Bridging the GOP
The Maryland GOP needs to get it together.
On the one hand, the Senate Republican Caucus takes no vote on the Slots referendum, but speaks out against the amendment to the State Constitution.
Then, the House Caucus decides to come out against the Slots referendum, but with a slots plan of its own, which has no chance to pass in the legislature, and which also unnecessarily offends those in the GOP who support slots.
And now even former Governor Bob Ehrlich has weighed in on the current slots proposal.
What on earth is going on with the Republicans in Maryland? Is there even a plan?
From the looks of things, the GOP must look inside for some answers.
As the minority party in an overwhelmingly Democratic state, the GOP leadership needs to focus on the issues that will unify the party base and galvanize it to act. The leadership of both caucuses needs to sit down and decide what exactly the priorities of the Republican Party of Maryland are and then aggressively market those priorities in a unified effort to draw voters, new or otherwise, to the GOP as a viable, attractive alternative to the tax and spend Democrats.
But as the saying goes, “A house divided cannot stand.” The mixed messages of the Senate and House Caucuses clearly indicate that there is a unity problem in the GOP. And if we cannot reconcile ourselves to each other, how can we attract new constituents to our party and grow, especially when we are alienating key members of party for no reason?
Today’s voters are focused on finding solutions to problems, especially economic ones. The current turmoil on Wall Street is creating panic across the country, and occupies the thoughts of millions of people across the entire nation. Businessmen, teachers, policemen, and retirees alike fear losing their entire savings, and even their homes, in the economic implosion we are now facing.
And Maryland itself is facing a $1 billion budget shortfall in fiscal year 2010, which will, no doubt, force the Democrats to hustle to find new ways to increase tax revenues.
So here is one unified priority with which to begin: REDUCE GOVERNMENT SPENDING.
The GOP leadership in Maryland needs to capitalize on the current economic storm to promote hallmark principles of the Republican Party, such as limited government spending and reduced taxes, to real people looking for real solutions to real economic problems.
Here is what needs to happen in Maryland:
- The GOP opposes big government spending. When Governor O’Malley announces cuts to the budget, the GOP House and Senate Caucus leadership should respond positively, and show clear support for continuing to reduce the budget.
- When the Democrats propose adding more taxes or increasing ones currently in place, the GOP should provide a researched, reasoned alternative and aggressively market the impact of increasing the tax burdens on average citizens struggling to make ends meet in today’s difficult economic climate.
- Where there is a mixed message within the Party, send no public message. Some Republicans are for the slot referendum, and some are against it. Do not alienate key GOP constituents by needlessly taking a public position on issues that are divisive, especially when the issues are already set on the ballot for the voters to decide.
Convincing the people of Maryland that the GOP represents their interests is challenge enough by itself.
We are diluting our influence by dividing ourselves.
September 29th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
Great points!! I made some of the same ones at the Route 40 Republican Club meeting two weeks ago.
September 29th, 2008 at 3:51 pm
Ted
MD republicans are missing an opportunity to build on soon to be large frustration on behalf of average joe marylanders who are going to flip out over cuts and expanded taxes from OweMalley and company. Projections are taking us to close to a billion dollar short fall! We should be laying the foundation of (more) conservative fiscal policies, living within your means kind of understandable policies that even maryland dems could understand!
September 30th, 2008 at 2:00 am
Ted,
You are grasping at straws. As much as it pains me to say it, the GOP in Maryland might as well be nonexistent. The recent voter registration figure show that Dems have gained an additonal 80,000 votes over the GOP.
It really doesn’t matter what the GOP does in MD. The days of the conservative Democrats like Walter Baker and Cas Taylor are over. The liberal wing of the Dems rule this state.
The Maryland GOP as been preaching fiscal restraint for the last two years. You can preach all you want, but without the votes to make it happen it does not matter. Victory is the only thing that matters in partisan politics.
Maryland is as one party a state as is possible.
David Craig can preach about your points all he wants, but in reality he is as big a spender as the rest of them. A 9% increase in government salaries when the rest of the state was keeping budgets level or even making cuts ia hardly conservative. This will come back to haunt him when the state cuts the counties to the bone. Craig will either have to make Draconian cuts or raise taxes again. He may even have to fire a relative or two to help balance the budget.
September 30th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Plastic Man,
OK TIME FOR A REALITY CHECK…. The supposed 9% salary increase to county employees you blasted Craig for was really about a 7% increase. Craig negotiated with unions to increase employee contributions to health coverage (a huge give which in the long term will help control costs), and he also was able to re-structure government pay scales to eliminate the given annual 3% steps for county employees. (another huge step forward in reforming government). The step increases as many knew it no longer exist. Now, increases are no longer automatic, they have to be earned. Exactly like wat is done in the private sector. In the long run, Craig acted like a true conservative and actually negotiated wisely to save taxpayer money. Secondly, David Craig I don’t know where you read that David Craig has raised taxes as County Executive. If you are really keeping track of what is going on you would know that he introduced and suppored measures to cut taxes. That is the REST OF THE STORY!