Why I am Running for Vice Chairman of the Armstrong GOP Committee

If you've followed my blog posts from the beginning, obviously I have been concerned with the hidden nature of the committee and the number of unfilled seats as well as the reluctance of the Party to promote and educate their constutitents about the committee system.  As a County Coordinator for Sam Rohrer for Governor, I promoted not only Sam but also the county committee's existence and role in the election process. Many eyes were opened and people stepped forward to seek committee seats.  With that accomplished, my next goal is to bring Republicans together within the precincts, starting with my own. If this can be accomplished, what a strong foundation we can build!

In Armstrong County, the election of 108 committee people has almost tripled the membership from the previous year!   As someone who eagerly sought increased participation and representation, I am thrilled by the results.  This is the right kind of change!  Other changes are needed, and the first is to effect a change in leadership. A political machine has been ruining our Parties, Democratic and Republican, the only way to fix this is to remove the machine operators.  I believe there is ample evidence that our present leadership is just that.  The duly elected committemen and women must step up to restore integrity and honesty to the political process, identifying heroic men, dedicated to Constitutional principles to run our State, addressing the General Assembly on issues, and educating the electorate.  Of course, we are approaching the General Election and will want to heartily work to get out the vote for the Republican candidates, but we also want to make sure that they know we will hold them accountable - that their reelection is no longer guaranteed, that we are now ready to step up and lead the party.

I am supporting Ron Davis for Chairman. Ron moved to Armstrong a few years ago and has an enormous amount of experience in Republican Committee work from his years in Allegheny County. He knows how to bring people together and facilitate opposing interests to get real work accomplished with fairness to all. 

My resume is much more limited, but I too have a respect for individuals and want to see the Republican Party be the best it can be - which means being open, principled, and inclusive.  I firmly believe that if we do "the right things," great rewards will be forthcoming.  Manipulation, secretiveness, expediency, and cronyism are some of our enemies.  Our strength will come from the ideas, initiatives, talents, and leadership that each precinct representative will bring to the committee!  Viewing the Committee as a pyramid, the base is where it’s strength lies.  My vision for the Committee is that it is not led, but leads.  The power of the Committee should come from the Republican electors in the precincts, flowing through the Committee system, to impact candidates and incumbents from here to Washington.

Cut - a three letter word that Harrisburg can't seem to understand

Just finished listening to Maurice McTigue talk at a Constitutional Foundations breakfast. He was a leader in the New Zealand government when it had to do what PA needs to do.  They cut and chopped at the budget, and stopped all the enticements and entitlements and then watched as the country made a huge turnaround.

Here in PA almost every day, I see a report that Harrisburg continues to try to find ways to add taxes and increase revenues for itself at our expense.   New revenue ultimately comes out of our pockets and our pockets are emptying out, our investments are shrinking.  We must hammer on Harrisburg the message that we expect cutbacks and ride the backs of all candidates heading into the General Election as well.

But, we not only need to quit offering entitlements and special incentives, but also stop drooling in front of the Federal Trough because it's full of garbage.  Just look at money spent on the I-80 tolling project.

Something Else --

I strongly believe that whether it's in our personal, corporate, or political lives, we must do "the right things" and accept the results, which I believe will eventually turn out to be best scenarios.  This comes down to having faith in a God who is all powerful and good and enters into the story to save the day!  The story of the world is a long story; and as with many stories, there are parts where things appear to have gone haywire.  You will, however,  find the happy ending if you don't give up.

Republican Pride - Thought for the Day

I've called myself a Republican since I was in college or for roughly 40 years. More recently, I called myself a conservative to differentiate between moderate Republican and progressive Republican and Republicans who were no longer even prolife.  But the notion of being Republican always made me lift my chin just a little bit higher -- I am proud to be a Republican. I think the Republican principles of limited government, individual liberty, capitalism, etc., are right, based on fundamental principles discoverable in Nature and Nature's God.

Frankly, my first experience on the Armstrong Republican Committee greatly disappointed me. It was not a gathering anyone could be proud to be part of.  This was sort of a big deal for many of us who were new to the committee - running in an election, having our names on a ballot, and being elected. Naive maybe, but I am not embarrassed by it.  On the contrary, I think the three people sitting at the head table in the conference room ran a very sloppy meeting. Everything -- from their attempt to hold an illegal election to their dress, to their posture, to their language, to their rudeness -- was an embarrassment to the Grand Ole' Party!

1874 Harper Magazine Thomas Nash cartoon

Now that I do have the bylaws and have read through them, the bylaws are embarrassing as well. The first thing bylaws do is establish the group's purpose. It is an amazing and embarrassing fact that many of us ran for committee seats without being able to determine the purpose of the committee because we could not see the bylaws and were told ridiculous things, such as "put on a banquet" and "we don't need committee people, we need volunteers."  I didn't even know we were running for four year terms until after I'd turned in my petition signatures.  Surely the bylaws would enlighten me, but no. Not only is the purpose of the committee left undefined but also the rules by which business is to be conducted.  Thus, a sloppy meeting! Meetings without rules seldom go well and a sense of fairness to all members is virtually unobtainable.

Organizational Meeting of the Armstrong Republican Committee

The very first meeting of the newly elected Committee will be held in the County Courthouse Annex Conference Room on Thursday, June 3d, at 7 pm.

I wish I could invite my fellow Republicans to come watch their Party committee in action, but an email from Chairman, Michael T. Baker, indicates the meeting will be only "open to members of the republican committee of Armstrong county, officers thereof, and county wide elected republican officials."

And regarding the bylaws I've been asking to see since early March? Well,..."Copies of the bylaws and other pertinent items shall be distributed at this meeting." Nothing like allowing for a smooth transition. New members. with no information. having the election of officers for 4 year terms immediately thrust upon them at the same time they're receiving the bylaws. I think it's outrageous.

Chairman Baker has made two things plain to me so far - First, that I may look forwarding to helping with the Republican Banquet. Second, that I may serve the Committee by campaigning for every one of the Republican candidates....or else! Is this what I will find in the bylaws?

I rather imagine I could do both of those things w/o running in an election for a committee seat, but what do I know?