put on the front page!
Doug Deal 02.03.09 at 10:19 am
that’s the problem konop, people like you who want to make everything gray.
core principles are supposed to be simple, i.e. taxes lower, spending decreased, government limited, etc.
you are as guilty as those who pretend to be conservative, yet want to legislate morality. limited means limited; you can’t cherry pick principles konop.
Any rational person would tell you cutting taxes without proper spending cuts ie financing tax cuts is not fiscally conservative. Yet many like you supported the idea.
Also I am for the local government to decide what is morally permissible. A social conservative would argue I am liberal and a State rights advocate would argue I am conservative.
As far as spending why did you support going to Iraq on debt? How is that fiscally conservative?
The older you get you realize life is not as simple as you want it to be. And yes the ability to understand grey or walk in another man’s shoes takes some real self reflection and discipline.
John,
Erick can speak to my agent and make an offer. But, be warned I will not work for less than free.
Doug
My PR firm may consider picking you up as a client. You can see how well we have positioned Chris Farris for any office he wants.
The Chris Farris for ’10 PR team would like to say for the record, we don’t think of the children and we are against whatever the prevailing opinion is on Kiki and Bambi.
We hope that clarifies any questions.
We would like to point out Rugby spent extensive time and research with Kiki and Bambi. And this was done for the children.
“The older you get you realize life is not as simple as you want it to be.”
True enough, but not using debt to finance war as a conservative principle to resist involvement in war is invalid. The Revolutionary War, the Civil War, WWI and WWII and others where fought on debt. We would not be discussing any of this had those wars not changed the course of history. And without war debt, we would not have prevailed.
“The entire nation will reject forcing them to live under Southern values, just as the South would reject California values.” Allowing the local governments to set moral values is short sighted. How can that be so? The federal government funds Social Security, medicare, medicaid, employee benefits and funds programs that social conservatives don’t support.
As an example, if a state allows gay marriage and a CIA agent, a military person any federal employee enjoins in a union and federal benifits are extended to the partner, or federal money is used to fund abortion on demand, how can any state or local government guarantee that individual federal taxpayer money will not be used to fund such programs? They can’t. Sometimes we have to take where we are and face reality.
Traditional values do matter, and they matter on the federal level as well for a myriad of reasons.
konop, what part of taxes lower, spending decreased do you not get? you’re trying to create an argument when we agree.
conservatives would rather not have any government decide/impose morality relative to abortion, gay rights, etc. why do you think local moralists are better than those in d.c.?
like i said, you and other faux conservatives want to gray everything up instead of simply examine an issue based upon core principles.
PR firm? Ponzi scheme profit Reaping Firm? If so, I’m in.
Dr. Price:
I see as the primary and secondary reasons for GOP losses in November as:
Complicity in the current economic turmoil. Right or wrong, we are blamed for what occurred on our watch. We all KNOW both Parties created this poor state of affairs over many years. (Last Greatest Fool Theory)
Secondarily, GOP unpopularity is due to points made by Mr. Deal “…Social issues should be decided in the community and sometimes the state. It has no place in Washington whatsoever…”
Intelligent Bi-Partisanship is the GOP’s best option moving forward.
Here’s my take: EVERYBODY WANTS:
Increased efficacy of government. Benchmark, reward success, competition, public service. Penalize self-enrichment,
Address unsustainable national and longterm entitlement debt. The full ‘faith and credit’ of the US MUST remain involute,
Border security WITH a working immigration policy will pay HUGE dividends.
Health Industry: Preventative health education. Availability of sliding scale premium based health insurance protection for all that pay. Severe civil/criminal penalty for misuse medical information.
Coherant energy policy: US off foreign oil until the oil paradigm changes.
You are a good change agent, a representative of a more progressive GOP. When I hear NEW leadership state: “Bipartisanship is overrated”, I think four years of ‘gridlock. Gridlock, in a time when this Nation IS seeing early and sure signs of truly horrifying economic devastation.
Bipartisanhip does NOT mean ‘caving in’ a ‘selling out’ on true principles, it means SAVE THE UNION. WE are racing head-on with a future that our enemies could only dream about. We outspent the Soviets and ‘won’ the Cold War. Our enemies watch, gleefully, as we flail with unsustainable debt; virtually the same scenario as the Cold War, but with the US as the probable loser.
We are going going to NOT lose around here, Sir!
We saw American unity in November, and a historically peaceful demonstration of that unity in January. That is America (perhaps misguided, perhaps not) that the GOP MUST work with, while NOT giving away the ‘store’.
You are tasked with a job you spent your whole life preparing for:
Godspeed from one that cares deeply in
DeKalbs’ 6th Congessional District.
And now, the GOP has also destroyed Georgia’s ability to finance government programs, including basic things such as law enforcement.
While Tom Price tries to redefine what conservatism means, people are losing their jobs, pensions, health insurance and their overall ability to live their lives as free as they can. Tom Price’s version of conservatism allowed the financial wizards on Wall Street to act however the wanted…without consequences. President Bush said that Wall Street “got drunk,” and, as Price’s opponent pointed out in the ’08 campaign, “Tom Price was the bartender.”
When your ideas hurt American, there is a problem. The mere fact that this guy can get elected by calling himself a conservative is moronic!
1 in 5 self identified conservative voted for Obama because he presents solutions and because “conservatives” like Tom Price are destroying America from within. They make problems and never solve them because they need their voters to remain scared…scared enough to vote for “the conservative.”
To reform the GOP, Congressman Price, you need to bring the GOP back to it’s roots…when the party was “classically liberal.” Enough sematics. Shoot for 1962.
-Taxes are low. the only thing to worry about is that they are too low.
-Spending is not that high. The US ranks below nearly every civilized western democratic republic in the world in % of GDP spending on social programs.
-Abandon the evangelicals. They are destroying the GOPs ability to stick to the “small government” pitch.
-Stop objecting to all things liberal. Liberal ideas are good. They are what prompted the colonies to rebel against the British crown.
-Stop taking money from tobacco companies, then putting MD at the end of your signature. It is hypocritical.
-The biggest, most important, problem that the GOP has is that the people, overwhelmingly, believe that you guys only care about the wealthy, the white, and big business.
Mr. Price, you probably will never lose reelection in the 6th district. Not because you are a good congressman, you are probably one of our nation’s worse. It is a delusional district. Those middle class people in the Towne Lake development still think they will one day be wealthy enough to reap the benefits of a Republican congressman, despite constant downsizing and a decreasing ability to gather the credit necessary to support their lifestyle.
I do sincerely believe that history will look down at you and your drunk of a wife with scorn. You will be looked upon as the problem with this nation…not the solution.
When the people of your district hear about your actions in congress, they are disgusted. The only thing keeping you in office is the (R) next to your name on the ballot and being one of the wealthiest members of congress.
Tom Price -
Good.
So when do you announce against Isakson?
The party cannot reform itself and keep him, as he is the co-poster boy for everything that the GOP has done wrong.
Go back and read your copy of I am a Republican BECAUSE… If you are not prepared to live by that, then call a GOP meeting to let us know what it is that you DO stand for, so that we can decide.
You don’t really seem to get the fact that your miserable party is no better to Americans like me than the Democrats.
Yours is the party of fraud on a scale greater than any since the dawn of the Republic.
If you really are sincere you will run against Isakson on principle.
I await your announcement. Do it and I will mobilize everyone I know to support you.
If not, you are just another whiner about ‘liberals’ all the while you consort with them.
From Herr Price: “And while they are motivated by politics rather than solutions…”
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! The continuing delusion that “conservatives” form some sort of pure-reason politics, as opposed to the rest of us…utterly side-splitting, I gotta tell ya.
GC you sound like some liberal cry baby who didn’t get his cookies and milk and it was POOR TASTE to speak of someone’s wife in that manner.
To carry on with Goldwater Conservative’s point, “conservative” does not always equal “correct,” Congressman.
You angered me over your views on the SCHIP expansion attempted by the Democratically controlled Congress a year ago. While I agree their initiative was politicized, your characterization of health coverage for children as government controlled health care was particularly foolish.
You made it sound as though people must first go to a government bureaucrat when in need of medical attention, who would then make a judgment on whether to send them to a doctor on the government’s payroll or send them home. The reality is that SCHIP is a block grant made to states for working families who can choose their doctors and what care their children will receive.
And don’t answer back with the “crowd out” issue, as there is no data to substantiate your claim.
The true problem lies with the private insurers who manage government funded health care. They have no interest in our health and siphon off a lot of the dollars spent on health care. They’re also squeezing out the primary care physicians who can’t make a decent living treating patients. You wouldn’t know this, as you were a highly paid specialist.
Dr. Price, it’s time you cared more about what was right instead of what is conservative or Republican.
@goldwater “Sir! May I please have another?”
IMHO, the personal portion of your commentary,regardless of veracity, is best served on letterhead.
Anonymity shan’t defend poor taste.
poor taste or not, Tom Price, in a number of areas hit the nail on the head.
People are becoming disillusioned with the conservative ideology…not because they do not think it is wrong, but because people like Tom Price redefined it into something that is unfamiliar, unsuccessful and alienating.
The greed cycle co-opted the Majority. Anyone surprised? Predictably would have happened with either GOP or Dem helmsmanship, so what now?
“Republicans March on DC to Reclaim Constitutional Accountability”
Proving, once and for all: “It’s harder to swim naked in low tide.”
– W. Buffet
Is this the same Tom Price who spoke at a Ripon Society Republican function a few months ago. The Ripon Republicans were formed to fight the inclusion of Goldwater and later Reagan Republicans. I hope Tom Price’s actions on behalf of the Right out weight his support for a Country Club GOP group like the Ripon Society.
In fairness to Tom Price he has spoken out against the Farm bill and the bio-fuel scam. He has also changed his position on No Child Left Behind and no longer supports it. He has also voted against many spending bills and did not support the Bush bailout bill.
I do think Tom Price does a good job representing the sixth district. That does not mean I 100% agree with him but overall he has not done a bad job.
My biggest concern is lower the tension between parties and groups so we can focus on real solutions. I think ideologues on both sides are making it difficult to have rational discussion without spewing out hate.
At the end we can view the world like Rush and Jessie Jackson or we can come together as Americans and work on making a better future for our children.
GC I do not always agree with you, but no doubt you are very intelligent person. I do think you stepped over the line. You could of made your point without going personal.
did cousin tom clear his manifesto with Rush?
konop you keep calling for both parties to put aside ideology so we can “come together as Americans, blah, blah”. if not for ideology, why do we have two parties?
this thread began as a discussion about republicans returning to their core principles. there is no way to do that while at the same time appeasing liberals. we tried that for the past decade, it didn’t work.
if ever there was a time to stand on conservative principles/ideology, this is it. we need a big time debate; are we going to accept the move to government as the be all, end all; or will we get back to a more self reliant, private enterprise prosperity?
that discussion will be fraught with heated disagreements as it should.
Tom,
The declaration of independence does not mention the British empire in it. You are making a mistake by letting someone else define you.
As the great Bear Bryant said, “We are going to be who we are and stay true to our selves; the other team can do what ever they want to do. But we know who we are and what we are about!”
Three Jack
The truth is both parties got us into this mess. At the end tax payers are on the hook via government backed loans. I warned many of you about this issue years ago. And you like many thought I was “chicken little’ for pointing out the economy grew on people using their homes like ATM machines via government backed loans.
I could pound my chest or come up with solutions based on the situation we are in. As you know with the help of Icarus we wrote a plan that the GOP senate leadership has adopted part of.
GOP proposes cut-rate mortgages
http://controlcongress.com/uncategorized/gop-proposes-cut-rate-mortgages
You can sit back and work with the solution or call for Armageddon like Taft at tax payers’ expense and our kids.
John,
I have to disagree. Both parties did not get us into this mess. At some point the Republican party must take responsibility for actions. They must sit up and plainly state “We were in control of the entire government and we did not get it done.”
Maybe then people will trust them again.
“the economy grew on people using their homes like ATM machines via government backed loans.”
Don’t forget how much of our economy is dependent upon war. If we ever choose Peace resolution to conflict, we’re up shi- creek without a nuke.
My kin folks call me Nick
You are very blind or naive to not understand that many hands are over this lending crisis. All Bush did was put it on steroids to cover up for the fact that we were paying for Iraq on debt. But any rational honest person looking at the facts would understand that lending money to people who could not afford it with insurance (credit swaps) with no real reserve other than the government is a disaster waiting to happen. And this started in the Clinton years.
The finger pointing is over for adults, now let’s fix the problem.
John,
Let me clarify it for you. Many hands may have had a part in this mess. However, when the opportunity came to fix the problem; The R’s did not fix the problem. The Republican party does not have a solution problem, they have a trust problem. Now the rationalization starts “the other side did it too”. This does not make it right!
I do not dispute what the cause of the problem is, but I disagree with the premise that because the democrats do or have done the same thing, its OK.
Fixing the problem is the right thing to do, however no one will want to listen. Maybe the Republican party should borrow a motto from Harry T. “The Buck Stops Here!”
John Konop:
Monetary collapse or US government default is now inevitable. The numbers are inescapable on this point.
What middle class, conservative America must concentrate upon now is answering the question: “Who will pick up the pieces?” The easy answer will be a totalitarian socialist state, which is where we are headed at the moment.
Some of us are going to be put to the test that those brave lads did at Valley Forge met. Live free or die.
Isakson, Chambliss, and most of the Georgia delegation have sold out to Wall Street and backed the worst POTUS in history to the hilt. They cannot be trusted.
Their backers want to purge us from the conservative movement. We ain’t going anywhere.
The GOP is about to splinter into a thousand pieces because its office holders are bums the rest of us cannot stand.
My kin folks call me Nick
In all due respect why do you think the House proposal fixes our financial problems? A big core issue is lending and YC money has dried up and the House proposal does nothing to fix it. And spending money on proposal that do not drive more tax revenue only makes the problem worse in the long run.
The spending should be focused on core infrastructure only like the electrical grid or transportation. Tax cuts should be capital gains for new ventures that drive revenue. And the lending proposal of cutting rates on credit worthy home owners should be the focus of the stimulus. Why not put the money in the hands of the people who played by the rules?
Sorry
….VC money…
John,
I agree with you. But you are missing the bigger point. No one takes advice from a drunk!
The Republican party got drunk on debt and spending and now want the American people to listen to their solutions on how to get better.
Before you propose the solution, how do you convince people to listen?
My kin folks call me Nick
You will not get me to defend the Bush years because as you know I was one of the loudest critics. All I am asking for is people on both sides to focus on solutions not the past.
I was disappointed Pelosi would not even take any proposals into consideration from the GOP. I am hoping cooler heads will prevail in the Senate. All I am asking is both sides look at the best ideas ant let’s use them.
As you know I have been attacked by Republicans for not following the party line. All I am asking for is Democrats who do not buy the party line to speak up. And trust me; I realize it is not easy.
At the end I only wish for what is best for the future of our country. And If Obama is able to bring both sides together with the best plan than he will get my support. I realize by saying that many from the GOP will call me a traitor.
At the end I have always said country, family, friends, neighbors….FIRST! BTW party is not even close!
Rep. Price,
You are off the mark. A few examples:
“And while they are motivated by politics rather than solutions, Americans perceive them as the true agents of change and reform.” Vilifying your opposition is not acceptable. The b rick throwing days of Newt are over. That is one of the clear messages of the Obama election. While I probably disagree with you on most positions, I don’t believe you and your GOP brethren are evil people, nor should you believe that your opposition is “motivated by politics rather than solutions”. The Speaker and the Democrats are patriots who are sincere in their beliefs, just as you are.
“Buried within election data is troubling news.” Don’t miss the forest for the trees, Congressman. The GOP lost first time voters, professionals, low income, Hispanic, African-American and women. You won the South and a bunch of states with 3 electoral votes.
“Before coming to Congress, I helped transform the Republican Party in the State of Georgia from permanent minority party status to a governing, conservative, principled and solutions-based majority.” What solution has been accomplished concerning: transportation, water, education, economic development, health care? Just what problems have the Georgia Republicans solved?
All of the Republican Congressman from Georgia are Conservatives and showed it in their vote on the Stimulus Package this week. It’s the State Senators that aren’t conservatives and we need to show them in the next election cycle that Incumbents who side with Liberals, progressives, and compassionate views and principles are not wanted or needed in Georgia to represent our great State, hereafter.
According to the figures in website: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_elections,_2008 in the “Turnout para”, Obama didn’t do as well as the worlds newsmedia tries to force into those of ignorance.
There were 208,323,000 Americans Eligible to Vote on Nov 8,2008. 131,257,328 (63%) actually voted and 77,065,672 (37%) did not vote at all. Obama only received 30.9% of the votes cast or 64,456,897 votes. This means that 143,866,103 or 69.1% of Americans DID NOT VOTE FOR OBAMA.
Don’t lower your head because Obama beat our Liberal Candidate (McCain) lift it up and stick with your Conservative Values and Principles because already Obama’s Approval Ratings are down below 50% and will drop every day. His lack of political knowledge and leadership will be displayed over and over during the next 4 years and the Democratic Congress, with some RINO’s supporting them, will show their true colors and will become great targets to oppose in 2010-2012. Keep faith with our Georgia Congressman.
One of the major problems in Georgia is our very own State Republican Party. There are approximently 20-25 counties without a County Republican Chapter, so how can you win in these counties when the GAGOP does even go out and organize a chapter in each county. Check out how many Georgia State House Democrats and Senators went unopposed in the last election, it’s an unbelievable number. One of our local State Senators (RINO) gave another local Democrat Incumbent State Senator a $2,300 contribution. This Democrat was opposed and our State Senator (R) supported the Democrat. Instead of supporting Conservative Republicans – we allow RINO Incumbents to continue running for office and winning.
I am President of the Georgia Conservative Republican Voters Coalition in Columbus, Georgia and formed this coalition because the GOP local chapter is more interested in just going throughthe motions of functioning – without any leadership and preventing true conservatives from getting involved in local politics. Our coalition will set the standards in our community and we will oppose every Democrat and RINO Incumbents, if we can find qualified Conservatives Candidates to oppose them in 2010-2012. I have written the GAGOP and asked for support in administrative areas, such as providing list of Registered Voters and so on, so we can identify which Registered Voters did or did not vote, therefore, go out and attempt to get those not voting, to vote in 2010-2012. We cannot sit on our butts and expect to win elections. We need to get out and communicate with the voters. We have no Republican Party email Listings to contact voters or ask for contributions like the Democrats have organized for the Obama campaign. We need to get ourselves into the modern electronic communications era and not rely 100% on telephone calls. We have the Internet and yet the GAGOP isn’t using it effetively or helping the local chapters to communicate locally with their voters. When are we going to demand the GAGOP become modern and show some leadership? Our Congressman like Price, Westmoreland and Gringrey need to sit down with the Governor and demand the GAGOP become totally involved in Georgia politics or step aside and replace them with Conservatives. We have too many RINO’s electing other RINO’s into leadership positions and many conservatives are becoming disqusted and remaining silent. I won’t and I hope many of you will step up to the plate and take charge of your own local GOP Chapters or start your own Conservative Coalitions. It’s time to stand up and become vocal in defense of our Nation and the Great State of Georgia.
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