Ed Gillespie Can't Name Three Federal Programs to End

[ShotgunBlast]

I know a lot of people are going to pull the lever for this guy just so they can vote against Warner. I didn't expect anything less from this Bush-era Republican but I didn't expect him to put his foot so far in his mouth. ExIm was a gimme with all of the attention it has received in the media this year, but can't name anything else to cut? Really?

Republicans, he said, “understand that, if we're given the opportunity to govern again, and we get majorities in the House and the Senate and then, certainly, the White House, we need to reduce the size and scope of the federal government and get it in its proper size and scope.”

Gillespie said that “there are a number of functions that the federal government performs that would better be performed by individuals in the private sector and by the states. I think the federal government over the past five years, in particular, has encroached on state prerogatives.”

When asked to name three federal programs that he would like to see eliminated, however, the GOP Senate candidate would name only one, the Export-Import Bank, which is due to be reauthorized in September.

“One that I have said already that I believe should not be reauthorized and doesn't deserve to be continued in funding is the ExIm Bank,” Gillespie said, “but we'll roll out more details later as we go along.”

http://www.examiner.com/article/republi ... -gillespie

[SHMIV]

The better question would be, what programs would be worth keeping.

I suggest that none are worth keeping, in their current state, most should be abolished, regardless of their state.

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[mamabearCali]

I am with you.....but what is our alternative?

Senator Palpatine (Reid) needs his reign to end. He has done massive damage. Just the damage to the judiciary with his nuclear option.

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[ShotgunBlast]

Well MBC I guess you have to decide if your quest to unseat Reid is stronger than your desire to get candidates that line up better with your positions.

As much as I would like to see Wah-ner lose, I am not going to send a message to the Virginia GOP that I approve of their candidate selection. A vote for Gillespie would do exactly that and solidify their continued selection of bad candidates (in addition to a convention process instead of a primary where we have a direct voice in the matter).

I know I know, this election is too important to be having these conversations! Even though we said the same thing in 2012 and 2013, let's get past this election and then we'll figure out what the plan is!

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[FiremanBob]

It would be more productive to direct your observation to Gillespie's campaign. If there is a problem with his preparation for detailed questions, he should be glad to have a chance to correct it. Then, if he doesn't do better next time, you can complain about him.

[ShotgunBlast]

I would agree with that line about detailed questions if the question that was asked wasn't related to the core argument the candidate was originally trying to make (less federal government).

If the question that was asked was some obscure "back in 2004 while in Podunk, Idaho you said..." I could easily give him a pass.

If Gillespie had my support I would take some of my limited free time to inquire with his campaign, but I'd rather put my efforts towards candidates that are getting my support this cycle.

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[mamabearCali]

In these times I am reminded that politics is the art of he possible, not the perfect.

It might be possible to unseat Warner (though I'd rather take out Kaine as he is much worse than warner). It might be possible to toss out Reid.

You and I have to decide if that is worth it. I can't make that choice for you. You can't make it for me.

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[ShotgunBlast]

Politics is simply the art of persuasion, not what's possible or what's perfect. Can I persuade enough people to vote for me? Can I persuade enough of my colleagues to sign onto legislation that I support? That's all it is.

MBC you and I are young enough that we're in this for the long haul so we have a vested interest in a healthy GOP in Virginia. The way things have been looking lately, that health is in decline. While state and federal reps are safe because of gerrymandering (let's be honest here), general statewide elections are going to the Democrats. Obama for two terms, Warner and Kaine, and now a clean sweep in the gov, LT, and AG positions. Population expansions in NoVa and the beach will continue that blue streak, but half-assed GOP candidates don't help change minds either. Last year a social conservative that turned off a lot of people ran and this year a Bush stooge has the nod. All under a nomination process that you had no direct say in. On the other hand, David Brat ran a shoestring campaign against one of the most powerful reps in the country, but because the people had a direct say and they believed he had genuine principles they were able to give Cantor the boot.

I'm just saying don't give them 20-30 of your votes just because you think the other guy has to go only to wonder why the same mediocre people get the nod only to lose. Your vote sends a message. A vote for that person tells the party you want more candidates like that. No vote for that person tells the party you want a different type of candidate.

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[smltooner]

IIRC, Rick Perry had the same problem in the last Republican Primary and now a large number of republicans want him to run again.

[ShotgunBlast]

I had thought of that, but I don't even equate the two. At least Perry's blunder was under the bright lights and pressures of a national stage. This was a conversation with a reporter.

I think the word "indictment" will sideline a Perry 2016 run, but Republicans also want Romney to run again so what does that say (other than that they want to stifle the liberty faction of the party as much as possible)?

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[mamabearCali]

So what do you want a true conservative? Because the Cooch was bought as close as I have seen to that. Or do you want a middle of the road moderate, because Gillespie seems to be that.

Cuchinelli was out of luck because he not only had to defend against the carpet bagger, but a leftist in libertarian garb. That and that he did not run a smart campaign were the lethal blows.

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[ShotgunBlast]

What gets my vote for the GOP is a liberty minded candidate like Rand Paul (who is currently in Guatemala doing free eye surgeries on his congressional vacation), Justin Amash, or Thomas Massie. People who can go out and talk to voters that you wouldn't expect them to talk to and explain how limited government is beneficial to them. Having a voting record that matches what they say their principles are.

I agree that Cooch was conservative, but social conservatism isn't going to win Virginia. You can blame Sarvis for his loss until the sun goes down (even though the margin of defeat would have been wider without him in the race according to exit polls), but the bottom line is that Republicans did not show up to vote for Cooch or fund his campaign. Like you said, he did not run a smart campaign. The party of personal responsibility does not blame others for their defeat. It's not like he lost to a guy with huge popularity ratings either; voter disgust for both candidates was at 40% which is partially why Sarvis had the results that he did.

I think what's best for the Virginia GOP is to go back to the primaries instead of a convention process. That will tell the party what the people want instead of someone being annointed. I think if that happened last year I think Bill Bolling would have been the gubernatorial candidate instead of Cooch and would have won.

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[FiremanBob]

SB, why aren't you running for office? Seriously - if you believe you have the right answers and can do better than the candidates that the parties put up now, you should step up.

[Kreutz]

Can Republicans even win statewide elections in VA now? The results from the last statewide race show it's a pretty safe lock for the Dems due to population density and the mythical Obamacare curse that was supposed to doom every Democrat seems not to have manifested yet.

[ShotgunBlast]

SB, why aren't you running for office? Seriously - if you believe you have the right answers and can do better than the candidates that the parties put up now, you should step up.

I never said that I had the right answers or that I was a better candidate; I just said what would get my vote as a citizen and offered my opinion of what I thought could get better GOP candidates in Virginia (switching back from a convention system to a primary).

Only in the last year have I ever thought about running for anything and even if I did it would be for something local. I'm not even in my 40s yet and wouldn't think about running for anything until then.

[FiremanBob]

Sometimes to get better candidates, you have to make the candidates we have better; communicating with them is the most effective way to start. Therefore my suggestion that you talk with someone in the Gillespie campaign. Do you think they have operatives reading VGF to find good advice? The way you scorn everyone who doesn't meet your standard of perfection sure gives the impression you have all the answers. And then you don't want to do anything constructive, just whine and tell us how unenlightened we all are for not supporting the JV player Sarvis.

[ShotgunBlast]

I think you're reading a bit much into this thread Bob. I was specifically asked what I wanted in a candidate and I answered. I then followed it up with why other candidates didn't get my vote. That's hardly scorn. I'm not looking for perfection, but I do have some standards. As in if you broach the subject that the federal government is too large and someone asks you what you'd cut and all you can muster is the one program that's been in the news lately up for reauthorization next month, that's pretty lousy. If it was the guy's first time out I'd even cut him some slack, but Gillespie has been around the block a few times. I am doing something constructive - for the candidates that are getting my support. There are many people on this forum that plan on voting for Gillespie; they can inquire with the campaign on this matter if they so choose. You then follow it up with more stuff that I didn't even say in regards to Sarvis.

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[FiremanBob]

Don't worry, I'll talk to Gillespie's campaign. The post with which you opened this thread drips with scorn for both him and his party, and it was not in response to a question. I didn't put any words in your mouth regarding Sarvis. I'm the one who said he is JV. SB, when it comes to politics you come across as the typical perennial critic - all negative judgments, no constructive solutions. It's becoming boring.

[ratherfish]

Must not be a suitably obtuse democrat backed liberaltarian in the race.

Same old song...

Put two flushes behind VA going down the tubes. SGB is to high and mighty to do anything but put his vote behind an ideologically pure libertarian. Too bad none exist.

[andykim]

Im rather optimistic about unseating myself. I really don't care , I have and will remain true to NO party and am looking at sending the GOP messages at every level (Local,State, National) that said... I find myself defending ol ED. (sigh)

Our country is at a tipping point (probably past it)(sigh)...but if we lose (indies, conservatives,comstitionalist) just one more time...we may not even have the freedom to express our 1st amendment right?

Its getting "tight" , its time to do what you gotta do...Talk to others, Post, Post, Speak to neighbors, Volunteer, sign up voters, give rides to the polls. My God, are that stupid???? We are going to lose again??? and then see this OCARE monster rise after the midterms??????
Freaking scary.

They have the game rigged. Does anyone see that?

Sometimes you have to chew a leg off to escape the trap. Starting to look like less of an option 2014. (sigh)