Sore winners should lay off Musgrave

Republican Congresswoman Marilyn Musgrave, targeted five years ago by the Tim Gill machine for the crime of defending traditional marriage and finally brought down last month, is the most relentlessly and unjustly smeared public figure I can recall in 35 years of Colorado politics. Since the election, amazingly, the smears have continued from the Democrat who defeated her, Betsy Markey, aided by biased or lazy reporting from the state and national media. The rap against Musgrave now is that she hasn't made a courtesy phone call to Markey, hasn't spoken to her supporters, and hasn't even thanked her own staff -- making her one of America's sorest losers, according to no less an authority than Newsweek.

These heinous offenses have been repeatedly alleged in the Denver papers, most recently this week with stories in the Post and the Rocky occasioned by Musgrave's campaign efforts in the Georgia Senate runoff. But they are baloney three times over. A stronger term occurs to me, but this is a family website.

First as to the allegation of ungrateful and ungracious behavior to her own side, longtime staffer Guy Short assures me that employees for both the campaign and the congressional office have been not only generously thanked but also financially looked out for. To the charge (quoting the Denver Post, but originated by the Fort Collins Coloradoan) that "she has yet to... publicly address her supporters or volunteers, many of whom had gathered at a restaurant on election night," Short told the Coloradoan editor in an email:

"I don't know where you heard that Marilyn didn't thank her supporters but that is simply not true. She thanked her supporters election night at Jackson's Hole in Greeley and at the Fairfield Hotel in Greeley. She has made hundreds of phone calls thanking supporters and has written hundreds of letters thanking supporters."

But the most damning piece of spin against Musgrave, reflecting political ignorance and naivete at best or sore-winner spite and conscious falsehood at worst, is the suggestion from Markey's camp that the losing candidate has committed some unheard-of pettiness and snub by not getting in touch with the winner.

As Ben Marter, spokesman for the congresswoman-elect, told the Post: "The voters have spoken and it's customary to call your opponent to concede the race, but we're moving forward."

Wrong. I can find no evidence of any such Colorado custom in congressional and legislative races. Tom Tancredo, retiring this year from Congress, says no Democrat ever called him to concede or extend congratulations after his two state House and five US House victories stretching back to the 1970s.

Mike Coffman, newly elected to succeed Tancredo, received no call or contact of any kind from Hank Eng, the Democrat he defeated. I received no call from the Democrat who pummeled me with negative mailers but lost anyway, in our state Senate race of 2000.

Musgrave herself, according to Guy Short, is in the same situation as Tancredo -- never in a long string of elections for state House, state Senate, and Congress has her defeated Democrat opponent bothered to call.

You see, it's just not done that way. Presidential combatants do the concede-and-congratulate thing because it's in glare of national and world attention. I don't know what happens in all governor's races, but I personally went to see Gov. Roy Romer after he beat me on election night 1990. But at the congressional and legislative level -- memo to Ben Marter and Betsy Markey -- to say it's "customary" is just not so.

Formal declarations of conceding or refusing-to-concede have relevance only in disputed races with razor-thin margins, such as the month-long 2002 duel in CD-7 between Dem Mike Feeley and eventual Republican winner Bob Beauprez, or this year's drawn-out SD-26 contest where Republican Lauri Clapp was finally edged out by Democrat Linda Newell.

If the new 4th CD congresslady wants to show some class, she can give this subject a rest and tell her cheering section to do the same. Instead of the sly statement "we're moving forward" while fanning the grievance in same breath, they need to lay off the victim thing, give a no-comment, and move forward.

In other words, Betsy, get over yourself. Where is it written that the campaign's not over until you're genuflected to? Didn't mom teach you not to kick someone when they're down? Isn't the victory enough in itself?

Disclosure: I am a longtime donor and endorser for Musgrave's congressional races.

Nine lessons from my CD-2 race

Needless to say, 2008 was not a good year for Republicans. Our nation faced major financial and energy crises brought on by direct actions and inactions of Democrats in Congress. Not only did Republicans fail to capitalize on these issues, but we were defeated at nearly every level. It is easy to try to lay the blame on the unpopularity of George Bush, or an ineffective campaign by John McCain or on a media bias. However, if we do not identify and address the root causes of our resounding defeat this year, we are destined to experience further political losses in the future.

Republicans have lost significant ground over the past four years. All areas of political advantage have suffered, including: lack of a positive message that resonates with people; lack of highly qualified, articulate candidates that are backed by the party at all levels; the need to repair the Republican brand which has been severely damaged; poor communication at all levels of the party; lack of leadership from the top – down; the need to appeal to the young generation; and the need to increase Republican voter registration.

Democrats had a full court press of registration while Republicans felt it was somebody else’s job. We must also increase our fund raising efforts at all levels, as well as increase grass-roots community involvement. Because Democrats have a media advantage, we must find alternative and more creative ways to get out our message.

I believe that to regain a majority in the state of Colorado, we need to address these fundamental systemic root causes of a weakened Republican party. Colorado is a center-right state, and we can regain majorities at the state and federal levels by articulating consistent and inspirational messages.

By turning around each of the shortcomings that I observed as a congressional candidate this year, we come up with the following 9-point agenda for a better showing next time.

1. Articulate a Positive Message

We need to articulate a positive message based upon conservative principals and values. People want to be inspired to vote for a candidate, not against the opponent. We must convey a positive message, based on the greatness of America. Ronald Reagan and the ’94 Republican revolution were so successful because we communicated a positive message from the top down. We must communicate that message always, even if it is not articulated from the top.

The fundamental messages that strike a chord with the people include: Personal accountability, freedoms and opportunities, as well as national security. It is acceptable to demonstrate contrast with the Democrats, but primarily negative campaigns never work. While trying to appeal to unaffiliated voters it is acceptable to present contrast, but it should be presented in a non-confrontational manner.

2. Candidate Development

People want to find reasons to vote for candidates, or to join a party. We must develop inspirational candidates and party leaders who think for themselves and are not partisan parrots. We must develop candidates at every level and compete in every race in every district. The Democrats have been very successful with their 64 county approach in Colorado, while Republicans have only tried to maintain status quo.

We cannot grow as a party or as a philosophy with a hunker-down mentality. We must adopt a Fifty-State approach nationally and a 64 county approach in Colorado. State wide races can be won by being competitive in Democratic strongholds. Ignoring these districts will further widen the divide and make is harder to ever change the tide. I believe this in one of the major contributory factors in Republican losses this year.

Unaffiliated voters do not want to be represented by partisan hacks. They want independent thinkers who will stand up for what they believe in. Most voters want the same opportunities and freedoms that make America great. If we communicate the conservative principles that provide the foundation of our decisions, Republicans will attract independents and even Democrats to their side.

Conservatism did not fail us this year, our abandonment of fiscal responsibility and our lack of inspirational leadership failed us. This is demonstrated by the fact that Obama ran on a platform of tax cuts and eliminating wasteful government agencies. Even though Obama lacked specifics, and was not challenged by the media, his message resonated better than McCain’s message.

3. Intra-Party Communications

We have had poor intra-party communications at all levels. Infighting and posturing have diverted energy that should be used to get our message out. I believe we must generate Candidate Handbooks and lessons learned manuals at all levels: Handbooks to include fund-raising ideas, lessons learned, campaigning “dos and don’ts” etc... These handbooks must cover all levels of party organization including State Party, county, and local republican clubs as well as candidates and candidate committees.

We must also collect and share available data about precincts, lists of voters and voting history. Gathering statistical data on registration is a key component in obtaining metrics by which we can gage our progress and focus in on programs that work. The current voter registration data and information process has been too cumbersome and the availability of accurate data has been lacking.

Additionally, Republican organizations must make more effective use of websites, blogs and email blasts. We are not making effective use of the internet for communication, and this must be addressed.

4. Party Leadership

I believe that with several exceptions, our party’s leadership has not adequately supported candidates, state and local organizations. Along with the lack of a strong, consistent and positive message, our national leadership seemed resigned to defeat this year and hoarded resources to a few targeted races. Leadership at the county level must be strengthened. Party leadership must be enforced with defined roles and responsibilities for leadership positions at all levels. We cannot tolerate complacent or indifferent performance from our party leaders. If they do not perform, they should be replaced.

5. Youth Movement

We need to plant seeds and take our message directly to the youth of America through the means they communicate, with a message that resonates with them. Several methods of effective communication are Facebook communication networks, internet sights & blogs, Young Republican and College Republican organizations. I believe county level organizations should subsidize and encourage local youth groups. I recommend at least 10% of county funds go to youth group organizations, such as Young Republicans. We must also focus on issues which resonate with youth including education, the environment, government fiscal responsibility including long-term social security viability.

6. Voter Registration

We have lost significant ground this year on the voter registration front. We must be diligent in our efforts to register as many new voters as possible. To do this we must contact newcomers into the area (County level responsibility). We must also hold registration drives at any public events. We must make people feel welcome and connected to the Republican party. We should find people’s interests and connect with unaffiliated voters to make them realize they identify with the principals of the Republican Party.

7. Fund Raising

Traditionally, Republicans typically held advantages in fund raising. That advantage is gone. We must reignite our find raising efforts at all levels. We focus too much at the top levels and ignore down-ticket candidates. Grass-roots level communication starts at the lower levels and we must support candidates financially to help communicate our message. Further, we must adopt a 64 county approach and support every candidate, every race, every time.

If every registered Republican in a congressional district sent their candidate $10, they would have over $1M to get our message out. This will have a significant affect on raising the tide and making all districts competitive. We must also put pressure on the federal and state levels to adopt this approach. If we had a holistic approach this year, we might be celebrating a McCain victory right now. I also propose adopting a “Change for Change” program that encourages Republicans to start spare-change jars, every two years, tally it up and divide the monies to candidates, with largest apportionment to the top ticket candidates.

8. Community Involvement

The party and all prospective candidates must be continually involved at the community level, and not just in election years. Voters (particularly unaffiliated voters) will vote for candidates they know personally or know of their community involvement. Being active in the community will generate positive press and the voters receive a sense of connectivity with the candidate.

Examples of community level involvement include Rotary Clubs, Optimist Clubs, Schools, PTA, sporting teams, Astronomy Clubs, VFW, Kiwanis etc... I also propose that we hold fund raisers for clubs typically not associated with Republican organizations (for instance environmental causes). Community level activists must also promote national level candidates. As an example, at every town parade I attended this year had dozens of Obama supporters, and no organized McCain supporters. There were people who would carry a McCain sign, but there was no organized effort to show support for the top of our ticket.

9. Communication Methods

We must use all available communication avenues to get our message out. We are the party of ideas, we must articulate those ideas any opportunity we can. Communication venues include: Websites, Blogs, Facebook networks, Yahoo groups, Talk radio, Letters to the editor, Community events and Conventional media (newspapers, TV etc...). There is no debate that most conventional media outlets favor Democrat principles and candidates. It serves no purpose to whine or lament this reality. We must increase our efforts to counter it. With new communication and information venues we can effectively get our message out.

Summary

The Republican Party is the party of ideas and we can regain a majority in Colorado by communicating those ideas in a clear, consistent and positive manner. A clear majority of people identify with our message, so we must be confident and consistent in connecting with people about our message. We must adopt a 64 county approach in Colorado (50 State nationally). We must compete in every race and support our candidates, even in Democrat strongholds. We must develop strong community involved candidates that can effectively articulate our message. Strong party leadership with clearly defined roles and responsibilities will also increase our effectiveness and ability to communicate within the party. We must take advantage of new media communication methods and appeal to a new generation of voters.

I believe that by addressing these systemic issues, we can turn the tide of the political winds, and regain a majority at the state and federal levels, but it will take diligence and determination.

Scott Starin lives in Lafayette and works in the aerospace industry. He was the 2008 Republican nominee for Congress in Colorado's 2nd District.

Congress hiring Islamist interns?

CAIR, the purported civil rights group that's really a Muslim Brotherhood front, and which was an unindicted co-conspirator in the Texas terrorism trial, said the following in a confidential strategy memo last year, obtained by Brigitte Gabriel's ACT for America group:

"By December 31, 2010, we will... have a presence covering all states, with at least 28 state chapters…..

We will impact local Congressional districts with each chapter influencing at least two legislators…We will focus on Congressmen responsible for policy that directly impacts the American Muslim community. For example, Congressmen on the judiciary, intelligence, and homeland security committees.

We will develop national initiatives such as lobby day and placing Muslim interns in Congressional offices....

In concert with local chapters we will sustain an ongoing media campaign to change the hearts and minds of Americans."

Accordingly, as a Colorado citizen and constituent of Congressman-elect Mike Coffman, I wrote him this week to warn:

Do not let the Republican leadership tempt or force you to take on an Islamic Intern proffered by CAIR or other Wahhabist Front Organizations. This could be asking a lot, because they may offer you a LARGE amount of money to do so! But they are the bad guys.

And Mr. Coffman, please document whoever approaches you on this so we can expose this petro-dollar corruption, which is rampant on both sides of the aisle at the highest levels.

If you have to take an Islamic intern, find one through the American Islamic Foundation for Democracy www.aifdemocracy.org run by Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, who is featured in the new documentary film,“The Third Jihad”. At least the security and integrity of your office will not be compromised by having the enemy supposedly working for you.

Wouldn't it be interesting to know how many CAIR interns are already embedded in US House and Senate offices? And which members employ them? And what policy influence they are already exerting?

Instead of an automaker bailout

The right thing to do would start with putting all the companies in bankruptcy and reorganizing them into viable going concerns. Continuing with tough love from there, solutions should include...

** Eliminate outrageous and uncompetitive Union Contracts

** Eliminate the so called “pools” of employees who are being paid to do nothing

** Eliminate present management whose only skills are lobbying Washington for the “status quo”

** Provide retraining opportunities and relocation assistance for the redundant.

Obviously, the retiree pensions will have to be turned over to the PBGC, the underfunding of which will have to be made up by the Federal Government. But better to fund just the retirees than to try to prop up the whole dysfunctional edifice of the Big Three automakers.

Surviving employees of the reorganized entity (or entities) should be shifted to portable IRA’s and 401K’s for which they themselves are responsible for funding. Defined Benefit Plans are an albatross that no one can carry, including public entities such as City Governments.

The argument in favor of the $25 billion bailout purports to be “saving jobs”. But most of the money would go to the UAW to fund retiree health care. This will do nothing to make the industry more viable or save jobs, (many of which are people in the paid-not to work “job banks” anyway).

Any taxpayer funds for the Big Three are a misallocation of scarce resources and a waste. It is time to rationalize the industry through the bankruptcy courts and get on the road to real recovery!

Grim outlook for 2009 & beyond

Here's a list of possible consequences over the long term, if next Tuesday brings a three-house sweep by America's socialist progressives. 1- Nationalized health care, with the concomitant collapse in quality and availability

2- Nationalized airlines with the shrinking of the number of flights and quality of service

3-Hate speech laws that will make it a felony to criticize government officials, union leaders, or Islam

4- Fairness Doctrine laws that shut down conservative radio talk shows, critical websites, maybe even newspapers

5- As a sop to the trial lawyers, one leg of the Democratic Party stool, all remedies under these laws will be in the courts. Thus, speak out and find yourself bankrupted either by legal expenses or judgments or both.

6- This will turn America into a virtual one-party state. Opposition candidates and parties will gradually fade away after being financially starved and otherwise hararssed

7- Home schooling illegal, religious schools illegal

8- Tax-exempt status for churches and other religious institutions revoked

9- Gun control enacted nationally, millions of guns confiscated, laws against possession severe

10- The disarmed population thus put at the mercy of OCDC, Obama Civilian Defense Corps, his young supporters legitimized with uniforms and weapons to intimidate potential opponents.

11- Abortion and gay marriage legalized nationwide

12- Heavy progressive taxation imposed, massive new regulatory agencies established, with the result that tech innovation withers, stock market becomes an irrelevant anachronism, and flight of capital to Asia increases

13- Massive cuts in military spending for weapons systems and perational funds, plus disembowelment of the Intelligence Services and Homeland Security

14- Once the Supreme Court is packed with compliant jurists, the re-education measures and facilities for “anti-social elements” (Gulags by another name) will ramp up

15- America's GDP, the standard of living, and basic freedoms will all plummet

History, if honest, would say the root cause was when the schools were abandoned to the Marxists, who successfully turned the nation their way from the inside over a period of 60 years.

But should the above occur, history itself will be rewritten, and the truth will be set in another context.