Tag Archives: Midtown Republican Club

State Party Talks Election

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“Our focus will be on the Obama economy,” said Adam Nickas, executive director of the Tennessee Republican Party at the Midtown Republican Club meeting last night. “Obama wants to talk about anything but the economy, but he owns it and he made it.

“There are two numbers you need to know in this campaign: 8.2 and 4.7. The 8.2 is our current unemployment number under Obama. The 4.7 is the unemployment number in Massachusetts when Governor Romney left. This is a crucial election. It will effect generations to come,” Nickas said.

“On the state level we’ve had great Republican leadership. Our party has reduced Tennessee’s budget by 2%. We saw more tax cuts than any in recent history, rolling back the gift tax and the grocery tax. We saved taxpayers 1/4 million dollars by leaving early,” he said of the legislature’s last session.

“I’m confident about our chances in the fall. We are only two seats away from a super majority in the House and Senate.”

Nickas smiled as he discussed the issue of voter ID which Tennessee now requires. “I love it when Democrats talk about voter ID. Polls show that 92% of Tennesseans agree with the requirement.” As for disenfranchising anyone, Nickas observes “we’re trying to disenfranchise people who aren’t eligible to vote.”

Justin Joy, Shelby GOP chairman, added that “Tennessee state law requires us to verify addresses. We are only upholding the law,” he said, in regard to the recent charges brought up by Rep. Steve Cohen and the local Democrat party.

Joy continued. “If you haven’t voted in the past two November elections – that would be for president and governor – then you go to the inactive rolls. But you can still vote,” Joy said.

“What I’m really concerned about is voter apathy in August,” Joy said. “We want everyone to know about the Aug. 2 election. We need poll watchers. You can go to ShelbyGOP.com to sign up.” He also wanted everyone to know that headquarters is now open at Carrefour mall.

Joy agreed with Nickas who reminded us that “races are won or lost in Midtown.”

That’s a very heavy responsibility for us Republican Midtowners. As in 2010, let’s hope we all get out the vote and swing it our way.

Yes, CA, There Are Republicans in Midtown

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It was surprising to find the Midtown Republican Club mentioned in an article in yesterday’s Commercial Appeal. Twice. Albeit it was in one of the stories they call “PolitiFact Tennessee” that purports to find the truth in politicians’ statements.

“Flinn not the ‘chicken’ Bergmann claims him to be” was the headline. Incidentally, has their Politifact “truth-o-meter” ever found a Republican in the state to be truthful? If there was one, I missed it, as they tend to be hit pieces parading as journalism.

This one concerned whether Charlotte Bergmann was correct that Dr. George Flinn dodges debates with her. We were mentioned because of our March 27 candidates forum where neither candidate showed. Both sent substitutes. What the Commercial Appeal failed to report was that another candidate, Wilson Stooksberry, did show up. He did address our group and won over supporters.

You would think that they might report on all candidates. Seems like what we get today is selective journalism.

Still, liberals could not have been too happy to find out that there actually are Republicans in Midtown, living amongst them. Midtown is supposed to be a liberal bastion that stops the contagion of East Memphis conservatism from spreading too far.

I hope more conservative Midtowners realize that they are not alone and that they have a great asset in our club. Anyone interested in joining should know that we welcome all. Our focus is to help voters meet the candidates, get informed on their platforms so that they can vote knowledgeably and let their neighbors know, too. Nowhere else can you get to meet a gubernatorial candidate, congressional and even Senate candidate and ask him or her questions personally.

And, get to meet neighbors who think like you do.

It’s also a great resource to promote your favorite to whatever degree you like – making phone calls, donating to campaigns or just spreading the word.

The next time you see an Obama sign pop up in a neighbor’s yard, don’t get mad. Look into the Midtown Republican Club and find a great outlet for change.

Final Thoughts from John Ryder

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After explaining the Republican primary process to members of the Midtown Republican Club Tuesday night, RNC member John Ryder gave some thoughts on the whole presidential process.

Now that the primary has effectively ended, Ryder talked about what it means to have a presumptive nominee and how it changes everything. “It’s important because” money can now flow. We can release fund raising. Secondly, we can integrate the operations. The convention is August 27 through August 31, so we come into the Labor Day weekend with about sixty days to the election. When you think that early voting can begin 30 days before the election, people can vote in some areas within six weeks of the election.”

Now Romney can begin to discuss what differentiates him from Obama instead of taking aim at our Republican candidates. The debates turned off some voters, Ryder acknowledged, and many Republicans thought there were too many. “Actually, there were two fewer this year than in 2008,” he said. “They got huge viewership, which was a good thing. And what’s wrong with that? As a Republican, I liked finding out about the candidates.”

Many viewers chafed at the questions asked and the tone of the moderators during the debates. “The moderators were not our friends,” Ryder agreed. “But the debates are almost impossible for us to control. We have no leverage. We are looking at an NFL type approach; that is getting a package deal to broadcast them. My preference would be to limit a debate to four candidates, each with 15 minutes to answer why they should be president, then a rebuttal. I want a thoughtful answer, not a bumper sticker one.”

Like most of us, Ryder said “I really believe this is the most important election of our time. As a lawyer I hate Obama’s disdain for the Constitution. His recess appointments to the National Labor Relations board when the Senate was still in session, Obamacare and other things are wildly unconstitutional. His duty is to uphold and defend the Constitution, but he has instructed his Justice Department not to support the Defense of Marriage Act that was passed by Congress. He told Homeland Security regarding immigration to act in ways that don’t support the Constitution either.”

Ryder sees the June 5 election challenge to Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker as a “race that will set the tone for the presidential election. If you can send Walker $20, do it.”

Ryder Explains the Primary Process

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New Tennessee U.S. Congressional Districts

New Tennessee U.S. Congressional Districts, (click to view full size).

Old Tennessee U.S. Congressional Districts

Old Tennessee U.S. Congressional Districts, (Click to view full size).

The long, grueling and sometimes frustrating primary season Republicans have just about finished was explained at length by John Ryder at Tuesday’s Midtown Republican Club.

Mr. Ryder has been involved in the reforming of the presidential process with the RNC for years. “The concern has been that we’ve been in a one day primary,” the Memphian said. “The nominee should not, in my opinion, be elected by four states. I want to make more states relevant. I believe that Tennessee has citizens with as great an intelligence, judgement and foresight as Iowa or New Hampshire. The people of the Granite State are not as intelligent as Tennesseans – I’ve met them,” Ryder said with a smile.

He went on to detail the different ideas the RNC has wrestled with to ensure a more open and fair primary.

“In ’92 we adopted reforms that used incentives and gave bonuses to states to hold their primaries later; as a result six states moved their primary dates forward. In the next changes six more states moved forward and in 2000 60% of delegates were elected on a single day.

“Then we had the Delaware plan. States were ranked from smallest to largest with the idea that nobody could assemble a majority until the big states weighed in. Eight years later we had another variation the McCain campaign didn’t like but we avoided any floor fights and got the right to change the rules.

“We got a temporary committee to draft a change in the rules and voted in 2010 out from the shadow of the presidential campaign. The temporary delegate committee met for two years and we came up with the final plan. It carves out four states: Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada. They got free reign to have their primaries before the first of April but the votes have to be proportional in allocation of delegates. After that date, the states are free to allocate delegates as they wish.

Ryder pointed out that in 2008 the Democrats used the proportionality plan all the way to the convention. “We (at the RNC) thought that made for too much blood letting and spending of money. We wanted to have the four early states, proportional delegates and the rest of the states would have the choice of proportionality and most chose it.

“The fly in the ointment was Florida. They moved their date up. The Florida legislature wanted two things: 1. the power of being an early player and 2. the benefit of money pouring into the state from campaign advertising, trips and hotel rooms.

South Carolina, Ryder said, is a different matter. “The South Carolina Republican Party pays for the election (vs. the state), but then asks candidates to pay for it. They get enough from it to fund the local party for four years. Texas produces 11,000 delegates while there are only 2400 in the national convention.

“You see with 50 states you have 50 different political cultures. Each variation reflects the politics of that state. We thought our plan was a good idea to steer away from a national day. Before we elected a majority of delegates before Super Tuesday. This was the first time that fewer delegates were voted in on Super Tuesday.

Ryder said Tennessee may jump in and move up their date next time.

Tomorrow: What it means to be the presumptive candidate and Ryder’s thoughts on the debates.

A Glimpse at Redistricting Tonight

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The Midtown Republican Club will hear Memphis attorney and RNC committeeman John Ryder about his redistricting plans and their effects on the 2012 election.

He will be our guest tonight at 6 at Cafe Eclectic on North McLean.

Mr. Ryder sent this information today about a new plan at the RNC:

“Today the Republican National Committee (RNC) launched the GOP Social Victory Center (SVC), a cutting edge online application that harnesses the power of Facebook to equip voters with the tools to be directly involved in the political process. Simply by signing in through their Facebook accounts, users can find ways to volunteer in their local areas, make calls into battleground states, access exclusive news and multimedia from the RNC, find and create local political events, and engage with activists across the country. The SVC can be accessed at https://apps.facebook.com/social-victory

“With the Social Victory Center, we are revolutionizing the way activists and volunteers participate in Republican campaigns,” said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. “We’re breaking down geographic borders and connecting users to a nationwide grassroots network and a wealth of political resources.

“Digital technology is more important than ever in this election, which is why I am proud of what Republicans can offer voters with the Social Victory Center. With the SVC and our extensive on-the-ground efforts in battleground states, Republicans are fully equipped to fire Barack Obama and take back the White House,” he said.

“The SVC, which leverages the technology of Facebook and Eventbrite, will give Republicans a distinct advantage in this campaign,” said RNC Political Director Rick Wiley. “The Social Victory Center opens the door to new volunteer opportunities and discussions to grassroots supporters who would otherwise not have the opportunity to participate. We are confident it will prove an important asset in voter contacts and Get Out the Vote efforts.”

“This is the new frontier in digital political activism and will open new doors to political engagement,” said RNC Digital Strategy Director Tyler Brown. “It offers us the opportunity to better communicate with and listen to our grassroots supporters on a daily basis–especially young voters, who compose a larger share of Facebook’s 161 million active American users.”

Campaign Season

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Many of us forget that aside from the Super Tuesday presidential primary on March 6 that there are other elections on that day in Shelby County.

Four candidates made there way to last night’s Midtown Republican Club meeting to talk to voters.

Steve Basar is running for County Commission seat district 1, position 3. Saying he wants to emphasize “prosperity over politics” Basar says his platform would be to “grow our business, boost education, reduce government spending and reduce taxes.”

The manager of OTC supply planning at pharmaceutical firm Merck, Basar notes that one our of four new jobs in the Memphis area are in the medical community. “We have a Silicon Valley under our feet,” he says.

Basar faces Marilyn Loeffel in the March primary. Learn more about him at votestevebasar.com.

Two other candidates who aspire to be Shelby County Assessor of Property introduced themselves. They want to oust Cheyenne Johnson from her current position.

“I’m an Alex P. Keaton type,” said Randy Lawson, referring to his banking and real estate background. “I have the array of skills that make me qualified and I will bring these to reduce the cost of government. I’m the only one talking about doing that,” he said. The current system we have “costs too much and gets it wrong. Our current property assessments cost two and a half times more than other counties.” You can find out more about him at his website, electrandy.org. He also has a YouTube channel.

The other candidate, Tim Walton, says he is “the only certified appraiser in the race.” He’s been appointed to the state commission by Governor Haslam. He wants assessments to “be fair and reflect what it is actually going for.” There is more about him at electwalton.com.

Rick Rout, whose last name is well known in Memphis politics, is running for General Sessions Court Clerk. It was won by Otis Jackson, who was then indicted and replaced by interim clerk Ed Stanton. “I want to turn this office back into a revenue generating office. Right now it gives a $108,000 salary to a clerk who talks to his lawyer every day and interim who doesn’t do anything all day.”

Probate Court Clerk Paul Boyd also stopped by and said he will be a delegate at the Republican National Convention. He is on the ballot and asks that Shelby County Republicans elect him to go.

Interview with Marsha Blackburn

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Marsha Blackburn, left, with Georgeann King

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, left, with Georgeann King.

Although she will lose parts of Shelby County in the redistricting, Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn stopped by Memphis today and was nice enough to sit down and talk to me this morning over coffee.

Mrs. Blackburn, one of our Republican stars in Congress, has earned my admiration since the days she was in the Tennessee legislature and sneaked out to call talk radio and sound the alarm on an attempt by the Democrats to pass a state income tax. It failed – thankfully – and Mrs. Blackburn went on to win the 7th district Congressional seat in Tennessee. Since there she has been a champion of personal liberty, standing up against Obamacare, tax hikes and the light bulb ban.

We touched on all those topics this morning.

The first business Congress will be taking up is the budget. Mrs. Blackburn says this year’s will be similar to Rep. Paul Ryan’s attempt last year. She wants to see across the board cuts every year in discretionary spending and has introduced a bill to freeze discretionary spending. The budget will require departments to work their way down, because she believes “bureaucracies can spare a dollar.”

Blackburn expects the Supreme Court will strike down Obamacare, which is good news. She would like to see a “Travelocity concept for health care so that an individual could see what’s available across state lines and choose whatever he or she wants.” Her Health Care Choice Act lets seniors age 65-70 who are still working stay with their own insurance and get premium support to offset costs.

As for the ban on incandescent bulbs, Blackburn was instrumental in getting it lifted for another year. “You can still buy them,” she said, offering that “you can get them by the case at Home Depot.” Friends have told her that they, too, are stocking up.

A grandmother who has two grandchildren ages 2 and 3, says she cooks lunch for her family every Sunday. She travels from Washington to Nashville and says she hopes she will find time to stop by a Midtown Republican Club meeting before Memphis is completely out of her district.

I asked her about the Commercial Appeal’s recent “Truth-O-Meter” article that targeted her. It questioned that she “is battling for freedom of choice for energy inefficient light bulbs” and found her statement “mostly false.” PolitiFact denied “that it strips away our freedom of choice and selection in the light bulbs we have in our homes.” Blackburn laughed that they had to admit later that she was correct.

She offered her site, www.blackburn.house.gov. as an alternate – and correct – source of information on what she’s doing for voters. Also, she is on facebook and twitter, which give her another opportunity to communicate with her constituency and those of us who wish we were.

Blackburn is optimistic that Republicans will keep the House in this year’s elections. “My biggest fear, though, is complacency,” she said, referring also to the presidential election.

As yet she has no Democrat opponent, and we’ll hope it stays that way because Tennessee needs Mrs. Blackburn in Congress working for us and for all freedom loving Americans.

Our New Director

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Cory Higdon

Club member Ruth Henderson looks on as Cory Higdon speaks.

Republicans are thinking about the presidential race, but Cory Higdon has a warning.

The new executive director for the Shelby GOP reminds us that “before November we have August and we have races we will have to fight for.” Specifically, Higdon mentioned the Assessor of Property, District Attorney General and County Commission seats in Memphis. “We are on defense in Tennessee for protecting our House and Senate wins from 2010,” he reminded us at last night’s Midtown Republican Club meeting.

Of course, the primaries are in March, but “local elections are just as important as federal ones,” he said. “With redistricting, we may be able to pick up two more seats in the state House and Senate,” which would mean we could overcome any obstacles the other side might place in voting. “We will also work to “our majority in the U.S. House and hope to take over the Senate.”

In Shelby County Higdon sees us losing perhaps a house and two state senate seats. “We’ll know soon since the legislature resumes this month and will take that up right away. Then we will know where the seats are and start handling the lawsuits.”

“How can you be involved in helping us win this year?” Higdon asked. “We will need people to help make phone calls and with precinct mailings. January 14 is our 2012 kickoff event at the Devonshire Club House in Germantown. We’ll have DA Amy Weirich plus state and local officials to help us get started and get excited about 2012.”

Then there is the 2012 Lincoln Day Dinner, held this year on February 10 at the Holiday Inn across from the University of Memphis. A speaker will be announced soon.

Higdon will be working on all these projects. We are lucky to be the only county in the entire state which has a full time employee in this post. He’ll get a workout this year.

45

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Mitchell Morrison of Shelby GOP attended the Midtown Republican Club meeting and told us something shocking.

He was there to solicit membership for the Shelby GOP. It stands on its own without any financial help from the state party or the RNC. It has to support candidates, cover office expenses and pay the salary for our director, Cory Higdon.

But Morrison told us that only 45 people in the city of Memphis and Shelby County are paid members.

Granted, Memphis is Democrat territory. But 45 people? Come on. Membership is just $25 for the year. Many people probably spend that on coffee in a month.

When people complain about the party not searching out good candidates or challenging the city administration, they have to ask themselves what they have contributed. We cannot operate out of thin air. If you want more Republican activism, it starts with you.

Go ShelbyGOP.org and click the link at the top right box that says “Join the Party.” It doesn’t commit you to attending meetings, making phone calls or knocking on doors. You won’t be required to do a thing, but you will be helping our candidates and helping the city towards better governance.

It says a lot about the leadership that the Aug. 5, 2010 election resulted in almost a complete slate of Republican officials. Just think what they could do if we had thousands of members.