Moxie

The California College Republicans Present

the

M oxie Spring 2010 Issue

COLLEGE REPUBLICANS ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL FEATURED ARTICLES * Everything you ever wanted to know about precinct walking * CRs on the Jerry Kern recall * 4 steps to success in any campaign

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A STUDENT CAMPAIGN COALITION! ©2010 Made in America »Moxie« CCR Production Spring 2010 Issue Vol. 7.1

There’s a mo re rea listic w ay to

CAPTURE the conservative ideas and principles

of yesterday.

Meg Whitman

T h e c o n s e r va t i v e p r i n c i p l e s w e ’ v e b e e n m i s s i n g . the vision and leadership for a new california.

CONTROLLING GOVERNMENT SPENDING.

LOWER TAXES. CREATE JOBS.

Politicians need a new attitude when it comes to government spending. As Governor, Meg will publicize performance goals and results, use the power of the veto pen to reduce the size of government, reduce the number of state government employees and reform the generous state-worker benefit programs and pensions.

In short, Meg Whitman will restore fiscal responsibility to Sacramento.

Only by lowering taxes to give small businesses the incentive to invest, innovate, hire more workers and prosper can we create new jobs. As our governor, Meg Whitman will help the private sector create the 2 million new jobs we need for Californians by 2015.

Join the team today:

www.megwhitman.com (408)400-3887

Text New CA to GoMeg (46634)

PAID FOR BY MEG WHITMAN FOR GOVERNOR 2010

Letter from the Editor MOXIE

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The

CALIFORNIA COLLEGE REPUBLICANS’ MISSION is to recruit, inform, train, and empower every existing and potential College Republican in the State of California. College campuses today are ideological battlegrounds for the future of America due to the liberal dominion over college faculty, curricula, and administration. This is especially dangerous for the future of America and the Republican Party because partisanship is chosen between the ages of 18 and 24. We work for the future of the Republican Party and its principles of limited government, opportunity, and freedom. Everyday, we realize our obligation to preserve the Republican Party by balancing debate on California’s liberal college campuses and fulfilling our mission. We are here to influence now!

Visit www.CollegeGOP.org

Calling all College Republicans: This is an Election Year!

Scott Cullinane

Moxie Editor-in-Chief

In the last issue of Moxie we presented articles Beyond that, campaigns are a great place to make about activism and taking the fight to the liberals on your campus. For this issue we have a different theme. 2010 is an election year, the first election since Barack Obama won the White House in 2008 and everyone is watching to see what happens this fall. Appropriately, this issue of Moxie is themed about campaigns.

new friends and meet different characters. It’s a way to meet people with similar passions and people who work in a field you yourself may want to get into. A campaign is a way, if you work hard, to get noticed and prove yourself to people who work for elected officials and who always have a need to find upcoming talent.

Activism

Finally,

is fun and grabs headlines, but campaigns are where the rubber meets the road. Campaigns are where dedicated and active Republicans are separated from those who talk a good game, but never seem to show up when they are needed.

Working for a candidate in a campaign can be a rewarding experience, no matter how it ends up on Election Day. A campaign involves a lot of work, sometimes at odd hours, but it is also can be very rewarding. It is a way that you as an individual, a college student, can have a direct and immediate effect on politics by helping to determine who makes it into office.

by volunteering on a campaign you get a rare, inside chance, to see how politics actually happens. There is a lot more to American politics than you read about in a civics text book and the only way to learn about it is being there. By being part of a campaign you will have a unique view of how politicians actually make it into office.

Campaigns are fun, rewarding, and informative.

Whether you work on a city council race, a state assembly race, a congressional race, or a gubernatorial race, you have lots of chances to make a difference in 2010 and strike a blow against those annoying hippy leftists. So get out there, help a campaign out, and show your moxie!

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Chairman’s Corner MOXIE

2010 California College Republicans

Chairman’s Corner Don’t be left on the sidelines this election season!

Michael Antonopoulos CCR Chairman

With

the 2010 elections rapidly approaching, I know that I am not the only conservative to be excited by the upcoming tidal wave of Republican election victories—thanks in no small part to the poor performance of President Obama and the Democrats in Washington. This year is going to be a big one for the Republican Party, with an increasing number of GOP seats in Congress being moved to the “safe” column as more and more Democratic incumbents are being labeled as “vulnerable.”

While

this is certainly looking to be a good year for the Grand Old Party, it has thus far been an excellent year for CCR. Among college students, a new conservative movement is emerging. This can be seen within our organization, where chapters are having an easier time recruiting new members and new CR clubs have been sprouting up across the state.

College

Republican’s have also united together to do their part for Republican candidates. Although campaign season has not yet begun, CRs have kept busy in the off-season. CCR held two GOTV efforts in the East Bay, bringing 40+ CRs out each time to hit the pavement for Congressional candidate David Harmer in CD -10. Although Harmer lost, our efforts helped him beat the district’s registration gap by 8 points, a powerful message of rebuke to the Democratic Party that did not go unnoticed by the national media.

Later

in the semester CRs poured into the City of Oceanside, where they played a crucial role in defeating the labor union sponsored recall of conservative Republican Councilman Jerry Kern.

Councilman Kern attributed his landslide victory to the CRs extensive ground campaign in the weeks prior to the election.

The

fight against the left on campaigns isundeniably important, yet we as College Republicans also have another obligation in the upcoming election cycle. If you care about the direction of the Republican Party, then it is your obligation to help shape the party by involving yourself in the selection of our nominees for statewide office.

While I could fill an entire issue of Moxie

discussing the GOP’s gubernatorial and US Senate candidates, instead I will let you know whom to contact if you are interested in getting involved. Three CR leaders have taken the initiative to help establish student coalitions to support their candidate of choice.

Whether you are interested in volunteering or just looking to learn more about the candidates, be sure to contact these CR leaders for more info:

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CCR Chairman

Students for Meg Whitman for Governor, email State Chair Chasen Bullock at chasen.bullock@collegegop.org Students for Steve Poizner for Governor, email State Chair Tierney Burke at tierney.burke@gmail.com Students for Carly Fiorina for Senate, email State Chair Megan Rodriguez at megan.rodriguez@collegegop.org

Other

opportunities to consider are Assemblyman Chuck Devore’s campaign for US Senate, contact campaign manager Leisa Brug Kline leisa@chuckdevore.com and former Rep Tom Campbell’s campaign for Governor, contact campaign manager Hana Callahan at Hana@campbell.org.

This

will be a historic election, a rebuke

of the Obama Administration in the mold of the 1994 rebuke of the Clinton Administration. But tidal waves don’t just happen. While the sentiment of hostility towards those now occupying the corridors of power in Washington certainly exists, that alone is not enough to turn the tide.

To win elections nationally as well as statewide, we need to build a grassroots movement, which starts with CRs.

2010 will be a historic election; don’t watch it from the sidelines, get in the game!

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Vice-Chairman’s Corner MOXIE

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Tom G. Del Beccaro CRP Vice Chairman

The tide is turning in America. In

recent elections across the country, Americans are standing up and making their voices heard by rejecting Obama’s agenda of big government and out-of-control spending. Here in California, we need to take the fight to the Democrats and hold them accountable for their trampling of our constitutional freedoms and anti-business policies responsible for growing unemployment.

In

an effort to make our voices

heard in Washington and Sacramento, the California College Republicans, California Republican Party, and Patriot Axiom are teaming up for a statewide CCR Activism Contest. Each College Republican club from across the state is invited to create a two-minute video protesting a policy of any part or policy of the liberal establishment. It’s time to take to the streets and college campuses everywhere and let your voice be heard! This is your chance to get back at the liberal biases and indoctrination you experience on a day to day basis by standing up for common sense governing and telling them that you’re not a generational ATM. It is our duty to expose them for what they are and save what we can of our founding fathers’ principles.

These

videos will be viewed by a group of California GOP leaders and the best of these videos will be shown to the entire general assembly at the California Republican Party’s convention. Continue the movement that is sweeping the nation and show the left that they don’t have the undying loyalty of the youth vote and they aren’t the only ones that own grassroots activism.

Let’s show them a new, younger, activist version of Republicans.

So grab your cameras, make some signs, and get out there to make your voices heard.

Let the College Republican movement begin!

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Executive Committee MOXIE

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California College Republicans Executive Committee

Brian Lovatt (Chico, CA) Northern Region Vice Chair

Kaitlyn Shimmin (UCSC) Michael Antonopoulos (SMC) Chairman

Falicia Mandel (USC) Co-Chair

Megan Rodriguez (UCSD) Administrative Vice Chair

Tierney Burke (UC Davis) Treasurer

Rene Rodgers (CSU Sacramento) Secretary

Matthew Dobler (CSU San Marcos) Political Director

Chasen Bullock (CSU San Marcos)

Parliamentarian

James Kincaid (S.F. State) Chief of Staff

Debbie Arellano (CSU Sacramento) Operations Director

Clinton Soffer (UCSD) Communications Director

Ilsa Wolf (UCSC) Volunteer Coordinator

Scott Cullinane (SMC) Moxie Editor in Chief

Cheyenne Steel (USC) Immediate Past Chair

Southern Region Vice Chair

Alan Dana (USC)

Moxie Staff

Scott Raab (Sacramento, CA)

Scott Cullinane

Los Angeles Region Vice Chair Central Valley Region Vice Chair

Kayleigh Bodan (CSU Monterey Bay) Central Coast Region Vice Chair

Izaak Pichardo (UC Davis) Capital Region Vice Chair

Editor in Chief

Pavel Petrov

Layout and Design

Kaitlyn Shimmin Chief Photography

Contents MOXIE

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123 456 789

Table of Contents 2 Letter from the Editor Scott Culinane

3 Chairman’s Corner Michael Antonopoulos

5 Vice - Chairman’s Corner Tom G. Del Beccaro

7 Executive Committee Members 8 Contents

9 Everything you wanted to know about Precinct Walking, but were too afraid to ask Ilsa Wolf

11 Fixing our Schools Damien McDowell

13 College Republicans in Action!

15 4 Steps to Campaign Success Rachael Marsik

17 A Guide to Precincts and Politics Chasen Bullock

20 Precint Walking Shows its Strength Clinton Soffer

21 Effective Republicans take Breaks Evan Smith

23 Danger to Democracy Paul Wysocki

26 What’s Next?

Tierney Burke

27 The Final Message Armand Donalewski

29 College Republicans Come Through!

Matthew Dobler

Moxie is the official magazine of the California College Republicans.

Copyright © 2010 California College Republicans. All rights reserved.

Printed in America. Volume 07, No. 01. Issue Spring. Moxie is published quarterly.

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Precinct Walking MOXIE

EVERY THING

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you ever wanted to know about

PRECINCT WALKING

BUT WERE TOO AFRAID TO ASK

Ilsa Wolf Precinct

walking. As College Republicans you either have participated or will participate in one of the most fundamental campaign activities. It’s an absolute necessity for any campaign, its simple and effective, walk up to countless strangers’ doors and remind them to vote for your candidate or cause. Precinct walking despite its relative simplicity can also be one of the most difficult, time consuming and often miserable forms of campaigning. However, it’s not all bad, in fact sometimes it can be rewarding and even down right entertaining.

“Sorry No Thanks” to you knocking on there door in the middle of the afternoon can vary. The nice ones are apologetic but curt, others will brush you off as soon as they see the stack of flyers and clipboard in your hand, and some might even become visibly annoyed and at worse try to argue with you. My advice for when you encounter these people is to smile politely and do your best to stay pleasant. Obviously not everyone you talk to is going to be a supporter but its nothing to fuss about, move on to the next house on the list and do not lose your smile.

Tales

The

next type is my personal favorite, the “Mr./Mrs. Awkward” type. These people will more than likely be caught completely by surprise by your presence, like the have never had a stranger knock on their door and are most likely in the middle of something. My personal favorite was a “Mr. Awkward,” a heavy man who answered the door in nothing but a pair of tiny cut off jean shorts and tube socks.

He seemed slightly confused to see me and not at all worried about me seeing him in his current condition, however he listened politely to my speech and answered my questions so I really can’t complain.

of precinct walkers range from the horrifying to the delightful, boring to completely awkward. Despite the range of emotions one can endure while knocking on strangers’ doors, this act is essential and always worth it in every campaign. If you have not done it yet, do it, you will learn a lot about yourself and how a campaign functions and might even see first hand why it was once suggested that citizens pass a test before being allowed near a polling place.

There are three types of people you will meet going door to door,

there is the “Big Fan” someone who has probably already sent in their absentee ballot supporting your particular cause, or express to you how excited they are to support your candidate when election day roles around. This type of person will also be very interested in chatting with you about why they like your candidate as well as any number of other candidates they happen to support and why.

Basically these people are great, they are excited to see you, (they will probably even throw in something about being happy to see such a young person out supporting So-and-so), and they wish you nothing but luck on your mission to get your candidate elected.

The second type of person you will meet is the “Sorry No Thanks.”

This person is either apathetic to your candidate/cause or is supporting someone/something else entirely. The reaction of the

Obviously these categories will not cover everyone you will meet;

there will always be some delightful surprises along the way, for instance the paranoid people that will accuse you of invading their privacy. The combination of the interesting people you will meet and the always unpredictable and varying weather conditions you are sure to encounter walking house to house, are guaranteed to produce an entertaining and worthwhile learning experience.

No matter how tiring, strange or successful of a walk you have, remember that you are participating in the one of the most fundamental and influential parts of any campaign. Your hard work will not go unnoticed and it is an experience you will remember for a long time and if you are lucky it may produce countless hours of entertainment.

Fixing our Schools MOXIE

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FIXING OUR SCHOOLS Damien McDowell Before

our time, the public school education system in California was in its prime. The dropout rate was low, test scores were up, and schools were safe for children to attend. Now they’ve gone from great to the worst with a 50% drop out rate in the entire state (60% in LAUSD), there are low test scores, and students feel as if they have to watch their backs in order to keep themselves safe. Take the Jefferson High School racial riot that took place in 2005.

Days later, Fairfax High School

had a small riot, followed by Taft High School, and on the internet it surfaced that Mexican gangs were planning to kill 300 black students on Cinco de Mayo. There’s no question that our schools are in a terrible condition; and knowing that, Diane Lenning is running for California Superintendent of Public Instruction and plans to “fix our schools.”

You may be asking yourself, who is

Diane Lenning? Diane is a teacher, a mother, and a grandmother. She’s

taught English and World History for fifteen years in Orange County with at risk students. She graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1970 with a B.A. in history, social sciences, and music. She added an M.A. from California State University, Long Beach in 1976 in secondary education.

Further credentials at California State Universities, Long Beach and Fullerton include traffic and safety, administration, and she recently earned the CLAD

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credential for teaching English learners. She is also the former chair of the Republican Educators Caucus, focusing on improving educational opportunities for students across America.

“I am running because I care about you, our kids, and grandkids. Also, I cannot stand by and watch our schools fail our kids when I know what to do to ‘fix’ our schools! As an educator for over thirty years teaching in the trenches, I know what works, and what doesn’t. I have been a leader in education for many years as a professional leader in my state, elected one of twenty-five state-wide to represent teachers at the NEA/CTA conventions. I am former Chair of an education caucus, and have been honored by the U.S. Senate with the Medal of Freedom. I passed Baby Bar last year.”

-Diane Lenning As noted earlier, California has a 50% percent

drop out rate; and LAUSD, being the worst with a dropout rate at 60%. She believes that schools need to provide a safe learning environment for every student, free from bullying and violence.

“Drop out prevention is crime prevention. When students are in school, it keeps them focused on getting a quality education and preparing for their future.”

She

believes that schools must provide a low key police presence on campuses and also a closed perimeter capability that will assure containment of issues as they arise.

You’re probably wondering why you, a college

student, should care about this election. One day, you will all get married and have a family.

When it comes time for you to enroll your child into a school, you’ll want them to learn in a safe environment. She also believes that college education for out future children will bring a better standard of living to their lives.

“Education is the “great equalizer” and will open doors for jobs. You will live a life of achievement and of greater success.”

So

how can we support her? One way is by encouraging your friends to register to vote and submit the information to her campaign for a bounty. Another way is by joining the “Students 4 Lenning” facebook page and encouraging others to join as well. Lastly, you could also write articles in support of her campaign in your community, explaining her goals for improving education would also be a great help.

For

too long now, our schools has been in a bad condition, and it’s time to put them back in its prime. For more information about Diane Lenning, visit her website at http://www.dianelenningforcasuptofpublicinstruction2010.vpweb.com.

It’s time to fix our schools, and Diane Lenning is the one who can do just that.

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CRs in Action MOXIE

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Campaign Success MOXIE

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Four Steps to Campaign Success Rachael Marsik Campaigns seem to be the easiest way to trim the tree of friends.

Seriously, at one point or another it seems like every person will experience a campaign clash. But, how do you avoid it? How, in the midst of the dramatic emotions and the high anxiety of a campaign, can you avoid making the mistakes that cost you the friendships which are supposed to last the rest of our lives?

1)

Think before you speak.

2)

Chip In. Traveling to and from GOTVs (Get Out The Votes) and

3)

Honor Your Commitments.

4)

Chill.

This seems to be general good advice, but while working on a campaign with friends it could mean the difference between friends and enemies. Can you even count the number of times you have been in a situation where words have left a person’s mouth that even he or she regrets? When you are in school full time, walking precincts, going to rallies and speeches and all of the other things that comprise a long campaign season it is not hard to have your feelings hurt, or hurt someone else’s feelings, with a comment that should have probably not been uttered aloud. Harnessing the ability to keep your mouth shut in tense situations can take you anywhere you would like to go in this world, just ask the people who have not.

conventions can get expensive, and just because someone has a car does not mean that he or she has bottomless pockets. We don’t exactly live in Rhode Island, and long trips can do serious damage to a wallet. Gas and lodging is not always completely covered; and so if you agree to pay a portion of someone’s gas costs or a hotel room, pay it. The biggest thing to remember when making sure to pay your bills is to not commit to pay them when you know you can’t. It may be difficult to say no, but sometimes you just have to. An honest approach is much more appreciated than a sudden missing wallet.

There is nothing more annoying than someone who backs out on something after committing to it; especially when they do it last minute. Aside from legitimate emergencies like decapitation or a tsunami you should have plenty of notice for something that may conflict with a GOTV. Most people understand that you are a student first and know that you can’t come to every walk or rally, but a little notice would be appreciated. Flakey labels are not easily undone, so avoid them like the plague by being honest about your availability and reliable about your follow-through.

Chances are the slip of the tongue, the misplaced wallet, or the last minute bail can be easily managed and all of the turmoil that they cause will dissipate before the end of the day. They may have caused a moment of irritation, but it is probably not worth a friendship. Take a step away from the situation and come back clearheaded and ready to contribute productive solutions instead of brash reactions.

Campaign antics have brought the worst of people out from under their friendly

facades before, and it is unlikely this will not happen again. I hope that by listening to my advice you will successfully avoid such indignity and be left to instead focus on the potential that you have to prove yourself during a campaign. The 2010 election cycle will give you plenty of opportunity to show your commitment to the Republican Party and to the College Republicans, so take advantage of it.

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Thank You to the California College Republicans Republicans for your dedication and leadership.

- Damon Damon

www.DamonDunn.com www.DamonDunn.com

Precincts and Politics MOXIE

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A Guide to Precincts and Politics Chasen Bullock “Remember, look him in the eyes, nothing sells like sincerity” (Nixon 1995). Before discussing the significance of this line from the film Nixon, let’s take a dive into the world of walking precincts. What would go through your mind if I were to call you today and say, “Hey, I was hoping we could get your help tomorrow in walking precincts, you in?”

If by any way the thought of walking precincts leaves a bad taste in your mouth – let’s fix that.

To me, walking precincts was, and still is, politics at its best. Walking up to a stranger’s door, educating them on the current issue, and then trying to persuade them to join your fight – this is politics.

Let’s

start off with the first of the topics, and point out an annoying stereotype in politics. This stereotype is used on just about everyone; it’s the line – “Get your foot in the door.” Let me say this, nothing will jumpstart an early political career for you faster than walking precincts. If you want to gain respect from your peers, as well as from those above you, you have to put the time and work in that they have. A slogan of mine is - no job is ever below you in politics. Think of it this way, Assemblyman Martin Garrick walked over 6,000 in 2006 to become the 74th Assembly member. It was the Assemblyman’s determination and drive to walk houses each and everyday that earned him a seat in the California Legislature.

San Diego Political Consultant Tom Shepard said it best, “I tell the candidates, if you want to really know the issues that people care about – go walk some houses.” This brings us to our second reason to get out and hit the pavement, learning grassroots politics. Truthfully, you do learn more about the district from the houses you walk, then from the briefing reports you read.

Walking precincts is the oldest campaign tactic in the book, yet it’s one of the

best. Face-to-face voter contact is the most beneficial outreach you can do in any campaign. Nothing says you truly care about someone’s vote better than walking to their door and asking for it. This is where learning the art of “retail politics” (which is one on one conversation), and the quote from the move Nixon, come into play. While trying to persuade the stranger at the door is difficult, you will never earn their vote if you do not first earn their trust. What I have three simple reasons for why you should be walking pre- makes great politicians great is their ability to earn the public’s trust. Listen, if cincts for your local Republican leader this next election cycle: you want to be successful in politics you need to master the art of one on one 1.

Get Your Foot in the Door conversation, and precinct walking can help you do that. Knocking on 2.

To Learn hundreds of strangers’ doors and talking to them will help develop 3.

It’s Rewarding the cunning skills that people in politics need to possess. Every-

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one knows that the more houses they walk for a candidate, the better versed they become on the issues. Ultimately, the more houses you walk, the easier communicating at the door becomes.

Remember, “look him in the eyes, nothing sells like sincerity” (Nixon 1995).

For

me, there is honestly nothing more rewarding in life then making a difference. Money is nice, but lets face it – you’re not walking precincts for the ‘big bucks’ you get paid. It is an investment in yourself, and by working on a campaign you are letting the people around you know that you are serious about politics. When I am walking precincts, the amount I am getting paid (sometimes none) is not the motivator. Instead, the motivator is the stranger at the door who initially had no idea who he was going to vote for, yet after a visit from you – he likes your candidate.

The other motivator is the win. I had the luxury of being a part of the “No Recall” effort in Oceanside to stop the labor unions from taking control of City Council. The 63% to 37% win we earned that night, against the labor unions, will always be remembered as my first win.

So when I call you this February and ask if you want to get involved with a campaign or walk precincts on the weekend,

what will you say?

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2010 The University of Southern California College Republicans invite you to attend the

2010 California College Republican State Convention

April 23-25, 2010

Marriott Downtown Los Angeles, CA For more information contact Alan Dana at: alan.dana@collegegop.org

Precinct Walking MOXIE

Precinct Walking Shows its Strength Clinton Soffer Even during non-election years, College Republicans in California have been making

a difference in campaigns. On December 8, 2009, voters in Oceanside rejected the recall of Republican City Councilman Jerry Kern. The recall, which was defeated with 63% of the vote, was heavily supported by the grassroots program organized by the California College Republicans, led by Chairman Michael Antonopoulos. The team organized a five week field program that consisted of phone banking, targeted absentee ballot chasing, large weekend precinct walks, and a well-oiled GOTV program.

During

the week, College Republicans would phone bank out of the Oceanside campaign office as well as the San Diego County party headquarters. On the weekends, as many as 30 College Republicans from schools across the state would go doorto-door, getting out the vote for the expected low-turnout election. On election day, voters even spoke of how the Kern campaign came to the door to urge them to vote.

This

election is another reminder of the strength of College Republicans when put into action. While the unions poured hundreds of thousands of dollars to put public employees on the ground, The College Republicans operated with a relatively limited budget and less resources. But their devotion to the cause far outweighed the pettiness of the public employee unions, and it showed on election night.

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Effective Republicans MOXIE

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“Effective Republicans Take Breaks (Applies to more than just Taxes!)”

Evan Smith Have you lost the passion you once held for politics or feel that passion reducing to something close to apathy? This is a common symptom of College Republican Exhaustion Disorder (CRED), a mental disorder fatiguing its sufferer into the inability to act as an effective College Republican. Other symptoms include: agreeing with addresses from President Obama, using incoherent arguments against Democrats (See Democrat Disorder in last paragraph), reduced irritability in Liberally indoctrinated courses, a lack of concern for a misallocated budget, reduced time spent at the shooting range, and a disregard for hygiene resulting in a hippie-ish appearance. Do not fear; there is a cure! But before administering the CRED Cream (I’m kidding, its really just a list of suggestions), we must address the causes of CRED:

Meet

Cal Republican. You may know him as the guy that does great work for your College Republican Club -consistently recruiting young conservatives, volunteering for various campaigns, shooting out weekly emails that inform about upcoming events, generally being an active member of great value -- but despite his enthusiasm, he is soon to be CRED sufferer.

Between

classes, even during classes sometimes (he can’t contain his enthusiasm), he talks to his classmates about upcoming elections and current mistakes of the administration and he collects email addresses of those that fall victim to his annex of political savvy, and adds them to the College Republican mailing list. During his leisure time, he watches Fox News and reviews most of the links off the Drudge Report. When it is time for bed, he plays talk radio, falls asleep with an issue of Moxie, and dreams of a 2012 election with himself as the Republican Nominee. When he wakes up, he does it all over again.

Notice anything peculiar about his daily activities? If you don’t, you need an extra heavy dose of CRED Cream (again, just a metaphor).

All he does is politics! The man has become less of a man and more of a machine, a CR machine. But every machine needs a reboot now and again. And CRED Cream is the Reboot.

What Cal Republican and every CRED sufferer needs to do is take a break from politics. That’s right! Life goes on without Fox News.

When focusing on a subject for too long, a person can become mentally worn; This condition is recognized by psychologists as “burnout.”

Temporarily cutting off sources of passion and political rage are key to preventing CRED:

Beware:

1. Skip an argument or two. You don’t need to combat every Democrat you come across.

2. Set yourself aside for “you” time. Turn off Fox, Limbaugh, and watch some regular Television.

3. Finally, put down the shovel! You don’t have to do the grunt work for your club every week. They have other members on the volunteer list.

these guidelines, if followed too regularly, could be detrimental to your health. Resume regular republican activities immediately after CRED symptoms subside. If Conservative sources of passion are abandoned for too long, you could come down with Democrat Disorder (DD). This is a disorder characterized by an overemotional approach to politics and the disregard for sound logic.

Sadly, there is no cream to remedy said disorder.

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Danger to Democracy MOXIE

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Danger to Democracy:

Why Supporting 3rd Party Candidates would be the Downfall of Republicans in 2010 Paul Wysocki Imagine the primary elections are over, and your

candidate supporters be willing to unite behind the candidate couldn’t pull it off in the end. I’m sure Republican nominee for the better of the Party? this is a familiar situation to you, as it is to me as Or will they continue their support of their thirds well: your candidate failed to secure the Republican party candidate and inevitably split the vote?

Party nomination, and now it is going to the “other guy.” I personally was a Huckabee man myself, While the Republican Party platform may differ before McCain won the presidential nomination. from other 3rd party platforms, especially as the So there are two roads you can go down: either Conservative Party or Tea Party, the core values suspend support for your initial candidate, are very similar. Once the primaries are over instead throwing your weight behind the GOP the candidates of both parties would need to nominee, despite any ill feelings, resentment, or consolidate their voters in order to achieve a victory distrust you may have for him or her. This is the on Election Day. It would be devastating for the more rational, “better for the party” choice. Or GOP to hand over another House or Senate seat the other option is branch off, turn your back on to the Democrats due to a split in the vote like the the party and candidate, and continue supporting NY-23 seat in 2009. The minor race between the your man or woman as a third Party nominee. “Republican” Dede Scozzafava and Conservative This is idealistic and dangerous for democracy. Party candidate Doug Hoffman, magnified and amplified by national political figures such as Sarah Dangerous because no candidate should be Palin and Tim Pawlenty, showed how a rip in the elected without more than 50% of the vote; Bill Party could potentially lead to a disaster for many Clinton won the presidential election in 1992 with Republican candidates. In this case we all know only 43% of American support because of third that the split led to a win for Democrat Bill Owens. party candidate Ross Perot. This is dangerous because no candidate, whether a Representative, Senator, Governor, or President, should take office without an overall majority. It is Dangerous especially in the upcoming elections; due to resentment and animosity towards both Democrats and Republicans, many voters are becoming jaded by the political system causing a rise in support for third parties, such as the Tea Party movement.

Throughout the country, it comes as no surprise that we’re seeing more Independent Party candidates and Tea Party Candidates. There is no complaint here, as this is democracy in action. Yet my concern is that once the primaries are through, depending on the outcomes of those elections, will third party

Republicans like to boast that we aren’t the Party of

idealism, that our beliefs are realistic, rational, and logical. Yet when members of our own party disavow support of a nominee because he or she may not live up to certain standards; that is when idealism trumps ideals. On Election Day the effects of this could lead to a split in the vote for any right-leaning candidate insuring victory for Democrats. So what we as right-minded, rational Republicans need to understand is that once the primary is over, we all need to come together behind the GOP nominee.

He or she may not be your #1 choice, but in order to prevent a rip in the Party and a split in the vote, for the betterment of our country we must unite.

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What’s Next?

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What’s Next?

Tierney Burke So now that you are a member of College Republicans, you probably want to know what’s next!

Well you are in luck, 2010 is an election year and it will present a great opportunity for Republicans to stand up to the Democrats and their liberal spending practices. There are two great ways to stay active in your region! First you could host on campus protests to draw attention to liberal policies. Many of your fellow undergraduates do not know all sides of prominent political issues. Events you and College Republicans host on campus can bring new perspective to the healthcare debate, war on terror, or deficit spending.

Everything CRs do on campus brings new light to the current political climate. We, the students, must act to educate our peers. Doing so will make the Democrats work for votes they had previously chalked into their ‘win column.’ College Republicans need to start chipping away at those votes. Another approach you can take to keep your club active is to work on a campaign. College Republicans are the largest group of volunteers available to conservative candidates. CRs make the difference in elections and 2010 will be no different. Local City Council and State Assembly races are very important to the political makeup of California. Although we would all like the tide to turn on the Democrats overnight, it is not likely to happen. But each seat that Republicans win at all levels of government will bring the change we hope for, and it is in these races that College Republicans can make the difference.

2010 will be our year to stand up to Democrats on campus and in the community!

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Final Message MOXIE

The Final Message Armand Donalewski

Headlines have been recently dominated

by a fierce and angry debate. In a question of utmost importance, that affects all of us, we have seen nothing but escalating fury and accusations. It is a debate that has tapped into the fundamental cultural divides of this nation; country versus hip hop, white versus black, conservative vs liberal. I am speaking, of course, of the controversy that resulted from Kanye West’s interruption of Taylor Swift at the Video Music Awards.

On

this question, everyone must take a side---there is no middle ground; I for one, stand with Team Taylor. I mean, really Kanye? What next? You’re going to show up at Casey Johnson’s funeral and go, “Imma letchoo finish, but I just wanted to say that Michael Jackson’s funeral was the greatest funeral of all time! ALL TIME!” (Alright, so Texts from Last Night beat me to this joke---but it had to be said, I’m sorry.) Of course, Kanye isn’t the only one interrupting on the national stage---Congressman Joe Wilson, who shouted “You lie!” at President Obama, has also earned that honor. Whether it’s in pop culture or politics, it seems that the national discussion has devolved into a national shoutfest. Nowhere is this more evident than in our own Republican Party.

Following the 2006 midterm elections that former President Bush dubbed the “thumpin’” and the 2008 Presidential election that, quite frankly, was too depressing to give a catchy name, our party has become embroiled in a vigorous internal debate. Losing control of the House, Senate, and White House forced us as a party to ask the hard questions. How did this happen? Why did this happen?

And most importantly, how can we fix it?

On

one side of the debate we have the “moderates,” whose ranks include such famous figures as former Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, former

Secretary of State Colin Powell, and former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. These men argue that our party has become too ideological and too focused on rallying an ever narrowing base; in an America that is becoming less evangelical, less white, and less male, the Republican Party is rapidly becoming the party of churchgoing white males. Even undoubtedly conservative stalwarts such as Pat Buchanan recognize this fact. “There’s a real demographic problem with the Republican Party,” Buchanan said. “It is a heavily white party, quite frankly. And as a share of the electorate, that is diminishing and Hispanics are growing very rapidly, Asians are growing rapidly, and by two-thirds they tend to vote Democratic.”

The

GOP’s weakness with minorities, as well as other expanding demographics, suggests that we need to alter our approach.

As Colin Powell notes, “If we don’t reach out more, the party is going to be sitting on a very, very narrow base. You can only do two things with a base. You can sit on it and watch the world go by, or you can build on the base,” Powell said. Instead of promoting candidates like Sarah Palin, who invigorate the base but infuriate, well, everyone else, these moderates argue the party needs to build on that base by boosting candidates like California’s own Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman, who have broader appeal. Only by tempering the fire brand social conservatives and compromising with the Democrats on economic and environmental issues can we regain the support of the American people and remain relevant in this era of change.

Malarkey,

reply the conservatives.

Reinvigorated by the surprising emergence of last summer’s Tea Party movement, these Republicans contend that the GOP failed not due to too much conservatism, but too little. Considering themselves to be the standard bearers of true conservative principles, they decry any sort of compromise on social or fiscal issues; when the Democrats deem them the Party of No

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they consider it a badge of honor. With such famous names as Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, and Senator Jim Demint backing it, the conservative side of the argument carries a lot of heft. When moderates suggest that the party needs to back off some of its more conservative views to win and support less ideologically rigid candidates, conservatives argue that we’ve already done that, to little success; McCain lost, after all. This argument has resonated within California’s Republican ranks; Insurance Commissioner (and current Gubernatorial candidate) Steve Poizner and Congressman (and current Senate candidate) Chuck DeVore have both embraced the conservative grassroots, arguing that what our state needs is more principled conservatism, not less. Enthusiastic opposition to gay marriage, socialized medicine, and taxes, combined with even more enthusiastic support for traditional moral values, free market solutions to health care, and tax cuts will win the day.

As

proof, these conservatives cite the defeat of gay marriage in New York, New Jersey, and Maine, the collapse of Obama’s popularity during the healthcare debate, and the public’s continuing hostility to the bailout and the stimulus. Only by purging the party of RINOs such as Dede Scozzafa and promoting true conservatives such as Doug Hoffman can the party throw off the stench of hypocrisy that remains from the high spending Bush years. (The moderates would retort that rejecting the former in favor of the latter resulted in a Democratic victory.) By following the path of Goldwater and Reagan, the conservatives assure us, we will soon restore a Republican majority.

So

what is the answer? Do we sacrifice some of our ideological purity and push moderate candidates? Or do we stick to our conservative guns, hoping that once the public realizes that we’re serious this time, they’ll turn around? I contend, my fellow

Republicans, that this is a false dilemma.

What our age calls for is neither a sacrifice of conservative principles nor a rigid adherence to the policies of old. The American people resoundingly rejected the policies of the Bush administration in 2008; this does not mean they have rejected conservatism. So how do we square this peg---how do we keep our principles while addressing the very real hunger for change in America?

Simple:

new ideas do not require new principles. Notions of small government, traditional values, and free people are not limited to the Bush formula of slashing income taxes, ignoring the environment, etc. We can and must adapt our age old principles to modern challenges; answers that may have worked yesterday no longer work today. How would this work in practice? Take taxes for example. Since Reagan, the GOP has been locked into an almost obsessive struggle to lower the income tax. This made sense in the Carter era, where the top bracket could reach 70% or higher; but the difference between a Bush tax level and an Obama tax level is the difference between 39% and 36%. Don’t get me wrong---3% is still a big deal. But for the large part, this is a battle we’ve won, and focusing on it only allows the Democrats to call us the party of the rich.

A moderate would suggest here that we simply let this battle go; I beg to differ.

Instead of fighting this old battle, we take up a new one: the payroll tax. This tax affects every single wage earner in America--cutting it would instantly stimulate the economy along a broad swath, helping employers and employees. It’s a policy that allows us to champion conservative principles of low taxes while obtaining egalitarian plaudits for helping the middle class, all the while bringing something distinctly new to the table.

28

This is just one of the many ways we can

begin to tackle old political challenges with new policy ideas; the environment, the economy, healthcare---all of these areas scream for new conservative leadership.

We’ll calm the intraparty conflict.

We’ll bring new ideas that will tackle America’s challenges.

We’ll preserve conservatism for a new generation.

And as for the Democrats, well, I’ll quote

humanitarian, philosopher, and Guido, Mike “The Situation” of Jersey Shores. “I don’t think they are going to be ready for this situation. Everyone’s gonna be like ‘oh shoot, that’s the situation right there.’” A revived Republican Party, unified behind new ideas that preserve conservatism but which tackle the challenges of today is ready to stop Obama’s leftist agenda dead in its tracks. Now that’s a situation I can get behind.

CRs Come Through MOXIE

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CRs come through when needed Matthew Dobler In the summer months of 2009 a labor union

backed recall was launched against Oceanside City Councilman Jerry Kern. The Public Employees Union launched a recall effort merely as an attack on a City Councilman who voted to balance a budget during an economically challenging time. Councilman Kern did what any good Republican would do and put the interest of taxpayers ahead of special interests. In a time when families are having to cut back financially and make hard decisions, so should municipal government.

That was the reasoning behind Councilman Kern’s difficult budget cut vote that ceased pay increases for public employees until the budget was balanced. Once the unions realized their blanked check would come to a halting end they decided to try and replace Councilman Kern with union puppet who would write blank checks to the public employees union with no oversight. That is when the California College Republicans decided to step in and help. Over the course of six weeks more than 60 college republicans from San Diego State University, University California San Diego, California State University San Marcos, Irvine Valley College and University San Diego came together to walk over 25,000 houses and make thousands upon thousands of phone calls to fight the powerful unions. It was an up hill battle from the start, with the unions having endless money and man power the fight seemed almost insurmountable, however with the strong dedication of so many college republicans from all over Southern California we were able to successfully defeat the unions. Special recognition should go College Republican leaders Michael Antonopoulos, Clinton Soffer, Megan Rodriquez, Danielle Dowler, Dominic Gutierrez and Chasen Bullock who led the fight every step of the way. It was these College Republicans that led Jerry Kern to 63% victory over the unions.

This strong grassroots effort is yet another testament to what the California College Republicans are known for. Our organization is not only a social organization, rather one that when called upon to stand behind Republican principles, we rise to the occasion, one CR, one house, one phone call at a time.

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»Moxie« Courtesy of California College Republicans Editor in Chief // Scott Culinane Layout and Design // Pavel Petrov Spring 2010 Issue Vol. 7.1