http://gop.com/index.php/blog/ en Copyright 2010 2010-03-11T21:11:26+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/i_repeat_myself_when_under_stress_i_repeat/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/i_repeat_myself_when_under_stress_i_repeat/#When:21:11:26Z It's getting kind of old, isn't it? President Obama started pushing his health care takeover nearly a year ago. 52 speeches later, he is still pushing it. Sometimes it seems like the President is so shocked by the public's refusal to just shut up and accept his Brilliant Enlightened All-Things-To-All-People Health Care Plan that he is actually incapable of changing the subject. But there is a twisted logic at work behind the seeming chaos that's taken over the White House. The President does have a plan. His unyielding health care campaign is designed not to win you over but to wear you down, in the hope that at some point you'll just throw your hands up and say, "Fine, do whatever you want, just shut up and leave me alone." And it's not just you that he's going after! The President, recognizing that many legislators' careers hang in the balance, is attempting to use the looming threat of electoral rejection to persuade Congress to pass his nightmarish bill and be done with it. He knows that they don't want to be talking about this monstrosity two weeks from now, let alone in the fall. That's why he's telling them to swallow their pride in the name of ObamaCare - if only so he'll change the subject. It's leadership by attrition; hardly inspiring, potentially effective, and undoubtedly worrying in a free society. Want to know more? Then click here for some concrete examples of this bizarre tactic in action. Barack Obama does have a plan, but sooner or later he'll figure out that the only thing that he's wearing down is the American people's tolerance for his presidency. Health care 2010-03-11T21:11:26+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/recommended_reading_the_health_bill_is_scary/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/recommended_reading_the_health_bill_is_scary/#When:17:59:24Z Senator and physician Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) wrote an excellent piece in today's Wall Street Journal emphasizing the dangers of the Democrats' dangerous health care experiment: I recently suggested that seniors will die sooner if Congress actually implements the Medicare cuts in the health-care bill put forward by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. My colleagues who defend the bill-none of whom have practiced medicine-predictably dismissed my concern as a scare tactic. They are wrong. Every American, not just seniors, should know that the rationing provisions in the Reid bill will not only reduce their quality of life, but their life spans as well. ... Read the rest of the article. Take action. Health care 2009-12-17T17:59:24+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/representative_democracy/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/representative_democracy/#When:20:37:24Z At 11:30pm on Wednesday night, Sen. Harry Reid released his version of the health care bill. Clocking in at 2,074 pages, the table of contents alone is 14 pages deep. Reid’s government-run health care experiment costs over a staggering $2.5 trillion after ten years of full implementation – which equates to $1.2 billion per page, $6.8 million per word. This bill is overwhelming in terms of its size, complexity, impact on our quality of life and our economy. It will raise taxes, cut Medicare benefits for seniors, raise health care costs, and lead to government interference in doctor-patient relationships. Chock full of legal jargon and political loop-holes, even the most steadfast members of Congress will be hard-pressed to comprehend this arduous bill before debate on it begins on Saturday. Adequate time for a responsible, thorough review by all members of Congress is essential before the first vote, because Senators should make sure that this bill will “do no harm” to our health care system. And once they actually read the legislation, they’ll see that government-run health care will be disastrous. Equally important, the American public deserves to understand the ins-and-outs of this government takeover of health care before their Senators vote on it, on their behalf. But with health care reform approval ratings plummeting, time is the enemy of the Democrats who want to mask the hidden costs and pitfalls of their bill. Contact your Senators now by calling the Capitol Switchboard at (202)-224-3121 to let them know how you feel about the bill and attend any town hall meetings over the Thanksgiving recess to let your voice be heard - this is a representative democracy after all. Health care 2009-11-20T20:37:24+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/starting_at_1pm_et_pelosi_plan_exposed/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/starting_at_1pm_et_pelosi_plan_exposed/#When:17:10:23Z Watch “Pelosi Plan Exposed: 12 Truths about PelosiCare and Republican Alternatives.” Over the course of 12 hours we will take an in-depth look at the Pelosi health care bill set for a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives in the coming days. We will also explore common-sense Republican alternatives and explain why they will give the American people the health care reform they need and deserve. This will be a 12-hour live online telecast beginning at 1pm ET today and can be seen at http://www.gop.com/index.php/12truths/ Topics Will Include: Health Care & Small Business Health Care & Taxes Health Care & Seniors Health Care & The Economy Health Care & Your Money Health Care & The Culture Of Life Health Care & Low Income Households And Rural America Health Care & Families And Women Health Care & Young Americans Health Care & Patients And Doctors Health Care & States Health care 2009-11-05T17:10:23+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/five-minute_online_actions_for_victory_in_virginia/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/five-minute_online_actions_for_victory_in_virginia/#When:15:29:07Z Election Day 2009 is less then a week away in Virginia and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob McDonnell needs the help and support of online activists more then ever. Here is a list of a few “5-minute online actions” that will help support the campaign and push the GOP across the finish line to VICTORY! Go to website of Bob McDonnell and email positive stories, campaign videos and endorsements to family, friends and co-workers. Research shows that a persuasive messaging resonates well when it is received by one’s peers. Become a supporter of Bob McDonnell’s Facebook page. This is a great way to get the latest updates in the final hours of the campaign. Set your Facebook or Twitter picture or status to show your support on Election Day. The average Facebook user has over 150 friends and the average Twitter user has 126 followers; this is a perfect opportunity to remind your friends, family and followers to get out and VOTE! (Donate your status to Bob McDonnell) Join the group for Bob McDonnell in OurGOP: the Republican Action Network for more ways to get involved! Elections 2009-10-30T15:29:07+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/get_involved_its_campaign_season/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/get_involved_its_campaign_season/#When:15:42:56Z Regardless of where you live, join the fight to take back the NJ and VA For most of the country it’s a campaign off-year. A time to relax and wait for the next cycle to begin.  For those in New Jersey and Virginia, we’re in the midst of a political battle. Both states currently have Democratic  leadership and the Republican Party is looking to change the tide and take back those states. We have strong Republican candidates across both states – but they still need your help to achieve victory on November 3rd! For those living in or near NJ and VA, you have the opportunity to take part in the action; to walk door to door to get the message out in person in your neighborhoods with your family and friends. Victory office locations are listed here for Virginia and here for New Jersey. If you’re unable to travel to either state, please consider helping from the comfort of your own home. For example, now you can access call lists for VA candidate Bob McDonnell at http://call.bobmcdonnell.com/ and call voters from your home or cell phone!   I hope you will consider volunteering your time and being a part of the GOP fight. Let’s put these two states back in the hands of responsible Republicans and set the tone for 2010. Elections 2009-10-23T15:42:56+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/fiscal_conservatism_is_conservationism/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/fiscal_conservatism_is_conservationism/#When:19:26:57Z Thankfully, the RNC is attracting new donors daily to the cause of electing Republicans to public office.  As we get closer to election time, it becomes increasingly important that we find ways to decrease our operating costs in order to provide more money and resources to Party-building activities and candidate support.  As discussed in a prior Blog, I encourage energy efficiency in our office, to the point of being called a “Dad.”  We periodically send a few ideas to our employees to help reduce our expenses and conserve resources, and I wanted to share our latest tips with you: It's a turn-off. Shut down your computer, monitor, printer, lights, those energy hogging space heaters, and electrical equipment before leaving your office, even if it's just for a couple of hours.  Be a good neighbor and turn off any lights that neighbors may have left on after they have gone home for the day.  And neighbors don't turn against neighbors for being thoughtful enough to punch out your lights; Pass on handouts. Eliminate excess handouts at meetings by e-mailing copies of presentation and documents, display them on a screen during the presentation, or have them posted on the internet, intranet, a shared drive or burned to a CD. If you must have handouts, at least double-side copy them (Two Sides are Better than One!); and Printing panache. Before you print something or make a copy, ask yourself if you really need it. If you do print it, don't forget to pick it up--so you can avoid printing twice! Print double-sided whenever possible and print only the pages that you need. Did you know that a typical laser printer consumes as much as 600 watts of power when printing and 12 when idle? Remember: Conserving is Conservative. Boyd K. RutherfordRNC Chief Administrative OfficerFormer Assistant Secretary for Administration,U.S. Department of Agriculture, andFormer Secretary, Maryland Department of General Services Energy 2009-10-22T19:26:57+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/rise_of_the_imperial_friendship_fairness_czar/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/rise_of_the_imperial_friendship_fairness_czar/#When:20:16:46Z With an ever-increasing number of Czar appointments by President Obama, it has become clear that no position is too absurd. In an effort to assist in adding another cumbersome bureaucratic layer to government and to help properly ensure the basic human right of friendship to all Americans, a new Friendship Fairness Czar has recently been appointed. Tasked with the daunting responsibility of making sure that every  Facebook user is equal, this new Czar will help redistribute the wealth of friendship from those who are too popular to those who are poor in friends. Please immediately report to the Friendship Fairness Administration on Facebook for your assessment.  Details of how the position of Friendship Fairness Czar works are superfluous. The Czar may or may not have been properly vetted.  The most important thing is that disparity in the number of Facebook friendships is ended. 2009-10-20T20:16:46+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/following_the_administrations_every_move/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/following_the_administrations_every_move/#When:17:04:50Z If it’s a busy day for the Obama Administration, it’s a busy day for us at the RNC Research Department. On Recovery.gov, the White House just released the number of “jobs created or saved” as reported by federal contractors: 30,383. That’s less than 6 jobs “created or saved” per federal contractor … which is a far cry from the White House’s claim last month that at least 600,000 jobs “created or saved” by the stimulus. RNC Research was all over it, noting that Obama will be reporting 3 different stimulus job counts in the span of 2 months, estimates that have proven to be completely unreliable, all in an effort to turn Americans away from the reality that America has lost over 2.6 million jobs since Obama’s stimulus passed. Vice President Joe Biden, otherwise known as Dr. Gaffe, is on the road today, visiting Minnesota to raise money for the DNC. It’ll be costly for any Minnesotan to shake hands with Biden today, with the minimum donation at $7,600 per person or $15,200 per couple. But our research shows that Biden’s health care experiment will be very costly for the “Land Of 10,000 Lakes,” threatening 60,000 Minnesotans employed in the medical innovation industry. President Obama is on the road too, heading West to San Francisco to do the same thing his VP is doing today: raising money for the DNC. But remember what Obama said the last time he was in San Francisco for a political fundraiser, calling folks in heartland America “bitter” and “cling[ing] to guns or religion … as a way to explain their frustrations.” It certainly wasn’t the last time Obama looked down on the plight of American citizens. Don’t forget to check out more Democrat foibles in the “Stomping Grounds” blog and follow us on Twitter account for all the latest updates, keeping Democrats accountable and promoting Republican solutions: http://twitter.com/RNCResearch. Economy, Health care, New Media, Taxes 2009-10-15T17:04:50+00:00 http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/new_blog_posts_this_morning/ http://www.gop.com/index.php/blog/comments/new_blog_posts_this_morning/#When:16:17:26Z Be sure to check out Stomping Grounds:  Who's Overseeing Medicare And Medicaid? Communications: Tricky Business of Job Counting Economy, Health care 2009-10-15T16:17:26+00:00