Posted on 11/30/2006 1:17:01 PM PST by SmithL
The sting of Republican electoral defeats still fresh, the GOP chairman suggested Thursday the party has strayed and challenged it to refocus on core principles and reform.
"We work for the people," Ken Mehlman, the outgoing chairman of the Republican National Committee, said in a speech to a meeting of GOP governors. He reminded the crowd that "good policy makes good politics — and, for Republicans, this must be a time for self-examination when it comes to our policy."
In a disastrous midterm election year for the GOP, Republican candidates lost races across the country and at all levels of government, prompting party leaders to do some soul searching as they seek a winning strategy for 2008 and beyond.
Democrats captured control of the House and Senate, took a majority of governors' posts and gained a decisive edge in state legislatures as Republicans failed to withstand fallout from a sour national mood created by the war in Iraq and scandals in Washington.
"Our nation is stronger and better when Republicans are the party running the government. But, ladies and gentleman, our party should never be the party of government, of Washington, of earmarks, of bureaucracy," Mehlman said, implying that's what the GOP had become at times — or at least what voters perceived on Nov. 7.
Three weeks after the losses, about a dozen GOP governors gathered in this Miami suburb for their association's annual meeting. The 2008 election loomed large, given that the outgoing RGA chairman is Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who is considering running for president. Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, also weighing a bid, attended the meeting.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
BINGO!
It would've helped if you had said this before the election, Ken.
yeah. The GOPers seemed to have forgotten the Contract, the wisdom of the Gipper, etc.
Yep. The GOP was given a once in a lifetime opportunity in 1994; they blew it. When they got into power they could have changed the way business was done, instead, they did business.
I've had enough. Take a look at the Constitution Party. These people, though small in number now, have the idea.
Small government, Constitutional principles, reduce government, stop all kinds of spending. I'm gonna take a hard look.
If the GOP gives us McCain next time, I'm gone.
...our party should never be the party of government, of Washington, of earmarks, of bureaucracy,"
Then how come that is exactly what you are today?
Martinez is the right track? Gimme a break
This was bad, but not nearly as bad as it was for the Dems in 94, when even a sitting Speaker of the House was cut down and 40 year control was lost.
Yes, I cannot wait to bid this intrepid navigator of the windward passage a fond adieu. On your way out the door, Ken, with the rest of your Log Cabin operatives, make sure the swinging door doesn't hit you where The Good Lord split you, unless of course, you and your ilk find that especially satisfying.
"But, ladies and gentleman, our party should never be the party of government, of Washington, of earmarks, of bureaucracy," Mehlman said, implying that's what the GOP had become at times — or at least what voters perceived on Nov. 7."
Nice try retard (not you Smith, the RNC hack quoted above). Might have worked but for FR and google:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/975049/posts
http://www.nationalreview.com/nrof_bartlett/bartlett090803.asp
"This time it did quote Gillespie as saying that “fiscal responsibility” was defined by him (and presumably President Bush) as meaning only that federal spending would increase at “a slower rate of growth” than if the Democrats were in power. Obviously, this is a pretty low threshold for success."
Melman doesn't deserve a break.
So could Mr. Mehlman, and his friend, Mr. Rove, again explain why they are hellbent on amnesty for illegals when 70% of the party is adamantly against it?
No third parties...
A bad start by the Congressional GOP when both the House and Senate picked "establishment" Republicans for their leadership positions over conservative reformers. The GOP has already thumbed their noses at all of us conservatives, and it isn't even '07 yet!
Good start. Just add - nor the party of UN policeman, job and dollar exporters and flop house for the world.
Geesssss... no wonder we're in trouble! :)
Can they explain why the president was doggedly for the Dubai ports deal though 70%+ of everyone was adamantly against it? That whole episode represents the watershed moment for the GOP - from a guy who won the 2004 election and had the confidence of the American public to an easily befuddled, confused, incoherent, and at times downright obnoxious president. He was on thin ice before then, but he has never been able to fix his image since that whole sorry episode.
Wouldn't have helped at all - the "big gov't" types either would have lost more or they weren't up this time.
The War on Terror is over; we lost. It was killed by the Dem pimp media. Get over it. Move on.
Next time we get hit by a terrorist attack it will, of course, be Bush's fault.
Get used to it. This is the new Democrat-think.
Just ask Brian Williams.
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