Posted by
SarahJean on Thursday, November 06, 2008 3:36:41 PM
- Don’t Get Into a Bidding War with your Opponent: You are never going to “give away” more than your liberal opponent. (If you are, than you are no conservative and your departure is appreciated because you’re taking the party down.) Be honest with the people and tell them that you are not going to give them more than your opponent. And then explain why that makes you the better candidate. This brings me to my next point which will need its own bullet.
- Don’t Hide From Your Conservative Tax Plan: When your opponent states that you are going to give tax cuts to the rich you must reply with, “Damn right I am and this is why everyone will benefit when I do”. It is not sufficient to respond by simply stating that your opponent plans to increase taxes without explaining the consequences of this. When they claim that they will only raise taxes on certain income levels, simply acknowledge this is true and do not get into an argument over the exact income brackets affected. During this election we wasted so much time pointing out that they once said under $250K but were now saying under $200K. Leaving us looking desperate and leaving the majority of the nation (making less than either of those amounts) feeling as if they would either be unaffected or positively affected by the Obama’s tax plan. Instead of falling into this trap, stay on message by explaining how raising taxes on those who provide us with the goods, services, and jobs will affect everyone in a negative way. The electorate does need an explanation (every election) of how tax increases affect the economy. Don’t just state that your opponent’s tax increases will kill jobs. Explain how they will. Know your audience and when a TV camera is on assume your audience knows nothing, bringing me to my third point.
- Take in Account the Uninformed Voters: Young people are beginning to vote in much larger numbers, but most of them have not yet explored the issues or ideologies. Democrats are good at speaking to an audience that is uninformed and Republicans are not. Every issue needs to explained and in simple terms. Don’t assume your audience already knows anything. In the debates, John McCain would often make vague references to things without elaboration or explanation. Being a political junkie, I would know what point he was trying to make but also knew that most people probably did not. During each election we need to explain conservative principles as Ronald Reagan had. Sometimes it seems that Republicans believe that everything that Reagan articulated is fresh in the minds of the electorate and that just isn’t the case. So much of the electorate knows nothing of what he taught about conservatism, but I am a believer that they would embrace everything he stood for (just as we all did) as long as they have a teacher as good as he.
- Do Not Abandon Your Conservative Principles: I am sickened to hear all of the analysts today who are suggesting that Republicans lost because their message was not populist enough. These people are WRONG. The party is becoming so bogged down from the weight of the gift bags we’re carrying that we are sinking. Drop the baggage and get back on course or you will be left behind.