WORK HIGHLIGHTS

Ronald Reagan is Dead

Written for PolitickerMD.com on 5/21/2008

I became a registered Republican in 2003. It was because I finally became disappointed with the Democrats over how they were behaving in Annapolis. The more I did research, the more disenchanted I became with the party. From the nitpicking and partisan bickering with Governor Robert Ehrlich (R) to their attempts to raise taxes (which they succeeded in this past November.) Then there was the fact that they took the black vote for granted. They would promise a number of things and not worry about delivering the goods when the time came.

I became a Republican because they were at the very least more honest about what they stood for. Oh, and that whole anti-slavery thing helped as well. The Republicans acknowledge that they were wrong to play racial politics, but the conservative base was honest about their stance on Affirmative Action. Not every person in a political party agrees with each other, but they have core values that unite them. Let me be clear, I DID NOT become Republican because of Ronald Reagan.

This is a problem I must point out with the Republicans because I feel that they are in better position to improve than the Democrats. Yes, Ronald Reagan was a good President. The greatest in my book however is Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln had the ultimate and moral call to preserve the union (and he did.) Reagan was inspiring, but I am sorry, Ronald Reagan is dead and the party needs to stop turning him into an idol.

Furthermore, the obsession most Republicans have with Ronald Reagan is getting to the same dangerous level as Democrats with evoking the civil rights era towards black voters. In both instances, both sides are looking back to the future instead of looking forward. Young voters cannot relate to the experiences of the civil rights era because we were not even a thought at that time. Many of us were somewhere between being babies or being kids during the time Reagan was in office (in my case ages newborn to eight years old.)

Most of my more conservative friends always talk about how we need a Reagan Conservative in office. Then they proceed to talk about how great he is. Not that I have a problem with them explaining why they like Reagan, like I said, looking back I thought he was good president. But the keyword is that they were looking for a “Reagan” Conservative, not a good or well-qualified conservative.

There has been a lot of talk about the branding of the Republican Party as of late and what needs to be done to restore the brand. The top priority for the party should be to return to its core message of a strong national defense and a smaller government. After that, is to be honest, upright and practice what we preach. I hung my head in shame when Newt Gingrich, Tom DeLay and Mark Foley were very vocal in the issues that would become their downfall. Those downfalls made me look real bad in explaining my party of choice, especially about the “they are more honest” part.

Overall, it’s time for Republicans to let the past be the past. Reagan was chosen for a particular time when the country needed him. That was in the 1980s. It is now 2008. No one is mentioning the word De Lorean these days and MTV is not playing as much music as it did during that time (assuming they do have any music shows left on the network.) Most young voters these days are sitting on the fence as independent. Now is a ripe time to reach out to the future rather than the past.

Level Playing Field

Written for PolitickerMD.com on 8/30/2008

Paula Mullis is Vice President of the Harford County Republican Women. She is also a roundtable regular on the “Word on the Street” radio program heard on WAMD (970AM) in Aberdeen, as am I. When I heard the announcement at “Media Centre West” that Alaska Governor Sarah Palin would be Sen. Johh McCain’s running mate for the Republican ticket, she was the first person to cross my mind.

When the Democrats decided to do some rough justice at the Democratic Party Rules Committee Meeting a few months ago, supporters of Sen. Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign were, let’s just say a tad upset. Ever since that time, Mullis during each roundtable has invited disgruntled Democratic women to join the Harford County Republican Women. Let’s just say when I called her following the McCain announcement, it would be fair to say that she was a tad happy.

Overall, from the reaction on the blogosphere and the few people I talked to over the course of the day was joy. For one thing, they were breathing a big sigh of relief that it was not Mitt Romney. Palin offers everything that a conservative is looking for and does something very important. It takes away a weapon from the Democrats (while at the same time, putting them in a hypocritical pile of pud, more on that in a sec).

Pointing out the obvious, Palin is a woman. Yeah I know. This is significant in that McCain picked someone who is not another Old White Guy or someone who is a Washington lifer. Palin is someone who stood by her convictions as evidenced four years ago when she resigned from her post as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission over ethical grounds. The incident involved the chairman of the Alaskan Republican Party taking a seat on the commission while keeping his partisan post. The chairman later resigned from the body and paid a $12,000 fine. She also beat the establishment to win the governor’s chair.

Palin is not your typical Republican...OK, she wasn’t the Republican the democrats were hoping for. Had McCain picked Romney or Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, this race would probably have been a cakewalk for them, but I now see a leveled playing field.

Sen. Barack Obama for months has been campaigning on hope and change. He was campaigning that his administration would be something different, with no Washington insiders. I should also point out that the Democrats were lambasting McCain for being the typical old white guy. Imagine the irony when Delaware Sen. Joe Biden was announced as Obama’s running mate.

Now, I will be the first to tell you that the Republican Party has the image of being an old white guy’s party. All money was pointing to someone who personifies that image. The pick of Palin is a sign that the Republican Party is looking to diversify while delivering its core message. The McCain/Palin ticket can easily counter argue any attack from the Obama/Biden ticket.

Think about it...

DEM. POINT: Palin is not experienced enough.
REP. COUNTER-POINT: Obama is not experienced enough.

DEM. POINT: McCain is old.
REP. COUNTER-POINT: So is Biden

DEM. POINT: McCain is a Washignton Insider
REP. COUNTER-POINT: And Biden is a change, how?

I would also point out that McCain has stood by his convictions and had no problems saying and following what he believed when people disagreed with him...even in his own party. Obama follows which ever was the wind blows. Also, unlike Obama, McCain has a lot of his fellow Democrats saying how inexperienced he is. For me personally, that made it all the more hilarious in watching Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) wear a poker face while praising Obama.

Based on the profiles of Palin that I had read, she is a maverick in her own style while proud to stand by her convictions. In the days and weeks ahead, everyone will see why Palin was a brilliant pick. This is a step in the right direction if the Republicans want to hold on to their principals while promoting diversity.