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In my consulting career I’ve been asked to put together a goodly amount of RFPs (Requests For Proposals) on behalf of my clients.  Usually they’ve got some kind of problem that needs to be resolved and they look to the best and brightest in a particular field to tell them how the problem can be solved and how much it will cost to implement the solution.  It’s with this approach that I’m thinking the Cuyahoga County Republican Party may want to improve itself - only this time we should be seeking RFC’s (Requests for Chairmen or women).

 

 

Yesterday I got a call from an old political friend who has his thumb on the pulse of many things political in Northern Ohio.  He’s done enough work in local and state races to know the players and what the general sentiment of the voting base is and he also likes to talk in what-if’s and possibilities (which is about all you can do when gauging the crystal ball of politics - future state).  He was surmising yesterday that last week’s CuyCo GOP tabling of its much-ballyhooed platform was a clear indicator that the folks running the party are in trouble.  He indicated that any attempt on the part of the local party leadership to enact new plans or programs (few if any of which have actually come to fruition during the current leadership’s tenure) will likely be met with successful opposition and that those voicing their disagreement will do so less based on how they feel about the particular proposal and more in the sense that it’s really a vote of no confidence for the party leaders.  Which as you know if you read this page is fine with me.

But that brings up a much more critical question - is there anybody out there who can do a better job and receive the support necessary to unseat the incumbent party stool?

Based on the conversation we had yesterday, the answer (at least for now) is no.  The two people that seem like strong candidates for the job - former RPCC Chair and State Rep Jim Trakas and current Lakewood Councilman Ryan Demro are both currently engaged in seeking elective offices that will require their full attention; Trakas is seeking the term-limited Bob Spada’s State Senate seat and Demro running for Lakewood Mayor (given my feelings about elected officials holding the Chair, I’m not much in favor of such an arrangement).  I’m not sure who Jim’s opponent(s) will be in the senate race so I can’t yet make a statement of endorsement, but there’s no question that I’d like to see Ryan win and thus we find ourselves looking for someone interested in the RPCC slot.

So here’s my RFC:

Wanted - Potential candidates to seek the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County’s Central Committee Chairmanship in 2008.  Must be a good organizer and fundraiser with a PROVEN record of success.  Must bring an outsider’s paradigm to the job and ensure that change will be the foundation of their approach to leading the party.  Candidates should have a strong management background and the ability to implement transparent financial systems and processes.  Candidates should have realistic goals that include electing Republican candidates to county offices as well as the city council and mayor of the City of Cleveland (demonstration of a coherent plan for achieving these goals must be presented at time of application).

Interested candidates should begin discussing their interest in seeking this position now and start to develop a network of support should they have any chance of winning in 2008.

So that’s my RFC.  I’d be interested in hearing what others think, and if there’s anybody out there who might be interested in the job.

 

I’ve been a little bemused lately at the uproar (yes Jill, I’m calling you out on this:

“I’m not much into name-calling, but I gotta tell you - the way the Republican candidates are freaking out over the CNN/YouTube debates - criminal and immature at the same time. You want people to vote for you, but you don’t want to have to answer to them, in even the most transparent way possible? That is not the quality of a leader - period. And everyone should remember that.”)
 

regarding certain Republican candidates who have chosen to bypass the upcoming YouTube/CNN debate (insert Competitive Press Conference here).  The fact of the matter is that while the Democrats version last week provided entertaining questions, the responses those questions generated from the candidates were nothing new (unless you consider Conman Kucinich’s flagrant attempt to outleft his fellow Democrats by vociferously supporting reparations - who da thunk that Dennis would do that… well everybody - the guy hasn’t met a ridiculous cause on the left yet that he doesn’t embrace, but I digress…). 

Frankly, I’d much rather see a process like this, than the sham that the candidates and their handlers continue to force feed the American public. 

My assumption is that messiers Romney and Giuliani would rather not be forced to address “thoughtful” questions like, “Governor Romney, we’re Judy, Joanne, Nancy, Laura and Bob - we’re really excited about your campaign for President because of your Mormon faith.  Does this mean that if elected president you’ll allow us to live our HBO-like ‘Big Love’ lifestyle out in the open?” Or perhaps this question from an animated urine-soaked cross, “Mayor Giuliani, isn’t it wrong to deny art to the masses simply because you disagree with its media?”

Both highly entertaining questions (if I do say so myself), but what’s the value?  It certainly isn’t political, but it is entertainment.

Maybe CNN is on to something here.  

Too busy this week gettting liquored up at BLOGGAPALOOZA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you haven’t made plans for this afternoon, please come by and bring the family - the Waterloo Arts Festival is adjacent to the Beachland Ballroom where the ‘palooza’s happening.

Good news today from my friends at the former Jim Gilmore for President campaign - the former Virginia governor is back… and he’s blogging!  His new page is called the Virginia Patriot and can be found at www.virginiapatriot.com.

The site just went up, so there’s nothing posted yet, but I look forward to hearing his informed views on the issues of the day.

Blog on oh friend of the conservative faithful. 

The other day I posted about what I perceived to be the futility of attending a CuyCo GOP Central/Executive Committee meeting to discuss a proposed party platform.  My senitments were that it was already a done deal and that the folks who opposed the platform (mostly because they wanted to offer amendments, etc.) wouldn’t be given the opportunity to make changes - boy was I wrong.

Apparently the dissenters out-numbered the supporters and the platform was tabled.  You can read the blow-by-blows here on King’s page.  Well done to those who had the fortitude to stick it out.

King and I exchanged some emails prior to the meeting and because of my present work schedule I just didn’t have the time to devote to helping with the cause… maybe there’s a lesson there?

In any case, this demonstrates that the party of which I remain a member (despite the best efforts of its leadership) may be turning the corner.  It’s entirely possible that the rank and file have had enough of the failed potentates who are running an organization that hasn’t demonstrated any success since Mike Wise and Jim Trakas delivered us from bankruptcy.

Rumors are already swirling among party irregulars that at least two strong candidates are considering testing the waters to challenge the current stool in next year’s chairman’s election.  My only hope is that they stick to their guns and give it a shot.

What’s really interesting about Wednesday night’s victory over the establishment is that my take on the party’s proposed platform was agreeable in its conception.  For the most part it held moderate positions on most issues (platform committee chair Bruce Akers is about as liberal as they come) and represented a healthy segment of what local Republicans support.  The problem I had (which is much different than some of my confederates who opposed the platform on its issue stances) is that the process was exclusive instead of inclusive - and as long as the party operates in this manner, I will remain with the opposition.

Regardless of the reasons, well done party irregulars, well done!

 

The new slogan for the Cleveland CONvention Center.

At least that’s what the Cuyahoga County Commissioners decided to tell county resisdents today in a 2-1 (Dimora and Hagen yes, Jones no) absolutely expected vote after the second of two “public” hearings on the issue of raising the county sales tax by .25% to support a CONvention center in hope of drawing a new medical mart to the community.

I say that the hearing was “public” because of its utter inaccessibility.  Both today’s hearing and the previous one last week were held during the day, in the center of downtown (the library) where inexpensive public parking is limited.  Add to the premium placed on the parking and then take into account that many of the usually available meters were bagged (along with all of the parking on the street that separates the current CONvention center from the current COUNT-hee-hee Building - also known as Franz Pastorius Blvd. ~ who the hell knew that?) and this county resident after having spent a half hour looking for a place to park (and couldn’t find one within five blocks!) decided to bag it and head back to work.  Public? my ass.

Not that it really would have mattered - but it would have been nice to offer my two cents as opposed to the gushing support that came from those int he community that so desperately need to look like they’re doing something to make this community better.

So the tax and spenders are going to continue to tax away anyone even remotely interested in doing business in Cleveland - ah, just another day in the NRZ (No Representation Zone).

My latest estimates (and re-inforced by comments from Congressional Quarterly’s Craig Crawford this AM on msNBC’s Morning Joe) indicate that the current batch of candidates for president in 2008 spent over $100 million dollars in the last quarter on their campaigns!  Some of the candidates are burning through over a million dollars a week as they march toward the real beginning of the campaign season this fall.

What does it all mean?

Consultants are making money hand over fist and the voters still have very little idea about what the candidates really stand for - and believe it or not, that’s what the consultants are actually trying to do, keep the voters in the dark about who their candidates really are.

You see, if the campaigns lay it all out on the table early on and tell the public about all the “wonderful” things that their candidate believes in and intends to do if elected, the likelihood of that candidate winning is null.  So instead, what you have is a bunch of consultants playing defense and working very hard to make sure their guy (or gal) doesn’t say anything stupid (and oh, yeah spend lots of money on things that the consultants can derive a fee from like advertising, polling and research).

In the end what you have is nothing more than an economic development engine for states like Iowa and New Hampshire - which isn’t all that bad of an idea.

Come to think of it, maybe Ohio should jump the whole line for Superer Duperer Tuesday and plan it’s 2008 primary in December of 2007.  Just think what it would do for our economy during the holiday season.

Tonight I should be at the RPCC platform meeting/convention, but given the limited value placed on input from the party’s rank and file members, I figured it might make more sense to work a little bit later and hit the keyboard when I got home.  If somebody has an update on tonight’s RPCC meeting, please let me know.  In absence of that report, here’s what I think happened…

A small and slightly vocal minority murmured their displeasure at not having the opportunity to offer amendments to the rambling and likely to never achieve success “platform” pushed forward by the RPCC’s platform commitee.  A vote was had and of course the measure passed by a large majority of votes from people who didn’t have any idea about what they really were voting on.  Like I said, if somebody has a different report, please let me know.

And so it goes.

The more things don’t change, the more they stay the same.  In the case of the local GOP cabal - the small-minded folks that desperately cling to the leadership of a party that struggles for any sense of legitimacy, remains unwilling to consider news ideas.

But it’s not just the local GOP that exhibits this lack of change mantra.

Monday night the national Democrats offered their party’s presidential candidates up for a unique experiment in American political theatre - real Americans asking questions of the candidates through the wonders of YouTube.  The result - novel questions that addressed the issues most Americans struggle with everyday coupled with the same old rehashed campaign-trail tested responses from the candidates.

What did we learn on Monday - nothing changes (including Conman Dennis Kucinich’s ridiculous attempts to pander to anyone who will take him seriously by supporting reparations for the subsequent generations of formerly enslaved African Americans).

Finally, I’ve been away for a week - and so apparently has FRED Thompson.  Wasn’t he supposed to be announcing his much awaited candidacy in July?  Will it ever happen?  Could he instead be Chuck Hagel on steriods and suddenly call the media to a hastily arrangede press conference only to tell us he is announcing that he has nothing to announce?

The more things don’t change… oh well.

 

I’ve been gone for a week from this page and I really appreciate John Forristal’s willingness to step in during my absence.  I hope he’ll consider continuing to contribute as we move forward.  Having said that, I’m back!  So let’s get down to it…

It’s interesting when you’re forced to step away from the things that interest you most (in my case politics and writing) and become consumed with something else (like work) that your original obsession becomes less of a duty and more of a passion.  I missed being here and while I recognize that because of some new professional responsibilities, I’ll be able to devote less time to this page, I realize how important it is for me (and perhaps you) that I find a way to make it work.

I will find a way, I promise…

Having said that, I’m looking forward to interacting with my friends in the blogosphere on Saturday at Bloggapalooza.  If you’re a reader of this page (or many of the others within this region, I highly recommend you come down to the Beachland Ballroom on Saturday and meet some of the folks you usually only interact with via the Al Gore medium.  I had an opportunity to spend a little while at last year’s event and I’ve scheduled myself to go wire-to wire this year (although I may need a taxi home at the end of the night - George… bring the number).  Please, please, please come down and enjoy the music and meet some new people - it’ll be a blast.  For more info go here.

That’s all for now, more later today.

Seriously, I will be.  But I want to thank John for holding down the fort and I hope he’ll continue to do so.

BTW - “Reparations?” - If there was any doubt about the Conman’s lack of sanity, he demonstrated it last night.