I want to start this note with a correction. In the last post I made, I said that the post Watergate Republican Party had less than two thirds in each house of the Legislature. I was wrong on that count. I was relying on anecdotal evidence I received from members who were there when it happened, and who simply misremembered. There were 56 Assembly Democrats in the 1974-76 Legislature, well over the two thirds necessary for a veto proof majority, however in the Senate, there were only 26 Democrats, one shy of the two thirds. So, there were more Democrats in the Legislature then than there are now, but that was because the Assembly had two more Democrats than this Legislature, even though the Senate had one less. There was one statewide Republican officeholder (the Attorney General), Evelle Younger.
They recovered, and helped elect Ronald Reagan president six years later, with the help of Proposition 13 and a tough on crime stance that then Governor Jerry Brown helped with his pro-tax, soft on crime Governorship.
The Republicans then had several things going for them. The post Watergate vote was a one time reaction to the alleged crimes of the Nixon Administration. In addition, there were still hundreds of thousands of defense workers in California that voted Republican for President, and sometimes for Governor and other statewide offices. That all changed with the influx of the Hispanic voters, and the wind down of the defense industry, in the 1990’s. Over 1 million defense workers moved to neighboring states, and they were replaced in many key areas with Hispanic voters, a loss of 800,000 (or more) votes that leaned Republican with votes that lean Democrat. Since then, a statewide vote that used to go 300,000 votes either way has turned into safe 500,000 Democrat majority (at least) in California.
So, how do we fix this? The pages of the various blogs and newspapers, and the flickers of computers and television sets, are filled with advice for Republicans about how to become more like Democrats. That happens every election, and it is today, as it was in Ronald Reagan’s time, the advice of losers who wish to stay losers. Republicans will win when they embrace the small government AND strong family message of conservatism, and promote that message in every community.
But how do we do that? Too often, my former colleagues in the Legislature think the way to change voters is to sit in their office in Sacramento, vote no, and send out press releases, expecting the press to tell the Republican story. A press conference, now and then, for the very bold, and on weekends, go back to the district and tell the local Republicans what a great job they are doing.
That has been a disaster. They should still vote no, that goes without saying. However, they need to get out of their offices and work outside the building. The only way to recovery is a concerted effort, in Democrat districts, by elected officials and party regulars alike, to bypass the media, and take the message of conservatism to the communities all across the state, neighborhood by neighborhood, town by town, district by district. I call it my “Adopt a District” plan. I am attaching it here to any who may be interested.ADOPT A DISTRICT PLAN
Too often, we think we can outraise, outsmart, or outthink the Democrats to a majority. We can’t. We can, however, outwork them. This program is a lot of work, but hey, the Republicans can’t affect legislation, stop taxes, stop the growth of government, or impact policy in Sacramento, they might as well do something to earn their paycheck and per diem.
This plan places the long term Republican future in the hands of Republicans, not the press, or even the Democrats, who will certainly aid in the rebirth of the Republicans by their own foolishness. Relying on the press or the Democrats to help rebuild Republicans, however, is a pipe dream or short term solution. Changing our principles is the long term path to total irrelevancy for a generation or more. Breaking out of our cocoon, and visiting every neighborhood to rebuild Republican infrastructure, and promote the message of small government AND strong families is the key to our future. It is a lot of work, but isn’t that what Republicans believe in? Our success should be the result of our hard work, not the welfare of the press or Democrats.