GLAD TO HEAR FROM YOU!

The Tennessee Republican Party ran its online survey for several weeks with the results below. We appreciate all who participated in the survey and those who submitted emails with their thoughts and ideas. Our commitment is to reflect the core principles that make us Republicans while working to provide information to make our state’s government work for our citizens.

HISTORY…TRANSPARENCY IN CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS

The Tennessee Republican Majority in the General Assembly held interviews for candidates for the state’s three constitutional officers: Secretary of State, Treasurer, and Comptroller. For the first time, the process was conducted via an application process with public interviews and a venue for public input. When the process is complete, the Republican Caucus will vote for a single candidate for each of the positions that will go to the floor for voting.

View the video online of the interviews and read the applications of each Republican candidate at www.tnsenate.com or www.tnhousegop.org. It does matter who governs…Republicans are committed to an open, accountable government.

The calls into the TRP office have been clear: Citizens do not support their tax dollars being used to “bailout” three auto companies. The Democrat majority in the U.S. House of Representatives passed the proposed “bailout” while failing in the U.S. Senate. Tennessee’s Republican Congressional delegation voted against the use of tax dollars to infuse money into the “Big 3.”

A thought to ponder: A hospital on the verge of closing with its staff demanding the same benefits & pay while using standards of care & practice of 1980 is asked to update its operations before receiving any additional funding. Would that be considered “concessions” or a reasonable expectation? The business model currently employed by these 3 auto manufacturers is outdated. The issue is simple, yet being muddied by interests refusing to make changes that will improve their results, their bottom line.

DEFEND THE MAJORITY

While the 2008 election campaign is over and the new Republican majority in the state legislature turns its attention to the opportunity to govern our great state through challenging times, your Tennessee Republican Party is focused on the future. Having achieved a historic victory this year – thanks to the hard work throughout 2008 by the Party’s leaders, staff, volunteers and campaign workers across the state – the Tennessee Republican Party is already taking steps to prepare for the next election cycle in 2010.

The new Republican majority in the state legislature will most certainly be challenged in 2010 by a well-funded, aggressive effort by the Tennessee Democrat Party – indeed, they are already regrouping for that purpose. That is why we are rolling out a new effort, the Tennessee GOP: Defend the Majority project, to begin to prepare, now. The effort will be multi-faceted and aimed at reaching Republican and conservative voters and supporters in all demographics across Tennessee and outside the Volunteer State who believe that it matters who governs and that Tennessee will be better served by a Republican-majority legislature. Currently, the Defend the Majority project has established a web presence at Facebook.com, where, already, more than 135 people have signed on to support the effort. You can find the Facebook group Tennessee GOP: Defend the Majority here.

What is the Defend the Majority project, and why is it so important?

Republicans gained four seats to take a 50-49 edge in the state House, the first GOP majority since 1849, and gained three seats to hold a 19-14 edge in the state Senate. Democrats are already regrouping and making preparations for an all-out assault aimed at retaking the majority in 2010 – and the party which wins the majority in 2010 will control redistricting in 2011.

It is crucial that Republicans, not Democrats, control redistricting in 2011. In 1991 and again in 2001, Democrats wrote obviously partisan redistricting plans designed to eliminate as many Republican incumbents as possible, producing highly gerrymandered districts that often split counties and communities in nonsensical ways for partisan advantage.

Redistricting also impacts congressional districts – indeed, more than one national Left wing website has identified Tennessee as a key 2010 battleground for controlling state legislative majorities and governorships in order to redraw congressional lines to create a permanent Democrat-majority Congress.

People who sign on to support the Defend the Majority project are pledging to do three things to help Republicans keep the majority in the 2010 legislative elections:

1. Sign up for the Tennessee Republican Party’s email list to get our email updates and weekly online newsletter. You can sign up here.

2. Make a quarterly donation of at least $25 to the Tennessee Republican Party in 2009 and 2010. You can donate online or by mail to Tennessee Republican Party, 2424 21st Ave., Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37212

Becoming a member of The Capitol Club at silver level or above in 2009 and 2010 is a great way to satisfy this requirement. You can join The Capitol Club online, or by sending a check in the proper amount, to the Tennessee Republican Party, 2424 21st Ave., Suite 200, Nashville, TN 37212. Make sure to put “Capitol Club” on the memo line.

3. Promise to donate at least $100 to a key Republican incumbent or challenger in 2010. After the 2010 primaries, the Party will advise members of the Defend the Majority project which of our candidates are in key races and who need your financial support.

You can add your name to the list of supporters of the Defend the Majority project online at Facebook. If you do not use Facebook but would like to be added to the list of supporters of the Defend the Majority project, please contact Bill Hobbs, communications director for the Tennessee Republican Party, at billhobbs@tngop.org.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

We are continuing to collect opinions on a variety of issues from health care to the direction of the national Republican Party. For the hundreds of you who have already responded to the online survey, we say THANK YOU! If you have not yet participated, we encourage you to do so soon. The online survey will continue to be available until Monday, Dec. 15, and we will present the results via our Dec. 16 edition of this report. We want to hear from YOU!

HISTORY…WITH SOLUTIONS AS A PRIORITY

I can’t believe it’s already been a month since our historic victories in both the Senate and the House. Everyday I talk to Tennesseans who are just as excited now as they were the day after the election. The Senate now stands at 19 Republicans and 14 Democrats for the first time in the history of our state.

I want to thank you for your hard work this year and also thank you for your steadfast support through the last several election cycles as we drew closer and closer to true majorities in both chambers. Now is the time for all who have worked for this day to savor their victory.

As we get closer to the legislative session I want to assure everyone who supported Republican candidates across this great state that we will make you proud. We will focus on jobs and the economy to Keep Tennessee Working.

While the budget situation may seem dire if you read the newspapers, it is also an opportunity to trim the size of government and deliver on the promise of a smaller, more efficient government. With control of both chambers of the legislature, we can finally start to address this issue in earnest.

We will also work on policies that you told us must be implemented. Commonsense restrictions on abortion to protect the unborn as well as legislation to protect the second amendment will be addressed.

Education funding and quality will be of great importance to the 106th General Assembly. We will protect K-12 funding and explore the expansion of our state’s charter schools law – currently the most restrictive in the nation. Tennesseans have expressed support for expanding charter school options which allow flexibility in improving a child’s education.

Thank you again for all you have done to advance Republican ideals in the state of Tennessee. I hope you and your family have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Sincerely,

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey

NATION DISAPPOINTED AGAIN

As the nation watches the sad spectacle of massive, venal, corruption unfolding in the office of Illinois Democrat Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who, according to federal investigators, sought to enrich himself by selling Barack Obama’s former U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder, we here in Tennessee are reminded of more than one scandal in Tennessee’s political past in which Democrats sought personal financial gain at the expense of the public trust. Whether it was Democrat Gov. Ray Blanton selling pardons, Democrat Gov. Phil Bredesen’s administration and campaign selling Highway Patrol promotions for campaign donations, or Democrat senators like Ward Crutchfield, John Ford and Kathryn Bowers selling their vote on legislation for a few thousand dollars in bribe money, the story is always a familiar one: Elected to serve the public, they decide instead to serve themselves at the expense of the public, and to abuse their power for personal and/or political gain.

The Tennessee Republican Party stressed throughout 2008 that “it matters who governs,” and, having won the legislative majority and thus the power to select the state’s three constitutional officers – Secretary of State, Comptroller and Treasurer – Republican leaders have moved quickly to ensure that the selection process is open and transparent, as opposed to the smoky back-room political deal-making of the past. That’s the kind of leadership you can expect from Republicans in the upcoming session of the General Assembly, which will convene for the first time on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2009, at noon, at which time it will elect its leadership. Come see history made.

In the meantime, the “Hope & Change” is proving to be an empty phrase proving to be effective marketing with no meaning.

WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW…

For the hundreds who have already responded to the online survey we have running, THANK YOU! We encourage everyone to participate by Monday, Dec. 15. Give us your opinions now. We will present the results via our report on Dec. 16 and want to hear from YOU!

JOIN!

Check with your local GOP county office to find out when they are planning their next meeting and their reorganization meetings coming up to establish precinct officers and elections. Reorganization occurs during the months of January, February and March and many opportunities exist for great volunteers to lead.

Local counties will also be announcing their local Lincoln Day dinners during the next few weeks and months. These fun events provide another opportunity to get plugged in to make a difference in the Tennessee Republican Party.

Go to the Tennessee Republican Party website, www.tngop.org and click on the “Get Local” button on the top menu bar to find your county and its local GOP.

Humbled and Ready for Servant Leadership
Leader Jason Mumpower

Tennessee Republicans made history this November. For the first time in our state’s history, Republicans hold a majority in both chambers. I am extremely proud of our candidates, eternally grateful to Republican voters for this opportunity, and looking forward to the weeks and months ahead. It is because of the Republican grassroots effort made state-wide we are in this historic position.

Tennesseans sought leadership on issues that matter to them. House Republicans have shown our commitment and will continue to lead on those issues. Holding the line on taxes, budgeting for education first, and expanding home health care options for seniors are issues facing families across the state. We will work to protect your 2nd Amendment rights, defend our Tennessee values, and create a climate in which new jobs can be created and Tennessee businesses can thrive.

As Republicans, we have a tough road ahead of us in Tennessee. Our nation and our state face a bleak economic picture. We are ready to navigate these difficult waters with strong leadership, conservative principles of small government, and the ability to prioritize. We must live within our means and get spending under control. Increasing taxes on hardworking Tennesseans is not the answer – we need to cut wasteful spending, slow the growth of a ballooning government and balance this budget just as any Tennessee family does their checkbook.

For years as a minority Republicans fought for these issues and we are now excited about the opportunity to lead based upon these same principles. We take the responsibilities that come with being the majority party very seriously and understand the challenges ahead. I truly believe we have a wonderful, talented, and hardworking group of elected legislators ready to get to work in the upcoming General Assembly. Our newly elected members are humbled by their wins, excited to jump in with both feet, and ready to serve. As the House Republican Caucus, we are ready to lead – and thank you for the opportunity and honor of doing so.

LET’S NOT RE-WRITE HISTORY

The buzz-words regarding our financial woes are sprinkled with “Wall Street Greed” and the notion that the singular cause of our economic downfall lies on the doorstep of the investment community. It is important to recognize the “derivatives” and the new-fangled investment activities in recent days as a true problem. However, let’s not allow the Democrat majority in Washington to sweep under our memory’s rug the Government Sponsored Enterprises and the Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac irresponsible loans that have blown a hole in our economic parachute. In forcing credit to be made available to those individuals who had no true way to meet their obligation, lending institutions are now dependent upon taxpayers to fill the void. Because of the critical nature, action was required. Now, we need to make sure our “lessons learned” take the legislators back to the source, not a convenient political punching bag.