by Thomas Craig

Last night was a perfect example of how far the Democrats have come regarding their marketing to the People and how dismal a job Republicans are doing.  First let's address the President's speech.  The President made a strategically excellent move last night.  With all the noise in the media coming from all directions and confidence in our markets and our economy hitting a new low, the President came out with an inspiring, ambitious, optimistic and vague blueprint for this Nation.  Well done, sir!  Visually the President had the advantage which all President's have by standing at the podium back dropped with the American Flag in a historical room filled with applause from both sides.  The image alone always inspires Americans and instills a sense of leadership.  He outlined ambitious goals such as healthcare and education reform, as well as cutting the deficit in half.  Based on his speech, it seems that his only details in regards to how to accomplish all of this is to remove the Bush tax cuts.  Any reduction of spending in Iraq is just being offset by the increase of spending in Afghanistan.  His goal last night, however, was not to offer details- it was to inspire Americans to support him, which it did.  He told Americans what they wanted to hear from pulling out of Iraq to curing cancer.  Americans as a whole don't want details, they just want to know that everything is going to get better and that is what he told them last night.

Gov. Jindal on the otherhand is another story.  In the words of Frank Luntz, "it's not what you say, it's what they hear" (and also see).  Visually I saw a backdrop of a bland hallway with a sprial staircase, not exactly something every American has.  On the two far edges of the screen were slivers of the American and Louisiana Flag.  Only a sliver showed because they were too far out to be fully in the frame.  Gov. Jindal came out from around the corner as if he were hiding in the shadows and awkwardly walked to his mark.  He seemed a bit slouched over and nervous as he approached.  Without a moments hesitation, he began his speech which seemed poorly rehearsed, amateurish, and anything but genuine.  His anecdotes were poorly delivered and the tone and overall syntax were dismal at best.  I felt like I was in kindergarten and my teacher was telling me about the Little Engine that Could.  It was a terrible response and it made the hill which Gov. Jindal plans to climb to run for President that much steeper.  (I have posted the speech on the Video page for you to see what I mean.)

My suggestions to Gov. Jindal would have been this.  Move the setting to someplace much more public.  Make sure the American Flag is in full view in the background and well lit.  Behind you (but not too far back), have families standing and filling out the frame of your shot.  Acknowledge one or two examples of small business owners or heroes of Hurricane Katrina who are standing with you (such as the sheriff he spoke of).  When you enter, enter from the rear and give yourself time to move through the crowd, acknowledging and shaking hands with the families; say hello to their children.  Approach your mark with your head up high and your chest out.  When you hit your mark, don't immediately speak- instead give a smile to the camera and let the viewers take you in for a moment.  When you begin speaking, speak slowly and confidently.  Don't just rush out the words, take your time to effectively get your message across.  Don't speak to the viewers as if you're giving a high school oral exam, instead speak to us as if you were speaking to three of your closest friends.  This should help relax you.  Remember, your message is just and genuine and you have a lot of supporters out there but the truth is that what we see and hear is just as important as what you say.

by Thomas Craig

Congressional Republicans (with the exception of 3), proved to themselves as well as America that the GOP understands the need to return to core values.  That being true, the stimulus has been passed and signed by the President so the attention is now on the disbursements.  The news is playing up the fact that a few Republican Governors, such as Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA), are possibly going to reject a small portion of the stimulus which is intended for their states.  The true story in the press is the "hypocrisy" of Republicans who opposed the stimulus accepting the money from the stimulus.  I personally think it would be fiscally irresponsible for any Governor to turn down this money, regardless of their stance on the stimulus.  No elected official should be in the position to tell their constituents that they will not receive money yet they will still be on the hook for paying off this outrageous debt.  If by rejecting their portion of the stimulus, the People of that particular State would not be required to commit the next few generations of their family to paying this off, then I would support rejecting the funds completely.  Unfortunetly, we all are going to have to pay this off no matter what, buy hey, at least we'll get an extra $13 per paycheck.  Perhaps that will cheer up your child when they are asking why they pay all of their income to taxes.  I do have one question... If the stimulus will create jobs, won't it take a continual ongoing budget of the same enormity to KEEP those jobs later on?  Aren't we just kicking the problem down the road?  (Forgive me, I'm new to socialism and curious to see so many People in the country celebrate the fall of capitalism.)

by Thomas Craig

I always advocate two ways for the Republican Party to regain its footing.  The first is the increasingly popular notion that we must get back to our core beliefs of limited government and fiscal responsibility.  Thankfully the Party leaders are getting the point due to the overwhelming efforts of citizens throughout the Country.  The other way for the GOP to improve itself is in its branding.  The Democrats have terrible branding as a Party but great branding for its Leader.  Pres. Obama is sustaining the Democrats much in the same way a mother bird will hunt for a worm, catch it, then go back to the nest and feed its young.  Pres. Obama knows how to speak to everyday Americans and he is taking his platforms straight to them while Pelosi, Reid, and the rest of the gang hang up their pictures of Chairman Mao and plot to “change” America from the evil Capitalist Democracy which they so hate.

Republicans, on the other hand, just can’t get their message out as well as the President does.  Yes the press conferences and television appearances are important and they are doing that but I’m talking about something stronger and more meaningful.  First, I would like to see some of the old faces less and some of the newer faces more.  I would like to see the Party embrace Young Republicans and incorporate them into the GOP system more.  Obama is taking his platforms on the road and holding townhall meetings, so should we.  I want to see someone speaking to Americans and answering questions from them.  I don’t want to see a man in a suit read off statistics to a crowd that can barely stay awake.  Roll up your sleeves and get involved.  I want to see a Republican gathering of all ages protesting the out of control spending in Washington.  Once you remind Americans of the differences between Liberals and Conservatives, they will return to the Party.  But first we need to get out there and step up.

by Thomas Craig

It's the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln.  In addition to honoring the great accomplishments of our 16th President such as ending slavery and preserving the Union, we should take this time to reflect on our Party.  We should consider the factors that contributed to the lack of minority support for the Party that not only freed the slaves, but were the majority votes in the Senate for the Civil Rights Act.  That's a little known fact right there.  Do you know that 21 of the 27 votes against the Civil Rights Act were Democrats?  Somewhere along the line, Democrats began to treat minorities as helpless children who need the government to take care of their every need.  Instead of believing in them and helping them aspire to greatness, the Democrats instituted a "Nanny" State where handouts are given for nothing and you are rewarded for having children with no thought of how to provide for them instead of working hard and contributing to society.  No need to work hard anymore, others will work hard and when they succeed, we'll just take their money and spread it around to all of you.  There is a big difference between charity and the socialistic tendencies of the left.  As a Party, we need to embrace and encourage ambition, entrepreneurship, and investment in all forms.  Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day, teach him to fish and he'll eat for the rest of his life.  Happy Birthday Lincoln, and sorry for letting you down.

The primary reason for this website is to encourage the strengthening of the Republican Party and to remind people what exactly a Republican is.  A Republican, at its core, is a person dedicated to government’s fiscal responsibility and individual freedom.  Republicans are for less government and less spending on waste.  We hold dear certain values such as the importance of family and the belief in hard work and a free market.  We could cast stones easily as to why we find ourselves in this current predicament.  We can blame George W Bush, John McCain, Sarah Palin, etc.  This only sidelines the true problem.  The problem is that we need to communicate to the People and remind them of who we are.  Click here for full article

“Ronald Reagan made it cool to be a Republican – it wasn’t just his specific policies, but the timeless truths he so eloquently gave voice to upon which his policies were based. That’s the Republican Party we must re-establish. It can’t just be a business involved with the management of government. Instead, we must represent a transformative movement that speaks with empathy and compassion, but isn’t afraid of hard truths and productive debate. We must stand on timeless principles but with fresh ideas and a welcoming heart.”

Michael S. Steele
Former Lieutenant Governor of Maryland