Principled on the Issues:                                                 


Members of the RPOF State Committee:

There is a battle being waged for the heart and soul of the Republican Party between corporate special interests and small government ideology. The average Republican votes for small government but gets stuck with higher taxes and fees when some of our elected Representatives vote for corporatism. According to Rasmussen, over 75% of Republicans think their legislators are out of touch. Perception is that our Republican Party is a party of special interests.

In order to gain a more positive perception and restore trust with the voters, I believe we have to show that we are not the party of special interests, and instead shift our focus to being the party of principles. Our party must exemplify the principles of smaller government, less taxation, more personal responsibility, and more individual freedom. There has to be transparency in the political process. The Republican Party must actively recruit hundreds of local candidates who will present voters with a true small government option on Election Day. We must be a party of principle over politics.

As such, the next Chairman cannot be chosen in a smoke filled room and presented to the State Committee using bandwagon techniques. Our next Chairman should not be perceived as one who is associated with special interests or corporatism. Our next Chairman should be an elected member of the State Committee who has risen through the ranks of the party infrastructure. Because of public perception, I don’t believe our party election can be “business as usual”. We need to be transparent in order to restore our common bond with the public.

Our world is changing as information technology continues to grow at an ever increasing rate. The internet’s free market allows individuals today to have many more sources for political news, commentary, and opinion. With increased political awareness, citizens are more informed than ever but also becoming more frustrated with government and elected officials. In order to grow, we need to understand the dynamics of how the internet can revolutionize our party.

President Obama was elected for two reasons: The GOP conservative base has been leaving the party or becoming indifferent in massive numbers because some of our elected officials continually vote against Republican principles; President Obama was able to exploit the mood of the voters and successfully use the internet for grassroots organizing and small donor fundraising.

Small internet donors ($200 or less) are important because they do not represent special interest groups and can significantly impact the financial success of any campaign. Small internet donors are individuals and business owners who donate to a candidate or cause purely for ideological reasons, they contribute based on trust and confidence, and in an extended election cycle, they will donate many, many times.

During the 2008 Presidential race, the candidates who proclaimed the strongest message and had previously earned the trust and confidence of their constituency received the most ideological money. On the Republican side, ideological contributions were received from hundreds of thousands of ordinary individuals who believe in the Republican principles of small government. When individuals have trust and confidence in their candidate or cause, they become an unstoppable army of motivated volunteers.

We need to grow and expand the Republican Party and elect more Republicans to office on a small government message. As such, I believe we need to transition and start raising more ideological money. In order to be successful, we must be inclusive of principled conservative thought and restore transparency, trust, and integrity. As our party gains support through abiding by our principles, we will see increased volunteer support, more energized volunteers, and growth in Republican voting registration.

In visiting with members of our party, I have found that many believe that to win the next election, all we have to do is attack and expose the Democrats. While that is true, it is only the short term solution; we must look towards the future. In order to make the right decisions for our party, we have to look at a much larger picture. As Chairman, I want to elect Republicans for the next generation, not just for the next election cycle.

Right here in America lies a sleeping giant; Nixon called it the silent majority. It has been referred to as the forgotten middle class, angry white males, and Perovians (Ross Perot supporters). Pollster Frank Luntz calls this group the “Fed-Ups”. That is exactly what they are. People who are fed up and frustrated.

The silent majority is not anti-Democrat or anti-Republican, they are anti-corporatism, pro-Constitution, and they believe in limited government. Ronald Reagan spoke for the views of today’s silent majority when he said, “Government is the problem, not the solution”.

The following describes America’s silent majority, the “Fed Ups”:
• Should not be ignored or dismissed.
• Are motivated by a desire for government to get out of their lives.
• Reject global warming, the Copenhagen Treaty, and Cap and Trade.
• Want the US out of the UN.
• Believe that taxation is too high and want to keep more of what they earn.
• Believe in state sovereignty and the Constitution’s 10th Amendment.
• Are against bailouts and government spending.
• Against generational theft and the plundering of their grandchildren’s future.
• Want free market based health care reform and not forced health care.
• Want to educate their children with their own values.
• Believe in the principles and vision of the Founding Fathers.
• Expect government and elected officials to adhere to our Constitution.
• Fully understand that the second amendment was not written for hunting.
• Are ordinary citizens from all walks of life, all ages, and all ethnic groups.
• Who have a common bond in traditional conservative Republican principles.
• Believe in the promise of America.
• Feel disenfranchised with elected officials who vote against our common principles.
• They are JUST LIKE US!

During the last few election cycles the voters did not vote for Democrats, they repudiated Republicans for becoming too much like Democrats. Government expanded at the fastest rate in history, tax and spend went out the door and tax and borrow was the new mantra. The Republican Party lost its way and nationally we suffered massive losses on Election Day. In Florida we lost a few Congressional seats, the Presidency, and many local elections.

I am a lifelong Republican, have been an REC member, a County REC Chairman, a County Chair for Jeb Bush, and I served President Bush during the long recount of 2000. I have worked with Bill McCollum, Charlie Bronson, Mike Haridopolis, and many other state leaders. I have served the party under Tom Slade, Al Cardenas, Carole Jean Jordan, and Jim Greer.
My only motivation in serving the Republican Party is to see my children and their children succeed in life because they are living in the greatest country on earth. I want to make a difference. I believe the Republican Party is the single best vehicle to reverse the expansion of socialism and restore honor to the Constitution that so many of our Forefathers fought and died for.

I have worked shoulder to shoulder with many of you for many years. Currently, signs and events are pointing toward watershed elections in 2010 and 2012 with party realignments. The pendulum reached its apex on the left with the 2008 elections. Gravity, momentum, and downward pressure will force a swing to the right in just a few short years. We have to be ready to take advantage of history. Now!

There is a tsunami building, the likes of which this generation has never seen. I believe we have to act and make a choice. With fundraising, preparation, and organization, we can be ready to catch the wave when it hits. If we ignore the political realities of transparency, trust, and integrity, we will have missed a major opportunity for the advancement of a constitutional small government Republican agenda.

As RPOF Chairman, I would regain the trust of the voters, solidify our small government message, and restore Republican principles. The following are some recommendations and ideas about how I would structure and lead our party to victory:

1) Restore trust and integrity with donors, grassroots, and public:

A Transition Team would include members of the RPOF Executive Board, State Committee, elected officials, and major donors. The Transition Team would work with the Budget Committee to determine the state of the RPOF financially and strategically, take an inventory of all party assets, tangible and intangible, and make budget with monetary recommendations to the Executive Board for the remainder of the 2010 election cycle. The Transition Team might also suggest and implement safeguards to ensure all money raised is properly spent and accounted for.

A Finance Team would immediately be empowered to raise funds. The Finance Team would report the Executive Board and include existing elected officials, former finance chairs, former team members, bundlers, term limited legislators, and candidates, etc. By working within the current infrastructure, we can ensure adequate funding is in place for the 2010 election cycle. I believe any state Republican who is asked to serve would be proud to participate in this challenge.

A State Conference would immediately be arranged with the State Committee to discuss the future of the RPOF and modify the rules as needed. This gathering would be teleconferenced or video streamed for the members who cannot attend. I am confident in the knowledge of where our party needs to go and how we can get there, but we need to become much more unified. Every one of you has to become a small government advocate or we will not succeed. The principles that matter the most are less government, fewer taxes, more personal responsibility, and more individual freedom.

A Wiki (web portal) would be set up so that every member would have input about the issues to be discussed and be able to share that input with other members. RPOF is very slow to act because of the delay in communication with the RECs. I think this is directly related to the perception that we have to wait until the quarterly meetings to accomplish our goals. By implementing the Wiki we can move forward at a much quicker rate; Wiki is the Hawaiian word for “fast”.

Training would immediately begin about how to use the Wiki. The State Committee would continue Wiki usage as a private resource tool and it would be password protected with access to members only. Each State Committee member would be able to post suggestions, strategies, newsletters, phone scripts, walking scripts, precinct books, fundraising techniques, polling data, campaign files, speeches, talking points, training videos, interviews, etc. The possibilities are endless. By using the Wiki we can learn what is working in other counties and modify those successful practices in other RECs, we will communicate more effectively, and most importantly we will significantly reduce duplication of effort. In a short period of time, with proper management, Wiki has the potential to become the largest repository of political information and the best resource for efficiency and effectiveness. Wiki will offer new opportunities for improved campaign workshops for candidates and volunteers across the state, advanced legislative project management courses, and upgraded use of campaign management software. The RPOF will provide a support network using advanced technology to our newly elected Re-publican officials.

RPOF file and list maintenance of elected and party officials’ contact information in each county, attendance records, election reports, meeting minutes, and treasurer’s reports would be posted on Wiki. I would make RPOF minutes, financial reports, expense logs, etc. available for every State Committee member. Every State Committee member should expect full transparency and disclosure. November will be here shortly and the only way to catch up is through technology; we need to act now!

INTERNAL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

A. Removal of Members by the Chairman - We must repeal the Florida Statutes that give the Chairman the right to remove members from the Committee. The Grievance Committee is the proper way for removal of a member as long as the removal is handled according to the rules. I would request a rule change on the way the Grievance Committee is appointed in order to make the process fairer. The Chairman, National Committeeman, National Committeewoman, each officer, the State Committeemen/women’s Caucus Chair, and the Chairman’s Caucus Chair would each have the right to appoint one person to serve on this committee. The 10 appointed members would constitute the Grievance Committee. The Chairman of the Committee would be chosen by the appointees. Modification of the removal policy will go a long way toward restoring trust and freedom of speech with the grassroots.

B. Florida Statutes state “The state executive committee of each political party shall file with the Department of State the names and addresses of its chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, and members and shall file a copy of its constitution, bylaws, and rules and regulations with the Department of State”. I would request an addition stating that any changes to party rules concerning the way State Committeemen/women, Precinct Committeemen/women, and District Committeemen/women are elected need to be ratified by the State Committee and filed with the Department of State Division of Elections 60 days prior to that election. Inclusion of the ratification process would eliminate the fiasco that accompanied last minute rule changes in 2008 and prevented some Republicans from running and serving. The change would be similar to the requirement that Presidential delegate procedure and selection rules have to be filed a minimum of 120 days before the Presidential preference primary. Ratification would also show that the Republican Party is moving toward transparency and would foster further trust with American citizens. Last year I led the charge to kill SB 956 because of the provisions to legislate party rules. The State Committee should control party rules, not the legislature.

C. Committees - We should immediately get back in the practice of capitalizing on the potential of our ad hoc committees. I think every single member should be on at least one committee. The chairman of the ad hoc committee should be chosen by its members. Today many people have no committee assignments, the committees do not meet, and we are missing a great opportunity to move the party forward. Sometimes committees only meet during the quarterly meetings, so the process moves forward rather slowly; use of Webinars, Wikis, and the internet can foster organization at a much faster pace and accomplish much more in between meetings.

D. Appointees to the State Committee - We need to immediately address Gubernatorial, Senate, and House appointees to the State Committee. Is this a practice we want to continue or eliminate? I feel it is only proper and in everyone’s best interest for statewide elected officials, the House Speaker, or Senate President to be part of the State Committee. However, do we really want 30 additional appointments that could theoretically be the deciding factor in rule changes or party elections? Short of elimination, we have some options: Ex officio members would have full participatory rights while the appointed members would have partial participatory rights and appointed members could expect to serve on our committees in an advisory capacity for purposes of debate, future planning, and strategy as liaisons to their appointer. Elimination of the voting rights would restore trust and integrity and eliminate any perceived conflict of interest, especially when an official is running for reelection and receives RPOF funding.

E. The RPOF Leadership Team (The Chairman, National Committeeman, and National Committeewoman) should work as a team. The Chairman should not do it alone or try to lead with just one of the two. Leadership has to start with both the National Committeeman and the National Committeewoman sharing in the responsibility. As a start, the National Committeeman and National Committeewoman should be granted appointment rights to the ad hoc committees: they, along with the Chairman, would become automatic members of any ad hoc committee, be included in any planning and strategy sessions with the House and Senate, and involved with the fundraising. I believe the National Committeeman and National Committeewoman need to have a more defined leadership position with responsibilities so that they can become full working members of the RPOF management team. This cohesion would help foster more trust with our citizens and create a stronger party because our leaders will be working together.

F. House and Senate Managers - The House and Senate have managers who are liaisons with RPOF to help manage legislative campaigns. I would create a similar position that could only be activated by the appointment of an incumbent Governor so that he or she might have access to party resources and assist in their own reelection campaign. The RPOF leadership team needs to focus on the big picture and work with the local RECs to build infrastructure for 3500 local races. Individual state campaigns would be handled by the managers. In the case of an open seat with a contested primary, the party shall remain neutral, however, party resources and access may be granted to each candidate on an equal basis. Any soft money contributions from a candidate’s donors shall be treated equally at the same commission rate. Any RPOF officer would not be allowed to personally endorse any candidate who has a primary opponent unless that officer takes a leave of absence from his or her position. These rules would apply to public elections as well as party elections. No party money would ever be diverted to party elections.

G. Transparency and Disclosure - For obvious reasons we do not want to publicly release our budget, but I believe it is in the best interest of the Republican Party to provide better after-the-fact transparency. Secrecy seems justified when we say, “We don’t want Democrats to know what we are doing” Which can very easily turn into “We don’t want these other Republicans to know what we are doing either.” We don’t need to fall into that trap. All the party’s expenses and contributions are publicly reported by law so there is no reason not to disclose to the State Committee after the final election reports are filed. The RPOF leadership team’s expense reports should be made available to the Executive Board on a monthly basis. I would also require contract consultants to submit detailed itemized billing and work with Republican candidates only in order to prevent negative perceptions among fellow Republicans and volunteers.

H. Loyalty oaths are necessary and should be used to enforce party discipline. However, most of the time the loyalty oaths are selectively enforced. Oaths must be applied equally, if not, they mean nothing. I would expand loyalty oaths to include elected officials, candidates, and consultants. There are many of examples where Republican officials have supported Democrats behind the scenes and consultants who were working both sides of the aisle. The party pays out millions of dollars each election cycle to consultants and candidates to elect Republicans. Those who want Republican Party help must sign and adhere to the Republican Party loyalty oath. Enforcing our oath across the board will strengthen county RECs as a force for small government within their communities. Anyone who wants Republican money and believes in Republican principles will be glad to sign the oath. The current oath will need to be changed to reflect the change in statutes I am proposing which negates the Chairman’s right of removal. We might also consider revisions of the oath to include various penalties for violation depending upon the circumstances.

I. Platform - If you agree that RPOF should start raising ideological money, expanding the grassroots movement, and growing our party, we need a platform. Without a state platform, there is nothing to hold elected officials accountable when they vote to raise taxes, create new government agencies, expand the bureaucracy, infringe on our civil liberties, or compromise with the Democrats who want to increase socialism. The accountability section of the platform should be simple. Barry Goldwater Jr. said, “Republican issues should be fewer taxes, less government, more personal responsibility, and more individual freedom. All the other issues are wedges which are designed to divide our party into factions. As long as we don’t forget these basic tenets, we will win.” I believe we need to keep Barry’s statement in mind if we decide to draft a platform. A Republican running in Miami has a different race than the Republican running in the Panhandle or I-4 Corridor. Platforms will make the party stronger as long as our elected officials are held accountable if they vote against our principles. To some extent, accountability to a platform could give our officials cover: “I can’t vote for that bill because it goes against the party platform” or “If I voted for that bill the party would take away my support and I would have a primary challenger.” Without a platform, special interests win because there are no repercussions when our elected officials vote against our Republican principles and whenever the special interests win, the party loses the trust and respect of the voters.

J. Leadership funds - Finally, we need to take a stand against leadership funds. If the legislature can legally raise money through leadership funds, the party becomes much weaker for two reasons: Number one is that monetary control is removed from the party and number two is the public perception that Republican legislators are using leadership slush funds to bypass campaign fundraising laws. This axis of special interest money, lobbyists, and leadership funds will only serve to enhance the perception that our state government is bought and sold. Use of leadership funds will ultimately cause a backlash against Republican efforts to restore voter trust and we will be hurt at the ballot box. It doesn’t matter whether leadership fund allegations are true or not. The media will hammer it home and our Republican Party will be tainted by the very fact that leadership funds exist.

K. Other items will probably be addressed. Any regional or county issues can be discussed through the Wiki. The state conference will be used as a springboard to implement our action plan for the 2010 election cycle where the transition, discussion, and inventory have to take place. We must move forward as a party and eliminate any distractions and issues that keep us divided. I am going to repeat myself because this is so important. We must eliminate any distractions and issues that keep us divided. It takes everyone working together to win. Under a Cross Chairmanship everyone who believes in our Republican principles will have a seat at the table.

2) Transparency and Disclosure
Transparency, disclosure, and accountability are very important in this process. We are trying to restore voter perception of trust and integrity. The first items will go a long way toward restoring trust with donors and the grassroots movement, because we will be getting everyone involved. Everyone can become part of building a Republican organization they have always dreamed about. Obviously we cannot be 100% transparent when it comes to budgets, strategies, and techniques, but we can be transparent about our rules, Constitution, bylaws, candidate recruitment, and the process. Conducting business out in the open will give the public more confidence that as a party we will do what we say we are going to do. We can keep everyone informed every step of the way and become so transparent that the press will ignore what we are doing; we will remove the magnetizing secrecy. According to Rasmussen, 83% of the voters want government to be more transparent. Republicans can ride this single issue and win hundreds of new seats, if we have the trust. We can show the public real transparency begins with the Republican Party.

3) Fundraising
Our Finance Team would work to ensure that adequate funding is in place for our election plan. There is probably a misconception of the Chairman’s role when it comes to fundraising. The Chairman cannot raise all the money alone but will rely on a Finance Team. The success of the Finance Team will depend to some extent upon the Chairman’s participation and leadership, but ultimate success will be determined by the Campaign Plan and the comfort level of donors, which hinges on perceptions of trust and integrity. I believe that any state Republican who is asked to serve on the Finance Team would be proud to participate.

I would ask for a complete review of the party’s direct mail and telemarketing prospecting to ensure we are using the most current techniques and receiving the maximum benefit from our donor lists. I would like to compare the list history to industry standards and if this has been done through consulting contracts, it might be beneficial to bring it in house. I would also like to review any contracts to ensure ownership of the master list is retained by RPOF. I fully expect to find a great program in place; however in perusing the 2009 figures, I did not see any category for email prospecting. If we are not email prospecting we are missing out on a major source of revenue that is growing in importance with each election cycle. More resources should be allotted to internet fundraising because the turnaround time and overhead costs are reduced.

As an additional effort to win back the trust of the voters, we should start actively raising more ideological money. A special fund would be set up so that any contributor would have the option of directing contributions on the basis of small government ideology. Donors would be guaranteed by the Republican Party that the money would not be used for party infrastructure, overhead, or expense…either directly or indirectly. 100% of ideological money would be used to promote local Republican candidates who believe in the principles of small government. As trust develops, I guarantee that a fundraising program of this nature will generate a large amount of money. The amount of money generated will be in direct proportion to the program’s accountability and transparency. The fund could be administered in conjunction with the county RECs and help local candidates and Republican initiatives to foster growth and further empower the grassroots movement at the local level.

In conjunction with invigorating the local RECs, I would also expand our Rural County Initiative program. Instead of just giving some of the small counties a few thousand dollars here and there, we can partner with the rural counties and help them raise more funds. RPOF can help out with internet fundraising and absorb some of the operating costs. I would like to see regional fundraising events with both national and international speakers; we would then direct the proceeds back to the participating counties. Several thousand dollars per participating county could grow into many thousands more.

4) Stewardship of Funds
Money becomes more important each election cycle as more contributions are required to “set the record straight” whenever incumbents vote against Republican principles. This practice reinforces the notion that only a select few who possess specific fund raising ability can hold a Chairman’s position. If we employ good stewardship and best practices, cut extravagant expenses and waste, and restore principle we can lay that myth to rest. Money becomes less important when it’s put in the context of the total package. The following are some areas of potential savings.

• We can cut salaries by bringing in more interns and working closer with the local RECs. Our local RECs and clubs have great people so why not use some of them? The learning curve would be less because they would already be familiar with their respective areas.
• Cut the Chairman’s salary, but make the job performance based. The Executive Board could oversee any evaluation and set the performance level.
• Consultants make a bundle on media buys during an election cycle, usually 15% for advertising placement. I would create an in house ad agency so that RPOF could retain this source of revenue.
• More money could be saved in consulting fees by standardizing direct mail pieces in local races. By using the Wiki as a resource site, we will have a historical data base that can be built upon year after year. If we use OCR software we will be able to modify basic direct mail on a local basis. Costs would be significantly reduced and more volunteers could easily participate.
• We can develop a resource library with the Wiki so RECs will have access to the most inexpensive resources to manufacture campaign signs, print literature, make phone calls, conduct automated surveys and polls, use direct mail, perform opposition research, etc. Training videos and other educational material can be made available to empower volunteers with localized campaign management skills.
• Travel expenses could easily be cut through better use of technology. In statewide organizing, I have found that I work more efficiently at a reduced cost with telephone, email, and the internet. Limited travel means limited downtime.
• The Chairman does not always need to be the spokesman for the party. Media interviews, etc. take up organizational time. Other RPOF officials, local party officials, and our candidates can do just as well provided we systematically disseminate our message of party and principle.
• Another effective use of technology is Webinars (a seminar over the internet). A few months ago, I conducted a Webinar that was attended by over 900 people. We gave an update on the Florida Freedom Bills and Florida State Sovereignty, issues that have the potential to be used as recruitment tools for our local RECs. Webinars can also be used to save travel expenses by setting up meetings, training, etc. online.
• We can further reduce costs by becoming a bottom up organization instead of directing from the top down. In many instances RPOF does not provide logistical support to all the RECs but expects the RECs to perform according to direction from the top. If we can become a bottom up organization, we will win more elections, increase voter registration, and grow party membership. The RECs are the RPOF and that fact should never be forgotten.
• There are several other ways to reduce costs of fundraising and prospecting, but all programs need review in order to maximize cost effective measures. You probably have some good ideas, too, and I’ll be asking everyone for their suggestions.
• I plan on hosting a Webinar prior to the Feb 20th election. I will invite everyone on the State Committee so that you can see what we can do for party education and information dissemination over the internet. I want to direct more resources to technology so we all work smarter.

5) Summary & Results
In order to move our party forward, I believe…
• We can be much more effective by empowering and embracing the grassroots movement because the value of volunteer time is just as important as the value of monetary donations.
• By growing our volunteer base, cutting extravagant expenses, and investing in local small government candidates, we will actually have more money to spend on elections.
• When we are raising more ideological money there will be more accountability to Republican principles and we can win more elections on the same dollars.
• We can reach out and partner with the “Fed Ups” to recruit local small government candidates and volunteers who will provide reverse coattails for our top ballot races.
• By using technology to share resources we can manage hundreds of elections at the same time.
• We will provide a support network to assist, train, and mentor our newly elected GOP officials. Training will focus on ideological governance along with disclosure and reporting requirements. We will also focus on local government transparency issues.
• By using these methods to reestablish trust, we will enjoy many victories in 2010. The trust we generate in 2010 will strengthen our party for 2012 and beyond.
I have heard it said that success is where preparation and opportunity meet. We have an opportunity to create Republican majorities for years to come; all we have to do is put Principle over Politics. The tsunami is still building. I want to ride that wave to victory. How about you? Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Best regards,

Mark Cross State Committeeman Osceola County
407-908-2749

 
at an ever increasing rate. The internet’s free market allows individuals today to have many more sources for political news, commentary, and opinion. With increased political awareness, citizens are more informed than ever but also becoming more frustrated with government and elected officials. In order to grow, we need to understand the dynamics of how the internet can revolutionize our party.

President Obama was elected for two reasons: The GOP conservative base has been leaving the party or becoming indifferent in massive numbers because some of our elected officials continually vote against Republican principles; President Obama was able to exploit the mood of the voters and successfully use the internet for grassroots organizing and small donor fundraising.

Small internet donors ($200 or less) are important because they do not represent special interest groups and can significantly impact the financial success of any campaign. Small internet donors are individuals and business owners who donate to a candidate or cause purely for ideological reasons, they contribute based on trust and confidence, and in an extended election cycle, they will donate many, many times.

During the 2008 Presidential race, the candidates who proclaimed the strongest message and had previously earned the trust and confidence of their constituency received the most ideological money. On the Republican side, ideological contributions were received from hundreds of thousands of ordinary individuals who believe in the Republican principles of small government. When individuals have trust and confidence in their candidate or cause, they become an unstoppable army of motivated volunteers.

We need to grow and expand the Republican Party and elect more Republicans to office on a small government message. As such, I believe we need to transition and start raising more ideological money. In order to be successful, we must be inclusive of principled conservative thought and restore transparency, trust, and integrity. As our party gains support through abiding by our principles, we will see increased volunteer support, more energized volunteers, and growth in Republican voting registration.

In visiting with members of our party, I have found that many believe that to win the next election, all we have to do is attack and expose the Democrats. While that is true, it is only the short term solution; we must look towards the future. In order to make the right decisions for our party, we have to look at a much larger picture. As Chairman, I want to elect Republicans for the next generation, not just for the next election cycle.

Right here in America lies a sleeping giant; Nixon called it the silent majority. It has been referred to as the forgotten middle class, angry white males, and Perovians (Ross Perot supporters). Pollster Frank Luntz calls this group the “Fed-Ups”. That is exactly what they are. People who are fed up and frustrated.

The silent majority is not anti-Democrat or anti-Republican, they are anti-corporatism, pro-Constitution, and they believe in limited government. Ronald Reagan spoke for the views of today’s silent majority when he said, “Government is the problem, not the solution”.

The following describes America’s silent majority, the “Fed Ups”:
• Should not be ignored or dismissed.
• Are motivated by a desire for government to get out of their lives.
• Reject global warming, the Copenhagen Treaty, and Cap and Trade.
• Want the US out of the UN.
• Believe that taxation is too high and want to keep more of what they earn.
• Believe in state sovereignty and the Constitution’s 10th Amendment.
• Are against bailouts and government spending.
• Against generational theft and the plundering of their grandchildren’s future.
• Want free market based health care reform and not forced health care.
• Want to educate their children with their own values.
• Believe in the principles and vision of the Founding Fathers.
• Expect government and elected officials to adhere to our Constitution.
• Fully understand that the second amendment was not written for hunting.
• Are ordinary citizens from all walks of life, all ages, and all ethnic groups.
• Who have a common bond in traditional conservative Republican principles.
• Believe in the promise of America.
• Feel disenfranchised with elected officials who vote against our common principles.
• They are JUST LIKE US!

During the last few election cycles the voters did not vote for Democrats, they repudiated Republicans for becoming too much like Democrats. Government expanded at the fastest rate in history, tax and spend went out the door and tax and borrow was the new mantra. The Republican Party lost its way and nationally we suffered massive losses on Election Day. In Florida we lost a few Congressional seats, the Presidency, and many local elections.

I am a lifelong Republican, have been an REC member, a County REC Chairman, a County Chair for Jeb Bush, and I served President Bush during the long recount of 2000. I have worked with Bill McCollum, Charlie Bronson, Mike Haridopolis, and many other state leaders. I have served the party under Tom Slade, Al Cardenas, Carole Jean Jordan, and Jim Greer.
My only motivation in serving the Republican Party is to see my children and their children succeed in life because they are living in the greatest country on earth. I want to make a difference. I believe the Republican Party is the single best vehicle to reverse the expansion of socialism and restore honor to the Constitution that so many of our Forefathers fought and died for.

I have worked shoulder to shoulder with many of you for many years. Currently, signs and events are pointing toward watershed elections in 2010 and 2012 with party realignments. The pendulum reached its apex on the left with the 2008 elections. Gravity, momentum, and downward pressure will force a swing to the right in just a few short years. We have to be ready to take advantage of history. Now!

There is a tsunami building, the likes of which this generation has never seen. I believe we have to act and make a choice. With fundraising, preparation, and organization, we can be ready to catch the wave when it hits. If we ignore the political realities of transparency, trust, and integrity, we will have missed a major opportunity for the advancement of a constitutional small government Republican agenda.

As RPOF Chairman, I would regain the trust of the voters, solidify our small government message, and restore Republican principles. The following are some recommendations and ideas about how I would structure and lead our party to victory:

1) Restore trust and integrity with donors, grassroots, and public:

A Transition Team would include members of the RPOF Executive Board, State Committee, elected officials, and major donors. The Transition Team would work with the Budget Committee to determine the state of the RPOF financially and strategically, take an inventory of all party assets, tangible and intangible, and make budget with monetary recommendations to the Executive Board for the remainder of the 2010 election cycle. The Transition Team might also suggest and implement safeguards to ensure all money raised is properly spent and accounted for.

A Finance Team would immediately be empowered to raise funds. The Finance Team would report the Executive Board and include existing elected officials, former finance chairs, former team members, bundlers, term limited legislators, and candidates, etc. By working within the current infrastructure, we can ensure adequate funding is in place for the 2010 election cycle. I believe any state Republican who is asked to serve would be proud to participate in this challenge.

A State Conference would immediately be arranged with the State Committee to discuss the future of the RPOF and modify the rules as needed. This gathering would be teleconferenced or video streamed for the members who cannot attend. I am confident in the knowledge of where our party needs to go and how we can get there, but we need to become much more unified. Every one of you has to become a small government advocate or we will not succeed. The principles that matter the most are less government, fewer taxes, more personal responsibility, and more individual freedom.

A Wiki (web portal) would be set up so that every member would have input about the issues to be discussed and be able to share that input with other members. RPOF is very slow to act because of the delay in communication with the RECs. I think this is directly related to the perception that we have to wait until the quarterly meetings to accomplish our goals. By implementing the Wiki we can move forward at a much quicker rate; Wiki is the Hawaiian word for “fast”.

Training would immediately begin about how to use the Wiki. The State Committee would continue Wiki usage as a private resource tool and it would be password protected with access to members only. Each State Committee member would be able to post suggestions, strategies, newsletters, phone scripts, walking scripts, precinct books, fundraising techniques, polling data, campaign files, speeches, talking points, training videos, interviews, etc. The possibilities are endless. By using the Wiki we can learn what is working in other counties and modify those successful practices in other RECs, we will communicate more effectively, and most importantly we will significantly reduce duplication of effort. In a short period of time, with proper management, Wiki has the potential to become the largest repository of political information and the best resource for efficiency and effectiveness. Wiki will offer new opportunities for improved campaign workshops for candidates and volunteers across the state, advanced legislative project management courses, and upgraded use of campaign management software. The RPOF will provide a support network using advanced technology to our newly elected Re-publican officials.

RPOF file and list maintenance of elected and party officials’ contact information in each county, attendance records, election reports, meeting minutes, and treasurer’s reports would be posted on Wiki. I would make RPOF minutes, financial reports, expense logs, etc. available for every State Committee member. Every State Committee member should expect full transparency and disclosure. November will be here shortly and the only way to catch up is through technology; we need to act now!

INTERNAL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED

A. Removal of Members by the Chairman - We must repeal the Florida Statutes that give the Chairman the right to remove members from the Committee. The Grievance Committee is the proper way for removal of a member as long as the removal is handled according to the rules. I would request a rule change on the way the Grievance Committee is appointed in order to make the process fairer. The Chairman, National Committeeman, National Committeewoman, each officer, the State Committeemen/women’s Caucus Chair, and the Chairman’s Caucus Chair would each have the right to appoint one person to serve on this committee. The 10 appointed members would constitute the Grievance Committee. The Chairman of the Committee would be chosen by the appointees. Modification of the removal policy will go a long way toward restoring trust and freedom of speech with the grassroots.

B. Florida Statutes state “The state executive committee of each political party shall file with the Department of State the names and addresses of its chair, vice chair, secretary, treasurer, and members and shall file a copy of its constitution, bylaws, and rules and regulations with the Department of State”. I would request an addition stating that any changes to party rules concerning the way State Committeemen/women, Precinct Committeemen/women, and District Committeemen/women are elected need to be ratified by the State Committee and filed with the Department of State Division of Elections 60 days prior to that election. Inclusion of the ratification process would eliminate the fiasco that accompanied last minute rule changes in 2008 and prevented some Republicans from running and serving. The change would be similar to the requirement that Presidential delegate procedure and selection rules have to be filed a minimum of 120 days before the Presidential preference primary. Ratification would also show that the Republican Party is moving toward transparency and would foster further trust with American citizens. Last year I led the charge to kill SB 956 because of the provisions to legislate party rules. The State Committee should control party rules, not the legislature.

C. Committees - We should immediately get back in the practice of capitalizing on the potential of our ad hoc committees. I think every single member should be on at least one committee. The chairman of the ad hoc committee should be chosen by its members. Today many people have no committee assignments, the committees do not meet, and we are missing a great opportunity to move the party forward. Sometimes committees only meet during the quarterly meetings, so the process moves forward rather slowly; use of Webinars, Wikis, and the internet can foster organization at a much faster pace and accomplish much more in between meetings.

D. Appointees to the State Committee - We need to immediately address Gubernatorial, Senate, and House appointees to the State Committee. Is this a practice we want to continue or eliminate? I feel it is only proper and in everyone’s best interest for statewide elected officials, the House Speaker, or Senate President to be part of the State Committee. However, do we really want 30 additional appointments that could theoretically be the deciding factor in rule changes or party elections? Short of elimination, we have some options: Ex officio members would have full participatory rights while the appointed members would have partial participatory rights and appointed members could expect to serve on our committees in an advisory capacity for purposes of debate, future planning, and strategy as liaisons to their appointer. Elimination of the voting rights would restore trust and integrity and eliminate any perceived conflict of interest, especially when an official is running for reelection and receives RPOF funding.

E. The RPOF Leadership Team (The Chairman, National Committeeman, and National Committeewoman) should work as a team. The Chairman should not do it alone or try to lead with just one of the two. Leadership has to start with both the National Committeeman and the National Committeewoman sharing in the responsibility. As a start, the National Committeeman and National Committeewoman should be granted appointment rights to the ad hoc committees: they, along with the Chairman, would become automatic members of any ad hoc committee, be included in any planning and strategy sessions with the House and Senate, and involved with the fundraising. I believe the National Committeeman and National Committeewoman need to have a more defined leadership position with responsibilities so that they can become full working members of the RPOF management team. This cohesion would help foster more trust with our citizens and create a stronger party because our leaders will be working together.

F. House and Senate Managers - The House and Senate have managers who are liaisons with RPOF to help manage legislative campaigns. I would create a similar position that could only be activated by the appointment of an incumbent Governor so that he or she might have access to party resources and assist in their own reelection campaign. The RPOF leadership team needs to focus on the big picture and work with the local RECs to build infrastructure for 3500 local races. Individual state campaigns would be handled by the managers. In the case of an open seat with a contested primary, the party shall remain neutral, however, party resources and access may be granted to each candidate on an equal basis. Any soft money contributions from a candidate’s donors shall be treated equally at the same commission rate. Any RPOF officer would not be allowed to personally endorse any candidate who has a primary opponent unless that officer takes a leave of absence from his or her position. These rules would apply to public elections as well as party elections. No party money would ever be diverted to party elections.

G. Transparency and Disclosure - For obvious reasons we do not want to publicly release our budget, but I believe it is in the best interest of the Republican Party to provide better after-the-fact transparency. Secrecy seems justified when we say, “We don’t want Democrats to know what we are doing” Which can very easily turn into “We don’t want these other Republicans to know what we are doing either.” We don’t need to fall into that trap. All the party’s expenses and contributions are publicly reported by law so there is no reason not to disclose to the State Committee after the final election reports are filed. The RPOF leadership team’s expense reports should be made available to the Executive Board on a monthly basis. I would also require contract consultants to submit detailed itemized billing and work with Republican candidates only in order to prevent negative perceptions among fellow Republicans and volunteers.

H. Loyalty oaths are necessary and should be used to enforce party discipline. However, most of the time the loyalty oaths are selectively enforced. Oaths must be applied equally, if not, they mean nothing. I would expand loyalty oaths to include elected officials, candidates, and consultants. There are many of examples where Republican officials have supported Democrats behind the scenes and consultants who were working both sides of the aisle. The party pays out millions of dollars each election cycle to consultants and candidates to elect Republicans. Those who want Republican Party help must sign and adhere to the Republican Party loyalty oath. Enforcing our oath across the board will strengthen county RECs as a force for small government within their communities. Anyone who wants Republican money and believes in Republican principles will be glad to sign the oath. The current oath will need to be changed to reflect the change in statutes I am proposing which negates the Chairman’s right of removal. We might also consider revisions of the oath to include various penalties for violation depending upon the circumstances.

I. Platform - If you agree that RPOF should start raising ideological money, expanding the grassroots movement, and growing our party, we need a platform. Without a state platform, there is nothing to hold elected officials accountable when they vote to raise taxes, create new government agencies, expand the bureaucracy, infringe on our civil liberties, or compromise with the Democrats who want to increase socialism. The accountability section of the platform should be simple. Barry Goldwater Jr. said, “Republican issues should be fewer taxes, less government, more personal responsibility, and more individual freedom. All the other issues are wedges which are designed to divide our party into factions. As long as we don’t forget these basic tenets, we will win.” I believe we need to keep Barry’s statement in mind if we decide to draft a platform. A Republican running in Miami has a different race than the Republican running in the Panhandle or I-4 Corridor. Platforms will make the party stronger as long as our elected officials are held accountable if they vote against our principles. To some extent, accountability to a platform could give our officials cover: “I can’t vote for that bill because it goes against the party platform” or “If I voted for that bill the party would take away my support and I would have a primary challenger.” Without a platform, special interests win because there are no repercussions when our elected officials vote against our Republican principles and whenever the special interests win, the party loses the trust and respect of the voters.

J. Leadership funds - Finally, we need to take a stand against leadership funds. If the legislature can legally raise money through leadership funds, the party becomes much weaker for two reasons: Number one is that monetary control is removed from the party and number two is the public perception that Republican legislators are using leadership slush funds to bypass campaign fundraising laws. This axis of special interest money, lobbyists, and leadership funds will only serve to enhance the perception that our state government is bought and sold. Use of leadership funds will ultimately cause a backlash against Republican efforts to restore voter trust and we will be hurt at the ballot box. It doesn’t matter whether leadership fund allegations are true or not. The media will hammer it home and our Republican Party will be tainted by the very fact that leadership funds exist.

K. Other items will probably be addressed. Any regional or county issues can be discussed through the Wiki. The state conference will be used as a springboard to implement our action plan for the 2010 election cycle where the transition, discussion, and inventory have to take place. We must move forward as a party and eliminate any distractions and issues that keep us divided. I am going to repeat myself because this is so important. We must eliminate any distractions and issues that keep us divided. It takes everyone working together to win. Under a Cross Chairmanship everyone who believes in our Republican principles will have a seat at the table.

2) Transparency and Disclosure
Transparency, disclosure, and accountability are very important in this process. We are trying to restore voter perception of trust and integrity. The first items will go a long way toward restoring trust with donors and the grassroots movement, because we will be getting everyone involved. Everyone can become part of building a Republican organization they have always dreamed about. Obviously we cannot be 100% transparent when it comes to budgets, strategies, and techniques, but we can be transparent about our rules, Constitution, bylaws, candidate recruitment, and the process. Conducting business out in the open will give the public more confidence that as a party we will do what we say we are going to do. We can keep everyone informed every step of the way and become so transparent that the press will ignore what we are doing; we will remove the magnetizing secrecy. According to Rasmussen, 83% of the voters want government to be more transparent. Republicans can ride this single issue and win hundreds of new seats, if we have the trust. We can show the public real transparency begins with the Republican Party.

3) Fundraising
Our Finance Team would work to ensure that adequate funding is in place for our election plan. There is probably a misconception of the Chairman’s role when it comes to fundraising. The Chairman cannot raise all the money alone but will rely on a Finance Team. The success of the Finance Team will depend to some extent upon the Chairman’s participation and leadership, but ultimate success will be determined by the Campaign Plan and the comfort level of donors, which hinges on perceptions of trust and integrity. I believe that any state Republican who is asked to serve on the Finance Team would be proud to participate.

I would ask for a complete review of the party’s direct mail and telemarketing prospecting to ensure we are using the most current techniques and receiving the maximum benefit from our donor lists. I would like to compare the list history to industry standards and if this has been done through consulting contracts, it might be beneficial to bring it in house. I would also like to review any contracts to ensure ownership of the master list is retained by RPOF. I fully expect to find a great program in place; however in perusing the 2009 figures, I did not see any category for email prospecting. If we are not email prospecting we are missing out on a major source of revenue that is growing in importance with each election cycle. More resources should be allotted to internet fundraising because the turnaround time and overhead costs are reduced.

As an additional effort to win back the trust of the voters, we should start actively raising more ideological money. A special fund would be set up so that any contributor would have the option of directing contributions on the basis of small government ideology. Donors would be guaranteed by the Republican Party that the money would not be used for party infrastructure, overhead, or expense…either directly or indirectly. 100% of ideological money would be used to promote local Republican candidates who believe in the principles of small government. As trust develops, I guarantee that a fundraising program of this nature will generate a large amount of money. The amount of money generated will be in direct proportion to the program’s accountability and transparency. The fund could be administered in conjunction with the county RECs and help local candidates and Republican initiatives to foster growth and further empower the grassroots movement at the local level.

In conjunction with invigorating the local RECs, I would also expand our Rural County Initiative program. Instead of just giving some of the small counties a few thousand dollars here and there, we can partner with the rural counties and help them raise more funds. RPOF can help out with internet fundraising and absorb some of the operating costs. I would like to see regional fundraising events with both national and international speakers; we would then direct the proceeds back to the participating counties. Several thousand dollars per participating county could grow into many thousands more.

4) Stewardship of Funds
Money becomes more important each election cycle as more contributions are required to “set the record straight” whenever incumbents vote against Republican principles. This practice reinforces the notion that only a select few who possess specific fund raising ability can hold a Chairman’s position. If we employ good stewardship and best practices, cut extravagant expenses and waste, and restore principle we can lay that myth to rest. Money becomes less important when it’s put in the context of the total package. The following are some areas of potential savings.

• We can cut salaries by bringing in more interns and working closer with the local RECs. Our local RECs and clubs have great people so why not use some of them? The learning curve would be less because they would already be familiar with their respective areas.
• Cut the Chairman’s salary, but make the job performance based. The Executive Board could oversee any evaluation and set the performance level.
• Consultants make a bundle on media buys during an election cycle, usually 15% for advertising placement. I would create an in house ad agency so that RPOF could retain this source of revenue.
• More money could be saved in consulting fees by standardizing direct mail pieces in local races. By using the Wiki as a resource site, we will have a historical data base that can be built upon year after year. If we use OCR software we will be able to modify basic direct mail on a local basis. Costs would be significantly reduced and more volunteers could easily participate.
• We can develop a resource library with the Wiki so RECs will have access to the most inexpensive resources to manufacture campaign signs, print literature, make phone calls, conduct automated surveys and polls, use direct mail, perform opposition research, etc. Training videos and other educational material can be made available to empower volunteers with localized campaign management skills.
• Travel expenses could easily be cut through better use of technology. In statewide organizing, I have found that I work more efficiently at a reduced cost with telephone, email, and the internet. Limited travel means limited downtime.
• The Chairman does not always need to be the spokesman for the party. Media interviews, etc. take up organizational time. Other RPOF officials, local party officials, and our candidates can do just as well provided we systematically disseminate our message of party and principle.
• Another effective use of technology is Webinars (a seminar over the internet). A few months ago, I conducted a Webinar that was attended by over 900 people. We gave an update on the Florida Freedom Bills and Florida State Sovereignty, issues that have the potential to be used as recruitment tools for our local RECs. Webinars can also be used to save travel expenses by setting up meetings, training, etc. online.
• We can further reduce costs by becoming a bottom up organization instead of directing from the top down. In many instances RPOF does not provide logistical support to all the RECs but expects the RECs to perform according to direction from the top. If we can become a bottom up organization, we will win more elections, increase voter registration, and grow party membership. The RECs are the RPOF and that fact should never be forgotten.
• There are several other ways to reduce costs of fundraising and prospecting, but all programs need review in order to maximize cost effective measures. You probably have some good ideas, too, and I’ll be asking everyone for their suggestions.
• I plan on hosting a Webinar prior to the Feb 20th election. I will invite everyone on the State Committee so that you can see what we can do for party education and information dissemination over the internet. I want to direct more resources to technology so we all work smarter.

5) Summary & Results
In order to move our party forward, I believe…
• We can be much more effective by empowering and embracing the grassroots movement because the value of volunteer time is just as important as the value of monetary donations.
• By growing our volunteer base, cutting extravagant expenses, and investing in local small government candidates, we will actually have more money to spend on elections.
• When we are raising more ideological money there will be more accountability to Republican principles and we can win more elections on the same dollars.
• We can reach out and partner with the “Fed Ups” to recruit local small government candidates and volunteers who will provide reverse coattails for our top ballot races.
• By using technology to share resources we can manage hundreds of elections at the same time.
• We will provide a support network to assist, train, and mentor our newly elected GOP officials. Training will focus on ideological governance along with disclosure and reporting requirements. We will also focus on local government transparency issues.
• By using these methods to reestablish trust, we will enjoy many victories in 2010. The trust we generate in 2010 will strengthen our party for 2012 and beyond.
I have heard it said that success is where preparation and opportunity meet. We have an opportunity to create Republican majorities for years to come; all we have to do is put Principle over Politics. The tsunami is still building. I want to ride that wave to victory. How about you? Thank you in advance for your consideration.

Best regards,

Mark Cross State Committeeman Osceola County
407-908-2749