The Journal of National Republican Politics & Policy

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The Ripon Society

President

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Ashleigh Roberts

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o 2000

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THE

RIpON FORUM

Contents VOLUME 3S • NUMBER III • SUMMER 2000

Letter From the President offhe Ripon Society ..................................... .... .. .. 3 The Honorable Bill Frenzel

Philadelphia Provides Historic Backdrop for 2000 Convention .............. ........ 4 Senator Arlen Specter

Returning to Philadelphia ................................ ................................. ... .......... 5 Rep resentativeJ im Greenwood

Uniting the Republican Party ... .. .... ............. ..... .. .. ............................... .......... . 6 Ashleigh Roberts

The Primary Problem .. .. .. ... ... .. ..... .. .. .. ........................................................... 9 A ngie Russell

A Smaller and Smarter Government ..... ... .... .......................................... ...... 11 R epresentative Deborah Pryce

A Special Tribute ... ...... ......... ... .................................................................... 13 Ashleigh Roberts

A Fresh Start ............. ... ... .. .. ... ..... .. .. ...... ....... ....... .. .. ..... ............................... 14 Ashleigh Roberts

The Road to Victory .... .... .. ......................................................................... 17 R epresentative Tom D avis

Maintaining the Majority .. ........... ..... ....... ... ..... .... .......... .. ..... .. ............ ....... . 21 Senator Mitch M cConnell

The Need to Lead ... ......... .. ... .. .... .... .............. ........................... .. ... ............... 23 Senator Chuck Hagel

Shifting Stability in the Middle East ... ........ .. ..... ......... .. ................ .. ............. 25 Frederic C. Hoi

Rewarding Republican Reforms ............. .. ... .... .... .... ........... ....... .. .. ..... .... .... .. 28 Ashleigh Roberts

The Real Scoop ... ..................... ...... .. ..... ...... ... .... .... .. .... ............. .......... .... .... 31 The Ripon FDrum (ISN 0035-5526) is published quarterly by The Ripon Society.

The Ripon Society is a research and policy orga.nization. It is htadquanered in Washington, D.C., with National Associate members throughou t the United States. Ripon is supponed by chapter dues, individual contribUTions, and revenues from its publications.

Commcnts, opinion cditorials and letters to the mapzine should be addressed 10: The Ripon Forum, 501 Capi tol COUT(, NE Suite 300, \Vashington, D.C. 20002 or may be transmin ed electronically 10: len ers@riponsoc.org

Summer 2000 Ripon Forum

l etter from the President

Letter from the President

W elcome to the 2000 Convention Issue of the

Ripon Forum. Republicans have much to be

proud of and many new opportunities. Republicans

have the first chance in 50 years to lead both the

Congress and the White H ouse. T hat alone, will

make the convention exciting.

Under convention news, Representative

Deborah Pryce details the necessary leadership skills

and the strong base Republican legislators have so~

lidifted for this change to occur. We also examine

the RNC proposal to change the presidential pri­

mary process.

The Ripon Society is proud to announce its first

video, Setting the R ecord Straight: R eal PeopJr, Real

Progress. The 15-minute educational piece highlights

legislative accomplishments since the Republicans

took over Congress in 1995. T he Ripon Society can­not take credit for them, but as a creator and dis­

tributor of policy ideas, we hope we have played a

constructive role . The video's premiere will be July

31 at this year's convention .

Aside from convention information, Congress­

man Rick Lazio takes a break from the campaign

trail to give his old friends at Ripon an exclusive

interview. Lazio shares his ideas for improving the

lives of New Yorkers while talking about his bid for

the U.S. Senate.

We're pleased to welcome

fonner Democrat activist Vickey

WJcher to the Republican Party.

Wilcher, recently named

executive director of the

Washington D.C. Republican

Comminee, brings enthusiasm to

the party, and more importantl}; a

commitment to the people of the

DistrictofColwnbia. As the November elections draw near, Sena­

tor Mitch McConnell and Representative Tom

Davis provide a quick cam-

paign analysis of this year's close races. On the foreign af­

fairs front, Senator H agel of­fers his views for America's role

in the global arena. Guest

writer Frederic C. Hof outlines

th e border conflict among

Lebanon, Israel and Syria.

H ope you enjoy this issue

Former Minnesota Congress­mon Bill Frenzel served in the House of Representatives from 1970-1992. He is currently a Distinguished Fellow with the Brookings Institute. In '994 he become President of the Ripon Society.

and as always, we welcome reader response. D rop

us a line at letters@riponsociety.org

H ave a safe and spirited convention!

Bill Frenzel

President

2000 Convention

Philadelphia Provides Historic Backdrop for 2000 Convention

Senator Arlen Specter

W elcome to Philadelphia

and the 2000 Republi­

can Nat ional Convention!

Philadelphia will again showcase

its history as host to the conven­

tion, almost a century and a half

since it hosted the party's fIrst

convention.

Philadelphia has a tradition of hosting political

events that have shaped the fab ric of our nation and

embodied the American spirit. The First Continen­

tal Congress, which would evenrually evolve into what

many consider to be the greatest governing body in the

world, mct in Philadelphia in

Arlen Specter was elected to the United States Senate in 1980. He represents the state af Pennsylvania and seNes an the Senate Cammittees an Appropriations; Gavernmental Affairs and Judiciary Veterans ' Affairs/ Chairman.

1774. Subsequently, Philadel­

phia hosted other such monu­

mental events as the signing of

the Declaration of Indepen­

dence on July 4, 1776, and the

Constitutional Convention in

May 1787. P hiladelphia also

served as our nation's capital

from 1790untiJ1800.

In addition to Philadelphia's prominent place in

our country's history, P hiladelphia has played a simi­

larly promi nent role in Republican party history.

Philadelphia hosted the first Republican Convention

in 1856, nominating J ohn C. Fremont as candidate

for President. Republicans returned to Philadelphia

to select Ulysses S. Grant in 1872, William McKinley

in 1900, Wendell Willkie in 1940 and Thomas Dewey

in 1948. The 1948 Republican Convention also of­

fered the city another "first," the first nationally-tele­

vised political convention.

Today Philadelphia offers its visitors many op­

portunities to learn about its rich history through

modern attractions. The Independence National H is­

torical Park is known as the most historic square-mile

in America. T he Park encompasses Independence

Hall, giving visitors a chance to see where the D ec­

laration ofIndependence was signed and the Con­

stitution was drafted. Visitors can also see the site

of the first Continental Congress in Carpenters'

H all. Since 1753, the Liberty Bell has become an

artifact of America's history. T he Bell, which was

rung on July 8, 1776, to summon citizens to hear

the first reading of the D eclaration of Indepen­

dence, is on d isplay to the world 24 hours a day in

the L iberty Bell Pavilion. T he home where Betsy

Ross sewed the first American flag is nearby as well.

T his year's convention gives Republicans from

across the country a unique opportunity to both cel­

ebrate our nation's past and help shape our country's

future, in nominating a leader to take the Republican

Party and the nation into the next century.

Enjoy the convention and our wonderful city!

-Smator Arlm Sputer

2000 Republican Convention

Returning to Philadelphia

Convention Reflects Party Roots

O ne hund red and forry·four years ago th is

sum mer, Philadelphia was the site for the first

National Convention held by the Republican Party.

Ripon, Wisconsi n, from which our organization takes

its name, was also the site for the firs t gathering of

people to call themselves Republicans. We like to think

that it was in Ripon where the party fi rst took shape,

but what is more important to us as Republicans, are

the ideas that the early members of our party held

most dear.

Our founders were enemies of slavery, surely, but

they opposed slavery not only because it was morally

repugnant, but also because it threatened human lib·

erty and more importantly, human dignity. The pio·

neers of our party were, first and foremos t, champi·

ons of liberty.

They also understood the benefits of new tech­

nologies, like the railroad, and the need to invest

in America's future. They believed in strong fami·

lies and supported homesteading to give every fam·

ilya stake in the American Dream. They knew the

value of education and offered the first com pre·

hensive land-grant legislation to create strong state· run universities.

Like them, we remain committed to a belief in

individual freedom, in the value of pursuing new tech·

nologies, in the need to strengthen and empower

America's fami lies and in the importance of educa­

tion as a bulwark of a self· governing democracy.

As Chairman of the Ripon

Society's Congressional Advi­

sory Board, I am excited about

the contributions we are making

to strengthen and broaden our

party's appeal to the voters. We

need to continue to highlight

the many accomplishments our

&prtuntQtiw Jim Grttn'Wf)()(/

Republican Congress has made during the past five

and a half years. Like you, we in the Ripon Society

are fuUycommitted to advancing the model of com­passionate co nse rvatism, which G overnor George

W. Bush has so successfully art iculated .

The Convention we hold in

Philadelphia this year will once

again serve as a defining moment

in the history of our party and the

republic. For the first time in

nearly half a cenNry, the oppor­

tunity to recapture the White

House and to remin the majority

in Congress is within our grasp.

Jim Greenwood was elected to the United States Hause of Representatives in November 1992. He represents the 4th District of Pennsylvania and serves on House Committees on Commerce, Education, and the Workforce.

We in the Ripon Society are proud of the role we

are playing in this efron, and ] invite you to take the

time to read this magazine and learn more aboul us.

Wishing you a safe, exciting and successful Con­

vention.

- ReprtSl!ntativtJim Greenwood

l azio

,

Uniting the Republican Party

Representative Rick Lazio (R-NY) discusses his bid for the U.S. Senate

The Ripon Forum was able to catch Congress­

man Rick Lazio bet'oveen votes to discuss his

goals for the state of New York. Lazio, who is run­

ning against First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, en­

tered the race after New York City Mayor Rudolph

Giuliani withdrew.

'~ .. voters can look at my

record during the last

eight years and see that I have been out there

working hard for New

RF: Lets start with the

infamous ~Roger Mudd

question~/o Ted Kennedy

- Congressman Lazio,

just why are you running

for the U.S. Senate?

v .... ~~l. )J .L v/It..

R EP. LAZIO: I've

spent eight years in the

H ouse. I love legislative

work.. Working with the people of New York, we have

made a difference. Moving over to the Senate would

enable me to continue that partnership and have morc

influence over the issues New Yorkers really care about:

economic growth, affordable housing, the environ­

ment, qual.ity health care, and empowerment.

I really believe in the concept of empowerment. 1

believe in helping people up that first rung of the eco-

nomic ladder and enabling them to help themselves.

I bel.ieve in providing opportunity and instilling a sense

of responsibility in people. In all of the work that I

have done in the H ouse, I have tried to have the prin­

ciple of empowerment reflected in my legislation.

I don't believe our state of New York should be a

means to further a personal agenda. The reason I am

running is to represent the citizens of New York and

their agenda as their United States Senator. I want to

represent and protect New York. I want to focus on

economic growth and personal empowerment for all,

and to serve with a sense of compassion.

RF: If! am a N ew York li/iun, why should! votefor

Ri(k Lazio as opposed to Hillary Clinton?

REP. LAZIO: First of all, voters can look at my

record during the last eight years and see that I have

been out there working hard for New York. My oppo­

nent simply does not have a record of accomplish­

ment for the people of New York.

Second, I have a mainstream record that reflects

New York values. 1 have fought for lower taxes and a

balanced budget. 1 have worked hard to protect the

environment, help the d isabled and ensure that we

Ripon Forum' Summer 2000

don't have gun violence in our schools or in Qurcom­

munities.

In Washington, people might say it's a political

anomaly when somebody supports the assault weap­

ons ban and supports a balanced budget and lower

taxes. Some might think that's a strange Republican

thing. In New York, people consider that very main­

stream, very re­

flective of who

they are.

Third,

think that if yOll

look at me and

who I am, you'll

have confidence

in my character

and my work

ethic. I believe in

personal respon­

sibility, but I also

believe in having

people achieve home ownership and making sure

people's children get a quality education. I talk about

pro\~dingchild care and making sure that people have

opportunities for decent jobs.

These things are uni\ll!l'Slll Poople want to k.n(Av if they

can gain :u:cess to capital to start their 0''IIIl business. People

want to make sure that their children don't have to be

exported to an­

other sratt: SO tht:y

can afford to livt:

in a high-cost

statt: Iikt: New

York. Those arc

real issues in all

communitit:s.

I think some

of me battle is just

j getting into the

o communi ty and

~ showing that )'ou

t care about people a heart and help- Ri(k uzi!) talh with Ripon Forum Edit!)r Arhltigh Rrmtrl$. from all different

ing those in need

without demeaning them or the folks who are paying

the taxes.

I try to keep in mind that there is somebody au[

there for every program that we're creating. There are a

great many who are paying the taxes to fin:tnce that pro­

gram; a family mat crumar do something that they should

do or like to do because their tax burden is too high.

That means we need to make sure we are getting

value for our tax dollars when we make investments

in worthy programs.

RF: You'w hun on a non-slop whirlwind lour of your

stalt, what are you lNaringftom Ihewlers in N~ York7

REP. LAZIO: People are incredibly enthusiastic.

In the first 72 hours of our campaign, we made 20

different SlOpS and the crowds just kept getting big­

ger.

We've acrually been in communities that have not

seen a Republican candidate in 30 years. We've been

in low-income neighborhoods, in Latino communi­

ties and African-American communities. One of the

encouraging things for Republicans is that when I am

campaigning, I am listening and I speak on the issues

New Yorkers really care about. I talk about helping

Ripon Forum ' Summer 1000

backgrounds. It is

shO\ving people that ),OU are willing to listen and worhvith

them to tJy to make their lives better.

RF: N~ York is knfYWn for having 'Wry uparale polili­

cal conslituencies, how do you plan to appeal to the entire

po/ilica/ speclrum'

RE P. LAZ IO: I think

the greatness of New

York resides in its diver­

sity. We're a state of im­

migrants and dozens of

different backgrounds.

'1 have a mainstream

record that reflects New York values. "

The new immigrants bring energy and a pace

that helps keep New York lively, upbeat and on

the cu tting edge.

They are folks who believe in working hard.

They are people who want to live by the rules. They

are people who don't have any tolerance for criminal

activity, bad schools or waste. Thost: are issues that we

all believe in.

People just want to know that they can relate ,vith

),ou on a human level. They want to know that when

it comes time for them to get a little bit ofhclp, that

you'll be there to try and do that.

lazia

7

•

Everywhere we visit, I have several people who come up to me and say something like, "Hey Can·

gressman, I'm a life·long Democrat, I have never voted for a Republican in my whole life. I'm voting for you.~

And many of these people are writing checks to

'1 think the message to the

Party is to reach out to every community, not get

on the deftnsive, and to be

proud of our record and our

heritage. "

help fund the cam­

paign. J know part of it has to do with

the fact that folks are not comfort­able with Mrs. Climon. However, a [at of it has to do with our message

of reaching out to people, giVing people a sense of

hope and inspiring them.

RF: Your opponent has already trid to idrnJifj you in

negative terms, how is your campaign rtSponding'

REP. LAZJO: I think New Yorkers deserve better. l

don't think they want a nast}; negative c:unpaign. They can run a campaign about tearing people down if they

want, but we're going to run a campaign about build­ing people up.

RF: Whilt your energy, youth ant/ charm have allTacltd

enthusiasJic supporJ, how is your campaign goillg to ar­

'icu/ale a strious and solid agtnda '

REP. LAZ lO: One of the strengths of my campaign

is that 1 have a record to stand on. I have eiglu years of service with strong positions on

Rick A. LDzio wos ejected to the United States House of Representatives in November 1992. He represents the 2nd District of New \tIrk. He serves on the House Committee on

the issues I care about: lowering taxes, increasing the stock of af­

fordable housing, enabling eco­nomic growth, helping the dis­

abled, and helping people fac­ing life-threatening diseases. I Commerce. have a strong record of making

sure that we get value for our money and that we don't tolerate fraud.

We will go out in this campaign and talk about my record, what I have done and what I would

lazio

bring as a Senator. I look at programs, and I ask how we can fix them. H ow do we make them

better? H ow do we make su re that you take a program, like the housing programs I have been working on through the years, and make a strong statemen t that we will no t tolerate failure year after year?

We are going to demand competence and ex­

cellence. We are going to demand that these pro­grams show results that we can measure. If they do, we will suppo rt them. But if they don't, we are goi ng to look in ot her directions so we can accompli sh the same goals through better means.

I will be out there speaking from the heart.

I will be talking about things New Yorkers care about, quality of life issues. I kn ow in my heart that people in New York want the same things. They want to make sure their children get a good educa tion. People want to know that when they leave the ir kids at the Street corner thar they can

get to school safely. People want to know that when their kids graduate from sc hool they will

have the skills to be employed at a job that pays them enough money so they ca n afford to stay in-s tate. They want to know that there is an af· fordable place for their parents to live and their

children to live when they're ready to start their own family.

It's amazing how much commona lity we have, even in a state as ethnically and racially diverse as New York. The re is enormous com­mon ground, and I think people respond to that.

RF; Whal do you Jhinkyour compaig" ca" hring

10 Ih~ Rtpuh/ica" ParJy '

REP. LAZ IO: I think the message to the Party is to reach out to eve ry community, to not get on the defensive and to be proud of our reco rd and our heri tage. We're the Party builr on the moral leade rship of Abraham Lincoln, the op­tim ism of T heodo re Roosevelt and the can-do

determination of Ronald Reagan. We have an incredibly powerful message of

hope and opportunity for people. We ensure that all people can stan their own business, save more money, become investors, plan for their fam i­lies and have control over their own lives. •

Ripon Forum' Summer 2000

The Primary Problem

Proposed presidential election calendar shifts power to state party organizations.

The way Republicans nominate future Presidents

is going to change, according to Bill Brock,

Chairman of the Republican National Committee's

(RNC) Commission on Presidential Nomination

Process. T he only question, he says, is how.

The Commission has proposed, and the RNC rules comminee has voted in favor of a plan to impose

an election ca!endaron states which now have the right

to set their own primary, caucus and convention

schedules. T he Commission proposal would allow [he

smallest states to hold their primaries fi rst, followed

by 1'\\10 groups of successively larger states and force the largest states 10 hold their primaries last.

In order to facilitate the implementation of the

new schedule, the plan would shift the power to de­

termine how a state selects its presidential delegates

from state legislatures to state parry organizations.

States whose partyorgani7.ation refused to comply with

the RNC's schedule would lose most of their repre­

sentation at the convention. States whose legislature

refused to pay for a party primary on a date approved

by the RNC would be forced to select their delegates

by convention or caucus system.

T he plan is subject to the debate amendment and

approval first by the RNC, then by rhe National

Convention's Rules Comminee and finally by all del­

egates to the Convention. Already it has stirred op­

position from party leaders in large states who fear their influence \viU be unfairly diluted and others who

believe that states' rights should not be infringed.

Ripon Forum ' Summer 2000

T his year, key early presidential primary contests

in New Hampshire, South Carolina, Michigan, Cali­

forn ia and New York played the major role in shaping

rhe outcome ofche presidential campaign. McCain's

primary victories in New Hampshire and Michigan

gave him momentum which made the race competi­

tive. Bush's South Carolina win kept him in the arena

until his decisive victories in the so-called "Super

T uesdal March 7 primaries virtually ended the presi­

dential nomination contest.

The trend in recent pn:sidential elections has been

for major states such as Michigan, California and New York to set their primary voting dates earlier in the

nomination cycle in the belief that early primaries have

more influence. Some party activists believe that this

trend will continue, resulting in what could look very

much like a national primary instead of the current

four-month long series of state contests.

T here is a concern that a compressed primary

schedule would give too much of an advantage to na­

tionally-known figures, who have the stature and

fundraising ability necessary to compete in a large

number of virtually simultaneous contests. There is

also concern rhal a national primary-like process

would give too much influence to the media and to

media-friendly candidates as opposed to lesser-known

candida tes with strong grassroots support among

party activists.

To prevent a national primary from evolving, the

Commission plan would allow the smallest 25 per-

Roman

•

Roman

PROPOSED PRIMARY SCHEDULE UNDER COMMISION PLAN ganizations, newly empowered to

replace primaries that attract a broad

base of voters and party activists

through conventions or caucuses,

would eliminate primaries for ideo­

logical reasons.

1" Group 2"" Group

Population: Population:

'4.1 million 33.5 million

Vote: Vote:

I " Tuesday in I " Tuesday in

February March

Alaska Arkansas

American Samoa Connecticut

Delaware Iowa

District 01 Columbia Kansas

Guam Mississippi

Hawaii Nebraska

Idaho Nevada

Maine New MexiCO

Montana Oklahoma

New Hampshire Oregon

North Dakota South Carolina

Puerto Rico Utah

Rhode Island West Virginia

Vermont

Virgin Islands

Wyoming

3'"" Group

Population:

64.9 million

Vote:

, ,, Tuesday in

April

Alabama

Arizona

Colorado

Indiana

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maryland

Massachusetts

Minnesota

Missouri

Tennessee

Washington

Wisconsin

4'" Group

Population:

160.6 million

Vote

1st Tuesday in

M.y

California

Florida

Georgia

minois

Michigan

New Jersey

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Pennsy!vania

Texas

Virginia

South Dakota

Still others fear that the influ­

ence of key large battleground states

such as Ohio, Michigan,Illinois and Pennsylvania, that often determine

the outcome of the general election

contests, will have less influence on

the nomination process. Thus caus­

ing the nomination ofless-electable

candidates in the furure.

Some small state representa­

tives, however, argue that placing the

12 largest states with 57 percent of

the U.S. population and 43 percent

of this year's convention delegates,

Source: Republican National Comminee

at the end of the calendar will en ­

sure that no candidate can win the

nomination until the end of the pro­

cess.

10

cent of states to hold their primaries in February

and the second smallest 25 percent to hold their

primaries in March. T he next largest 25 percent

of states would hold their primaries in April and

the largest 25 percent would hold their primaries

in M ay. States could hold primaries later, but not

ea rli er th an permitted by the schedule. The issue

of whether Iowa or New H ampshire could hold

Angie Russell is a reporter (or the Ripon Forum.

earlier contests was not de­

cided in the draft plan submit­

ted to the RNC.

T he power to implement

and interpret the process would

be shifted from the full Conven-

tion, where states are represented

roughly according to their size, to the 165 Member RNC where each state has three votes. Some oppo­

nents of the Commission plan are concerned that giv­

ing the RNC the final say in implementing the plan

for individual states would transfer too much power

from the Convention to the RNC.

Others are concerned that some state party or-

Some large state leaders ob-

serve that their states are already

disproportionally penalized by the delegaTe allocation

formulas that give small states proportionally more

convention delegates. Why, they ask, should they be

further penalized by being forced to the end of the

primary schedule?

However, many Republicans in the large and

small states that had their primaries after M arch 7

and saw their rurnout fall dramatically, believe that

some kind of alternative to the current system would

be desirable. One possibility is the ~ Rotating Regional Pri­

mary~proposed by California Secretary of State Bill

Jones. States would be grouped into four regions,

Northeast, Midwest, South and West. Each re­

gion would take its turn goi ng first, second, third

and last in successive presidential years. These and other proposals may re-surface at the conven­

tion.

Only one thing is certain. Few if any issues de­

cided at this year's Republican National Convemion

will have as much impact on the process and on • the outcome of presidential contests.

Ripon Forum · Summer 2000

A Smaller and Smarter Government

Representative Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) sets high standards for the next century.

Often the best way to understand a nation is to

look aT irs leaders. We are at a pivotal point in

the hiSTOry of our country. T he candidates we select

in November will lead us into the next century, and

how we seck to address the nation's most important

issues such as education, health care, taxes, the

economy and foreign policy will tell the world much

about the United States.

One hundred years ago in June of 1900, our be­

loved Theodore Roosevelt, whose leadership ushered

America into the last great century, stood up in the

city of brotherly love at the twelfth Republican Na­

tional Convemion to second the nomination of Ohio's

William M cKinley for President.

Roosevelt, the Republican nominee for Vice­

President, said, "We stand on the threshold of a new

century big with fate of mighty nations. It rests with

us now to decide whether in the opening years of

that century we shall march forward to fresh triumphs

or whether at the outset we shall cripple ourseh'es for

the contest."

We find ourselves at a Republican National Con­

vention again in Philadelphia at the turn of the Cen­

tury in a world very different from that of Pres idem

M cKinley and President Roosevelt. Their inherit'ance

was a young nation energized by the successes of the

Spanish-American War.

Our nation has known rela­

tive peace in recent years and is

more integrated as a result of

mili tary lcadership, diplomacy,

technology and trade. We have

new challenges domestically and

internationally to conquer that

just ten or t""enry years ago could

not have been amicipated.

Looking to the future, it is

valuable to take note ofhov" Con-

&prumlali= Debomh Pryce

gress has poised our country to confront the next cen­

tury and to take pride in the accomplishments of the

last several years. Through our legislative agenda, we

have sparked the engine of reform. We are changing

for the better the way our

federa l government func-

tions and how millions of

Americans live. The United

States will face the new mil­

lennium from a position of

strength due greatly to many

of the initiatives championed

by my colleagues.

When I first arrived in

Washington as an elected of­

ficial in 1992, balancing the

"Everyone benefits

when more citizens have access to better jobs,

better homes and better communities. "

P ce

12

fedcraJ budget seemed very unlikely. However, the calls fo r fi scal discipline were strong, and in 1997, Con+

gress achieved 11 balanced budget and the first tax cut

in 16 years. Now the issue is not whether to balance

the budget, but how to utilize a surplus and how soon

we can eliminate rhe public debt.

On the economic front, we have cominued to re­

duce taxes on families and employers. As a result of

tax and regulatory rel ief, investment rates have soared

and the unemployment rate has decreased. Through

recent initiatives, such as the Community Renewal

and New Markets Agreemem rcached by the U.S.

H ouse Republican Leadership and the White H ouse,

we are making efforts to see that America's neediest

communities enjoy the same growth and prosperi ty

as the rest of the nation .

Everyone benefits when more citizens have ac­

cess to better jobs, bener homes and better communi­

ties. A major accomplishment, which both Republi­

cans and Democrats in Congress ultimately embraced,

was the long over-due reform of the welfare system.

We replaced a system of entidement with one that urges personal responsibility and self- sufficieocythrough time

limits and work requirements. By moving over six mil­

lion people off welfure and imo work, millions of people

have the opportunity to achieve self-reliance.

Republicans encourage self-reliance and personal

"We replaced a system of entitlement with one that urges personal responsibilty and self-sufficiency through time limits and work requirements. "

responsibility. but we adrnowl­

edge that the fede ral govern­

mem has made a commitment

to help provide for today's and

tomorrow's seniors in retire­

memo For more than 30 rears,

American workers sent Social

Security and M edicare money

to Washington and that money

was borrowed to pay for other

government programs.

Today, honest budgeting

and an eye on the long-term

preservation of these programs

has stopped the mid on Social Security and M edicare fun ds.

Budgets that do not spend

money out of those funds fo r

unrelated programs were passed, and Social Security

and M edicare surpluses were reserved solely for re-

tirement security.

Educating our children is another top priority for

the nation and this Congress. We have debated the

federal role in education, 2nd Members of Congress

have worked together to provide resources with fewe r

federal strings at-

tached. We have

championed more

flexibility for par­

ents, teachers and

local o ffi cials so

that our children

receive the highest

quality education .

The Educa­

ti o n Flexib ility

Partne rsh ip Ac t

( Ed - Flex),which

beeame law last

yea r, gives eve ry

state in the coun ­

t ry the flexibility

"We have cham-pionedmore flexibility for parents, teachers and local rjJicials so that our chil-dren receive the highest quality education. "

to design local education programs that meet the

ind ividual needs of com munitie s. Schoo ls are

challenged to meet high academic standards in ex­

change for greater fl exibility. T his is a good sta rr ,

but we must do more to ensure th at every studem

is receiving the education he or she deserves.

A guiding force behind all proposals offered

by the Republican Congress has been the creation

of a smaller and smarter government. Add ition­

ally, t hrough diligent efforts to weed out waste,

fraud and abuse in the federal government, we have

made str ides in making government less wasteful

and more efficient.

A Repub lican Congress and a Republi can

president will offer an o ppo rtunity for the nvo

branches to seriously evaluate the efficacy of gov­

ernment programs through increased overs ight.

T he outcome will be more accountability and bet ­

ter resu lts for the American taxpayer.

Th is list of accomplishments is key because it

has helped lay the foundation fo r the work that lies

ahead. While finding common ground has not al ­

ways been what has characterized Congress withi n

the last decade, the last few years have taught us

that we can get more accomplished when we work

as a team and are united in our efforts to find prac­

tical solutions th at solve real problems. The act o f

Ripon Forum · Summer 2000

compromise must no longer be viewed as losing

the banlc, but rather as a means of finding the very

best ideas and legislation to move our country for­

ward.

As Republicans and Democrats convene this

summer to solidify the top of their party's ticket,

we have the opportunity to harness the power of

teamwork within the various branches of the fed­

eral government .

Republicans in Congre ss look forward to

growing the majority and working with the next

president. Together, we will work to con tinue our

progress by improving education, increasing access

to affordable health care, expanding

homcowncrship, opening markets, su pporting

high-tech innovation and encouraging tax relief and

savings for families .

T he word s of P resident Roosevelt in h is

1905 inaugural address still hold true today. ~Our re lations with the other powers of the

world are important; but still more important

are our rclations among ourselves. Such growth

in wealth, in population, and in power as thi s

nation has seen ... is inevitably accompanied by

a like growth in the problems which are ever

before every nation that rises to greatness.

Power invariably means both responsibility and

danger."

Much of the responsibil-ity of Roosevelt's time was

linked to the success of our

democratic form of govern­

ment. We have proven that

our se lf-government is the

best in the world. Today, our

responsibility as leaders

rests in staying united in

Deboroh Pryce was elected to the United States House of Representatives in November 1992. She represents the 15th District of Ohio and serves on the House Committee on Rules.

the common goal of finding answers to the prob­

lems of this ever-changing world.

The danger lies in forgetting that only through collective and coope rative actions

within the pol itical and legis lative realms will

we succeed in improving the well-being of

America and her people. •

A Special Tribute ...

P ce

Although the Ripon Forum has experie nced editOrial and design changes throughout the years, one fundamental e1e­

mentofthe magazine remained the same: the political cartoons created by Pulitzer

Prize winner JeffMacNelly.

MacNelly died June 8 from lymphoma at the Joh ns Hopkins University in

Baltimore at the age of 52. He had been treated for lymphoma as an outpatient

at the hospital since late last year. MacNelly is survived by his wife and two sons,

Danny, 25, and Matt, 13.

"He was an exceptional political cartoonist,~ said Ripon Society President Bill

Frenzel. "He captured the mood of Washington politics and was as hard on the Re­

publicans as he was on the Demo­

crats."

MacNelly was most commonly known for his illustrations in Dave Barry's

syndicated column and his comic srrip, "S hoe," which featured wi.secracking an­

thropomorphic birds who worked at a newspaper called the Treetops Tattler. At

the time of his death, the strip \V1lS among the most popular in the country, run­

ning in almost 1,000 newspapers. MacNelly was the winner of many journalism

awards, including three Pulitzer prizes.

His work reached millions of Americans, managing to pro'{oke and entertain

them. The Ripon Forum thanks him for his humor and honesty. His work will be

missed.

Ripon Forum· Summer 2000 IJ

Wilcher

14

A Fresh Start

The Changing Face of the Republican Party

Former Democrat activist Vickey Wilcher brings hope and optimism to the GOP.

Vickey Wilcher spent most of the last decade

running campaigns for Democrat D.C. council

members. Locals papers described her as a home-rule

stalwart and a proud social

Democrat. In May, she became

a Republican. Now, as the

executive director of the D C

Republican Committee, she

offers the most optimism the

Republican Party has seen in

Washington, D.C. in decades.

MLCHER: This is not something I woke up and

said, you know I think this will be a good thing to do today. Anybody who knows me, knows that J am re­

ally trying to do something that

will bring a whole lot of people

together.

But basically, I was frus ­

trated. It was not just with the

Democrat party, but with poli­

tics and the way that people

participate or too often, don't

participate. I came to believe

that black Americans are not

served well by the party isola­tion we have now, in terms of

the way that we handle our

politics.

While settling into her new

office at the Republican Na­

tional Committee, Wilcher dis­

cussed with the R ipon Forum

why she changed party affilia­tions, her vision for the Repub­

lican Party and her hopes for in­

creased political participation in

the nation's capitol.

If you see a black person

that is politically active, the as­

sumption is that they arc a '----------'"-----------'. Democrat. By and large that is

RF: Being a lift-long Democrat,

and more especially, an active participant in the political

process, wha! made you change parties or support the Re­

publican phi/osopy?

the case. W here that has led us collectively is to a place

where one party could be guilty of ignoring you and

the other could be guilty of taking you for granted.

This docs neither party, the Black American commu-

Ripon Forum· Summer 1000

nity, or the community at-large any good at all.

TIle world is changing. This country is changing and

we have to be ready to change as well, lest woe be left behind.

In such a case, who do }'OU blame? Where do you point

your finger? All I'm saying is let's not be left behind.

Let's have some involvement with regard to what

direction and path we take. No more of this paternal­

istic relationship that we have been having with these

political leaders. We have a voice. Let's t2ke advan­

tage of our god-

given voice and

speak.

And that is

one of the things

that anracts me to

the Republi can

Party. Throughout

this party's history,

individual right s

have been at the

forefront of thi s

party. So why

should n't every

American citizen

t2ke advantage of

that agenda? It just

makes sense. The

onus is upon you to

step up and say, "-1 ,vill not be ignored,

I witl not be pa­

tronized. ~ Other­

\vise, you may be.

That's what I think will help us to

move forward and

bring about respect and parity, I'm nor

asking anybody to

,

change their convictions. If you believe in the Demo­

crat platform, I'm not going to disrespect that belief.

But I will ask you to look at this difference.

RF: With Ilhout 255,000 rtgistertd Dtmormls and

24,214 rrgistertd Rtpuhlicans in the Diuritl, you art up

against Jomt prtttytoughoddJ. f/()'Wart you going to bring

the GOP into tht maimtrramr

Ripon Forum' Summer 2000

WILC H ER: I'm a ver)' hands-on organizer, and the

c.\mpaigns that J've participated in have t2ught me

how to begin at the grass-roots level. Over the years,

r ve learned the best way to galvanize any community

is to go and knock on somebody'sdoor, to touch some­

body. It is interesting. I was recently at a friend's funeral,

and the pastor said we don't touch each other enough

anymore, and I believe that. That may be idealistic,

but it's where I am

and what I'm

going to try to do.

Win, lose or draw

- I'm going to

give it the old

college try.

I want to

grow thi s parry

locally so it

becomes the

national model. I don't expect

everyone to race

out and change

their party, bur I

would like to raise

thi s Party's

visibility and have

so me peop le

actually say, ~ I

never knew that. ]

think wi ll

;- change my

~ regi strati on and , be . ::;:: come an active

j member of the

:t R epublican ___________ ...J { Party. " And I

want to see the

rest of the country react to that.

RF: In thl past, tht Republican Party haJ Jtmggltd to

find rdlva"u in lowl t/lCtionJ and tht rity's prtdomi­

nuntfy hlad: population. Do you think thl GOP has

larned tht hlark wtt?

\¥lLC H ER: No, but I don't think the Black com­

munity has earned a place at the Republican table.

Wilcher

IS

Wilcher

They have not been active or voted Republican. II is a double-edged sword. It is an error on the part

of the Republican Party and the Black community.

And it needs to be corrected.

Because of the demographics in the city, my

focus has to be directed in a large degree to the

African-American commu nity, but it is not my en­

tire focus. It can't be. In order fo r one community

to do something, other com munities have to be in ­

volved.

RF: The Republican Party has admittedly had a hard

time getting its nwsage out to the puhlic. How has

this impacted Washington D.C. on the localleve"

WILCHER: If you don't

Ashleigh Roberts is the editor of The Ripon Forum.

know what the actual message

is, it is easier to dislike it. But

if the actual message is a little muddled, which has been the

case, then it is more difficult.

Take the perception of who is in the Republi ­

can Party, and the message that it sends.

The message, however muddled it may be, is

that this is a bunch of angry, rich, white men. And

it certainly is not the case, not in Washington. It is

not to say that there aren't any angry. rich. white

men - they arc here. But the re are white men who re­

ally are very wonderful. And

I 'm not the o nly black

woman in the Republican

Party, you know. There are

also very kind, ve ry warm ,

very smart women ... black,

white and hispanic.

RF: Since the addition ojtwo

R ep ublican D. C. Council

members and the growing

didate George W. Bush, do YOII

see a shift in this perception or

the opportunity to create one'

W I LC H ER: I think the

Republican Party is starting

to come together. I really do

believe that. I certai nly believe that we can come

together and stop this masochistic behavior of

shooting ourselves in the foot. I f we allow the mis­

takes the party has made in the past to become les­

sons, we will do well.

We have new, fresh blood coming into the

party, and I think that the push to include the

Latino community is a good thing. I hope that it

will soon be paralleled by a push for other minor­

ity groups so that this big tent, that we have so

often talked abou t, will exist in reality and not just

in rhetoric.

In additi on, key Republican leade rship is

now poi sed to make those kind of cha nges hap­

pen . I think we are becoming far more ce ntri st

in areas where you need to be in the cen ter. Life

to me is just nOt black and white.h's not smart

to simplify li fe in those term s. There are t ime s

when you need to be co nservative. Fi scally, you

certainly need to look at being conse rvative with

your finances. Socially, there are times, but th ere

also times when you need to move a little to the

cente r.

The key to healthy poli tics is knowing when

to be where, so that the people we se rve can be n­

efit. If we can do that, I think we migh t make II for a decent cou ntry.

The Road to Victory

Representative Tom Davis (R-VA) predicts key House races.

Davis

The revolution of 1994 that swept Republicans

into power in the H ouse was followed by

disappointment in 1996 and 1998. And the

predictions last year wefC no better. As little as six

months ago, conventional wisdom had us losing the

House, with most media pundits and political analysts

writing ofT House Republicans.

McLaughlin & Associates, the

GOP leads by 11 points among

men and one point among

women. Since January 1999,

Repmenrative Tom Davis

Much has cha nged during the last several

months. We're up in the polls and voters are poised

to elect a unified Republican government for the first time in decades. While elections are still several

months away, some analysts arc predicting a Repub­

lican victory.

How did we get from there to here? We did it

through hard work.

We made it our priority to provide real tax relief,

restore fiscal responsibility to Washington and stand

in resolute opposition against any attempt to raid the

Social Security trust fund. The poll numbers show

strong support for our agenda.

We are also gaining among most demographic

groups. According to a poll conducted by Fabrizio

House Republicans have gained 14 points among

women and 19 points among independents. That's

not all. T he GOP has also gained 19 points among married women with children and 11 points among

African-Americans.

It takes more than poll numbers and a record of

legislative success to win an election. Simply put, it

takes resources, the lifeblood of political campaigns.

And this year we plan to break all fund raising records.

Not only did we outraise House Democrats in the

first quarter of the year, but Republicans actually raised

more in the first quarter alone, than we did in all of ]994 - the year we took the House back from the

Democrats.

The numbers get better. The National Repub­

lican Congressional Committee (NRCC) achieved

the highest May fundraising levels in its history. We

raised 57.2 million, a 41 percent increase over the

Davis

MO-06

Fl-OS

AZ-Ol

CA-15

Il-IO

IL-15

NY-02

WV-Q2

18

same position held in 1996_ These fundraising totals

mean Republican candidates have the necessary re­

sources to win.

To furthe r enhance our chances for victory, we

have recruited solid candidates that are capable of

competing in their districts. To ensure these candi­

dates have the support they need, we are embarking

on a large-scale grassroots effort to turn out voters

this year. We are hitting the ground in each race with

district-specific coordinated efforts that will spread

our message to the voters. Our party is confident,

united and dedicated.

Key Races

California _15th Disrrict In California, we have a strong candidate running

in the 15,b district, J im Cuneen. This is a closely­

watched election. Recently, George magazine fearured

it as one of the top five races in the nation. This district

lies in the hean of Silicon Valley, where many of the

major employers are hi-tech companies. The voters in

this district demand tech-savvy representation_ That's

why J im Cuneen is the perfect candidate to represent

this district. Cuneen is a ~new economy" candidate, a

former hi-tech company executive who understands the

industry'S priorities. The National Federation of Small

Business (NFSB) plans to strongly support Cuneen's

campaign, recogni'ljng his advocacyoffree market ide-

OPEN SEATS

als that will grow the economy.

California - 27th Districr Repre sen tative J im Rogan was one of the

House managers th at directed the impeachment

case against the president. After the impeachment

proceedings, polling showed low public support and

some worried it would negatively impact Congres­

sional races. T he reality has proven far different.

Rogan supporters have rallied to his side, propel­

ling his first quarter fundraising total to almost 54

million. First elected in 1996, the former Califor­

nia assemblyman and prosecutor, is see king his

third term as the congressman from the 27 th dis­

trict of California . He faces Adam Schiff in the

November election. It will be a spirited race, but

Rogan should prevail.

Florida - 3rd D istricr Jennifer Carroll, an AfriGln-American woman

and former Navy Lt. Commander, is a promising Re­

publican challenger in Florida's third congressional

district. She is mounting a strong campaign against four - term incumbent, Democrat Corrine Brown.

Brown has been dogged by ethics questions in the past

year. If the voters of the third district want a repre­

sentative they can trust to provide real leadership, they

need look no further than Jennifer CarrolL Chal­

lenging an incumbent like Brown requires a grcat deal of money. Carroll is a solid fundraiser and the num-

Statu. (Inc,) Candldate{J} Race Description Nov. Outlook

Open 0 (Danner)

Open A (McCollum)

Open A (Salmon)

Open A (Campbell)

Open A (Porter)

Open A (Ewing)

Open A (lazio)

Open 0 (Wise)

Teresa loar

Bill Sublette

Susan Bitter Smith, Sat DiCiccio

Jim Cunneen

Mark Kirk

Tim Johnson

Joan Johnson

Shelley Moore Capito

(Cook SIOOI

8/8 5-way GOP primary Lean 0

9/5 3-way GOP primary Toss Up

9/125 way GOP primary (potentially including 2 Solid R mainstream Republicans, 2 conservatives and 1 2nd-tier candidate)

General Election vs. 51. Assembly man Mike Honda Toss Up

General Election vs. 51. Rep. lauren Beth Gash Toss Up

General Election vs. ColI. Prof. Mike Kelleher Likely R

General Election vs. Winner of 2-way Oem primary Lean A

General Election vs. Fmr. SI. Sen. Jim Humphreys Lean 0

Graphs cooflesy of Republican MalnSlfeam Commlrroo

Ripon Forum ' Summer 2000

MODERATE CHALLENGERS TO INCUMBENT HOUSE DEMOCRATS

I!l>!rl<l Stltu. (Inc,) Candidate(s) R.e. DescrlpUon

KS.()3 Challenger (Moore) Greg Musil 8113· way GOP primary

CA·l0 Challenger (Tauscher) Claude Hutchinson General Election

CA·22 Challenger (Capps) Mike Stoker General Election

CT"()2 Challenger (Gejdenson) Robert Simmons Unopposed in GOP primary

CHl5 Challenger (Maloney) Marl!. Nielsen Unopposed In GOP primary

ME·Ol Challenger (Allen) Jane Armero Unopposod in GOP primary

NJ·12 Challenger (Holl) Dick Zimmer General Election

PA·13 Challenger (Hoeffel) Stu Greenleal, Jr. General Election

WI"()2 Challenger (Baldwin) John Sharpless Unopposed currently In 9/12 primary

bers prove it. She out-raised Brown 2-to-1 during

the Apri l filing period. She has a war chest of 5350,000 cash-an-hand. We are encouraged by her campaign and hope to wrest this seat from the Demo­crats.

Michigan - 8th District Open sea ts a re the main crack in t he

Democrat's armor this cycle. In what has been

described as a bellwether of the GO P's chances this

fall, Mike Rogers, a Michigan State Senator and

former FBI agent, is running fo r an open seat in

Michigan's eight h congressional district. T he seat

is being vacated by Representative Stabenow.

Roge rs is an ex perienced candidate wit h a cam­

paign that is rapi dly gaining momentum. Accord­

ing to a recent potl, Roge rs is tied with his Demo­

crat opponent at 40 percent. Last September, the

same poll showed his oppone nt ahead 39 perce nt

to 34 percen t. The eigh th district is solidly be­

hind GOP cand idates. Geo rge W. Bush leads

Vice- Presiden t Al Gore in the same d istrict, 52

percent to 38 percent.

Missouri - 6th District

Unexpected retirements are always a concern in a hard-fough t election year, and there have been many surprises this yea r. Democrats received a major blow when Representative Pat Danner un­expectedly chose to ret ire. She represents a dis­

trict ready fo r a Repub lican takeover. When Danner was fi rst elected in 1992, the sixth distr ict

Ripon Forum· Summer 2000

was overwhe lmingly Democra t. Republicans held on ly five of the 23 state represen tative seats and did not hold a si ngle State senate scat. The district is now trendi ng Republican. T he GOP holds 12 state represe ntative seats, an increase of seven scats

from 1992. Republican state senators also repre­sen t 17 of the 23 counties in the district. Accord­ing to CQ~ Politics in Amui((l, "The sixth is the state's (Missouri) most politically marginal district. ~

Montana - At Large In j\·lontana, Denny Rehberg, the fo rme r

Lieutenant Governor of jVlontana is running for

the At- Large open scat being vacated by Republi­can Rick H ill. Republicans have great suppOrt in Montana. H ill won elections in 1996 and ] 998

by large margi ns and fo rmer Se nator Bob Dole (R­

Kansas) won Montana in the 1996 presidential

election. In the recent l\'lontana primary, Rehberg

beat Democrat cand idate Nancy Keenan 54 per­

cen t to 46 percent. Th is represe nts the first head­

to- head matchup between the two candidates and

proves Rehberg's strength as a candidate.

New Jersey - 12th District We have seve ral races in the East that hold

promising oppo rtun ities. In New Jersey, former three-term congressman, Dic k Zim mer, is runni ng to regain his old seat from Rush Holt. The race for New j ersey's twelft h district offers an excel­

lent chance to gai n a scat from the Democrats. Political analyst Cha rlie Cook rates the race as

Davis

H2:t. QIo!II2211. (C2211. 5IOQl

Lean D

LeanD

Likely D

Likely 0

Toss Up

Likely D

Toss UP

Toss Up

Likely D

"

Davis

MAINSTREAM REPUBUCAN INCUMBENTS TO WATCH - locumbtnt - RICe DucriQUon

AZ-oS

CA-36

CA-38

CA-49

FL-22

MD-oa

NH-02

20

Jim Kolbe 9112 GOP primary rematch lrom '98: n% in '98 GOP likely R

primary: 52% in '98 general

Steve Kuykendall Jane Harman General Election; 49% In '98 open seat general Toss Up

Steve Hom Gem Schipske General Election: 53% in '98 general (no PAC or MC $) likelyR

Brian Bllbray Susan Davis General Election; 49% in '98 general Lean R

Clay Shaw Elaine Bloom General Election: unopposed in '98 general Lean R

Connie Morella Terry Uerman 60% In '98, but 'aces mlilionaire opponent UkelyR

Charles Bass Barney Brannen General Election; 53% in '98 general Lean R

"highly com petitive." Well before the New Jersey

primary, Cook predicted that "this Republican lean­

ing dis tr ict will be a challenge for H olt to ho ld onto,

especially ifhe faces popular former Representative

Dick Zimmer."

ew York - I" District Party-switcher Mike Forbes is high on the target

list this year, and we have a great candidate in Felix

Grucci. Grucci'sdominance is evident when you con­

sider he will have four party"lines" on the ballot this fall

compared to only onc party "line" for Forbes. Felix

Grucci'scampaign to bring !\ry-Ol back into Republi­

can hands is fueled by fundraisi ng totals that double

Forbes' efforts. In the fi rst quarter of the year, Crucei

raised over S358,000 while the deeply-bruised incum­

bent M ike Forbes ra ised less than half of that

(1166,000).

Pennsylvania _ 4th D istrict National party involvement in primary elections

is dangerous, especially when

J1tomos DGvis was elected to the United Stotes House of Representatives ;n November 1994. He represents the 11 th District of Virginia and serves on the House Committees on Government Reform; Science. He is Chairman of the Rep ublican Congressional Campaign Committee.

one primary candidate is en­

dorsed over another. Yet,

Democrats did just that when

Democrat leaders backed

Matt Mangino over Terry Van

H orne in Pennsylvania's

fourth d istrict th is sp ring.

The results:The hand-picked

candidate Mangino lost, and

Democrats found themselves with a controversial

candidate who allegedly made racist commentS

about a fe llow state legislator in the past. Republi­

cans, on the other hand, have a great candidate in

Pennsylvan ia State Senator M elissa Hart. And Han

has Democrats worried. She leads Van H orne 43per­

cent to 28 percent in a poll taken May 30-31. This race

is an excellent opportunity for House Republicans to

pick up a seat. Non-partisan analysts Charlie Cook

and Stuart Rothenberg list this race in the ~Lean Re­

publican~ category. Whilc the Democrats had a biner,

divisin~ primary, Hart was able to build a formidable

campaign fund.

Virginia _ 2nd District In Virginia, Ed Schrock represents what is perhaps

the best opportunity for Republicms to pick up an open

seat. He is running for the seat beingVdcatcd by Democrat

Owen Picken. In April, Congressional Quarterly ranks

Schrock as, "'mvorcd' to win a House seat currently held by a DelllOCnLt. ~ After Pickett's surprise retircmCllt aIUlOUJ'ICe­

ment, Democrats had trouble finding a candidate to chal­

lenge Schrock. Stlte Senator Schrock's current district rep­

resents O\'CJ' 25 percent of the second congressional district. He first \von election in 1995 by beatinga popular 12-year

Democrat incumbent senator with 56 percent of the vote.

Schrock was urlOpp05OO in his 1999 re-dection bid.

We are winning the battles, but elections are sti1I sev­

eral months away. This is a aucia1 elccrion ycar. lbe win­

ner of this election will detennine who leads America into

the n(:w cenrury with a newecooomy. By increasing dte

majority and electing a unified government, Republicans

can continue to nlCl'lle fonvard ,...,th the corrunon-scnsc legis­lation aIld principled leadership that Americans value •

llld~~uncnt

Ripon Forum ' Summer 2000

Maintaining the Majority

Senator Mitch MCConnell (R-KY) highlights opportunities for GOP success

Though the battles for the White H ouse and the

House have absorbed most political junkies'

attention spans, the struggle for the Senate majority

could become just as competitive and closely­

watched.

Republicans are stepping up to the challenge

of keeping the majority for the third straight election

- the first time since the 19205 - and the Democrats

are pulling out all the stops to take it back.

There are 33 races this cycle. Nineteen are scats

held by Republicans, nine of whom are running for

reelection for the fIrSt time. H alf of the races in

Republican hands are likely to get competitive, which

means Republicans will be focused on defending their

ground. Only two or three of the Democrat

incumbents should see weU-funded challenges.

Nevertheless, four wild cards stand between the

Democrats and their dream of taking back the Senate.

They are the open scat races created by the retirements

of four safe incumbents in New York, New jersey,

Nevada and Nebraska.

New York Representative Riek Lazio (NY-2nd) proved im­

mediately that he is a formidable opponent for H illary

Clinton. He pulled even in the polls and has already

fared well in the critical New York City suburbs. Most

pundits agree that he has tremendous potential up­

state, as well. We can expect the fabled Clinton at­

tack machine to aim its patented ~politics of personal

destruction" at Lazio soon.

New Jersey Republican Representative

Bob Franks and Democrat Jon

COI"""l:ine won their parties' nods

to battle it out in the general

election. After squandering 534

million of h is own fortune,

COI"""l:ine beat the most unpopu­

lar figure in New jersey politics,

forme r Governor jim Florio.

Now that Corzine has acquired

S 34 million worth of identity as

a hard-core liberal, one wonders how

much he will need to spend to erase that perception.

Nebraska Democrats tapped fonner Governor Ben Nelson to

run in this solid Republican srn.re. 1bc GOP currently holds

all of the state's congressional seats and constitutional of­

fices, with the lone exception of the Senate seat.

In 1996, Nelson lost a huge lead over Senator

Chuck Hagel and was soundly defeated by almost

100,000 votes, losing 88 of 93 counties. Attorney

General Don Stenberg, who ran away with the Re­

publican nomination despite a crowded field, is a

proven statewide vote-getter and will have the back­

ing he needs to make this race highly competitve.

The Democrat open seats spcll !:rOUble for their de­

signs on the Senate. Bur Republicans cannot affurd to be

complacent. Many of the biggest battles will take plaa: on

Republican soil.

M<Connell

McConnell

22

Florida Representative Bill McCollum (Fla.-8th), who is

now unopposed on the GOP side, is within striking

distance of Democrat Insurance Commissioner Bill

Nelson . State legislator W illie Logan, formerly a

Democrat, has launched an aggressive Independent

bid and will siphon Democrat and African-American

votes away from Nelson, thus bettering the GO P's

chances in this open-seat race.

Missouri and Delaware Two popular and accomplished incumbenr Re­

publicans are facing stiff challenges from aggressive

incumbent governors. All of the candidates have

strong political and fundraising bases. In the end,Joim Ashcroft will win as a ~unifier" compared to the frac­

tious and mean-spirited Mel Carnahan. And Dela­

ware voters will wisely keep the power and seniority

of Senator William Roth.

Michigan, Minnesota and Pennsylvania Freshmen Republicans will be f.'King the voters

for the first time since their election to the Senate in

1994. Rod G rams, Spence Abraham and Rick

Santorum are each effective Senators whose main chal­

lenge is to inform voters of their accomplishments over

the past six years. Eaeh is in good shape financially,

Mitch McConnell was elected to the United States Senate in 1984. He represents the stote of Kentucky and serves on the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry; Appropriations; Rules & Administration/ Chairman.

but will be squaring off against

strong Democrats in these

swing states.

California and Virginia The Democra ts who

survived the 1994 Republi­

can wave have proven their

durability. In California,

Democratic Senator Dianne

Feinstein got a scare from a

lackluster candidate six years

ago and will face a tough competitor in Represen­

tative Tom Campbell. In Virgin ia, Chuck Robb,

who barely survived in 1994, will be facing popu­

lar former Republican Governor George Allen .

Allen currently leads Robb in fu ndraising and the

polls, and we see this race as the GOP's best op­

portunity to knock off an incumbent Democrat this

year. We expect that Virginia will be a dogfight up

until Election Day.

Nevada Former Representative John Ensign is bettering

his chances of succeeding retiring Senator Richard

Bryan every day. T his contest is the GOP's best op­

portunity to capture a scat currently being occupied

by a Democrat. However, millionaire trial lawyer Ed

Bernstein has the capability of dipping into his per­

sonal fortune at any time and tightening this race.

Montana Senator Conrad Burns is opposed by Brian

Schweiner, who has run an aggressive and resource­

ful campaign thus far. He too has the option of utiliz­

ing his persona! wealth to better his chances. The resilient Burns is currently leading this race, but the

national Democrats have already demonstrated their

desire to get involved on Schweiner 's behalf.

Washington Senator Slade Gorton will benefit from a late

and potentially divisive primary between Jnsurance

Commissioner Deborah Senn and millio naire fo rmer Representative Maria Can twell. Either can­

didate would be formidable compe tition for Sena­

tor Gorton.

Rhode Island Former Lieutenant Governor Richard Licht and

Representative Robert Weygand have been battling

in what will be a late primary fo r the Democrat nod

to oppose Senator Lincoln Chafee, who is finishing his late father's term. Both Democrats are viable can­

didates.

North Dakota One race to really watch is North D ako ta.

Former Navy sub marine lieutenant D uane Sand

ha s caught the attention of Se nator Kent

Conrad, who has been forced to spend campaign

fun ds early. Sand is an att ractive an d energetic

cand idate, and is the dark horse to wa tch on the

Republican side . T his is an extremel y

Republi can-friendly state. This election will be one of the most competitive

in recent history.

There is no question our Senate majority is at

stake, but

defend it. Republicans are well-positioned to •

Ripon Forum· Summer 2000

The Need to Lead

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-Neb) discusses American leadership in the 21 st century

"The United States of America has not the option as to whether it will or will not playa great part in the world I t must playa great part. All that it can decide is whether to play that part well or badly. "

- President Theodore R oosevelt. April 1. 1911

T en years after the end of the Cold War, America

faces a new global challenge. T he raTe of change

in the world is almost incalculable by any measure­

ment. While these changes challenge us, they CVCfl­

nlally will dominate us unless we decide to lead the

force of change for good in the world.

As we proceed in this hopeful new century. we

should be mindful of the words of President George

Bush in his }991 State of the Union address.

~Even in the midst of celebration, we must keep

caution as a friend," he said. "For the world is still a

dangerous place. Only the dead have seen the end of

conflict. And though yesterday's challenges are be­

hind us, tomorrow's are being born .... Strength in the

pursuit of peace is no vice; isolationism in the pursuit

of security is no virtue."

Going Global History provides valuable lessons, bur it holds

no clear blueprint or road map for the future. T he

rise of technology and communications has connected

the world in every way. Today, our economics are

intertwined and interconnected. We live in a global

community anchored by a global economy.

We also f:'1ce new threats. Unlike the past, these

threats do not come from a single enemy or a single

state. They are borderless. The scourge of terrorism

threatens the proliferation of weapons of mass de­

struction. Illegal drug trafficking respects neither

borders nor governmen ts. The

convergence of these econom ic

and nation.ll security concerns

has created mutual threats and

munlal self-interests among the

nations of the world.

D uring this time of uncer­

taint}" one thing is clear - the

United States must continue to

lead the world into the 21stcen-

tury. The diffusion of geo-political, economic and

military power that will de\'elop over the next few years

will form the world's power structure in the next cen­

tury. America must engage this natural development.

Timidity is not our heritage.

At the end of 1999, 75 percent of the eanh's

people lived in "frce~ or"panly-free ~ countries accord­

ing to the annual survey compiled by Freedom H ouse.

This represents the greatest percentage of human free­

dom in history. T his is not an accident. It is because

of our commitment, and that of our allies, to expand­

ing freedom and democratic ideals. ,rye can continue

to expand freedom in the 21st century.

Navigating the Seas of Trade America cannot isolate herself and navig'ate the

new global economy.

Free, fair and open trade will be the engine of

growth in the new century, as it has been for the last

Sma/or ChUfR Hagel

Hagel

14

half of the 20th ccnrury. All nations must work to

break down barriers that inhibit global commerce and

trade.

As President Ronald Reagan said, ... .. history

demonstrates that time and time again, in place after

place, economic growth and human progress make

their greatest strides in countries that encourage eco­

nomic freedom."

After World War 11 , the United States led the

effort to create global and regional institutions to face

the challenges of a new world. I nstitutions such as

the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund,

the World Bank, the World Trade Organization and

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have been

vital in helping provide worldwide peace and stabil­

ity.

All arc imperfect institutions and have made

mistakes. H owever. if we did not have these multi­

national institutio ns, would the world be more demo­

cratic. ma rc stable and secure? I don't believe so.

As we enter this new century, we need to take a

clear-eyed and realistic look at each of these instiN­

tions. We need to ask tough questions. Are (hey

relevant to the challenges of the 21st century? Are

their objectives still meaningful? Can they adapt to

address new challenges? If these questions cannot be answered, then changes need to be made or new in­

stitutions need to be created to meet our global eco­

nomic and security challenges.

Foreign Policy with a Point \"'hile we must work with the other nations of

the world, there can be no lead-Chuck Hagel was elected to the United Stotes Senate in 1996. He represents the state of Nebraska and serves on the Senate Committees on Banking Housing and Urban Affairs. Foreign Relations, Health, Education, Labor-Pensions and the Special Committee on Aging.

ership by committee. History

has taught us thar the world is

at its most dangerous and un­

predictable when there are

vacuums of global leadership.

Leaders and nations lead

through the force of confidence,

character. honesty and tru st.

The nations of the wo rld must

mIst our word and trust our commitment. We must

again remember the words oITeddy Roosevelt, ~The

one indispensable requisite for both a nation and an

individual is character."

Ou r allies must respect us, and our adversaries

must fear us. Rhetoric without actions will result in

failure and will encourage dictators and world insta­

bility. Credibility does matter.

The United States must have a clearly defined

American foreign policy that is backed by the might

of the U.S. military. Genuine leadership is more than

crisis management. The ability to lead rests on other

countries' knowledge of where you stand.

Foreign policy should also be bipartisan.

America's leaders need to speak ,vith one voice to the

world and should engage the American people. We

must stimulate and frame a national debate that will help inform and educate America on the great chal­

lenges of our time.

Foreign policy is not theory or some abstraction

suspended between university classrooms and State

Department corridors. Foreign policy is the frame­

work for America's interests in the world. It repre­

sentS the complete and integrated policy that affects

every dynamic of American life.

The guarantor of a nation's foreign policy is

its national defense. A nation's word is o nly as

strong as the military and the will that stands be­

hind it. A clearly defined foreign policy will en­

sure that our allies and adve rsaries understand

when America will use force. The United States

must make strengthening its military one of its

immediate priorities. Without a strong military,

our threats are hollow.

Making it Happen

When h istory records the world's move from the

20th to the 21st century, will it show that America

and the wo rld squandered a most precious opportu­

nity at a unique time in the history of man?

The answer will be determined by the role o f

the United States. The choices we make must fi rst

be based on the values and ideals of a JUSt nation.

Our foreign policy must be in our national inter­

est, clearly defined, driven by priorities and objec­

tives and implemented with focused strategies and

strength. A random conduct of foreign policy will nOt do.

lt is within our grasp [Q help shape a world that

has the potential to do more good for more people

than man has ever known. This is an awesome re­

sponsibility - but one that America is up to if Ameri-

cans do what wc have always done best - work

together. II

Ripon Forum' Summer 2000

Shifting Stability in the Middle East

Mter the death of his father, Bashar al-Asad inherits border conflict with Israel

LEBANON

B ct\veen late May and mid-June seismic rumbles

shook the landscape of the Middle East. On

May 24, Israeli forces evacuated southern Lebanon,

ending a 22-ycar occupation. On June 10, Hafiz 3.l­

Asad, President of Syria since 1970, died. Shortly

thereafter, his son, Dr. Bashar aI-Asad, was designated his successor. Within a very few days some of the

basic ~givens" of the longstanding Lebanon-Israel­

Syria equation were gone.

Yet much stayed the same. Israel 's border with

Lebanon remained shaky, Syria was still suzerain in

Lebanon and the Israel-Syria track of the Middle East

peace process remained stalled. Would evacuation,

death and succession in the spring of 2000 ever add

up to real change in this troubled region?

Evacuation D uring the Israeli election campaign of1999, can­

didate Ehud Barak promised that Israel would be out

of Lebanon by July 2000. Rising Israel Defense Forces

(IDF) casualties had convinced a majority of Israelis

that the cost of maintaining a security zone, flf'St estab­

lished in 1978, had outgrown its sup~d benefits.

What Barak wanted, however, was a package deal

wi th Syria. Mindful that Syrian influence in Leba­

non was decisive, the Israeli Prime Minister hoped

Ripon Forum' Summer 1000

that a peace treaty would induce Syria to pacify south­

ern Lebanon and (using Lebanese troops) secure the

border.

Barak's approach suited Damascus well. Syria's

price for helping Israel out of the Lebanese quagmire

would be full Israeli withdrawal from the territory Is­

rael seized during the June 1967 ,vat: the Golan Heights

and sensitive parts of the Jordan Valley. including the

northeastern shoreline of the Sea of Galilee.

Yet Israel balked at Syria's price. On March 26,

2000 in Geneva, President Clinton handed Hafiz al­

Asad an Israeli proposal falling far short of Syrian

desires. Asad rejected the offer, and Barak decided

to leave Lebanon with or without Syrian help.

For Syria, a unilateral Israeli withdrawal pre­

sented a dilemma. On the one hand, Damascus

thought it heard Israel saying, "We can leave Leba­

non without your help; you have no leverage over us;

and once we are gone ftom Lebanon, we will have no

reason to give you the Golan H eights."

On the other hand, however, the long-suffering

Lebanon was being handed an opportunity to reclaim

its land and escape a decades-long cycle of violence.

In the end, Syria and Lebanon tried to split the

diffe rence by impeding U.N. efforts to verify Israel's

departure. Confirmation of the May 24 withdrawal

Hof

15

HoI

would be the first of three U.N. missions designed

to pacify the frontier. Yet Lebanon, with Syria's

support, insisted that the lDF had not withdrawn

completely, citing boundary discrepancies. On June

16 however, the U.N. Secretary General confirmed

that the Israeli occupation of southern Lebanon had indeed ended, and t hat U.N. forces would de­

ploy to the border.

Death Much of the commentary about Asad's death

has focused on what it may mean for M iddle East­

ern peace. The implications of his pass ing for Syria

itself arc, howeve r, also important. I t appears that,

in terms of stability and national unity, Asad left

behind a Syria vastly different from the one he took

over in 1970. France proclaimed the creation of the Syrian

state in 1920 and governed it through World War

II. For the previous 500 years the Ottoman Court

in Istanbul had ruled through local religious lead­

ers, bequeathing a tradition of sectarian ism. Asad

was born inro a sec! - the Alawis, an offs hoot of

Shi'a Islam - unrecognized by the Ottomans and

containing the poorest of the poor. Yet the French

invited the Alawis to join a nascent Syrian mili­

tary, laying the basis for an Alawi-dominated of­

ficer corps afte r independence in 1946.

The officio/lul/uo/ ojSyrion Pmidml f1ofa, o/-Asod onJunt 13, 2000.

Unti l 1970, independent Syria was wracked by

coups d'etat. The military was fragmented, sects

and factions competed fo r power, unity with Egypt

was tried and rejected and nothing could be found

to replace the governi ng legitimacy of the departed

Ottoman Empire.

Beginning in 1970, Hafiz al-Asad imposed an

iron hand on this unruly coumry and brought his

once downtrodden A lawi community into the

mainstream of Syrian society. In so doi ng, he may

have defeated sectarianism and created a nation

state.

Asad was open to peace with Israel. Yet he had

one key condition: all of the territory lost to Israel in

June 1967, every last inch would have to be returned.

All else was negotiable, but this line - the "line of

June 4, 1967" - would have to be restored. Asad

thought he had conditional commitments from two

of Ehud Barak's predecessors that this line would

become the boundary of peace. In Geneva, however,

he fou nd out that Israel wanted to retain enough of

its 1967 conquests to keep Syrian citizens away from

the Sea of Galilee (Israel's national reservoir) and the

Jordan River.

What Western and Israeli commentators decried

as Asad's "stubbornness," Asad himself regarded as

essential to state-building legitimacy. He believed

that accepting less than total withdrawal would sub-

ject himself and his fellow Alawis to

withering domestic criticism , thus

placing at risk the whole state-bui ld­

ing enterprise and returning Syri a to

the dark days of coups and chaos. Asad

him self had been the Ministe r of De­

fense in June 1967 when the land at

issue was lost.

A cautious, methodical and con­

sensus-seeking authoritarian , Asad was

anything bu t the MSphinx of Dam­

ascus." He was remarkably steady and

consiste nt. His views, particularly with

respect to Syria's requiremen ts for

peace with Israel, often angered Wash­

ington and Jerusalem. His methodol­

ogy was conspiratorial and often

bloody. Yet he was not, by any stretch

of the im ag in ation, a purveyo r of

riddles.

Succession Succession in Syria has been the subject

of specula tion for nearly 20 years. D r.

Bashar al-Asad, a British-trained ophthal­

mologist, had been undergoing a crash course in governing Syria ever since the

death of h is older brothe r in 1994. In the

days following the passing of H afiz. a1-

Asad, power seemed to pass seamlessly to

the young physician.

But two questions arose instan tly.

Could th is quic t, well-mannered young

man rule the mean streets afSyria; and would

he be morc flexible than his dad with respect

to Israel? T he answer to the ~can he rule"

question depends on several underlyi ng is­

sues.

Did his father leave a legacy of stability

or the mere facade thereof? Do key members

of the national security elite see D r. Bashar as

An Isradi soldier r~Joius as his JuP dri'IJel out if Southern ubanon May 23, 2{)()().

the symbol of stability and modernization from which

they beneftt, or will personal ambitions prevail in self­

ishly destructive ways? Can a P resident Bashar al­

Asad successfully govern a country whose hig h birth

rate places groaning burdens on a corrupt, inefficient

and failed socialist ~sys[em?" I n short, does he really

need the skills that brought h is father to power and

kept him there, or are different skills required?

Few if any Syrians want a return to the bad old

days of the 1950s and 1960s. Dr. Asad is a transi­

tional figure who may, with skill and luck, transition

into Syria's long-term leader. H e is the patron of

information technology in Syria. H e is certainly a

modernizer who will try to build upon Syria's ability

to feed itself. H e can, withour doubt, present to is­raelis a smiling, friendly face uttering well-chosen

English words.

Yet he is not at all likely to depart from his father's

territorial ~bottom-line." If, however, Hafiz al-Asad's

relentlessly dour expression contributed to Israel's lack

of enthusiasm for b ringing Syrian fishermen to the

Sea of Galilee, Bashar al-Asad's more upbeat, engag­

ing demeanor may, over time, change Israeli minds.

Change? Will the stunning events of May and J une 2000

lead to real change for the better in the region? Or will

~business as usual" reassert itself, leading perhaps

to war between Israel and Syria?

~Change for the better" would include a peaceful

Lebanon- Israel fro ntier, the re-e mergence of parlia­

mentary democracy and economic prosperity in Leba­

non (both of which require the ebbing of Syrian su­

zerainty), and the transformation of Syria from a so­

cialist national security state to a modernizing nation

in which economic freedom fosters democracy.

T he common denominator for positive change is

peace between Israel and Syria. T hanks to the

Madrid peace process launched in 1991, what had

been an existential conflict between the two has boiled

down to a boundary dispute. The nexus of this dispute

is not up on the Golan H cights,

but down in the Jordan Valley,

alongside key water resources.

Its resolution may require

that Syria and Israel fmd the

political will to implement a

historic compromise: a line of

sovereignty for Syria; water and

access for Israel. I f H afiz al­

Asad helped to frame one side

of the required compromise, his

Frederic C. Hof is a partner in the consulting firm Armitage Associates of Arlington, VA He is the outhor of line of Battle, Border of Peace? The Line of June 4, 1967 (December '999) and l ebanon, Israel and the Challenges of Change (June 2000), both published by Middle fost Insight Inc.

passing may, with creative American media­

tion, facilitate the achievement of the whole. II

HoI

Video

Rewarding Republican Reforms

The Ripon Society launches new video highlighting positive legislative accomplishments

A t last, a message that t ruly reflects the

accomplishments of the Republican Party.

Responding to the challenge of bringing the Re­

publican message into the mainstream, T he Ripon

Society will release its first video highlighting the leg­

islative success stories of the Republican Congress at this year's Convention.

Party. T he video, which costs 519.99, can be ordered

by dialing 1-800-98-RlPON.

The idea originated from what Rep.Jim Green­

wood, Chairman of the Ripon Society's Congressional

Advisory Board, calls a growing disconnect between

voters and politicians. Too often, he says, Republi­

cans get a bad rap. ~ Republicans do not promote [hemselves,~ he

says. "They tend to get the job done and think that's enough.~

Greenwood said the GOP message and its ac­

complishments weren't reaching the public, because

the government jumps from one problem to the next

and a few controversial issues end up drowning out

the work this Congress has accomplished.

Setting the R ecord

Straight: Real People, Real

Progress is a unique, 15-

minute video underscoring

working Americans who

have benefited from GOP

legislative reforms. Former

Senator Alan Simpson of

Wyoming narrates the

video. Real people, talking about real issues are intro-SrJundman BrJb SilvfflfrJne and FrJrum (dit(Jr

Ashleigh Robms. duced by U.S. Senator Susan

Collins (R-Maine) and Repre­

sentatives Jim Greenwood (R-Pa.), Clay Shaw (R­

Fla.) and Jennifer Dunn (R-Wash.).

"Since 1995, the Republican-controlled Con­

gress has initiated and passed significant legi sla­

tion, but it has not done a good job of telling ei­

ther its own consti tuencies or the press, of its suc­

cesses," he said.

2.

These issues represent some of Ripon's core val­

ues. The organization, which was founded by a group

of progressive Republicans in 1962, was created to

blend tradition and innovation in the best manner to

address the problems facing the nation. The Ripon

Society still strives to provide the GOP with prag­

matic and relevant solutions to today's crises.

The video premiere is July 31, in the Great Hall of the Train Shed at the Pennsylvania Convention

Center. Breakfast will be served as members of Ripon's

Congressional Advisory Board reflect on past GOP

successes and share their visions for the future of the

Ripon Society Executive Director Lori Harju

echoed Greenwood's sentiments and said Republi ­

can reforms have positively impacted people's daily

lives. UWe set out to talk to Americans who arc ben­

efiting from some of the changes Republicans have

been instrumental in making over the last several

years," she said. uBur we used real people. We went

out and asked citizens, rather than the media or some

spin doctor, what they thought."

"T he results arc pretty incredible, ~ Harju said.

"People arc responding positively to Republican ef­

fo rts and are seeing some real changes in the quality of their lives."

Ripon Forum' Summer 2000

Broken down into four segments, the video dis­

cusses education reform, tax relief, health care and

welfare reform.

Anne Smith- Reiser, a parent and president of

the PTA at her children's elementary school, partici­

pated in the education segment of the video.

Smith-Reiser said the program allowed the

school principal to use federal dollars in the way he

saw beSt fit. In her school, that meant reducing class

size.

The legislation, known as Ed-Flex, was first

tested in 12 states and achieved impressive results by

improving srudent performance. AlISO governors

wrote Congress urging members to expand the pro­

gram nationwide.

Sen. Susan Collins says the legislation allows lo­

cal schools, rather than the federal government, to

decide what its students need.

"In some cases, as little as 65 cenrs of every fed­

eral education dollar reaches the classroom, ~ she said.

~This provision frees school districts from Washing­

ton bureaucracy and shows how the Republican Party

is truly responding to the needs and wants of Ameri­

cans regarding education."

Collins said Republi­

cans have been working

hard to make sure that ev­

ery child has the opportu­

nity for a good education.

~This is a wonderful

step towards better inform­

ing the public about the

principles of the Republi­

can Parry," she said.

Monica Anderson

historic decrease in the welfare rolls, a huge increase

in work by people previously caught in a

cycle of welfare dependency and a simul­

taneous decline in children's poverty," he

said. "Nationwide, welfare rolls are down

by more than 50 percent. More Ameri­

cans arc working and passing on a work

ethic to their children."

Shaw, who refers to the legislation as

the achievement of which he is most

proud,says that it is a legacy that the Re­

publican Congress will pass on to future

generations.

"This bill has rurned welfare offices

into employment offices," he said. ~lt is

widely viewed as the most important social reform of

recent decades, and it took three tries before Presi­

dent Clinton finally agreed to sign it."

During the fIrst two years in office. the Clinton­

Gore AdminiStration requested over S 100 billion in

new welfare programs, but did not request funds to

expand work programs for welfare recipients, he said.

The Administration also wanted to eliminate the mini­

mal work requirements

contained in the existing

welfare law.

Under the 1996 law,

the welfare reform bill

slowed the growth of wel­

fare spending, established

work requiremcnls and

provided incentives to re­

duce illegitimacy.

shares her personal experi- MaJ:~up artist Kathy Grun p"fares Rrprmntatiw

Since the enactment of

the 1996 welfare refonn law,

ffi06t states have met or 0(-

ences in the welfare reform Grun'fJJOOd fur his s~mmt on FDA riform. ceeded Washington's employment

t:ugt:ts for individuals still rccciv-segment. Now a working

mother, Anderson first went on welfare when she was

15-years old to support her son.

She said her life was changed dramatically by the

oppornmities provided in the 1996 Personal Respon­

sibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act.

While she said she still Struggles today, things continue

to improve, and she now aspires to attend college.

Rep. Clay Shaw said the legislation redefined the

concept of the original welfare program.

"This ground breaking legislation has led to a

Ripon Forum · Summer 2000

ing\...-clfure. In a May 27, 1999 article, The WtlShington POll

newspaper said, "Nearly three years after the enact­

ment of federal welfare reform, between 61 percent

and 87 percent of adults leaving public assistance have

gotten jobs, a far higher number than previously re­

ported, according to a comprehensive review of wel­

fare research. ~

Rob and Kathy Loughery from Bucks County,

Pennsylvania said thc federal government unfairly

Video

2.

Video

).

penalized them because they were married. The

couple, who recently had a baby gi rl , also sup­

ports the child tax credit and the e limination of

the estate tax. Rep. Du nn outli nes Republican tax reform

achievements. While Republicans have long been ac­

cused of giving tax breaks to the rich,

legislative reforms show broad-based

tax relief that benefit all Americans.

Earlier this year, they passed leg­

islation that repealed the earnings limi­tation for America's seniors. W hile

Clinton initially opposed the legisla­

tion, he later changed his mind and

signed the bill into law. Republicans in the H ouse also

voted twice to c:l iminate the marriage

penalry fa:\; . It ran into partisan poli ­

tics in the Senate, but they still are

trying to include it in a budget rec­

onciliation measure.

"Republicans are working hard for families,~

said Dunn. "We think it is important to eliminate

over- taxation and let people decide how to spend their

own money."

Carolyn Boyer, a Washington, D.C. cancer victim who

believes her life has been prolonged thanks to Food

and Drug AdminisU'ation (FDA)

reform, participated in the health

care segment.

Boyer initially was given a prog­nosis of 18 months to live. Almost

two years later, she credits the legis­

lation fo r helping her gain access to

medicine that has prevented further

progression of the disease.

Rep. Greenwood describes

Republican legislation that estab­

lished a "fast-track" approVllI pro­

cess for drugs that treat life­

threate ning diseases. The b ill,

known as the Food and Drug Ad­

ministration M odernization and Under the current tax code, a

married couple is pushed into a

higher tax bracket than

Rtprrunrafiw Dunn discusseJ Tax Rdirf

Accountability Act, became law in

1997. an unmarried couple

living together. The marriage penalry

taxes the income of the second wage

earner, typically the wife, at a much

higher rate than if she were taxed only

as an individual.

About 25 million families pay an

average 51,400 marriage penalty, ac­

cording to the Congressional Budget

Office. Most marriage penalties oc­

cur when the higher-earning spouse

makes between 520,000 and 575,000

per year. Mtdiamogul Ru.s.s Schriiftr. While the legislation is currently

awaiting presidential approva1, President

Clinton has threatened a veto if Republicans do nOt

sign his prescription drug bill.

Ashleigh Roberts is the editor of The Ripon Forum.

Marriage penalry reliefis middle-class tax rel ief, said

Dunn. Middle-income fami-

lies are hit the hardest by this

penalty. D unn also discusses

the need to eliminate the estate tax and child-care

tax credit.

It requires the FDA to devc:lop a plan

to eliminate the backlog of products awaiting approval.

People are alIO\ved to seek access to drugs waiting FDA

approval in order to treat a serious illness if the physi­cian determines there is no comparable or satisfactory

alternative therapy.

Greenwood said the legislation streamli nes the

drug approval process and allows Americans with Life­

threatening illnesses to gain quicker access to the medicines they need.

~This bill has made a difference in the lives of

thousands of people who had no other alternative,·

he said. ~Republicans are trying to th ink out of

the box to find solutions that work in people's ev­

eryday lives. H

Dunn said the Ripon project was one of the firs t

of its kind; educating people about the achievements

of the Republican Parry.

'1t\...-a5 an honor to be included in the Ripon Society's

OOoo.tionaI rid",," .ud Dunn. "The Ripon Soci«y cl=1y artirulates a positi\'C, Republican message."

As Simpson says in rhe video, The Ripon Sociery

is setting the record straight and providing com- II mon-sense solutions for America.

Ripon Forum· Summer 2000

The Real Scoop

What are your recollections from your first Republican National Convention?

Real

, 'f

"The first time I went to a convention, I rode a train 77 hours from Knaxville to San

Francisco to be an Honorary Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms. You can't get much lower

than an H onorary Assistant Sergeant-At-Arms, but it got me in. That was in between my junior and senior year of high school and I spent my 17" birthday in San

,t'\ , Rtpramtatim john]. Duruan,jr.

Francisco. It was a great thrill." -RepresentativeJohnJ Duncan.]r., Tennessee

''It was in New Orleans. It was a lot offun. I also served

on the platform corrunittee. We fought really hard for a pro-choice

platform. It got ugly, but it didn't ruin the convention experience."

-Representative Nancy Johnson, Connecticut

''It was in 1960. We put Goldwater on the map at that

. '. . • ~ \ .:1": ." -,

,~ r RtpuJt ntali'Vt Nanty Johnson

convention. I was just out of high school and obviously very excited."

Rtprtuntatim jim Kolbt

RtprtuntotiVl Howard CaNt

- Representative Jim Kolbe, Arizona

"I will never forget the excitement of my first

Republican convention in Kansas City, Missouri in 1976. Gerald Ford was our nominee, and it was a great experience in one of A merica's oldest ci ties."

- Representative Michael G. Oxley, Ohio

''Actually, I've never attended a national convention and for the foreseeable future, I don't plan to attend any."

- R epresentative H oward Coble, North Carolina

"I went as an aide to Secretary of the Interior Fred Seaton.

It was the 2'd Ike Convention in 1956. I was a young attorney and

assistant to the secretary at the time. I helped write national territories resource sections, including the platform on Alaska statehood."

-Senator Ted Stevens, Alaska Smator Ttd SttWns

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