Why the GOP Lost...

...and how can they regain power.

Here is my blue-collar, average, conservative, Christian man's view of why the Republicans had their backsides handed to them.

1. The Dems nationalized the election behind and hate Bush/need-a-change theme. The Dems used the ever bad news out of Iraq and conservative disappointment/apathy over spending and corruption to fire up their base and sway enough of the typical ADHD electorate. The Dems put forth the idea a change was needed, and Americans believed them. Unfortunately, any semblance of a plan of governing ideas are microscopic.

2. The GOTV campaign of Rove came up short. The Republican base had every reason to vote agaisnt Democrats, but no reason to vote for Republicans. There was not enthusiam in the GOP base to get out and their support candidates. Republicans wanted power but gave no real reason as to why they should have it. They failed on illegal immigration, Social Security reform, tax reform, and doing the moral, legal, & ethically right thing when the Abramoff/Foley scandals came to light. Also, when the Republican leadership stood behind the corrupt William Jefferson (D-LA), it showed the base how out of touch the legislative leadership was with them. Why get out and vote when there is nothing to vote for?

How can they regain power?

It's back to the 1994 election, Contract with America II. All these points must be brought to an up-or-down vote of the floor of both houses.

1. Tax Reform
The current tax system is antiquated and broken. A new system is needed. Either the Fair Tax as brought forth by Neil Boortz or the Flat Tax as expoused by Steve Forbes and Dick Armey. There should be no reform of the old system, but a complete replacing of it (a repeal of the 16th Amendment is needed).

2. Immigration Reform
Each of these points must be brought up in individual bills to be debated on its individual merits.
A. Make American Standard English the Offical Language of the United States.
B. Redefine who is and can become a citizen (no anchor babies). Specifically spell out the rights and privilages of citizenship and legal residency (i.e. citizens receive the rights as specified in the Bill of Rights, residents, do not).
C. Give the Immigration and Custom Enforcement Agency the money and personnel to enforce the employment portion of current law.
D. Build a physical and virtual fence on the border.
E. End entitlements and education for illegal immigrants.
F. Allow all law enforcement officials at the local, state, and federal levels to enforce immigration law
G. Cut off all federal funding to any state that in part or as a whole will not enforce immigration law.
H. Set up a guest worker program.
I. Amnesty.

3. Social Security Reform
Set up individual retirement accounts with a percentage of the payroll tax put in by the individual.

4. Cut Spending/Government Reform
A. All Departments, except State, Defense, and Homeland Security, must undergo a full independent audit.
B. All earmarks must have a named sponsor.
C. All Amendments of reconciled bills coming out of the conference committee must have a sponsor and it must be voted on separately when brought to the floor of each house.
D. Scrap the Education Department, CPB, NEA, NEH, and privatize the USPS.

5. National Defense
Each branch of the military's fight ability will be increased by 25%.

6. Tort Reform
A. Limit lawyer fees to 15% of settlement/verdict.
B. End class action suits in federal court.

7. Judical Nominees/Cabinet appointees
All nomimees will receive an up or down vote in the Senate.

8. Campaign Finance Reform
Anybody can give any amount to any candidate or any organization. It would be the responsiblity of the candidate/organization to disclose within 48 hours who gave what amount. If this law is broken and fraud is committed, the candidate will go to prison for a minimum of 5 years in "real" prison.


The GOP in NC

The GOP in NC is utterly leaderless and inept. The Dems are corrupt and slowly strangulating economic growth in North Carolina and gave the state to the Republicans on a silver platter. Absolutely no one is willing to take it and do what is nessecary for the party and state. A Contract with NC is needed with the following points:

1. End forced annexation
2. Reform Education
3. Reform the tax code (a flat or fair tax).

The K.I.S.S. method right now is best. I just hope someone has the courage and is willing to lead, instead of saying that we want to run things as they are too.

GUILTY

It is good to see Saddam get what he deserves. Although the Mussolini treatment would have been better for him, Iraq, the USA, and the world.

What is "the Mussolini treatment"?

As he tried to escape to Switerland Il Duce was caught by pro-Allies partisans. He and his mistress were caught, shot, and hung by his feet on a streetlight pole. Those that held the future of Italy showed there would be an immediate end to the brutal past of Italy.

Imagine if somehow Saddam would have come up in Iraqi Kurdistan or in Shiite territory. The trial would have been quick and painless for Hussein, Iraq, and the world.

NC Education

There is a joke floating around NC the asks, "What does a high school graduate from Mississippi do for work? He comes to North Carolina to be a teacher." The current state of education in the Old North State is abysmal. In Wake County the school board has mismanaged the tax dollars they were entrusted. The Department of Public Instruction (DPI) is only accountable to itself. And the teachers' union is more interested in politics & power instead of education & children.

The billion dollar bond that Wake County citizens are voting on is the first of three (possibly four) LARGE bonds that the school board is trying to con the people into approving. If the school board were better stewards, they could have had the money they "need". After the transportation scandal they have the hubris gall to ask the taxpayers for more.

DPI should be audited and have the whole of their operations exposed to the light of public scrutiny. The end of grade test should be placed on the internet for parents and taxpayers to see. The methods of accountiblity should be analyzed by outside organizations to see if it is an adequate system to prove whether or not children have earned to be moved on to the next grade.

The teachers' union does nothing for education in North Carolina (or the USA for that matter). Paycheck protection should be implemented. Each teacher should be responsible for developing the course of study for the class they teach and will be retained or let go on the basis of how well children do on national standardized tests (not DPI's farce). Knowledge retained needs to be the driving standard of education not self-esteem.

In the end parents should be given the choice on where to send their children to school. Money should follow the individual child not the system, otherwise the system has no insentive to reform.