Zachary Earl Smith

I was extremely disappointed by our party’s inability to pass a resolution in support of energy independence. The resolution did get a majority which was a decent consolation prize, but failed to reach the two-thirds needed to pass. The purpose of the resolution was to send a clear message that Maine Republicans not only care but have a plan on how to deal with the current energy crisis. The opposition to the resolution felt it would be inappropriate for the state committee to recommend policy, and that our duty was to help elect republicans and follow the dictates of the RNC. Our state party appears to have become a mechanism by which we only elect independent candidates under the title ‘Republican.’

A political party is not a top down organization, it is a grass roots one, and one in which its supporters ‘the people’ tell their state committees what policies they want. These people come together because they share a common philosophy on how to govern which drives the policies they feel should be developed. Then the state party adopts a platform based on this philosophy and with specific policy it should affect. Then the state committees direct the National committee what policies they want based on their own state platform they want in the national platform. It is not the purpose of committees to blindly help elect candidates simply because they poses the title Republican. We help elect candidates with the understanding that their primary purpose is to pursue passing legislation that meets with the goals of the platform. The point of having political parties and candidates loyal to it is to pass laws based on the common agenda agreed to by the whole. Otherwise what is purpose in having a platform, or for that matter any expectation that our candidates actually prescribe to any of the Republican principles or philosophy.

I believe not only is it totally appropriate for the state committee to adopt resolutions setting policy on legislative objectives, but that its the primary reason we exist at all as a party. A party is not a group of people who like to play politics and want to have mercenary candidates all off doing their own thing. We have common core principles we want to see realized in government so to prevent fracture and anarchy, so that our Republic may be preserved and that we may live meaningful lives and make a living in peace and prosperity. I recently saw Swing Vote and I recommend every member of the state party to see it. One of the major aspects of the movie is that each party’s candidate abandons his principles to the point they resemble the opposite party and no longer know what they stand for, they become unrecognizable even to them selves. There is a scene in the movie when one of the candidates (the republican ironically) is talking to his campaign manager. He asks him, ‘what do I stand for, what about my base’? His manager replies, ‘what ever it takes to win.’ The candidate replies, ‘but if I stand for nothing and I win, do I really win?’

I think many have gotten the misconception that in order to beat the democrats in this state we must emulate them, strange though that after nearly 40 years this strategy has yet to yield any winning result. The problem is we can never beat the Democrats by emulating them for at least two reasons, first we aren’t they, and we aren’t in the majority as their strategy is a protectionist one except protecting the minority only guarantees you stay there. I believe some of this is do to that many actually want to remain in the minority, but I have already spoken on that issue and would refer you to previous posts. If we are to take the majority it will only be because we clearly stand for something. After this last meeting I can’t help but ask what does the Maine Republican Party stand for? I don’t mean the usual Republican platitudes that people like to throw around as if they actually will accomplish something in their own right. Platitudes don’t make principles to which one can found actual policy which people can see and feel, and make no mistake that is the only thing voter’s care about. They want specifics, they know what the problems are but they want to know what are we actually going to do, how is our plan different and better than the other guy’s plan.

If we are simply a shade of vanilla of the other party then why settle for an imitation when they can have the real thing, and thus we wallow in the minority. The people aren’t buying what we are selling, and that is easy to answer, because we aren’t. Running government and being in the majority is a team sport, we don’t win unless the team wins, and right now we seem more preoccupied with the cult of personality than we are presenting something tangible. Many of our elected leaders expect the state party to help them get elected and then once elected go away. If we are ever to achieve the majority this must change, we must make the party relevant not just for ourselves but for the people so that they actually have a clear choice. Currently we present them with no choice at all, remember ‘contract for America,’ now that was a clear contrast in choice. We were rewarded nationally by being given the majority, and ironically a majority we lost when we forgot the contract and lessons learned by emulating our opposition.

I believe we can change, I believe we can achieve the majority, and I believe it can happen a lot sooner then people dare dream. We can offer a real difference in governance and how people can go about their business and lives, and if we embrace it and not run from it we will be the better for it. I believe people are looking for true leadership and if we offer it to them then they we will give us that chance to lead. People in our party must first let go their fear, being bold is not easy but again this is why we form parties, so that when we stand it is not alone but together, and together we will prevail. I hope this time will come now and that leadership within our party will rise to the challenge and be given the opportunity to step up and lead, show us we have nothing to fear and lead us to new prosperity. Perhaps then Maine will have a real choice, I can dream anyway.

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