|
FORUM |
| A CONSERVATIVE ORDER OF GOOD GUYS TASK FORCE PUBLICATION | |
|
FORUM |
| A CONSERVATIVE ORDER OF GOOD GUYS TASK FORCE PUBLICATION | |
| ISSUE No. 1 | NOVEMBER 1993 |
GREETINGS
Welcome to the premier edition of FORUM. FORUM is the publication of the C.O.G.G. TASK FORCE, and is intended to inform C.O.G.G. members of Task Force Activities and Issues of importance to C.O.G.G. members.
Presented in this edition of FORUM are the first reports of some of our Task Force Committees' efforts. Future editions will include reports from our other committees, as they get up and running, as well as updates from the committees reporting in this edition.
FORUM will be distributed to members and friends on a periodic basis. We hope you find FORUM stimulating and informative, and we invite your comments as well as participation in future issues. If you'd like to participate in Task Force affairs contact Task Force Chairman, Fred Ferrazzano.
Bob McKahan, C..O.G.G. Chairman
Fred Ferrazzano, Task Force Chairman
John Musial, Forum Editor
THE C.O.O.G. TASK FORCE
The C.O.G.G. Task Force was organized in early spring by C.O.G.G. Chairman Bob McKahan, based on the suggestions of many C.O.G.G. members. The purpose of the Task Force is to rekindle the spirit of grassroots volunteerism, and to use this energy to help strengthen Republican Party activities and unity through C.O.G.G.input and assistance. Positions on key issues that are supported by our membership will be communicated to office holders and their staffs, candidates for office, and other Republican party organizations.
Information on Task Force activities will be provided to C.O.G.G. members in future issues of FORUM, which will be mailed along with our monthly meeting notices.
All members of C.O.G.G. are welcome to join the Task Force to assist in its various projects and activities. Please call Chairman Fred Ferrazzano (743-1572) or Secretary Joe Cipolla (487-4188) for information.
The Task Force is off to a fine start under the chairmanship of Fred Ferrazzano. To begin with, and to establish a base for future action, the committee reviewed all C.O.G.G. past activities and developed a Mission statement for our organization. A list of Issues and Activities was then selected by the group as the first target for Task Force efforts. The Mission Statement and lists of Issues and Activities are set out below.
CONSERVATIVE ORDER OF GOOD GUYS MISSION STATEMENT
The Conservative Order of Good Guys is a registered Political Action Committee P.A.C.). The organization receives initiation fees and dues from members who are interested in providing endorsement and financial support to Republican political candidates and officeholders. C.O.G.G. adheres to a policy of supporting candidates who share the commitment to and philosophy favoring private enterprise, economic growth and fiscal responsibility. In addition, monthly meetings are held to provide the membership with political information of interest concerning campaigns, candidates and issues of the day. The organization, on the approval of the Board of Directors, will also undertake various activities and education necessary, expedient or appropriate to the accomplishment of the above objectives.
PRIORITY ISSUES
From a long list of possibilities, the following Issues were selected by the Task Force for initial study and action:
Based on their various interests, Task Force participants divided up into committees to address each of the above issues. The chairman's initial charge for each committee is to (a) prepare a position statement on the issue, (b) to accumulate and organize substantiating information and data for the position, and (c) to develop recommendations for action related to the position. Each committee will develop an action plan related to implementing its ideas. Reports on the initial activities of the various committees are contained in this edition and will be the subject of future editions of FORUM.
ACTIVITIES
The Activities listed below were selected by the Task Force for initial study and action:
Committees have also been formed to follow through and carry out the Activities. Reports on the progress of these committees will be the subject of this and future editions of FORUM.
CONGRESSIONAL REFORM
The primary theme for Congressional Reform is "limited representative government." A primary objective is to return congress to its purely legislative function, without exemptions from law. Reform is viewed as encompassing such issues as mandatory control of campaign funding, time involved in the legislative process, staffing, and pensions and perks in order to curb abuses and to re-focus our elected officials on representing their constituents and serving their country.
Specific recommendations include the following:
Supporting evidence for the. above position is fully stated in the "Heritage Foundation publication "The Ruling Class" by Eric Felten. Fundamental basis for this Priority Issue resides directly in the Constitution and is intimately interwoven with other American freedoms. Renewal of fundamental American principles is seen as the beginning of a new unsurpassed golden age of government in America and the elimination of many grievous problems.
The plan of action for this Priority Issue is largely one of education, both of the public and our government representatives, It is a continuing need. Public perception must be clear and public demand must be strong before requisite actions can be taken.
TERM LIMITS
Chaired by: GLENN ZIEGLER
C.O.G.G. members were recently encouraged by the precedent setting actions of the New Jersey's Republican controlled legislature to initiate Term Limits for their US Senators and Members of the House. Unfortunately, that effort has now been shelved by the New Jersey State Senate!
It has become apparent that professional politicians, of both Parties, once elected, will not support Term Limits even when this position was a part of election campaign promises.
The concept of Term Limits is incorporated in the Republican platform. Seventy percent of the Republican voters support Term Limits for U.S. legislative offices, and even though it is Party policy, little or no action has been taken to effect change.
C.O.G.G. strongly supports Term Limits and would like to know your position on the matter and what actions, if any, you plan to take in support of your position.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION
Chaired by: BOB KRUEGER
The committee function brings attention to resolving the national illegal immigration crisis via the adoption of policies and procedures consistent with the following position: "No individual who-is in this-country illegally should receive any benefits or support requiring public funds. The only exception would be for a medical emergency,"
There are many costs to our society generated by the tidal wave of illegal immigration. As an example, in a very recent report two SDSU professors estimate the NET cost to San Diego County alone to be in excess of 244 million dollars. While their report acknowledges that taxes are paid to some extent, that total is estimated at about 60 million dollars against a cost of over 300 million dollars. The following is a breakdown of this cost allocated to the various services now provided by U.S. taxpayers:
Education - 60 million. The U.S. Supreme Court decreed that children of illegal aliens must have access to public education. California has felt the financial impact of this decision at all levels of its educational system.
There are a number of actions that should be considered. Our basic position, as stated initially, is that no public funds shall be used for any welfare or health benefits extended to illegals, except in emergencies. Steps that can and should be considered are:
What is your view? We'd like to hear it.
MORALITY ISSUES
Chaired by: GAIL PENDELL
Contrary to what this committee's name may imply, its objective is not to develop a position on morality issues, but rather to eliminate them from party politics.
It is an unquestionable fact that division on certain issues has crippled the Republican Party, and seriously damaged our chances at the polls. C.O.G.G. members recognize this and want to cure the problem. In this regard, the "Morality Issues" Committee has established the following position:
"Morality issues are strictly a matter of personal philosophy and individual choice and are not the purview of either the federal government or the Republican Party,
Issues include, but are not limited to the following: abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, capital punishment, school prayer, the teaching of creationism, and other issues of similar character.
In this regard, morality issues should be depoliticized and should be excluded from any and all official statements of Party position. The inclusion of these morality issues in the Republican Party Platform had a serious negative effect on the election of many Republican candidates in 1992. Their inclusion in Republican Party policy also has a limiting effect in reaching out to former party members and to the recruitment of new party members."
This committee has already sent a letter to every Republican Senator and Member of the House requesting that they bring pressure on the Republican National Committee to remove moral issues planks from our Party platform and other official statements of party position. This is the only way we are going to reunite the party.
There is obviously a lot of similar sentiment out there, as just recently a number of very prominent Republican office holders and party leaders got together and formed the Republican Majority Coalition to accomplish the identical objective.
Future committee actions involve meeting with other Republican organizations in greater San Diego to rally support for this position, and to promote Party unity.
MEMBER IDEAS AND PARTICIPATION
Chaired by: BOB McKAHAN AND GAIL PENDELL
This committee will coordinate and encourage all C.O.G.G. members to express their ideas and participate in C.O.G.G. organization and Task Force activities.
Membership support will be obtained by communicating with them through the monthly letter, monthly meetings, handouts and the Task Force Newsletter. New Task Force members will be recruited at every C.O.G.G. event. Research is now underway to find a "position paper" that attempts to summarize conservative fundamentals. This paper will provide education to C.O.G.G. members, politicians, the press and the public. A questionnaire is being developed to solicit member ideas - target date in January 1994. This committee will also try to assist the C.O.G.G. membership committee in their vita! new member recruiting activity.
PARTY LEADERSHIP CONTACTS
Chaired by: BOB McKAHAN
The objective of this committee is to undertake the role of establishing communications and coordination between C.O.G.G. and Republican Party leadership.
A letter was written (6/15/93) to our national, state, and county party leaders along with Republican office holders in this area to strongly encourage them to unite the Party, to provide leadership and to reach out for former and new members, Replies
have been received from most of the leadership and are available for review in the Task Force file. Close liaison has also been established with the San Diego and State Republican parties along with the Lincoln Club and other republican organizations in the area. The committee will serve the on-going function of promoting Task Force Issues and Activities and C.O.G.G. member ideas to office holders and Republican organizations.
WATER POLICY
Chaired by: DON WRIGHT
Position
Water policies governing allocation of California's abundant supply of water are neither economically sound nor equitable. There are three principal ways in which California can solve its water dilemma.
Background Information
THERE IS NO WATER SHORTAGE IN CALIFORNIA!
California has an abundance of water- an annual supply of 34,000,000 acre feet. It is California's outdated, politically motivated water allocation system that causes the appearance of a water shortage. This, in turn, leads to punitive water conservation mandates for San Diego's Agriculture, Industry, Commerce, Homes and Families.
More importantly, 60% of California's entire water supply is allocated to crops ill-suited to California's arid climate - Rice, Cotton, Alfalfa/Hay and Irrigated Pastures. Yet, the cash value of these crops is less than 3 tenths of one percent of the State's Gross Economic Product of $780 billion.
To further complicate California's water dilemma, agencies of the federal government plan significant reductions in the amount of water that may be pumped from the Sacramento-San Joaquin River delta. Needs of the delta ecosystems and the habitat of delta smelt are considered more important than the needs of over 20 million southern Californians.
Environmental fervor is causing unacceptable inequities in the allocation of California's water. Human needs must be placed above those of selected flora and fauna. San Diego's water storage needs have been subordinated to those of environmental interest.
Taxpayer dollars are being squandered on San Diego's prohibitively expensive water reclamation program. Desalination technology has proven to be reliable, unlimited source of fresh water. A reliable source of fresh water is absolutely imperative if southern California is to satisfy its current needs and support its inevitable growth.
Recommended Action
The Water Committee suggests that C.O.G.G. members:
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