Free Republic

Submit Your Idea to the GOP TechSummit Working Group The GOP TechSummit Grassroots Working Group was formed to determine how to best reach out to the ordinary people of the nation who comprise the main potential body of the Republican Party. The Working Group is open to participation by all and is currently soliciting ideas from the grassroots on how to connect citizens to the GOP at the individual level. The group will then filter those ideas through appropriate subcommittees headed by teams with expertise in each given area. Ultimately, the Working Group will prepare a comprehensive plan for grassroots...

His grandfather Prescott Bush was a U.S. senator, and his father and brother were presidents. Yet Jeb Bush doesn't believe in political dynasties, and seems perfectly willing to let his family's legacy of serving in high office in Washington pass him by. But Mr. Bush becomes animated when talking about ideas and policy innovations -- he's an unorthodox Republican who latches onto reform ideas wherever he finds them. He's a fan of the school system in Sweden (more on this below).... "Beyond the ideas and all of that," Mr. Bush says the GOP must be a national party. That means...

Let's go back to the gold standard. If the very idea seems at odds with what is currently happening in our country -- with Congress preparing to pass a massive economic stimulus bill that will push the fiscal deficit to triple the size of last year's record budget gap -- it's because a gold standard stands in the way of runaway government spending. CorbisUnder a gold standard, if people think the paper money printed by government is losing value, they have the right to switch to gold. Fiat money -- i.e., currency with no intrinsic worth that government has decreed...

In the frenetic reaction to the drubbing the GOP experienced this fall at the polls, more than one person has made suggestions on how the GOP can rebound. If we're not vigilant, the GOP will continue becoming Democrat-lite. That couldn't be any more evident than with people like Christy Todd Whitman...

The real irony in this joke was that Goldwater's continued presence in the Senate after the election did more to advance Johnson's policies than the election itself. Every time the Johnson Administration tried to push a major initiative, needing some Republican votes for either passage or legitimacy, they made sure to get Goldwater on record in opposition. Then they would pressure Republican lawmakers into signing on, lest they be seen as extremist Goldwater Republicans. In later eras, Jesse Helms and Newt Gingrich served in this role on behalf of Democrat triangulators. Fortunately or unfortunately, there are no serving Republicans, House...

Nobody in the race for chairman of the Republican National Committee has attracted as many high-profile conservative movement supporters as has former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell. And it's true that conservatives have a host of good reasons to be high on Blackwell. But while Blackwell clearly would re-energize the movement, he is not rightly seen as appealing only to conservatives. This is a man with a history of winning elections and a comprehensive plan for helping his party win plenty more of them, at all levels of government. First, to be clear: The list of conservatives who have...

My Friend, In the time since the 2008 presidential campaign ended I have had a chance to reflect on many things. And as I said on election night, I truly cannot adequately express how indebted I am to you, my entire campaign team and my running mate, Governor Sarah Palin. The road was a difficult one from the outset. Yet, your faith, your support and friendship never wavered. Just as I have proudly served my country for more than half a century I am as committed as ever to helping see our mission through. So to continue the movement, I...

(CNSNews.com) - Former Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell, who is running for the chairmanship of the Republican National Committee, told CNSNews.com in an interview that he hopes to revitalize the grassroots of the party in all 50 states. A longtime conservative activist, Blackwell served as mayor of Cincinnati as well as Ohio state treasurer and secretary of state of Ohio. He was the first African American to win statewide executive office in Ohio, and, in 2006, was the first African American to be a major party-candidate for governor in that state. He is currently a senior fellow at the...

As we close out a disastrous 2008, a year in which Western Civilization essentially suffered a nervous breakdown, conservatives now must turn to two fundamental goals. First, we must stop the destructive policy initiatives of the Obama Administration and the liberal left now ruling in Washington (first prediction for 2009: the loony, far left Congress will consistently make the ultraliberal Obama Administration look moderate by comparison). Secondly, we must lay the foundation for our political comeback. Here is what we must do to achieve these goals: Return to the Grassroots First and most important is to build up mighty, grassroots...

What lessons are to be learned from recent news that conservative advocacy group, Freedom’s Watch (FW), is shutting their doors? Mistakes of 2008 must be the stepping stones upon which the future of the conservative movement is built. Here are some thoughts on the FW collapse: 1) Speak softly and carry a big stick. FW turned this concept on its head. From the onset they proclaimed themselves to be the “conservative answer” to MoveOn.org. In addition, they made public the fact they were planning to raise $200million for the 2008 cycle, falling embarrassingly short at $30million. Making public their lofty...

GOP Reform: From The Skagit Grassroots Up Welcome! This blog/forum has been created to serve as the Skagit County headquarters of patriotic conservatives working to rebuild and revitalize the GOP from the grassroots up. Our goal is to: build a network of activists, each contributing in his or her own unique way; connected by traditional ideas and ideals, policies and principles; to disseminate core Republican beliefs to fellow Americans; and, to support and elect candidates to office who will implement our agenda in the public arena.The work begins today and it begins right here in Skagit County. We are not...

Obama calls on his Internet campaign army to march again WASHINGTON — President-elect Barack Obama's 3 million campaign volunteers got re-enlistment notices this week. Campaign manager David Plouffe, in a mass e-mail sent Wednesday to former workers, asked how much time they can spare for four missions integral to Obama's effort to transform his victory into a broader political movement. The volunteers' options are, Plouffe wrote: Campaign for progressive state and local candidatesUndertake grassroots local efforts to advance Obama's agendaTrain others in Obama's organizing techniquesFocus on local political issues. "Obama's building a political machine," said Stephen Hess, a presidential scholar...

REAGAN at CPAC: “Our people look for a cause to believe in. Is it a third party we need, or is it a new and revitalized second party, raising a banner of no pale pastels, but bold colors which make it unmistakably clear where we stand on all of the issues troubling the people?” “A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell its numbers.”

A Democrat is poised to take the reins of power in Washington, D.C., and Fresno resident Jim Robinson is feeling a sense of déjà vu. It was President Clinton's 1992 election that sparked Robinson's political activism, driving him to create a Web site that made him a grass-roots leader among conservatives before Clinton's term was over. This year, as Barack Obama prepares to sweep into office on another tide of Democratic votes, Robinson and denizens of that Web site, freerepublic.com, are preparing to do battle again. "We'll double and redouble our efforts to fight for what is right," Robinson says....

Back in the beginning when the Fairness Doctrine was abolished, the field was wide open for anyone who could connect with an audience. Up until then, radio stations who could only broadcast via AM radio were a dying breed. Most of them had changed their formats to broadcast via FM transmitters. The AM stations were lucky if they could sell enough add time for summertime baseball, local sports wrap ups, or farm information programs to pay a live body to be in the studio. There were certain markets that seemed to be somewhat successful with the numerous “Tradio” type shows...

8 years ago our beloved W (Dubya) was elected and now we have an H (Aitch). I am in total shock that our United States elected someone we know next to nothing about. With so many unanswered questions why did it not matter to almost 55% of Americans? I am in shock that Murtha was re-elected. I am in shock that the polls were right. Now is the time to not over-react, but to begin laying a foundation for a future victory. What issues are good ones for a grass roots movement? Abortion? Faith? Flat Tax? Property rights? It is...

And so it is, that we find ourselves on the eve of a historic election for America. No elections are without profound consequences, but not since 1980 has America been faced with such a stark political and ideological dichotomy. John McCain is not the perfect conservative, but whatever his faults, John McCain is now all that stands between Reagan’s America and a disastrous turn toward socialism. With Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi in charge of our Congress, and a President Obama ensconced in the Oval Office, leftist redistributionist policy will flow like water. Taxes hikes, profligate spending, and government expansion...

Yes "Joe" the Gardener, NOT "Jose"!

Neighbor to Neighbor: Reach Out to Voters in your Community This campaign is built on the belief that everyday Americans, when organized and focused, can change their country. Now you can have an even greater impact on your community. Start today by logging in to our new voter contact tool to find voters near you, or in a critical battleground state, to reach out to. You can go door to door or make calls at any time that’s convenient for you. Ordinary Americans reaching out to ordinary Americans is going to make the real impact in this election, and we're...

Extensive research was conducted by the Jawa Report to determine the source of smears directed toward Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Those smears included false allegations that she belonged to a secessionist political party and that she has radical anti-American views. Our research suggests that a subdivision of one of the largest public relations firms in the world most likely started and promulgated rumors about Sarah Palin that were known to be false. These rumors were spread in a surreptitious manner to avoid exposure.