Chip Saltsman’s plan for the future of the GOP

If you haven’t seen it yet, you must take a look at the plan Chip has laid out for the future of the GOP. His plan is exactly what our Party needs. It can be viewed in its entirety here.

Overview:

I. No Despair, No Recrimination
II. Strengthen Our State Parties
III. Invest In New Technologies To Reinvigorate Party Efforts
IV. Implement Outreach Programs To Expand Party Base
V. New And Creative Fundraising Efforts
VI. Create “Watchdog” To Monitor Liberal Actions

Key quote:

It’s an old cliché, but it must be stated: the death of the Republican Party is greatly
exaggerated. Despite recent electoral setbacks, the party has tens of millions of
supporters and a cadre of up-and-coming conservative candidates. Instead of worrying
about what might have been, this January presents a great chance for Republicans to
pick themselves up, develop and offer new ideas, introduce new candidates, and present
new leadership. From defeat, the party can arise bolder, stronger and more cohesive.

“Saltsman sees new ‘playbook’ for GOP”

Over at NashvillePost.com, there is a great profile of Chip and what he wants to do as head of the RNC.

Key quote:

“A lot of my pitch is getting back to basics – in putting money and resources back into infrastructure and building at the local level”…

“Some of it is strong infrastructure at the local level. It’s about building strong state parties. The strength of the Republican Party resides in states – in strong governors and state office holders, in strong local parties.”

Chip Saltsman talks with Governor Mike Huckabee

“Who Will Take Up the Gauntlet to Lead the GOP Out of the Wilderness?”

The answer can be found in this Washington Post article about the race for the RNC Chairmanship.

Chip Saltsman is the man we need.

Who is Chip Saltsman?

I wanted to post some profiles done on Chip over the years just to give some of y’all a better idea of exactly who he is, and more importantly, exactly what he stands for.

Click here to read a profile, in The Wall Street Journal, on Mr. Saltsman’s work managing the Huckabee campaign. Quote of interest:

Mr. Saltsman’s campaign strategy has defied expectations. He got his candidate this far partly by watching every cent.

It’s time we return leadership to the GOP that understands fiscal responsibility, and has practiced it. Mr. Saltsman exhibited this through and through via his handling of the Huckabee campaign and how far he stretched that budget.

Click here for a profile on Chip in The Memphis Daily News. Key quote:

Saltsman does believe his party has been sidetracked from its core philosophy. He repeats a phrase used by McCain often on the campaign trail – that Republicans ‘came to Washington to change it, but it changed us.’

Amen.

A few more key quotes from Mr. Saltsman:

The Republican Party has to get back to the basics and reinvest in the state party structures.

Could not have said it better myself.

One of the things I’d like to think I’m known for is that whether I was party chairman or working for Bill Frist or just freelancing some other campaigns—we’re going to have a good time. It’s a very important job. We’re obviously very serious about it. We work very hard. But we’re having fun…

We have lost this attitude in our party over the last few years. We need the optimism Mr. Saltsman brings to whatever project he is working on.

Back to the Basics

Before our very eyes last night, we saw how low the state of the Republican Party has fallen. We as a party have lost our way, and have become the same big government types that we often like to rail against. It is time we return to the ideals of true conservatism, and govern on the principles of less government, a strong national security, free markets, and less spending. It’s time we go back to the basics.

The reformation of our party starts with electing a new party chairman in January. Over the last 3 or 4 years we have lacked a leader, or group of leaders, who stood up for conservative values and provided a clear voice for the ideals we are supposed to believe in. We can change that in January, and the right kind of change starts with electing Chip Saltsman as party chairman.

Chip is the former chairman of the Tennessee Republican Party, where he led the effort to defeat Al Gore in his home state during the 2000 election, he is a former senior adviser to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, and most recently he was the campaign manger for Mike Huckabee’s presidential bid. Throughout my years in politics I have had the opportunity to see Chip’s work firsthand, and I am confident he is the man who will return us to the basic tenants of our party. He is a walking embodiment of the social conservative wing of our party, the fiscal conservative wing of our party, and the national security wing of our party.

He is the answer we need in helping pave the path forward for the Republican Party, in order that we might govern by conservative ideals from here on out, and truly change Washington, instead of having it changing us. No more earmarks, no more bloated budgets, lower taxes, a strong national security, a pro-life agenda, and true leadership; it all starts there, and it all starts with Chip Saltsman.