MAY 2009 NEWSLETTER

Letter from the Chair: Take It To The Streets!


Dear Fellow Republican,


Last week I was privileged to meet our RNC Chairman, Michael Steele, at a
reception in southern California for minority Republican elected officials
and candidates. "Get involved! Take it to the streets!" he said. The only
way we will prevail is by getting involved and recruiting others - we can
all do our part to get more Republicans elected and more Republican ideas
enacted.
We can all take some inspiration from our Teen Republicans, who continue to
engage their liberal classmates and teachers in intelligent debates. Read
below about one of our Teen Republicans, my former intern Keith Pence, who
has been elected student body president of Marin Catholic High School on top
of being president of the Republican Club.
Join your fellow Republicans at our annual Lincoln Dinner on June 5th in San
Rafael. Our speaker this year is California Republican Party Chair Ron
Nehring. Ron is also the RNC "Chair of Chairs," leading all of the state
party chairs in streamlining operations and communications and helping
Michael Steele mobilize the party.
We'll also be honoring a Republican Business Owner of the Year and
distributing our Marin Republican-Owned Businesses Guide. If you would like
your business to appear in this guide, please email me at
chair@maringop.org. The fee to be included is only $20, and you will help
people who want to patronize Republican-owned businesses to find you!
See you on June 5th!


Sincerely,
Sashi McEntee
Chair, Marin County Republican Central Committee



Lincoln's Legacy: The Union and the Republican Party
by Ajee Salkhi

April 14th marked the 144th anniversary of the assassination of Abraham
Lincoln. Consequently, it becomes relevant and important to explore this
landmark leader and his transcendent skills that served as the mortar for
unifying a union during trying and tumultuous times. His presidency made
possible the realization of some of the most important American dreams of
the time, namely nationalizing the currency while growing the economy during
Western expansion with the help of the transcontinental railroad. Lincoln's
challenges were unprecedented--a mere two months after his election, seven
southern states seceded from the United States to create a new competing
union, The Confederacy. Not long after his inauguration in 1860, Lincoln
experienced peak hostility from the South. The Confederates transferred
currency from the U.S Mint into their location while seizing all federal
property, with the exception of Fort Sumter in South Carolina and Fort
Pickens in Florida. With few other options, the President created provisions
to monitor Sumter--an aggressive act causing the secession of four
additional southern states and ultimately the beginning of the Civil War.

The years between 1861 and 1865 saw over 10,000 battles across 16 states
resulting in over 600,000 casualties. This bloodshed as well as the
political ramifications surrounding the Civil War has ensured that Lincoln
will never be forgotten. As a result of the war, the Union was preserved,
over four million slaves were emancipated, and perhaps most importantly,
individual liberty was restored as the vanguard of the national mindset and
ideals. The means to such ends remain debatable given the suspension of The
Writ of Habeas Corpus, the institution of the first military draft, and
censorship or even shutting down of many critical newspapers. History also
does not forget the falsities employed by Lincoln to manipulate and convince
congressmen to pass many of his initiatives. In addition, Lincoln was known
to reserve well-paying positions for supporters and remove cabinet members
to mollify political opposition--methods which admittedly are less than
admirable. These decisions, however, become debatable in consideration of
the results and progress they permitted. One could argue that the ends
justified the means. While hindsight may make decisions made during
Lincoln's presidency seem atrocious; one must remember Lincoln's limited and
challenging position.

A decade long battle over the expansion of slavery gave way to the
creation of the Republican Party, a birth which is inextricably tied to the
advancement of Lincoln's political career. As the United States began adding
states such as California and Texas during the middle of the 19th century,
the issue of slavery continued to arise. Thirty years after the Missouri
Compromise came the Compromise of 1850, which was followed by the Kansas-
Nebraska Act of 1854 and the election of President James Buchanan in 1856.
In addition, the Dred Scott decision of 1857 impacted the slavery discussion
across the nation. Collectively, these significant events caused turmoil
within both major political parties at the time, the Whigs and the
Democrats. It fractured the Whigs so severely that they completely
disassembled just prior to the 1856 presidential election without a
candidate. Such circumstances provided fertile ground for the Republican
Party, a party whose ideology was based on the notion of individual liberty
and the belief that slavery should not be expanded. Despite a failed attempt
on the presidential level in 1856 with General John C. Fremont, the
Republican Party enjoyed fruitful growth during the 1858 mid-term election.
During that election, the Democrats lost 49 seats in the House of
Representatives, a staggering figure given the fact that the entire chamber
had only 238 members at the time. The election of Lincoln two years later
subsequently cemented the Republican Party firmly in the national political
arena and instigated victories in 11 of the next 13 presidential elections.

The legacy of the Republican Party and that of President Lincoln is a
beautiful and cherished part of United States history. It is a history that
represents strong ideals, a maintained struggle to preserve the experimental
work of our founding fathers, an experiment that Lincoln always felt
obligatory for both he and future generations. He was a man of strong moral
value and character who continually fought for individual liberty for all
U.S. citizens. His work undoubtedly has paved the way for the Republican
Party in their continued fight to preserve the values central to American
life and the American dream.



Future Leaders


The Marin County Republican Party sat down with Marin Catholic Student Body
President Keith Pence (16 years old) to discuss his organization of a Young
Republican Club at Marin Catholic High School.

Q: Can you describe your experience starting a Young Republicans group in
Marin County? What kind of challenges have you encountered? What has been
the most rewarding part of the experience for you?

A: My experience from starting a Young Republicans club in Marin has been
very interesting. Surprisingly, there has been a lot less opposition than I
thought there would be. Some people supported me fully and some weren't as
willing to jump on the Republican bandwagon. I received letters in the mail
from family friends and people that I didn't know were showing their support
for the things I was doing. Many people that I know for a fact weren't
Republicans were congratulating me and were very proud of me for standing up
for what I believed in. Some of the challenges I have encountered are the
people who aren't so open minded to a Young Republican Club in Marin. Some
kids are rude and disrespectful but I don't let it bother me because they
are just saying what they think is right in the wrong way. The most
rewarding experience has been getting recognition from not only my peers,
but my elders who respect me more than some of their counterparts. It really
has a profound effect on me when people are so proud of me for what I am
doing.

Q: How did starting the group affect your run for ASB President?

A: Starting the group didn't directly affect me running for ASB President
but I have learned a lot from being the head of a club. I have learned how
to listen to other group member's ideas and be able to intertwine them with
mine. I have learned that you can't be a leader without being a listener. It
is a privilege to be the leader of the Young Republicans Group and the ASB.

Q: As a YR, and a soon to be voter what do you want the GOP of the future to
represent?

A: In the next few years, I would like to see the Republican Party to
represent a sense of openness. I am sick of the middle aged white male
stereotype that Republicans have. I want the people of the United States to
realize that Republicans are people of every race and religion. I want there
to be less Republicans who are disrespectful to other people's views because
that give a negative image to the party. The youth is the future and without
young leaders there won't be any more future leaders. I want the party to
spend more time on focusing their efforts on kids under the age of 18
because those people may not know what they believe right now. Chances are
high that most of those people are Democrats or Republicans because their
friends or parents are. Those kids might need to be told the actual truth
about the Republican Party rather than what the media portrays.

Q: What issues should the GOP be addressing today that it isn't?

A: The GOP is addressing pretty much every major issue that they need to.
There are some things that the Republican Party thinks that I don't
necessarily agree with but I still know what the Republican Party stands
for. My main concern is that the Republican Party isn't as vocal as they
should be towards our countries fiscal situation. For instance, I saw a
bumper sticker the other day saying "I can't afford to be a Republican." I
could help but be frustrated at the misinformed person who had that bumper
sticker. I really don't know why Republicans get a bad rap for being big
spenders when at its core, Republicans want less taxes. Conservatives are
conservative with money, liberals are liberal with money. It's as simple as
looking at what each major party believes to see who actually is going to do
what's right with taxing the public.

Q: Why do you call yourself a Republican?

A: I call myself a Republican because I believe in what the Republican Party
stands for. I have a sense of personal responsibility and I am a firm
believer in capitalism when it is monitored correctly. When I am working a
full-time job and making my own money, I want to be able to keep my money
that I earned and do what I want with it. I want to be able to donate money
to charities that I see fit and not have to pay for other people's
unemployment checks and welfare checks. I have a respect for life and I
don't like to see children being murdered daily by abortions. I care about
the welfare of the country and I know that Republicans do too. That is why I
call myself a Republican.





Meet the Marin County Republican Central Committee

This issue we meet Cynthia Batt representing District 3

1.) Current Occupation: Small Business Owner: Spargo, A Place for Men
www.spargoman.com (I am basically unemployable so I had to start my own
business)

2.) City you live in: Belvedere

3.) Vision for the future of the Marin GOP: I want to see The Marin GOP be
the party of solutions, be the appointed and elected officials in Marin who
have the reputation for getting the job done right

4.) Playing in your car stereo right now: Nothing but sweet sweet
nothingness

5.) Currently reading: A Team of Rivals

6.) Favorite place to eat in Marin County: Caprice in Tiburon

7.) Republican leader you admire most (dead or alive): Theodore Roosevelt. I
am also very interested in watching Eric Cantor and Mitt Romney. I think
these two men have a vision for the GOP and we are going to be hearing a lot
about that over the next couple of years.

8.) Biggest Pet Peeve: People from either party who forget that the greatest
of the United States is freedom of speech for all!

9.) Favorite Vacation spot: Sun Valley

10.) On a sunny Saturday in Marin, you can find me: Hopefully, this summer
on a golf course!

April 2009 Newsletter

A Message from the Chair
Dear Fellow Republican,This year is an important building year for the party, both nationally and here in Marin County. As Republicans, we all believe that the role of government is to empower individuals to better their own lives, by their own choices, not by those of the government. We believe we should all take home more of the money we earn. Especially in hard economic times, when we are all tightening our belts, we believe our government should do the same.These are values that many of our neighbors would agree with, and yet Republicans make up fewer than 20% of the registered voters in this county.The Marin Republican Party is hard at work to build the party. This year, we adopted a strategic plan with this vision: to build a majority coalition with a governing philosophy of limited government, fiscal accountability and ethical integrity. To this end, we’ve pledged to:• Redefine the perception and promote the acceptance of Republican beliefs by projecting a more inclusive political organization.• Recruit and elect candidates that support the community values that have made this country, this state, and especially Marin County a great place to live, work, and play.• Maximize voter registration and develop an active precinct organization to get out the vote, engaging donors and sponsor fundraising activities in preparation for current and future elections.When I was running for State Senate last year, I was often approached by Republicans who were in the closet to their clients, colleagues and friends. This is the first thing we need to change. We need to talk to our friends and neighbors about our philosophy and values. You may be surprised by who agrees with you and might consider registering and voting Republican.I look forward to sharing our progress with you and hope to see many of you as contributors, volunteers and candidates.

Sincerely,
Sashi McEnteeChair, Marin County Republican Central Committee


In preparation for the May 19, 2009 Special Election; we analyze Prop 1A.

Point
Conservatives need to unite against Proposition 1A

Proposition 1A is a bad deal for Californians. Prop 1A is the result of a compromise budget deal between the Democrat controlled legislature and the Governor that includes a massive increase in taxes to make up for the budget deficit.The increased taxes were to last a year under the budget agreement but will be extended but two years or more if 1A passes. For working families and small businesses who are already struggling under severe economic conditions, a tax increase is the last thing they need.Proposition 1A attempts to deal with issues that the GOP has advocated for years – spending caps and building a reserve fund to cover budget shortfalls in bad years. Yet an analysis of the budget shows that spending has outpaced inflation and population growth for years because the legislature has refused to address structural problems in the budget. Addressing the root causes of the deficit is the only way to prevent future occurrences such crises in the future. 1A does not address the accounting gimmicks that have been used to make the budget appear balanced when it actually isn’t. In addition, the spending caps are can easily be overridden if the governor and legislature agree, thus absolving them of making the tough choices they have been avoiding to our state’s detriment.Finally, multinational corporations have largely escaped the taxes that ordinary Californians are now bearing. That isn’t fair. Tell the legislature to go back and develop a long-term strategy that doesn’t punish working families. Join Steve Poizner, Taxpayer groups and others and Vote no on 1A.

Counterpoint
Republicans should vote for 1A
Why in the world would a Republican vote for Prop 1A? Well, it caps spending and puts California basically into a forced savings plan. With the legislature acting like a teenager at the shopping mall with her daddy’s Visa card, it might be a decent idea. The basics of the bill promote a responsible approach to saving; it increases the rainy-day fund from 5% to 12.5% of the General Fund revenues, a minimum of 3% of the state’s revenues has to go into the fund until the 12.5% threshold has been met. Right now our savings is capped at 5% and under Prop 1A any money over the 12.5% would only be allowed to be spent on one-time purposes such as tax-relief or infrastructure. The savings program just flat out makes sense and when coupled with a regulation on spending the proposition could make some real progress. Under Prop 1A, the state budget would have to be consistent with state revenue trends over the previous 10 year period. Maybe the most impressive evidence in favor of Prop 1A is where would be today had a mechanism like this been in place 10 years ago; the rainy day fund would have allowed the state to avoid $9 billion in tax increases and many of the severe cuts that were a part of the February 2009 budget decision. The colossal $32 billion deficit that put California on the brink of insolvency could have been mitigated to just around $5.4 billion had Prop 1A been instituted over the last decade. Some fiscal conservatives aren’t quite happy with this proposal because the tax increases from the budget decision would be extended for two additional years. Some major union players, including the SEIU, are vehemently against a spending cap of any sort. Nevertheless this proposition has shared bipartisan support and there are some prominent Republicans that support it including: Governor Schwarzenegger, Michael Villines (Assembly Republican Leader), Dave Cogdill (Ca. State Senator), and Former U.S. Congressman and potential gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell who posts on his website that Prop 1A is very similar to Prop 76 (2005) which he helped author in order to cut spending across the board in California. Passing Prop 1A would not be a victory for the Democrats or the Republicans, it would be a victory for California.

Quote of the Day: "What is a conservative after all but one who conserves, one who is committed to protecting and holding close the things by which we live...And we want to protect and conserve the land on which we live -- our countryside, our rivers and mountains, our plains and meadows and forests. This is our patrimony. This is what we leave to our children. And our great moral responsibility is to leave it to them either as we found it or better than we found it." – Ronald Reagan, June 19, 1984.


Earth Day: A time for Conservative celebration

On April 22, the 39th annual Earth Day will be celebrated throughout the United States. While its founder, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson, was a Democrat; he was merely riding on the coattails of the GOP in his compassion for the environment. A quick historical look at the GOP and conservation efforts unveils: Abraham Lincoln preserved Yosemite Valley for public enjoyment; Theodore Roosevelt, perhaps the greatest conservationist ever to claim the Presidency, was responsible for over 230 million acres of protected land which included 150 National Forests, 5 National Parks and the first 18 National Monuments. In 1960, Dwight Eisenhower put in place protections for the 8.9 million acre plot known as the Arctic Wildlife Refuge and ten years later Richard Nixon signed into law the Clean Air Act Extension providing greater environmental regulations. Nixon was also responsible for the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency. Our heralded “Gipper”, Ronald Reagan, supported and signed the U.N. Montreal Protocol which controlled ozone-depleting substances to protect public health. These are just some of the environmental victories of Republicans throughout history, yet when it comes to celebrating environmental stewardship it seems like the Democrats get to eat all the cake. The GOP has a history of leading the way on preservation but over the last decade or two, we seem to have lost our way. It’s time to reclaim our position as the party of environmental stewardship. Rooseveltian Conservationism has for too long taken a back seat to the Democrats’ confrontational environmentalism. Theodore Roosevelt recognized the value of our managing our natural treasures and was successful in leading our nation down a path that allowed us to simultaneously enjoy the beauty of nature and reap the benefits of progress in our society. He proved that these need not be mutually exclusive. Locally, Marin Republicans have the good fortune of living in a county where conservation has been and continues to be a focal point. We have national, state, and local parks; a national seashore; and countless preserved local open spaces. This Earth Day we encourage you, as a proud Republican, to go out and enjoy the beauty of our land. Take in the cool breeze at the Marin Headlands, have a picnic out at Point Reyes National Seashore (photo Chimney Rock by Errol Tremolada), ride a bike around China Camp State Park or take a walk around any of our local watershed lakes and enjoy the majesty of Mount Tamalpais. Even if the outdoors isn’t your cup of tea, then on April 22 as you drive down Highway 101, appreciate the fresh water, clean air, green hills around you. Let others know that the Republican Party has been a part of keeping our country’s greatest lands protected, that conservation is conservative and you’re proud to be part of that heritage.If you’d like to participate in any Earth Day Events in our state parks, check out http://www.calparks.org/programs/earth-day/

SAVE THE DATE: 2009 Lincoln Dinner will be held on June 5th with special guest, CRP Chair Ron Nehring. Details will be forthcoming.
To stay up to date with all upcoming events please visit our events page by clicking Here
For all other Marin County Republican local news and business please bookmark our website, www.maringop.org and don’t forget to “Become a Fan” on our Facebook Page, you can Join Here