TARGET

 “FUN RAISER”

TARGET (The Association of Republicans Getting Everyone Together) is sponsoring a “Fun Raiser” at the Larry and Rosalee Wilson farm, 27143 Prairie Road, at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 30, 2003.   This event will include food, appearances by local officials, entertainment and fellowship.  Tickets are $7.50 for adults, $5.00 for seniors, and children under age 6 are free.   A complementary ticket for this event is provided with each 2004 TARGET membership or renewal, good for September 1, 2003, through August  31, 2004.  

CANDIDATE

RECRUITMENT

 COMMITTEE MEETS

Interested in running for office?  The Candidate Recruitment Committee of the Pettis County Republican Central Committee, chaired by Terry Kelley, held their organizational meeting recently. The following local positions will be elected in 2004 that are presently occupied by Democrat offce holders: County Surveyor and Treasurer.   The offices that Republicans presently occupy which are also up for election in 2004 are the following: State Representative 117^th , 118^th, 119^th, and 120^th Districts, Western District Commissioner, Eastern District Commissioner, Sheriff, Public Administrator, Assessor and Coroner. 

If you are interested in running for elected office or would like to assist in recruiting qualified candidates, please Terry Kelley . .

VOLUNTEERS

NEEDED TO CARRY OUT

LOCAL REPUBLICAN   

PARTY PLAN

The year 2004 is expected to be a pivotal year, highlighted by the efforts in Missouri to repeat George W. Bush’s victory in 2000, re-elect Senator Kit Bond, and recover the state-wide constitutional offices, which includes the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer.  Republicans hope to also retain the Secretary of State’s Office which is being vacated by Matt Blunt, who plans to run for Governor.   Locally, the sheer numbers of elected Republican officials in the Courthouse puts the Republicans at risk of losing seats.  One committee which needs to have a chair or co-chair, is the “72-hour Task Force”.  If you are willing to serve on that committee, either as a co-chair or member, please contact Carla Young. 

REPUBLICAN WOMEN

TO HOST

4th DISTRICT MEETING 

The Pettis County Republican Women will host the Missouri 4th Congressional

District Federated Republican Women Official Call Fall Meeting on Saturday,

 November 8, 2003, at the home of Robert and Barbara Hayden, known as

 “Wood Dale Farm”, 20261 Highway EE, Sedalia, Missouri.  Registration will

 begin at 8:30 am., with the General Session to begin at 9:30 a.m.     Tickets are

$8.00, and include with the program are breakfast breads, beverages and lunch.

  Reservations may be made by contacting  Kristeen Cox, PCRW Secretary.

.

I am a Republican

because. . .

            I BELIEVE the strength of our nation lies with the individual and that each person’s dignity, freedom, ability and responsibility must be honored.

            I BELIEVE in equal rights, equal justice and equal opportunity for all, regardless of race, creed, sex, age or disability.

            I BELIEVE free enterprise and encouraging individual initiative have brought this nation opportunity, economic growth and prosperity.

            I BELIEVE government must practice fiscal responsibility and allow individuals to keep more of the money they earn.

            I BELIEVE the proper role of government is to provide for the people only those critical functions that cannot be performed by individuals or private organizations and that the best government is that which governs least.

            I BELIEVE the most effective, responsible and responsive government is government closest to the people.

            I BELIEVE Americans must retain the principles that have made us strong while developing new and innovative ideas to meet the challenges of changing times.

            I BELIEVE Americans value and should preserve our national strength and pride while working to extend peace, freedom and human rights throughout the world.

            FINALLY, I believe the Republican Party is the best vehicle for translating these ideals into positive and successful principles of government.

 COMMENTARY

 A recent poll of Americans indicated that only approximately 50% could name any of the Democrat candidates for President.   Although that I am certainly aware of the general notion that you should not give publicity to you opponents, a little information about the Democratic candidates for President can be helpful. 

According to the Bangor, Maine, Daily News, November 18, 2002, “Governor Howard Dean is an unabashed, unapologetic liberal. . . against the huge tax cut and for a dramatic universal health care. . . Yes, Governor Dean and the rest of New England is outside the current main stream.”   Governor Dean supported and signed the controversial “Civil Union” law allowing gay and lesbian couples to participate in formal ceremonies that confer upon them all the legal benefits of marriage.  He has assured everyone that he will adopt this position as a national policy if elected. 

“John Kerry is a man who opposes the death penalty, wants to restrict access to guns and voted against the resolution approving the start of ground operations against Saddam Hussein in 1991. . .”  (David S. Broder, “Testing of the ‘04 waters” the Washington Post, June 5, 2002).  Senator Kerry has voted 100% of the time with Senator Kennedy in 2001, 1999, 1998, 1997, 1996, 1995, 1993, 1992, 1989, and 1988.  He has demonstrated that he is weak on crime in supporting then Governor Michael Dukakis (Kerry was Lieutenant Governor) furlow program which released hundreds of inmates in Massachusetts.  He has voted against the balanced budget amendment on at least five occasions, and has support partial birth abortion legislation at least three times.

“The Joe Lieberman persona is so inventive, has been so creative, has been so gymnastic in its many shapes and forms, that only he can ever begin to explain it. . .   Many politicians look a bit oily and a bit uncomfortable moving across and around the political spectrum, but Joe Lieberman looks as comfortable as if he’s merely changing clothes.”  (Laurence D. Cowen, Op-Ed, “The Chameleon Who Came to Dinner” The Hartford Courant, November 3, 2002).   “In 1990, Lieberman passionately supported school choice, but in the 2000 campaign he cynically ran away from his record.   As Senator, Lieberman thought investing a portion of Social Security in the markets has “got to happen” but as a campaigner in 2000, Lieberman succumbed to Gore’s pressure to abandon this position.”  (Robert Novak, “Moderate Talk but a Distinctly Liberal Walk”, The Chicago Sun-Times, August 10, 2000).   As Chairman of the DLC, Lieberman denounced group preferences as “patently unfair” but in 2000, he ran away from his record. 

“ In 2001, less than one month before September 11, Richard Gephardt criticized the President’s budget proposal and suggested that the cuts be made in defense spending.  Gephardt responded to a question from NBC’s Tim Russell  asking what programs should the President reduce in the new budget by saying: “Well, you can make cuts in defense, you can make cuts in domestic programs.”  (NBC’s “Meet the Press”, August 19, 2001).   “Richard Gephart is a big labor protectionist, who has accepted millions in Union contributions.  He routinely votes the Big Labor Line and has a 100% rating from the AFL-CIO for 2000-2001.  He is a protectionist, opposed to free trade, and has voted to deny trade promotion authority to both President Clinton and President Bush.”   (David E. Rosenbaum, “Of Political Flip-Flops in the ‘88 Democratic Race,” The New York Times, February 27, 1988).    “Dick Gephardt is an ineffective leader and traditional liberal Democrat who is the “keeper of the Liberal flame for organized labor and party activists.  But, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack warned that Gephardt’s Union support is not a sure thing: “The conventional wisdom assumes that labor is with Gephardt, and I don’t know that that’s true.”   (Lorraine Woellert, “Tom Daschle Hits the Ground Winning,” Business Week, July 16, 2001; Dan Balz, “Presidential Hopefuls Court Iowa,” The Washington Post, January 20, 2003)

For additional information on the web about the Democratic candidates for President, go to www.gopteamleader.com/ races/races.asp.