Thursday, June 16, 2005 :::
Messaging for the Future
I've been pondering this post from Jim Bacon for a while. I can't disagree with the points he raises. But it's one thing I learned early on in my political life that while taxation, government spending and such energize some, they fail to motivate all. Tuesday's results show that to some extent.
Then like all good BR posts, this one generated some interesting comments. One of the more pointed came from Shaun Kenney, who said this:
We did focus on the tax hike, and no one cared.
Now that's not to say it wasn't an issue. For conservatives, as well as moderates, we were all upset with the tax increases.
The real question voters were asking was "what do we do about the problem?" Collectively, while I agree wholeheartedly with the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, we didn't have a single voice on how to solve the problem. Sure we can cut off the oxygen and put out the fire, but to what ends?
I think voters are seriously looking for answers to the questions regarding transportation, education, and the like. TABOR is a good start. Devoting 65% of every dollar to the classroom is another (Virginia only allocates 61.6% on average). Restructuring VDOT so that rather than operating from the top-down, localities set the needs and agenda and VDOT chimes in. True tax reform that abolishes the car tax, property tax, estate tax, and comes up with a more equitable system of taxation that works at the local level first.
Those are ideas. Those are solutions. While we aggressively promoted them in the 54th, conservatives statewide didn't speak with a single voice.
While crossover hurt us and may have cost us a few HOD elections, we have to get back into the mentality that we are indeed a minority, and we need to offer a solution first before we offer a mantra.
The key ingredient for some, it seems, was a coherent message. A message that offers solutions, while addressing the issues that motivate constituencies to get out there and vote.
Way back in March, I believe, House Speaker Bill Howell said he was going to offer a platform for all (incumbent) candidates to campaign on that included completion of the car tax, Bay clean-up and I think something about transportation (it was supposed to have been put out for all to see by now...I wonder if even Howell remembers what he had proposed?). It was spartan, unassuming, even timid. Hardly the kind of campaign platform that would address the issues Shaun raises, let alone motivate people to get out there and beat the drum for candidates who've signed on.
Conversely, my friends on the flat-earth side of the spectrum (meaning low-tax, small government advocates), have been rather quietly pushing the Freedom & Prosperity Agenda. It's 11 planks -- which include a TABOR, educational choice, property rights reform, and protection for the transportation trust fund -- goes some distance in addressing Shaun's comments.
But they've been too quiet. I've been too quiet. I plan to do more on the Agenda soon. It's too late to help those who challenged the panic brigade in this year's primaries. But it just might help give those who will face voters in November a bit of focus...and a message that just might win.
::: posted by Norman Leahy at 6/16/2005
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