Expanding the base of the Republican Party

By Robert William Bates

Republicans in California must expand the base of the party in order to insure we are not a permanent minority party in California.

I welcome the idea of others, but propose the following:

1)Emphasize again that our party wants local,
rather than State and Federal control,over
people's lives. This means seeking reforms
in Sacramento which require that tax dollars
taken from our local communities be returned
to those same communities (cities, counties
and school districts, etc...) with the elected
local government, rather than the State of
California or Congress deciding how those
funds should be sent.

2) I would propose that we work towards the
elimination of the full-time legislature
and instead return the State of California
back to a part-time legislature as it existed
before the 1970's in California and still
exists today in many states. This will allow
small business people, attorneys, teachers,
and other professionals to serve in the
State Legislature without jeoparaizing their
other careers. It will also help end the
Sacramento culture of legislative aides
becoming the next generation of legislative
candidates which we see today. It will also
enourage the shift of political and government
power away from Sacramento and back to local
government.

3) We need to redefine California as the state
of opportunity for new business. "Generation
X" has started more small businesses, the
backbone of the American economy, than any
other generation in American history. We need
to show that it is the Republican Party which
will help these voters start and support
their small businesses by working for lower
taxes, workers compensation reform, and
not giving breaks to big business or labor
unions to their disadvantage.

I welcome your thoughts as to the above.