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Abernathy Strategies
RepublicanGazette
Wednesday, March 19, 2008 "When news breaks, we fix it" Published daily except some days
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All opinions are those of The Republican Gazette and its editor, Gary Abernathy, except letters or commentary signed by others, and do not reflect the views of anyone else, including clients of Abernathy Strategies.
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Republican candidate for West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals Beth Walker will participate in the West Virginia Bar Association and Kanawha County Bar Association candidate forum to be hosted at the Charleston Marriott tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A reception will follow the forum.
Beth Walker in Bar Ass'n forum
A party's platform spells out the values and goals it expects members to abide by
One of the main items of business that will be conducted at the West Virginia Republican Party's summer convention will be the writing and approval of the party platform.It is surprising how many party members are not aware of platform items. For example, the current platform of the WVGOP, approved by committee members at the 2004 summer convention, contains unequivocable statements opposing abortion, opposing the expansion of gambling, supporting Initiative, Referendum and Recall, establishing the non-partisan election of judges, reinstatement of the death penalty, and many more strong statements on various issues.As was the case four years ago, Delegate John Overington will again chair the platform committee, so it is doubtful it will end up any less conservative in nature than it is now. (If anything, the death penalty statement might be made even stronger.)Party platforms are important. They explain better than any other method just what members of the party, and especially its elected officials, are expected to support. While it is impossible, nor desirable, to force everyone to march in lockstep, a candidate considering running with an "R" beside his or her name should check the party platform first and decide whether he or she can embrace at least the majority of the items therein.The same goes for Democrats, of course. How many Democrat officeholders agree with this plank in the West Virginia Democratic Party's platform?Women's access to family planning services continues to decrease, while teen pregnancy rates continue to rise. West Virginia ranks No. 14 in the number of pregnancies in girls age 15-19. We must continue to take a multi-faceted approach to educating teenagers on how to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Republican-sponsored "abstinence only" programs do not work. West Virginia Democrats support contraceptive research, family planning, comprehensive family life education, and policies that support healthy child bearing. "Family planning," of course, equals abortion rights, but most Democrat legislators claim to be pro-life. How does this end up in their platform? Similarly, the state Democrat platform includes "sexual orientation" in its human rights statement, but Dems in the House of Delegates declined the opportunity to bring to a vote the inclusion of that language in a bill considered in the recent session. There are those who consider party platforms worth little more than the paper on which they are written. Their attitude is that they allow certain items to be included to pacify certain members, then ignore the document.The failure of some elected officials to abide by the party platform is a consistent bone of contention for grassroots party members. In a recent lunch meeting of Kanawha County Republicans, speaker Russ Weeks, the GOP gubernatorial candidate, was asked why some Republicans don't seem to act like Republicans.Russ correctly turned the question around, and reminded those in attendance that it is the job of local and state committee members to speak with their party's elected officials when they feel those officials have abandoned or ignored what the party is supposed to stand for.A political party is typically defined as "an organized group of people with common values and goals, who try to get their candidates elected to office."Members of both parties should strive to make sure they share the common values and goals of their fellow party members -- values and goals that are spelled out clearly in party platforms.A good time for gun questions for the two Dem candidates
With Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama both visiting West Virginia this week, and the United States Supreme Court considering whether the Washington D.C. handgun ban is constitutional, it's an ideal time to ask them some questions so West Virginians can decide whether they can support either one in the General Election.Here are a few facts in regard to the issue:A bipartisan coalition of more than 300 Members Of Congress has urged the Supreme Court to overturn the D.C. gun ban."[In February, 2008] 55 senators and 250 members of the House signed onto a brief calling for the Supreme Court to overturn the D.C. gun ban by affirming the circuit court decision. The number of federal lawmakers, including 228 Republicans and 77 Democrats, is thought to be the largest ever to weigh in on a topic with the high court, at least in recent years." (Gary Emerling, "Nation Awaits D.C. Handgun Ruling," The Washington Times, 3/17/08)Sens. Obama and Clinton did not sign onto the brief. "Among the presidential candidates, Republican Sen. John McCain signed on [to the brief], while Democratic Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton did not." (Robert Barnes, "D.C.'s Gun Ban Gets Day In Court," The Washington Post, 3/16/08) "The campaign of Mr. Obama's Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, did not respond to repeated requests for comment on the Heller case." (Gary Emerling, "Nation Awaits D.C. Handgun Ruling," The Washington Times, 3/17/08) "[A]sked today about the DC handgun ban currently being reviewed by the US Supreme Court, Obama declined to take a position for or against its constitutionality ..." (David Wright, Ursula Fahy and Sunlen Miller, "Obama: 'Common Sense Regulation' On Gun Owners' Rights," ABC News' "Political Radar" Blog, http://blogs.abcnews.com, 2/15/08) Add the Republican Gazette to your 'Favorites' list and don't miss an exciting issue!
