First Tuesdays Strategies

by J. Warren Tompkins

Here in South Carolina, we’re lucky. Our conservative leaders have roundly denounced the proposal from President Barack Obama to move suspected terrorists from Guantanamo Bay, Cuba to the United States. If only Democrats had the leadership to buck a bad idea from their party and put the interests of their constituents first.

A prime example is Ill. Gov. Pat Quinn, who is showing open arms in welcoming these dangerous combatants to American soil. In a news conference recently, he said, “This is something that is very good for our state, it’s good for our economy, it’s good for public safety.”

Suspension of disbelief is good for watching movies, but not public policy. Instead of creating an atmosphere amenable to business, like cutting taxes and deregulating industry, the liberal elites in power are trying to create jobs by making us inherently unsafe. These detainees were kept on a military base away from our country on purpose.

By bringing these people to our shores, we raise the profile of those, and other places in America, as targets for terrorists. We learned on Sept. 11 that the oceans that so long kept our country safe can no longer do so. For Illinois, it has enough problems without asking for O’Hare airport and the downtown skyscrapers to become targets for international terrorists.

In South Carolina, we have numerous military bases, including two of the biggest training areas in the country – Ft. Jackson for the Army and Parris Island for the Marines. Charleston is a major shipping and military center, and we have numerous nuclear power plants. Each is a potential target. Expect Charleston to ratchet up the chart of places that could be targeted if the Navy brig there becomes home to suspected terrorists.

That’s not the only problem. By bringing detainees here, and especially in maximum-security prisons like the one in Illinois, we open ourselves up to having to try them in civilian courts, like common criminals. The only problem is that they aren’t criminals. They are enemy combatants that are a threat to the lives of American soldiers overseas and the American public here at home.

Top Illinois Democrats say the terrorist transfer could create up to 2,000 jobs. Can you imagine such a sorry state of affairs that the only way you can create jobs for your area is to put the entire region at risk? Democrats are so eager to find good economic news that they’ll pander to an international court of public opinion, which will hate us no matter what we do.

Yet again, this massive mistake shows how out of touch liberals are with the needs of our country, whether it be jobs or national security. By trying to spin it to a positive in both categories is more akin to being categorically insane. The Obama administration is already pushing forth on one of these ideas, seeking to try five terrorists, including 9/11 conspirator Khlid Sheikh Mohammed, in civilian court in New York.

Democrats are killing our economy with government growth, high taxes, and extreme spending. It’s sad that they won’t reverse that trend, and instead they’re looking toward terrorists for good economic news.

by J. Warren Tompkins

There were three major elections in this past odd-year, off-year election. Usually, the odd-year races are dominated by Virginia and New Jersey. 2009 was no different. It was great to see Republicans reverse trends of the previous years and sweep the most important offices in the Old Dominion, along with Chris Christie beating the odds to knock off John Corzine in New Jersey.

Then, there was U.S. House District 23 in New York. All year, the district was expected to go against the Democrats, one way or another. First of all, that area of the Upstate hadn’t seen a Democrat incumbent in more than 150 years. Second, Republicans outnumber Democrats in the area by 12 percentage points. It shouldn’t have been all that close. Then it went pear-shaped.

At the beginning, the National Republican Campaign Committee backed nominee Dede Scozzafava. She was the type of moderate Republican that typically wins in the Northeast. The problem with her nomination was that she was essentially picked in a backroom deal among county chairmen, leading to a revolt among the grassroots. GOP activists that turn out in special elections didn’t want any part of her.

NRCC chairman, U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions, who took over this year, said in a statement, “After two special elections in New York, there is no doubt in my mind that the candidate selection process lacks openness and transparency and should be changed to a primary system so voters can have a say in who their respective parties nominate.”

So, the hardcore base of support that usually makes sure Republicans win special elections opted for Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman. That didn’t stop D.C. consultants from advising the national GOP to drop almost a million dollars on Scozzafava. And what did she do? She dropped out of the race and endorsed the Democrat. Sessions and his advisors should already have Damocles’ sword swinging above their heads.

As of that election, the NRCC has lost 26 out of the last 29 special elections. These are times to put the whole organization behind winning one or two races at one time, picking off a Democrat or keeping a needed seat. But sporting a 10.3 winning percentage is no way to start taking back the House. On Election Day, Republican issues were winning, and provide a good base for 2010. But, tone-deaf Congressional leaders need to get out of the way.

Consultant Matt Parker was able to impart some words of wisdom in Politico, saying, “I don’t think we’ve had the best candidates put forward. It’s difficult for folks from Washington to recruit the best candidates because sometimes they’re unfamiliar with some of these districts. [...] Republicans have largely been in the wilderness. It’s tough because there’s hasn’t been much of an identity.”

At the National Republican Senatorial Committee, chairman John Cornyn appears to have learned the lesson of the New York affair and backed off the endorsement of Gov. Charlie Crist in the heated Senate primary in Florida. Now, the NRSC won’t be making primary endorsements anymore.

There’s absolutely no reason why Democrat Bill Owens should have won the New York race. National opinion has turned on liberal ideas, and NY-23 is set up for Republican wins in cycle after cycle. A GOP candidate should have won the race between seven and 12 points.

The people in charge in Washington need to get their affairs in order, or keep watching Democrats steal elections that Republicans should win.