Sunday, December 2, 2007

TEN COMMANDMENTS FOR CONSERVATIVE ACTIVISTS

My comment today to someone who thought I might be too vigorous on my condemnations of John Murtha: "This will not be a pillow fight." I stand by the veracity of every observation I've made about "The Prince of Pork," including my statement that "He has blood on his hands." Murtha has created his own political pig sty and calling attention to that is in no way "unfair."

Would I be spending so much time, energy, and money opposing Murtha if I didn't believe he was a total narcissist, someone out for his own good at the expense of nearly everyone else? Answer: NO!

Do I believe Murtha falsely condemned the Hadith Marines -- and emboldened the enemy -- for any reason other than this political gain? I do not. His anti-military messages were designed to curry favor with the far-left-wing of his Party, a group called "The Nancy Boys." There is NO evidence that suggests otherwise.

Also, do I believe Murtha has brought home the bacon anywhere in the 12th Distrcit other than a scant few of his favorite locations? The vast majority of people in the District have not benefited at all from Murtha's huge earmarks, directed to the rich and the few rather than the poor and the many. There is NO evidence that suggests otherwise.

Those are the reasons why I strongly oppose Murtha and all he represents.

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If you're a conservative or moderate individual, merely "hoping" your favorite candidates win is not enough. That's especially true when it comes to Republican congressional hopeful who -- in most cases -- are not going to raise as much money as their Democrat counterparts. So, what can you do?

  • First, make a financial contribution to the candidate you support. If you can't donate $50 or $100, then send in $20 -- or even $10. All campaigns need to pay the light bills and phone bills, and a Republican candidate like William Russell is a man of modest personal means. Unlike Murtha, he hasn't "sold out" to anyone.
  • Second, make sure you're registered to vote. I've talked to several people who are strongly for Russell, but -- like tens of thousands of people in the 12th congressional district -- they haven't yet registered.
  • Third, don't just keep your support in your own head and heart. Talk up the candidacy to your family and friends. Tell them briefly exactly why -- in 50 words or less -- that you support the candidate (e.g. "lower taxes . . . strong on national security . . . a solider who knows the real story in Iraq . . . a person of good character");
  • Fourth, show visible signs that you support the candidate -- such as displaying a yard sign, putting a bumper sticker on your car, wearing a "campaign tee-shirt," and the like.
  • Fifth, write letters-to-the-editor of the local paper or call a talk-show and promote your candidate;
  • Sixth, volunteer to work at the candidate's headquarters where you can help stuff envelopes and meet and greet "walk-in" voters;
  • Seventh, make phone calls in support of your candidate;
  • Eighth, go door-to-door to show voters face-to-face that your candidate has good people supporting him or her (and always be courteous when you find people who support the opposition);
  • Ninth, support the candidate on your blog -- or by using your e-mail list to tell people about him or her. For Lt. Col. Russell, you should also sign up at: http://joinrussell.com/.
  • Tenth, attend as many campaign meetings and press conferences as you can to demonstrate support.

Actually, there are more than "10 commandments" for conservative (and moderate) activists, but this is a very good start. Understand that how well your candidate does on Election Day depends on the degree of support you provide.

Like everything else in life, politics has gone high tech. However, the same principles Abraham Lincoln used -- basically, being a good person and asking people for their vote -- still hold true today. As an individual, you need to leverage your political beliefs in every way possible.

Yes, you have only one ballot. However, if you work hard enough, you can influence 20, 50, or even 100 votes by other people. In the Russell Campaign, we're aiming for 1,000 dedicated volunteers, and they might influence 30,000-plus votes.

If you're committed to the William Russell campaign against Murtha -- and most people reading this are -- you can get important information at the main Russell site.

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