Supporting the Future of Our Party

Being a citizen in a republic is like being an owner of a condo. You may think you only own Condo Unit 123 on Apple Lane, but the truth of the matter is that you are co-owner of all the condos of Fruit Street Estates. When Peach Street needs to be repaved, it doesn’t matter that you don’t live on Peach Street. You are a part of the complex and you must pony up your share. Similarly, when Sen. Dianne Feinstein votes for pork spending, it doesn’t matter that you are not a resident of California. You will be asked to pay for the extravagant spending of all the legislators, not just the ones from your own state. I realize you already know this obvious fact. So what’s my point?

When considering making campaign contributions, think outside of the state. Living in the very liberal state of Washington and with my Senators being Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, my “voice”, whether backed by dollars or not, will not get heard. However, I can still make a difference, and that’s by putting my money toward the candidates who ideologically ARE my representatives.

Some people incorrectly view campaign contributions as bribes of some sort. They think that those in congress behave a certain way because of the money they receive from contributors. They think that legislators look at where the money is coming from and then behave accordingly. A better way to look at the process is this: Those in congress receive money from contributors because of the way they behave. It’s a chicken and egg sort of thing. When I give money to a candidate it’s because the candidate has already proven himself or herself as someone who seems to most closely share my beliefs and values. My goal is not to force future behavior, it’s to reward behavior already achieved. When I send money to Jim DeMint of South Carolina, it’s because Sen. DeMint is pro-growth and anti-pork, as am I. And it doesn’t matter that I don’t live anywhere near South Carolina.

Through my contributions to Club for Growth (http://www.clubforgrowth.org/) over the years, I have helped elect men and women who share my goal of having a smaller government, lower taxes and less spending to congress. I am proud to say my money has gone to anti-pork rebels such as Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, and John Sununu of New Hampshire. Each of these men has been the type of Republican we need. Unfortunately, Sen. Sununu lost his bid for re-election. In hindsight, I regret not putting more money toward his campaign.

In the next two years, keeping close watch on which congressmen and women champion our cause will help make it easier to recognize those to whom we should open up the checkbooks. One person to keep an eye on is Rep. John Shadegg of Arizona. According to the Club for Growth, Rep. Shadegg “has emerged as a major player in the conservative movement, leading the fight for tax cuts, less regulation, increased domestic drilling and an end to government spending.” In 2007, Shadegg scored a perfect 100% for his anti-pork votes. Others to pay attention to include Rep. Tom McClintock of California, Rep. Scott Garrett of New Jersey, Rep. Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, and Rep. Pete Olson of Texas (a Republican pick-up taking over the seat once occupied by Tom Delay but more recently occupied by Democrat Nick Lampson). These folks, along with Gov. Sarah Palin (AK), Gov. Bobby Jindal (LA), Rep. Mike Pence (IN), Rep. Jeff Flake (AZ), Rep. Eric Cantor (VA), and Senators DeMint and Coburn could very well be the future leaders of a Republican party placed back on track.