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Chairman's Corner Filing Week 2009 Arrives
There's No Such Thing As An "Off Year" Filing Week is upon us, an important week in our state and as American as baseball and apple pie. That's because Filing Week is the time when candidates file to appear on the ballot in the upcoming August and November elections.
Some people refer to odd-numbered years as "off years" in politics, because the most prominent political races (President, Governor, Congress, State Legislature) appear on the ballot in even-numbered years. But there's no such thing as an "off year" at the Washington State Republican Party. In fact, there are many important races at the county and local levels this year, along with some critical special elections.
There are three special State House races (to fill the remainders of unfinished terms) in the South Central and South East part of our state, and we intend to win all three of them this November. If we are successful in all three we will see a net increase in the number of Republicans in the State House, which is an exciting prospect.
All the negative news at the national level - from skyrocketing deficits, threats of tax increases, fears from increased inflation to choices that endanger our national security - is a potent reminder of how important it is to have people in elected office who share our principles. Filing Week is our opportunity to encourage good Republicans to get involved to serve the public at all levels of government.
Elections have consequences. When we feel too few of our elected representatives share our values, it's time to redouble our efforts to get the Republican message to voters and elect as many Republicans as possible. I hope you'll join us to work on the many opportunities that exist in 2009, which is an "on year" as far as we're concerned.
Sincerely,
Chairman Luke Esser |
Hastings & McMorris Rodgers Blast Dam Removal
Removing dams on the Snake River has been a hot-button topic for years. Despite progress toward a consensus of keeping these critical dams in place while enhancing salmon runs, improving salmon habitat and increasing hatchery efforts, a federal judge in Portland is stirring the hornets' nest by putting dam removal back on the table.
Congressman Doc Hastings is understandably upset, saying, "Instead of moving forward with a plan supported by nearly all parties involved, the judge has chosen to fight for the interests of dam removal extremists." Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers responded with an OpEd in the Spokesman-Review arguing that hydroelectricity is environmentally responsible, critical to our state's economy, and that dams and salmon can coexist. Let's hope science and common sense prevail in this debate. |
Don't Faint, It's Just Your Share of The Federal Debt
Few things are as fun as spending someone else's money, but Obama and the Democrats aren't content to merely spend wealth that already exists. They're only too happy to rack up huge deficits, to be paid by future generations. After all, the voters of tomorrow can't vote against them today, so what's the harm? USA Today decided to total up the government's debt. Divided up among all American households, your household's share of the federal debt is $546,668. Looks like you'll have to work a few more years before you can retire...
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Newest Sotomayor Fan Club Chapter: The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times Editorial Board weighed in with an endorsement of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor earlier this week. We'll save until later debating the merits of her dubious record (which the Times managed to describe, with apparent sincerity, as "legal brilliance"). However, the description by the Times of the U.S. Constitution simply has to be seen to be believed. They wrote, "The Constitution is not a set of abstract rules but laws that require understanding of how they affect real people." Certainly there are many on the political left who share this perspective, but the better view is represented by Thomas Jefferson: "In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution." |
President Finds Little Support For Closing Gitmo, Bringing Terrorists Here
It was an article of faith among his liberal supporters: housing terrorists at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, was unconscionable, a lawless overreaction to the global terrorist threat. So, candidate Barack Obama them that, as president, he would shut it down.
But a few hiccups have emerged along the way. New polling data shows that, across demographic groups, Americans strongly oppose shutting the detention center down and bringing these terrorists to American soil. So Democrats in Congress lost the courage of their convictions, and now aren't prepared to oppose the public and close down Gitmo. Now the president finds himself between a voting public opposing his promise and a cowed Congress on one side, and his most passionate supporters on the other. The result will be, if nothing else, entertaining. |
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