Plagiarism Renders Scott McInnis Unfit to Practice Law or Govern

By Julian Dunraven, J.D. M.P.A.

Honorable Friends:

Yesterday’s Denver Post reported that Scott McInnis plagiarized the work of Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory J. Hobbs in articles McInnis drafted for the Hasan Family Foundation. The foundation paid McInnis $300,000 for these articles.

After the story broke, Mr. McInnis blamed a researcher for the problem and claimed in his own press release that the plagiarism was unintentional. This is rubbish.

Mr. McInnis is certainly familiar with academic and professional writing standards; he is a doctor of law, after all. Thus, he should know he has an obligation to review any material submitted by a research assistant. However, he should also know that, if he intends to use whole pages of text submitted by his research assistant, then he has a responsibility to list the research assistant as a minor coauthor and cite his contributions. Mr. McInnis failed to do either of these things. Instead, he claims he took whole passages of text, supposedly submitted by an assistant, added them to his article, and represented it all as original and finished work, but somehow did so unintentionally. In order to believe such acts can be accomplished unintentionally, we have to believe that Mr. McInnis was not in control of his own body or mind. Perhaps he was possessed at the time. Otherwise, he is lying. Which do you suppose is more likely?

Plagiarism represents the height of intellectual dishonesty and reveals a complete lack of academic integrity. Not so long ago, virtually all conservatives and most liberals agreed that a similar lack of academic integrity rendered Ward Churchill unfit to teach at a university. I cannot now find any ethical way to apply a lesser standard to a man who seeks, not simply to lecture a few dozen students in a classroom, but to govern the entire state of Colorado.

During law school, I sat on the faculty’s academic affairs committee as a student member. During one of our meetings, we discussed what to do about a few students who had indulged in plagiarism. The guilty students put up the same defense McInnis now offers. They claimed they did not fully understand that they were plagiarizing and that it was all unintentional.

I had no sympathy for such excuses. The idea that anyone can get into a top tier law school like the University of Colorado and not understand plagiarism is absurd. Thus, I recommended immediate expulsion for these students. The professors, however, did not want to appear unmerciful. They simply gave the students failing grades in the classes in which they were caught plagiarizing. The law school then forwarded a report of the incidents to the Colorado Supreme Court’s Board of Law Examiners, detailing the penalties discussed and imposed. The Board of Law Examiners, however, agreed with me. None of these students were permitted to sit for the Bar Examination—they were not permitted to become practicing attorneys.

Already a practicing attorney, McInnis cannot be prevented from taking the bar exam. Nonetheless, I strongly suspect that the Colorado Supreme Court will soon review McInnis’ actions and sanction him for violating Rule 8.4 of the Colorado Rules of Professional Conduct. Anyone seeking to file a complaint about McInnis’ conduct should contact the Attorney Regulation Counsel.

Plagiarism renders a person unfit to teach at a university because academic dishonesty undermines trust in all legitimate scholarship. Plagiarism renders a person unfit to practice law because a person who would lie about a mere academic paper cannot hope to be trusted with protecting both the finances and liberties of his clients—not to mention the integrity of the justice system. The temptation to lie becomes too severe for such an unprincipled person. Yet, neither a professor nor any individual lawyer holds such public trust as a governor of a state.

The Tea Party movement, in its call for accountability in our public servants, reminds us that this issue of trustworthiness is of paramount importance today. The Republican Party is laudably attempting to address these concerns and redeem its past mistakes by demanding responsible limited government always accountable to the people. Mr. McInnis, however, has dishonored himself and proven totally unworthy of the people’s trust. Yet he has the audacity to ask the Republican Party to nominate him as its candidate for governor. After the Republican fury over Ward Churchill, nominating McInnis would be the height of hypocrisy and further alienate already disillusioned voters and Tea Party activists.

For these reasons, I must regrettably join in the call for Mr. McInnis to withdraw from the gubernatorial race in order to spare himself and our Party from further embarrassment. At this point, no ethical Republican could vote for him without shame or with any expectation of reform in government as usual. If plagiarism demonstrates such unprincipled character as to make a man unfit to teach and an attorney unfit to practice law, then it should certainly render a candidate unfit to be the governor of Colorado.

DMYR June Meeting Featuring Lynn Bartels And David Harsanyi

Join Denver Metro Young Republicans on June 23rd for our June General Meeting. This month we are pleased to welcome members of the local Media, including Lynn Bartels (formerly of the Rocky Mountain News) and David Harsanyi, reporters from the Denver Post. They will discuss the media’s role in politics help us break down the current state of the Republican Party in Colorado.





HAVE YOUR QUESTIONS READY for these Colorado media standouts!

Our Agenda will also include election of 7 County Directors from each of our member counties (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, Jefferson). See By-laws for qualifications of officers.

These individuals will be responsible for coordinating DMYR activities in their county, providing communication between their County Chairmen/officers and the DMYR board, and tracking DMYR activism in their county in conjunction with the DMYR Activism Director. If you are ready to step up and play a critical role in your County and THE top Young Republican Organization in Colorado, we encourage you to run for these positions!

As always, if you have questions about politics, the party, or the political process in general, we are always ready to listen and answer your questions. We are ready to help YOU make a difference in your Community and the Republican Party through Education and Activism!

Meeting Date: Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Meeting Time: social hour begins at 5:30pm, meeting starts at 6:30pm
Meeting Location: Club M @ Hamburger Mary’s, 700 East 17th Avenue, Denver, CO 80203 [map] — Our own private bar! Entrance on the NorthEast corner of the building.

***Please be sure to join the DMYR Group and RSVP for this event on Facebook! And come hungry, as Mary’s has the best burgers in town!!***

"The Big List": 2010 State House And Senate Races

Jeremy Pelzer (formerly of PolitickerCO and 5280) has a complete rundown of announced, projected, and speculative candidates for Colorado House and Senate in 2010 (to be continuously updated):

2010 House Candidates

2010 Senate Candidates

Jeremy's blog Mile High Politics is sure to be a key source for political news for 2010, so be sure to bookmark it and check back frequently.

Upcoming Events--April Edition (Continuously Updated)

April 16--
Please Join R Block Party
--To continue our discussion about the future of the Republican Party in Colorado

State & local politics: what the state can do for us & what we must do for ourselves--the importance of local elections staying involved candidate development & support

**********************************
Join us in welcoming:

Michael Britt, Executive Director, Colorado GOP
--On state party structure: what the state can and cannot do

Cathy Noon, candidate for Mayor of Centennial
--On why her previous campaign failed & how she will adapt in her run for mayor
**********************************
Thursday, April 16, 2009
6:30 pm mingle, 7:00 pm start

Southpark Clubhouse
2850 W Long Ave
SE corner Mineral & Santa Fe
in the Southpark development
Littleton, CO 80120

Please feel free to forward this invitation to any friends or acquaintances that might be interested in joining us!

RSVP:
rblockparty@comcast.net
Nikki Mata

hosted by:
Lori Horn, Susie McKinney, Madelaine Rohan, Elise Marks, Carol Kaferle, Carol Harangody, Christine Hart & Nikki Mata

---

April 2--
DENVER COUNTY GOP FIRST THURSDAY BREAKFAST

Please join us this week for a special First Thursday Breakfast
Thursday, April 2nd from 7:00 - 8:30 am, featuring:

Senator Josh Penry, Senate Republican Minority Leader and potential candidate for Governor

JW MARRIOTT at 150 CLAYTON LANE, on block north of the Cherry Creek Mall. $10 covers the cost of your breakfast. You can park for FREE on Clayton Lane, or use the hotel's valet parking (there may be a charge). We are working on approval to also allow parking at the mall, and will send an update via e-mail when details are finalized.

RSVP HERE or send a quick note to vice.chairman@denvergop.org

Denver Metro Young Republicans Legislative Reception 2009

Join Denver Metro Young Republicans on April 7 for our Third Annual Legislative Reception.

Meet your Colorado GOP representatives and senators, along with other Republican officials and VIPs, over cocktails and desserts including (in no particular order)--Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams, Rep. Cory Gardner, CU Regent Tom Lucero, Attorney General John Suthers, Aurora Citycouncilman Ryan Frazier, Independence Institute President Jon Caldara, and many many more representatives, senators, and other past elected officials and prospective 2010 candidates from around the state, not just the Denver Metro Area.

Where: Colorado Automobile Dealers Association, 290 E. Speer Blvd. (parking available behind the building)

When: Tuesday, April 7, at 6:00pm

Admission - pay online through PayPal or at the door:

* Current DMYR members: $10
* Non-members: $15
* Joining members: $30 ($25 membership plus half-price admission - save $5!)

Colorado 2010 US Senate Race Update: Ryan Frazier's Ascent Part II

A new direction for the GOP?--Ryan Frazier speaks at the March 1 Gadsden Society "Rally for Freedom"

Yesterday, SP noted that Ryan Frazier had won the straw poll at the Douglas County Lincoln Day dinner.

What we didn't know was how big.

Then we received the numbers--this was more than a plurality--it was a clear majority of attendees:

171 votes cast in straw poll....

Frazier 102 = 59.6%
Caplis 34 = 19.9%
Beauprez 22 = 12.9%
Tidwell 4 = 2.3%
Buck 9 = 5.3%

Given that the average Lincoln Day dinner is populated by GOP faithful, including operatives and activists, and not fly-by-night grassroots supporters organized by the candidate him/herself**, and also given that Douglas County isn't exactly RINO territory, this informal poll says quite a bit. Frazier has the clear ability to draw broad-based support in a fairly conservative county that will be one of the keys to any GOP victories in the state. There are many counties that will play a part in the five state wide elections in 2010 (US Senate, Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer), but how Douglas County goes, so goes . . .

Initial impressions for this race have yet to be firmly cemented, but GOP voters like what they see in Frazier--one among the next generation of GOP leadership. As mentioned yesterday the hard part will come in spreading that visibility and familiarity state wide, establishing solid policy chops, and raising the campaign dollars necessary to win.

Frazier's speech from Saturday's Lincoln Day dinner:





Previous Frazier-blogging.

**an earlier version alluded to Ron Paul's supporters, not to reflect on RP himself or his message, just the tactics of some supporters who occasionally "gamed" online or straw polls

Colorado 2010 US Senate Race Update: Ryan Frazier's Ascent

**Update--Buzz from Douglas County Lincoln Day dinner indicates that Frazier won the night's straw poll--exact numbers to follow this evening.

From Chris Cillizza's "The Fix" at the Washington Post:

9. Colorado (D): Appointed Sen. Michael Bennet has made a solid debut so far although his wishy-washiness on the Employee Free Choice Act has turned him into something of public punching bag on the right and the left. Bennet, a virtual unknown before he was named to replace Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, is clearly vulnerable in 2010. But, there doesn't appear to be a serious primary challenge in the offing (does former state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff really want to risk his "rising star" status on a race against a sitting senator?) and the Republican field has been slow to take shape. The most likely GOP candidate seems to be former Rep. Bob Beauprez but his disastrous 2006 run for governor raises questions about his political strength. Some within the GOP are excited about the possible candidacy of Ryan Frazier, a 31-year old African American member of the Aurora City Council. (Previous ranking: 10)

The seat could quickly become a real toss-up as Frazier's visibility within the party increases. GOP grassroots activists, many of whom supported Leondray Gholston's successful vice chair candidacy at the state level (Gholston served as Frazier's reelection campaign manager), have identified Frazier as a strong contender for the GOP's 2010 U.S. Senate nomination. They believe that Frazier carries none of the negatives of the other potential candidates whose names have been bandied about for the seat, and argue that he has a greater potential for reestablishing and mobilizing a "big tent" for conservatives/GOP/libertarians in the state. His main task will be in establishing brand awareness across Colorado in the coming months, along with building a sufficient campaign war chest to tackle a contested primary and Sen. Bennet in 2010.

SP has been tracking Frazier's potential candidacy for months.

On Experience And Vision

Nathan Chambers, one of two candidates for Colorado GOP vice chair, appeared on the Rocky Mountain Alliance's radio show last night (final 10 minutes) to discuss his candidacy, vision, and experience.

According to Chambers, he has the "most experience for the job" and has done the "dirty work of grassroots activism" as the Arapahoe County party chair for the last four years. He acknowledged that the GOP possesses "huge technology deficit" (looking good) that can't be addressed at a county or state level (not looking so good). Advocating a national program implemented at the county level, Chambers looks to strengthen Republican voter registration after years of being outpaced in voter registration activities. Chambers experience, to put it bluntly, has been a showcase of just how badly voter registration has gone:

As of 3/13/09, Arapahoe County shows a voter registration breakdown of--
Democrat--119,560
Republican--111,965
Unaffiliated--106,163

From the Colorado Secretary of State's office, the November 2006 voter registration breakdown in Arapahoe County--
Republican--120,179
Democratic--100,476
Unaffiliated--109,109

And from November 2004--
Republican--133,885
Democrat--106,690
Unaffiliated--122,970

Chambers' solution? Look to leadership from the state party and the RNC (again, not good). Arapahoe County, dubbed a "swing" county and barometer of voter sentiment statewide, lurched left drastically in less than three election cycles, two under Chambers' watch. It would be unfair to saddle the county chair with sole responsibility for this rapid change, given the shift felt not only state wide, but nationally as well. But as far as county organizational matters and voter engagement goes, the GOP's recent poor showings can't be blamed entirely on shifting political winds either.

And that, perhaps, is the problem of voting on "experience." Chambers freely admits that he is not an expert in technology (something all too frequent in GOP circles, unfortunately), and looks to find expertise and aptitude in technology and bring that to the table, while being able to look at proposals from the bottom up in an organizational sense. The problem is, how does one who is unfamiliar with technology even begin to assess the implementation of that technology in either county organizational structure or enhanced voter outreach?

There are many different types of experience and all too often simple longevity and connections are touted as the requisite form of experience necessary for a position. And sometimes, that's just enough. In a situation like this, however, where the state party must do what it can through fundraising (limited by campaign finance law), candidate recruitment, and rebuilding the basic functions of voter outreach/registration in a relatively hostile political climate, the "paid dues" candidate--lacking a clearly demonstrable set of achievements--is not going to be enough to turn the tide alone. What is needed at this juncture is vigorous vision married to a specific set of goals and a clear idea of the political/technological infrastructure necessary for achieving them, not organizational stewardship and looking to the outside, especially the national party, for assistance (while this is more appropriate in times of political strength, even then, it is not very responsive to change, or wholly convincing as a strategy in a non-stagnant political world).

The "Colorado Model--so successfully imposed here--is now being exported to other states.

The Colorado GOP needs experience, just not the kind of experience that unfortunately befell the Arapahoe County party chair over the last two cycles.

CPAC 2009 Live Feed

Here is the embedded live feed:

Live video chat by UstreamNot enough? Click for CPAC speaker archives and live chat session.

GOP Clusterfark--Contagious Foot-In-Mouth Syndrome Spreads

The ghost of Douglas Bruce lingers on.

Don Marostica, Scott Renfroe, Dave Schultheis--Ben DeGrow follows up on these "has beens" and "losers" (Marostica's words, not Ben's), and applies the proper treatment.

Denver Post columnist David Harsanyi also takes these tools to the woodshed:

There is really no way around it: The Republican Party, no matter how many fresh or smart ideas it may have, isn’t going to get anywhere in this state — or nationally — if it continues to spew the hateful gibberish we’ve heard from Scott Renfroe and Dave Schultheis the past couple of days.

It’s not even a matter of their opposition to particular bills (one regarding the extension of health benefits to same-sex domestic partners and another one regarding HIV testing) or even the ruthlessly absurd arguments they offer in defense of their positions. It is about common decency and empathy. Either these two are unable to articulate a viewpoint without injecting some twisted lesson they learned at 12, or they aren’t smart enough to know when to keep quiet. Either way, the Republicans should do all they can to condemn them.
. . .
Are these the words of a person who should be representing anyone?

The Republican Party has to get rid of these people, pronto. They aren’t conservatives; they’re nihilists. Can anyone imagine a Ronald Reagan or Barry Goldwater claiming that a child should live with AIDS to teach the mother a lesson? (If that is what Schultheis meant. And I still hold out a slim amount of hope that this was a matter of incoherence.)

Republican majority leader Josh Penry can’t win. If he dictates to his membership what they should be saying, the Left will feed on it and accuse Penry of pulling puppet strings. If he doesn’t control them, however, you will be left with the barbarian wing of the party dominating news cycles. Republicans can’t afford it anymore.

The GOP is already mired in a three-cycle struggle in the wilderness. Continue this type of rhetoric, and it will mean forty years in the desert (a reference for those legislators prone to Biblical allusions).

There are cogent arguments for any number of issues that don't call for resorting to the type of inane, sloppy, and often incoherent rhetoric on display by these legislators in just this past week. This isn't mere soundbite, "gotcha" stuff either.

If the GOP can't argue with decorum and a modicum of decency and respect, in spite of often unbridgeable differences with the opposition, how can we expect the left to do the same?

Someone order the GOP delegation a stack of Dale Carnegie's "How To Win Friends and Influence People" stat!

New Faces Launch GOP Efforts In 2010

Rising GOP stars Ryan Frazier, Josh Penry, and Cory Gardner highlight the new crop of Republicans vying for candidacy and a broader appeal to youth beginning in 2010:

Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier, 31, has wowed Colorado Republicans at county events in the past few weeks and just recently met with the National Republican Senatorial Committee about a possible run against newly-appointed Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet. Frazier might not have a wealth of experience yet, but neither does Bennet, the 44-year-old former Denver superintendent of schools, a political neophyte.

Frazier has appealed to the party's business base, being one of the driving forces behind last year's failed ballot measure prohibiting mandatory union fees as a condition of employment.

The councilman, who is African-American, said the party needs to show voters it's diverse in "thought, ethnicity and socioeconomics" and make room for disagreement, especially on social issues.

"We need to let people know that we are the party that wants people to have more freedom in how they live their lives and spend their own money — live and let live," he said. "We can keep government involvement, even in people's social lives, to the lowest practical level."

How will the GOP accomplish that? Here's a start:

Brett Moore, political director of the Metro Denver Young Republicans, echoed Frazier's philosophy to focus less on social issues, noting his peers are concentrating on fiscal conservatism, free markets, jobs and other core GOP values.

"Everyone comes together on those issues," said Moore, 28. "On other things — gay marriage, abortion, the more socially charged issues — we need to find a way to work together while letting people have other viewpoints."

That's Denver Metro Young Republicans.

Messaging is one thing--message delivery in the digital era means adding more tools to the arsenal to do everything from fundraising to volunteering to getting-out-the-vote:

More attention on a Ronald Reagan-esque message of personal liberty and rugged individualism is critical in addressing younger voters, said state Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction. With a whole generation of voters, however, who weren't alive during Reagan's presidency, his themes may be more important to stress than the man himself.

"We have to keep things relevant. And those messages are no less appealing now than they were in the past," said Penry, 33, who is considering a run for governor.

Often joking that he is the first Republican Senate leader to own an iPod, Penry said the party must also do a better job at message delivery: Internet, text messages, e-mail, blogs, YouTube, podcasts.

But old-fashioned outreach is also critical, said state Rep. Cory Gardner, a 34-year-old Republican from Yuma who is expected to run for the 4th District congressional seat in 2010.

"In the past, we as Republicans have avoided the younger age groups," he said. "We can't be afraid to go to college campuses and other places and talk about things that matter."

Social networking is no replacement for pounding the pavement, but ignoring online activism, blogging, Twitter, YouTube, etc. rather than incorporating these new technologies has been disastrous to Republicans of late, especially in Colorado.

And no, the GOP doesn't need to be more "moderate" despite what Pat Waak says.

And it is not just technology:

"We have to project, frankly, what President Obama projected: the future. We must recruit candidates that appeal to younger voters. That's one of our greatest challenges," said GOP chairman Dick Wadhams.

But to appeal to younger voters, does the party need younger candidates? Not necessarily.

"We need a combination of those who have served and won in the past and the new blood that is clearly moving up the ladder," said former Republican Gov. Bill Owens.

The strongest possible statewide candidate should win the primary in contested races (Senate and Governor), and not simply be rewarded for "paying dues." Republican grassroots activists aren't interested in pouring time, money, and efforts into another double-digit loss statewide, and we're pretty sure cautious state donors and cash-strapped national organizations won't hesitate to pull back should the GOP candidate fail to build his or her own strong local base.

But until we have a primary in any race, the GOP should focusing on building the technological apparatus--the tools are the means, not the end--to give whoever emerges as the candidate next fall the best ability to run a grassroots, engaging, and invigorated campaign.

2009 County GOP Elections In Colorado Reveal Lingering Tensions Within Party

Recent county elections for GOP leadership--in **Denver, El Paso (h/t The Colorado Index), Douglas, and Larimer County--have revealed that in many ways, the Republicans continue to look both forward to 2010 AND back to the last few election cycles, simultaneously positing the conflicting strategies of the "big tent" approach (Denver) and ideological purity (El Paso). These counties represent four of the top nine counties (along with Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, and Jefferson, Weld) by population, and the rifts still in existence will continue to place a drag on the party's prospects as a whole.

It is clear from a couple of the posts above, along with insider information from those attending other county elections (Douglas County in particular), that there is still a drive to enforce an ideological litmus test on those running for party positions of power. Not an explicit standard to be sure, but intimations on the sidelines that working together to effect electoral victory will take more than simply jumping on the party bandwagon, and that in certain counties, particular positions on a variety of issues will be frowned upon by other party activists. How this will play out in contested primaries and the general election in 2010 remains to be seen, but it appears that the tensions between so-called "social" and "fiscal" conservatives will continue to exist.

Note to folks of all stripes in the GOP--the 2008 election cycle is over, as are the heated 2004 Senate and 2006 gubernatorial primaries. 2010, aside from the ever-present foundational fundraising and recruitment challenges, will see five high-profile state-wide elections--Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, U.S. Senate, and Governor. As the Denver County GOP election revealed (short bios of those elected), the focus should be on turnout, and maximizing that turnout in Democrat dominated counties especially. "Turning out the base" has run its course in the Colorado GOP, and as Denver GOP Treasurer Kelly Maher indicated, the party needs to "maximize" its presence everywhere. Reinvigorating Republican voters who have been ignored recently or who have chosen to sit on their hands for any of a variety of reasons will be a top priority. This maximization strategy will obviously extend to returning independent voters (a bloc that has exploded in registration since 2004) to the GOP and particularly those that lean to the center-right, who have either stopped voting for Republican candidates or have actually moved into the Democrats' column over the last decade. And with a probable continuation of the raft of Amendments that have become a biannual ballot challenge, conservatives need to work together on those issues that are not overtly partisan. Transparency is not a Republican or conservative issue, but a good government and accountability issue. Better aggregate turnout percentages are key, and continuing to abandon areas in Denver or elsewhere will not make the task any easier.

None of this will be possible, however, if the party reverts to infighting rather than looking to the base principles of free markets, individual liberty and responsibility, and limited government, and creating policy initiatives instead of becoming a "party of no." Even if the candidates themselves try to remain above the fray, rivalries among the party activists and operatives will slow the party's exit from the wilderness. We know that the key domestic issues will focus on the economy and job creation, and fighting the awful stimulus and pork packages and other Democrat-inspired legislation will continue to be hot-button topics nationally, and some of the same bread-and-butter legislation and rhetoric will be a priority here in Colorado. GOP primaries should be focused on these factors, and not on candidates trying to out-Reagan one another, or devolving into an exercise of "more-conservative-than-thou" mudslinging. The Democrats should provide enough electoral fodder on these issues to last several cycles, and will give the Republicans their clearest path to victory.

Republicans can and should continue the conversation about overall campaign strategies and highly targeted tactics in particular areas. Republicans and their donors also need to figure out how to make use of social networking and new media and better integrate the tools into their campaigns, but even potentially look to leapfrog the left (as success may breed stagnation for Democrats, and failure can only provide opportunity for Republicans). Success in 2010 will necessitate a concerted effort of allied individuals committed to the common principles outlined above. Candidates and elected officials are certainly fair game and should not be above scrutiny; however, applying preemptive preclusionary tactics to fellow party activists smacks of ideological narcissism and a failure to draw better conclusions from the electoral results of the last few years. Let's focus on the 95% common ground we share, and agree to disagree on the other 5%.

**EP was selected as precinct committeeperson and chair of Senate District 34 in Denver at the Denver County GOP election.

Colorado GOP Reacts To Election Of New RNC Chair Michael Steele

Ben DeGrow has an extensive post detailing the voting for RNC Chair that occurred yesterday, including insight from Colorado GOP Chair Dick Wadhams and Colorado RNC Committeeman Mark Hillman, and the reactions from Republican activists who hope that Michael Steele understands what social media and user generated content can offer, and also what Web 2.0 does, and more importantly doesn't do:

This isn’t just about Facebook or Twitter. This isn’t just about how many friends one has on a social network. This is about bottom up collaborative political action. And this collaborative action functions using the tools of social media and the internet as messaging and communication vessels.
. . .
So, in essence, the RNC needs to view the web as a thriving community of activists who want to be involved. We want to be a part of something. We want to take part in projects that we feel ownership of. We want to collaborate and help build things that we believe will further the movement for free-markets and sound government.

In other words, less old-school hierarchy and top-down approaches to messaging, and more interactive and responsive political activism.

And not just on the national level, but in every state. A new playing field derived from an evolution in technology and the successful implementation of new strategies and tactics by Democrats necessitates a rethinking at all levels of the party--from fundraising and recruitment to messaging and campaigning. This isn't an old guard vs. "Young Turks" issue. But expecting different results from the same unsuccessful methods for the last 2 or 3 cycles would be textbook insanity and self-delusion.

Congratulations to Michael Steele. The long road to 2010, which officially began once Sen. John McCain conceded the election to now President Barack Obama, can begin in earnest with a new face for the party at a national level. Local party elections are also coming up soon. Now is the time to get involved--we can't wait until the summer of 2010 to show up.

GOP 2010: News From The Grapevine And Why Republicans Should Borrow A Page From The Democrats' Playbook

Face The State has a new report on the "rumor mill" making the rounds within the GOP for the upcoming 2010 midterm election.

The speculation is not unsubstantiated beyond FTS, as SP has heard good things about Aurora City Councilman Ryan Frazier beyond insider comments, with Frazer responding to FTS that "It’s fair to say that right now I’m considering where I can have the greatest impact going forward"--and SP is looking to candidates in the Frazier mold to step up and begin to refill the tattered GOP bench.

Why is this important? The GOP can't win in 2010 (just as the GOP didn't win in 2006 or 2008) by using the same candidates, political operatives, and electoral strategies that worked from 1980 to 2004 any more than the Denver Broncos were able to use the same coaches, players, and playbook from their back-to-back Super Bowl victories in the late 1990s. Just ask Mike Shanahan or Pat Bowlen.

The idea that the normal cursus honorum or "paying your dues" processes that produced the "Contract with America" class of GOP politicians is still viable will only doom a newer generation of conservatives and GOP-leaning libertarians (roughly those 25-45) to wait through potentially more disastrous election cycles in the near future, and forsaking long-term goals to rebuild the party locally and nationally by wanting to avoid stepping on the toes of those who believe that this is "their time." Incumbents of any age and viable candidates of all backgrounds should be given the opportunity to throw their hat into the ring, especially if the GOP wishes to mount anything approaching Howard Dean's 50 state strategy and fellow blogger Joshua Sharf's call to run in every district in Colorado.

Quick-fix celebrity recruits aside (the often-rumored John Elway, for example), every race should have a viable candidate, even in difficult areas where incumbency or voter registrations numbers are a disadvantage. GOP primaries should not necessarily be avoided, and multiple competing candidates at the bench level should see a wide variety of opportunities given the Democrat Party advantage in governorships, state legislatures, and Congress. There is no reason why the GOP shouldn't be anything but a national party and not simply a regional party of "get-out-the-base" voters, volunteers, and fundraisers. We haven't conceded anything on the core principles of the "big tent"--free markets, smaller government, and individual rights/liberty--so why concede districts just because they are held by Democrats?

The 2010 election in Colorado will feature several state-wide races--Governor, a US Senate seat, Attorney General, Secretary of State, and State Treasurer. Voting in the aggregate matters, especially at the state level in midterm elections, and turning out GOP and GOP-leaning center-right and independent voters will be the key to victory. Renewed interest in local races in typically uncompetitive districts currently held by Democrats will play a huge role in reengaging those voters set adrift by strategies that look to maximize votes in supportive areas while ignoring others in the hopes that the GOP brand will be enough to get folks to vote. President Barack Obama's campaign presciently and effectively--obviously, he is the President--eschewed such a course. Even without him on the ballot in 2010, much of the party infrastructure and institutional knowledge will still be in place, and the Democrats are no doubt hoping that this built-in advantage will discourage any GOP efforts at revamping campaigns off-line or on-line. To do so would be to ignore (forgive the gratuitous Star Wars reference) Admiral Ackbar's admonition--"It's a trap!"

It is still too early in 2009 to endorse those candidates who have formally filed, those who have been mentioned or have shown an interest, and those whose candidacy is merely speculation. But it is not too early to begin reengaging the dispirited GOP rank-and-file, to propose bold new visions for the party, to toss out discredited strategies, to effectively communicate our principles, to avoid becoming a party of "NO!" by offering alternative solutions instead of whining about the other side of the aisle, or to turn into debased imitators of the most vitriolic smear-merchants in the Democrat Party.

Opportunities to perform a true house-cleaning and not simply rearrange deck chairs on the Titanic don't come very often. GOP elites, fundraisers, powerbrokers, political operatives and especially the bench itself is going to be put on notice (as if it hasn't already been in the two most recent electoral abbatoirs)--lead, follow, or get out of the way.

Liberty On The Rocks Denver

Liberty on the Rocks:

Haven't heard of Liberty on the Rocks yet? It is a group of liberty minded individuals who meet on the first and third Wednesdays of every month in downtown Denver. Hear what the madam President and the regulars have to say.

Youth Movement--Not All Young People Are Obamatons

Young Republicans, conservatives, and libertarians (what, no monolithic vast right-wing conspiracy?) aren't prepared to concede the youth vote to Democrats, Obama, or socialism:

Wesley Dickinson, a 30-year-old Denver engineer, thinks the economy is forcing people near his age to confront politics more so than at any time since the 1970s economic downturn created a generation of Reagan Republicans. Since then, people have been able to live relatively comfortably and didn't care so much about what the government did; that no longer is true, he said.

"They haven't had to worry about the economy like our parents did," said Dickinson, a limited-government supporter who has had a keen interest in such things for many years. "The economy's been booming in general steady growth. And now we're getting into the first election times where people are scared."
. . .
Few young people read a printed paper, and many gathered at both Republican and Democratic young-voter gatherings in recent weeks said they don't own a television. They get their information from Web sites and even plan their social calendars through online networking sites such as Facebook.

And it is precisely because younger people can do almost anything in front of a computer monitor - organize a campaign event, donate money, air their opinions on a blog - that they are newly active, Justin Longo said. In the days of door-knocking and phone-calling drives 20 years ago, it was hard to hold down a full-time job and be an activist. Now, people of any income level and any work schedule can do so at any time.

"I'd like to think that without the Internet we would be so active. But I doubt it, because the costs of activism are so low this way," said Longo, 26, who is a "Web monkey" with the conservative Independence Institute in Golden. "With only a few key strokes, you put yourself in the role of an activist."

Internet users can find meetings or activities very specific to their peer and interest groups. This is how the postcard parties are organized. It's how 26-year-old Amanda Teresi founded Liberty on the Rocks, a group of free- market backers that gathers at bars twice a month in the Denver area to discuss politics or watch the presidential debate, as members did last week.

Activists from the center-right who can put to rest the image of the "good ol' boys" club of plder, blind GOP voters, with variations in ideology, diversity of backgrounds (the only true diversity), and a desire to foster advocacy of political positions with a decidedly non-progressive/liberal/socialist bent.

These aren't your typical post-grad, ex-College Republicans.

You can check out the musings and reports from Wes, Justin, and Amanda at Peoples Press Collective.

On The Right To Vote

AN URGENT MESSAGE TO ALL COLORADO REPUBLICAN VOTERS
From the Colorado Coalition of Conservative Bloggers

As you know, Colorado has been labeled a “swing” state in this year’s elections, and will be one of the states that will determine the direction of our nation for the next four or eight years. Historically, the voters in Colorado elected Republican candidates, largely because of the higher numbers of registered Republican voters. This Republican majority no longer exists. Today, “independent” or “unaffiliated” are more numerous than Republicans, and that is one of the primary reasons why Republicans were so unsuccessful in the 2006 elections. This year could be worse, but it is entirely up to you. We are urging each and every Republican voter in Colorado to exercise his or her right to vote to send Republican candidates to Washington and Denver to restore responsible government at both the federal and state levels.

Remember, it is up to each and every one of us. Together we can do it. For the good of Colorado, and for the good of America, we must stop the leftward trend that has come to monopolize our governments. But we cannot do it if we sit back on November 4 and fail to let our voices be heard. EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE!

CLEARCOMMENTARY.COM

MOUNT VIRTUS

NIGHT TWISTER

ROSSPUTIN

SCHAFFER V. UDALL: 2008 COLORADO SENATE BATTLE

SLAPSTICK POLITICS

THE DRUM AND CANNON

Sarah Palin In Colorado--Loveland Rally

**Update--Palin's rally in Loveland--complete video of Palin's appearance; Palin does one-on-one interview with 9NEWS

SP will be at the Sarah Palin rally at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland, Colorado as she kicks off early voting in Colorado. I'll be there as a member of the superior secondary media.

Tickets are already sold out, and the venue holds 7200 for a normal event. As with most ticketed political events, there are often more tickets distributed than the capacity of the venue. Turnout should be excellent, just like in New Mexico on Sunday--she's already an SNL star!

Palin's event info for tomorrow (from earlier Sunday):

Governor Sarah Palin
Road to Victory Rally Schedule Update
For October 20th

Governor Sarah Palin will be making THREE Road to Victory rally stops in Colorado this Monday, October 20th. The Governor begins the day in Colorado Springs, continues north to Loveland and then heads west to Grand Junction

Road to Victory Rally in Colorado Springs
Security Services Field - (Home of the Sky Sox)
4385 Tutt Blvd.
Colorado Springs, CO 80922
Doors open at 6:00 am
Program begins at 8:00 am
Please call 303.952.4670 for ticketing information
Tickets are still available for this event and seats are at a first come first serve basis

Road to Victory Rally in Loveland
Budweiser Events Center
5290 Arena Circle
Loveland, CO 80538
Doors at 10:30 am
Program begins at 12:00 pm
Tickets are no longer available for this event
Standing room attendance may be available for those without tickets

Road to Victory Rally in Grand Junction
Suplizio Field at Lincoln Park
12th Street and Norht Avenue
Grand Junction, CO
Doors at 4:30 pm
Program begins at 6:00 pm
You may still RSVP online and seats at the event are at a first come first serve basis
Please RSVP by Clicking HERE
There will not be tickets issued for this event

Attendees to all events must pass through airport-like security. Please prepare accordingly.

Thank you,

McCain-Palin Team Colorado

Sarah Palin In Colorado Monday--Colorado Springs, Loveland, And Grand Junction

**Update 2--Coverage of Palin's Loveland rally (including video)

**Update--Loveland rally already sold out!

Palin-mania is back in the Rocky Mountains:

Gov. Sarah Palin will rally her party's base and try to capture key swing voters during campaign stops in Colorado Springs, Loveland and Grand Junction on Monday.

The Republican vice presidential candidate's visit will coincide with the first day of early voting in Colorado.

Palin will speak at Security Service Field, home to the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, at 8 a.m. Doors open at 6 a.m.

At noon, she'll address a crowd at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland. Doors open at 10:30 a.m.

At 6 p.m., she'll speak at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction. Doors open at 4 p.m.

Free tickets are required for the Colorado Springs and Loveland events.

Ticket info at the link.

Palin will be accompanied by Hank Williams Jr.:

Gov. Sarah Palin will be joined in Colorado on Monday by country music singer Hank Williams Jr., who has retooled his classic Family Tradition into an ode to Palin and Sen. John McCain.

Williams has been performing at campaign events recently, singing the national anthem and then firing up the crowd with the new version of his song, McCain-Palin Tradition.

The Prophecy Of Ayn Rand From The Gods Of Rudyard Kipling

By Julian Dunraven, J.D., M.P.A.

Honorable friends,

My ballot arrived in the mail today and I greeted it as I would a poisonous viper. As I considered which candidates would be least ill-equipped to deal with the situation we are beset with today, my mind continually turns toward a strange encounter I had this morning at the courthouse. Passing through the lobby, I paused to eavesdrop on a political debate between a few young people regarding the relative merits of McCain and Obama. I am always interested to learn how others view the political landscape, but was disappointed upon hearing only echoes of the populist nonsense the campaigns have been spewing about how their own brands of massive government intervention will save the economy—and all of us — from disaster. After a moment, though, my attention was drawn to an elderly lady sitting alone on a bench; she seemed to be silently crying.

Though this is not an entirely unusual event at a courthouse, it concerned me enough that I approached her to inquire whether she was well. She turned her careworn face to me and dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief before managing an embarrassed smile. She explained that she had also been listening to the youthful debate and had become distraught by what she had heard. It seems that she was born in Germany and is old enough to remember Hitler’s rise as the nation descended into fascism. People spoke in just the same way, she informed me. Times were hard enough that when the government promised it could fix everything if it just had a few less restrictions and a little more control, the people believed them because they wanted to. She said never thought she would see America making those same mistakes: trusting government to solve all our problems and giving it unfettered access to our economy and our liberty to do it. She told me she knows where that road leads and despairing at the idea of getting any closer ever again.

I never did hear why this lady was at the courthouse, but I thought about what she said for quite a while afterward. Lately, as the Fed spins out of control and Congress and the President lurch from one irrational move to another, many of us have been warning about the failed economic controls attempted in the Great Depression and in communist and socialist economies which just serve to cripple markets and make bad situations worse. What we have not focused on, though, and what she is right to point out, is that massive government control of our economy has consequences that reach much further than just economics. Do any of you recall what Ayn Rand said of the doom of rotted civilizations in Atlas Shrugged?

Do you wish to know whether that day is coming? Watch money. Money is the barometer of a society’s virtue. When you see that trading is done, not by consent, but by compulsion – when you see that in order to produce, you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing – when you see that money is flowing to those who deal, not in goods, but in favors – when you see that men get richer by graft and by pull than by work, and your laws don’t protect you against them, but protect them against you – when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self sacrifice – you may know that your society is doomed. Money is so noble a medium that it does not compete with guns and it does not make terms with brutality. It will not permit a country to survive as half-property, half-loot.

Whenever destroyers appear among men, they start by destroying money, for money is men’s protection and the base of a moral existence. Destroyers seize gold and leave to its owners a counterfeit pile of paper. This kills all objective standards and delivers men into the arbitrary power of an arbitrary setter of values. Gold was an objective value, an equivalent of wealth produced. Paper is a mortgage on wealth that does not exist, backed by a gun aimed at those who are expected to produce it. Paper is a check drawn by legal looters upon an account which is not theirs: upon the virtue of the victims. Watch for the day when it bounces, marked: ‘Account overdrawn.’ (New York: Signet, 1985. 383-384).

As I listen to the hum of the Fed printing presses, and watch as our government nationalizes our financial system and squanders the wealth of our nation on bailouts that should never have happened, I cannot help but think Ayn Rand may be correct.

The candidates this year all have a decidedly poor understanding of money and economics, and we have heard them make many promises of even more massive government intervention into the economy sweetened with populist rhetoric. Though John McCain, and Republicans in general, are less likely to balloon our government into the fascist, socialist nightmare Rand foretells, they have done little to earn anything close to our full confidence. We should all be putting a great deal of pressure on our Republican candidates in these last few days of the election to commit to solidly free market principles, and the reduction of government spending and power, or risk losing our votes. There has never been a better time to force a promise out of desperate politicians.

Should we fail to educate our politicians, unfortunately they will not be the only ones to suffer for their ignorance. Rudyard Kipling’s Gods of the Copybook Headings are even now descending in wrath to forcibly remind us of the economic realities we have tried so hard to deny for so long. Martin Hutchinson has a few good suggestions for appeasing these particular gods, all of which the candidates should probably study if they want to get us back on track to healthy free markets.