By: admin
Candidates Michael Harrison Wray and Morgan Brooke Wilkins Both Impressive In Online Forum
Tough Choice Ahead For KFCR Voters
Question 1. What have you done? Why are you qualified to be KFCR Chair? Thanks to Nick D’Andrea of Louisville for contributing to this question.
Wilkins: Since shortly after entering college, I have worked tirelessly for grassroots Republican and conservative efforts. In addition to spending countless hours volunteering for Republican candidates in KY such as Ron Lewis, Geoff Davis, and Kelly Downard, I worked for the College Republican National Committee (CRNC) as a field representative. The CRNC deployed me to Michigan for the 2006 elections where I recruited over 350 new College Republicans in less than 6 weeks. I also created several new chapters. I then worked for The Leadership Institute as a Campus Service Coordinator, where I traveled the nation creating conservative organizations, publications, and training young conservatives to be leaders and activists. Since I have been home I have not stopped working for the cause. I have been attending as many events as possible and helping as many candidates as possible. I am still an ambassador for the Leadership Institute and have been helping students across the state, specifically Morehead, NKU, and UofL with conservative events and publications. I am also the founder and chair of the JCC College Republican Chapter. We just finished a great letter signing event that had to do with Medicare. I am passionate, hardworking, and have the experience necessary to lead.
Wray: I am a well rounded person when it comes to politics. I have 9 years of grassroots experience and personnel management. I have founded a chapter at Elizabethtown Community College and grew that chapter into a strong and outspoken student organization. When I came to UofL, the College Republicans were struggling for members and had $25.00 in its account. Since that point, we have tripled our membership, raised several thousand dollars in funds, held multiple community recognized events, put out a successful 9-11 memorial, and played an integral role in the fall 2006 elections. I have years of Executive experience, and have grown the University of Louisville into a candidate for Chapter of the Year. With my experience and determination, the KFCR will gain the same benefits as ECC and UofL: Growth in funding, strength in membership, and recognition as a strong student organization. I am dedicated to student activism paired with conservative ideology. I consider honesty and integrity to be the most important characteristics a leader can possess, and I promise both to preserve and grow the KFCR.
I look past 2007 into the 2008 primary season over which the KFCR Chair will preside, but both candidates are eager to discuss 2007.
Question 2. How do you plan to lead the KFCR and work with the CRNC in the critical 2008 election year?
Wilkins: Of course we must strengthen the local chapters. First off, I would like to encourage more activism on our college campuses. There is a book entitled “A Conservatives Campus Battle Plan,” that is extremely helpful. It gives time relevant activism ideas and offers a lot of free resources for each event. By doing more campus activism we are going to attract more members. We are going to have a louder voice on campuses and we are going to recruit more members. Activism gives students something to be excited about. People get excited about taking a stand for something that is right and something they believe in. These events are also great recruitment opportunities. This is one way we I know we will strengthen our membership base and, therefore, number of volunteers to help in the critical 2008 election.
To address the part about the CRNC: I would like to become as independent as possible from the CRNC.
Wray: I believe the focus of this KFCR term needs to be on maintaining a Republican Executive in Kentucky. The Governor’s race in KY is more important than speculation into 2008. I plan to lead the KFCR in the 2007-2008 session with strong emphasis on campaign activism. I want College Republicans to have an opportunity to intern on every statewide race in the Commonwealth. The KFCR must strengthen its fundraising base in this period to provide its own field representatives and not rely upon the CRNC wholly for support as they themselves are in the middle of a critical transition. I know I can help the CRs be a force in Republican victories this fall, 2007, not 2008. To look too far ahead will be detrimental to the effectivness of the KFCR. We do not need a leader who is going to skip KY politics to focus on 2008 races.
Wilkins rebuttal: 2007 is extremely important and right now it should be the priority. Every election, no matter the level, is important. I want to see people working on every campaign at every level. Not just Governor or Presidential. I too, believe we should strengthen our fundraising base but we must first be reliable and dependable. Which is something we have not been in the past. For example, at the KY Lincoln Day Dinner several College Republicans didn’t show up whom said they would be there. Before we can expect money we must be dependable and follow through on commitments. This Governors race is our opportunity to show what we are made of and show the party, the candidates, and other locals that we mature and are worth the investment. However, we must also remember to be a voice on campuses, not just campaigns.
Question 3. I want to know what will be done to promote reducing the impact of the government on the American people. Thanks to Matt Foushee of Louisville for contributing to this question.
Wray: I am sure that question is far more reaching in ideology than the KFCR Chairman race, but I do believe that reducing the overreaching arm of government is key to the republics success. The most dramatic influence is to help conservative campus leaders at our colleges and universities to establish ISI chapters. By instilling a strong conservative belief and ethic, student leaders will take greater strides in forwarding the conservative moment. These student leaders will then become involved in the political front of the movement, thus influencing public policy. As conservative student leaders, we must live conservative principles, not just repeat political rhetoric or go to severe extremes to get the message across. As students further the concepts of family values, lower taxes, less government, and hosts of other conservative concepts the public opinion will change. Our campus leaders must have the tools and conservative concepts taught by an organization such as ISI in order to begin the wheels of change.
Wilkins: Interesting question. Isn’t that what we fight for as conservatives? I believe that is the reason we, as College Republicans, work to get candidates elected whom will combat intrusive legislation. A belief in limited government is one of, if not the main, reason we call ourselves conservatives.
Wray rebuttal: I believe Ms. Wilkins took a safe out on that question. The concept of less government reaches far beyond campaigns. The are Republicans elected who are not conservatives. As students apply conservative principles to their lives, their examples have a greater impact than rhetoric and catch phrases. We must know why we are conservatives to further influence the reduction of government in our lives.
Question 4. Should CRs support anyone with an R by their name? And, related to this, what role should a candidate’s conservative beliefs play in whether or not a chapter chooses to support a candidate? Thanks to Anthony Mantova of Hillsdale College for contributing to this question.
Wilkins: If the Republican Party or a Republican candidate gets to a point where it or they have completely abandon it’s or their principles then I do not believe we are obligated to support that person or the party. However, we are far from that point and this will not be an issue. The Republicans candidates in KY are all people whom I would gladly support and encourage others to support. My personal beliefs will not affect the way I lead the KFCR. Like I state in my platform, though I may personally prefer a certain candidate in the Republican primaries I will respect every College Republican’s decision to support whomever they desire.
Wray: I believe and support very strongly CR activity in campaigns. In the primary process, I encourage all CRs to research a candidate that best represents their beliefs and values, and work hard in the primary season to get that candidate elected. Once the primaries are over, the College Republicans should get behind the Republican candidate with full force of the organization. I strongly believe that as organizational leaders, we should not openly and officially endorse any candidate involved in a primary election. Especially in the KFCR right now, it would be dangerous to endorse one candidate or another. We should pick our candidate and work towards their appointment for the general election. Siding with one candidate or another can lead to a volital situation for an emerging organization such as the KFCR. I have my candidates, and I will work to get them elected, but I will not use my position in the primary process to further my agenda.
Wilkins rebuttal: Actively working for a candidate in the Republican primary will not hinder a KFCR officer’s ability to lead effectively. We are all intelligent and mature enough to come together after the primaries and enthusiastically support whomever the Republican nominee is. I believe we are a family. If you can not come together and support the other Republican candidate then you are not in College Republicans for the right reason.
I also want to say, the primary role of a CR is on their college campus. We should be working on our campuses to keep liberal professors in check, register and motivate more students to vote, and be the conservative voice on our liberal dominated campuses.
Of course we should also volunteer for campaigns; of course we should knock on doors, stuff envelopes, and phone bank, but what differentiates us from other Republican clubs is that we are the COLLEGE Republicans. The Republican Women’s group also knocks on doors, makes phone calls, and stuffs envelopes, and they don’t even ask for money like we do. Our mission field is the college campus -that is where we make the biggest and most significant impact.
Mostly unrelated to KFCR business, obviously, but asked anyway.
Question 5. What type of U.S. foreign policy do you support (i.e. do you support American primacy in the world, or a more isolationist style proposed by someone like Pat Buchanan)? Thanks to Jason Moeller of Transylvania for contributing to this question.
Wray: I support American’s agressive role in geopolitical issues. The United States has the largest economy, with an ever-increasing role in research and development areas such as medicine and resource exploration. As Americans, we know the blessings of freedom, but at times I believe the US looses focus of tradition, especially in governments such as Iraq. We must have greater understanding for tradition in the quest to spread freedom. The human being is naturally a freedom loving entity, but to offend its spiritual and traditional rights is to create an enemy. Our Constitution reigns supreme, and our people have more freedoms than they know to handle, but not everyone globally knows the blessings of our style of democracy. We must fight terror on the offensive and spread liberty to all, but with patience and understanding. It has been more than 200 years since a war gave the US its style of freedom, most of these peoples know what it is like to loose theirs overnight. WE will win, but we must endure the traditions with the freedoms.
Wilkins: If I knew the exact answer to this I would be running for more than KY College Republican Chairman! This question reflects the question of our times: What is America’s role in the world? I believe that as with everything in life, there is a balance. There are times for American military intervention, and there are times to stay out. I favor putting the United State’s interest first and in every situation what ever benefits the United States interest is what I support.
Wray rebuttal: Ms. Wilkins and I agree wholeheartedly that America’s interest must be the forefront of public policy. We are both patriots and love our country, and to be less would be an injustice to those we serve. Diplomacy is using the words to solve the situation, and having the brute force to back them up.
Closing Statements. Make a closing statement and indicate what direction you see for KFCR in the future. Thanks to Rehanon Nehus of Kentucky Wesleyan for contributing to this question.
Wray: As I have said, I am not running this race against Morgan Wilkins; I am running for Kentucky College Republicans. I have been the CR chairman on the outside looking in. I have faced an uphill battle in every undertaking in growing the College Republican Chapters I have been a part of. I have fought the KENTUCKY fight. I know the key to success in 2007-2008 will be chapter strength and fundraising. The KFCR needs to become a registered 527 political group with the IRS. As a 527, we will have great flexibility to form fundraising networks, we will not have an artificial roof because of IRS restrictions. $16.9 Million was raised in Kentucky in 2006; the KFCR should have a share of that. The CRs in the Commonwealth have proven they are worth the investment and the KFCR will be the tool to bring funding to the chapters. As part of that fundraising, chapters should receive a travel stipend, to cover expenses to come to KFCR events. The KFCR must be self sustaining from the CRNC. The CRNC is in its own transitional state, so the KFCR must provide for its members. We will build our own chapter kits and provide our own field representatives. For the KFCR to stand out, we must first stand up for Kentucky CRs, and not the national status quo. I want to help local chapters grow by utilizing local Republican resources. The KFCR will be nothing without strong local chapter members. I want to work with chapter chairs to develop a program of activities to enable region CR involvement. I know it will work. I have lead it at ECC and UofL. We will grow. We will win. We will become the strong conservative leaders the Commonwealth needs us to be, and we will do it together.
Wilkins: I know that being a College Republican often requires the sacrifice of weekend parties; sometimes it requires long nights awake studying because you had a campaign event to attend that evening. I know there are many Saturday mornings you would rather sleep in late than knock on doors, but I ask you to keep going. You are proving exactly why Republicans deserve to win. I also want to personally thank each of you who give these sacrifices. Despite the hard work, being a College Republican has been the most exciting and rewarding experience of my college years. We are the army behind every victory. We do the ground level fighting. Through more aggressive fundraising, become more dependable, through advanced technology, better communication, transparency, and more campus activism, make a difference on our campuses and we will win more elections for Republican Candidates. I look forward to working with you all over the next couple years.
February 26, 2007 |
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By: admin
Excerpts from several articles:
“For others the issue is not whether the governor can be re-elected, but rather whether he should be re-elected,” Pence said.
“In 2003, what would our party’s candidate for governor have said about a governor that had been indicted — taken the Fifth Amendment — and issued blanket pardons to his staff?” Pence asked. “In 2003 what would our party’s candidate for governor have said about an administration that endeavored to punish those who dared to disagree with them?”
“She is the better candidate for the Republican party,” Pence said. “She has a real chance of winning.”
“He has a clear vision of what happened and what should have happened,” Northup said.
“The Republican Party must have a candidate who can get beyond the scandals of this administration,” Pence said.
Eastern Kentucky University political scientist Kendra Stewart said Pence’s endorsement is very unusual.
“That certainly is a coup for the Northup campaign,” Stewart said. “It demonstrates the dissension in the Republican party at this time.”
News stories can be found on the story in Lexington, Forbes, Wyoming, Louisville, and Nashville, among other places.
The Fletcher campaign said:
“Anne Northup has been on a negative rampage against Gov. Fletcher since entering this race. She has no ideas or agenda other than to tear down our first Republican governor in 32 years.
It is no surprise that the ‘Brutus’ of Kentucky politics has joined her negative campaign. She should hope there are no rough waters ahead, because Steve Pence will be the first one to jump ship.”
So the Fletcher campaign is going on a negative rampage against Steve Pence’s integrity!? Unbelievable.
Update: According to Pence, the Fletcher administration “endeavored to punish those who dared to disagree with them.” According to the legal skills and logic of Jessamine County Attorney Brian Goettl that was applied to me the other day, this is not true and therefore makes Pence eligible to be sued by Fletcher for defamation or some such thing. Take it back, Pence! Endorse The Supreme Executive!
By: admin
H-L, excerpts:
The state auditor’s office, which issued scathing reports on his predecessor, a convicted felon, has returned to question a spate of paving projects that were done before last year’s election. At the same time, a Vanceburg-based company alleges in a lawsuit that Thompson, without cause, canceled its $424,000 contract to oversee construction of an $8 million recreation complex last year after he was appointed interim judge-executive in 2005.
The difference this time is that the accusations are being flung at a Republican, whose victory last year stunned many in this county, which has 11,347 registered Democrats and 438 GOP voters.
{Echoes Fletcher}”We were put in here to clean up a mess, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do,” he said. “Maybe we made some mistakes, but I wasn’t trying to line my pockets or put money in my friends’ pockets. We’re getting credit for blacktopping a lot of places we didn’t blacktop.”
In Knott County, there is no minimum number of homes that must be served by county-maintained roads.
As the state auditor looks into the paving projects, Thompson and the fiscal court are also facing a lawsuit over plans for the Knott County Sportsplex, which is being built on 23 donated acres near the back of a 600-acre mountaintop-removal mining site, about 7 miles northeast of Hindman on new Ky. 80.
Newsome had signed a contract with Trace Creek Construction Inc. to oversee its construction on June 3, 2005, but Thompson and fiscal court canceled the contract on Feb. 28, 2006.
Thompson said he was concerned about the lack of bidding on the project, so he accepted new proposals for the construction manager’s job. Trace Creek was replaced by Codell Construction of Winchester, which Thompson described as better qualified, but he kept Kenar Architectural & Engineering Co., a Frankfort firm headed by Harold Fletcher Jr., the brother of Gov. Ernie Fletcher, who first appointed Thompson to office.
Both Thompson and the governor have denied any link between Thompson’s appointment and Harold Fletcher Jr.’s contract.
The architect’s contract was not rebid because Harold Fletcher Jr. had nearly completed his work, Thompson said. Replacing him would have delayed completion, he said.
On Oct. 26 last year, Trace Creek sued Thompson and Knott Fiscal Court, claiming they breached its contract without cause.
“We don’t appreciate a bit the way our client was treated,” said Larry Forgy of Lexington, whose law firm represents Trace Creek.
By: admin
Many Issues Covered Briefly
From Right Wing News:
Opening Statement
It looks like the Democrats are looking for a Goldilocks resolution that’s hot enough for their base, but cool enough for them to claim that they’re still for the troops. The problem is that none of these resolutions is “just right.” Their current policies are being driven by 2008 Democratic presidential politics.
After unanimously confirming Petraeus, the Democrats want to tell him that his mission would fail and want to tell him how to conduct his operation via congressional resolution. It’s absurd and counterproductive because their goal is to micro-manage this war to a premature conclusion.
Question and Answer Session
….
Q: Are the Democrats simply trying to do things that won’t pass? Will the surge be able to play it out?
A: There’s only one to impact it — to refuse to fund it. They should stop trying to discourage Petraeus and the troops and should try to cut off funds, if that’s what they want to do.
Q: Do you think we could end up in the SCOTUS over this?
A: Well, resolutions that don’t try to micromanage the war won’t.
Q: Joe Lieberman said yesterday that he might throw his lot in with the Republicans over the war. Would that have an impact?
A: Yes. We’d take over the Senate. But, let me say this about Joe: he made it clear last year that he intended to caucus with the Democrats, even though he is very estranged from the Democrats on post 9/11 strategy. So, I don’t expect to him to come over with us. He feels like he has earned the right to be an independent. Also, reports that say the Senate wouldn’t shift if he voted with us aren’t correct.
Q: So will next week be a key week?
A: Not really. The only way for them to cut off the war is to cut off the funding. Under the Constitution, Congress does not have the authority to micromanage a war, but they do have the authority to cut off funding. On the issue of funding the troops, almost every Republican would want to continue funding them and the Democrats are divided.
Q: Are we going to have comprehensive immigration reform?
A: We have been looking at that and the vast majority of Republicans are willing to go along with it if we’re serious about border security and don’t consider amnesty.
Q: How do you convince people you’re serious about border security?
A: I think we are getting results. The border isn’t secure, but it’s getting better. Also, the guestworker program shouldn’t be related to citizenship. They should be completely different issues.
Q from me: We would probably disagree about what “amnesty” is, so let me ask if there are any specific redline issues that would cause the Senate GOP to filibuster the bill? Citizenship for guest workers, social security for illegals, etc.?
A: Republicans are in a lot of different places on illegal immigration. I don’t know what we can or can’t filibuster on at this point.
Q: Could hate crimes legislation get through the Senate?
A: I don’t know what the lay of the land is on that yet.
Q: Do you think the Dems could get socialized medicine through?
A: I don’t think the American people would stand for a single payer system and I think there would be a vigorous effort made to defeat it.
