http://www.gazette.net/stories/02232009/polinew174846_32485.shtml
GOP’s future lies with economy, not
social issues
Kittleman: No luxury in being divided
by Douglas Tallman | Staff Writer
Monday, Feb. 23, 2009
Leaders within
that the GOP needs to unite over economic issues and steer clear of setting
policy on social issues.
"The problem isn’t that the
Republicans aren’t good in
The problem is that there isn’t enough of them. And if we start attacking the
ones we have, we won’t get any more," Senate
Minority Leader Allan H. Kittleman said.
Kittleman (R-Dist. 9) of West Friendship
addressed 130 Montgomery County Republicans on rebuilding the party for the
2010 statewide elections.
"We need to focus on what holds us
together, if we focus on economic conservatism, the great majority of
We lose them when we go off on other things," Kittleman said.
The party’s job, he said, is to elect
Republicans.
"We don’t have the luxury of being
divided in the future, so when the Republican Party sets policy, that almost
sets a litmus test," he said.
Charles Lollar, who chairs the GOP’s
Commission for Citizen Tax Relief, also spoke of avoiding social issues.
"It’s OK to be a party of principles
and a party of morals," Lollar said. "But the Republican Party is not
the place for evangelizing. We have churches for that."
Kittleman said the party needed to embrace
technology, which will help the GOP connect with young people who would relate
to the party’s message of keeping the government out of their lives.
The party can’t expect to raise as much
money as the Democrats, but it can recruit strong candidates who are willing to
work hard to get elected. The GOP also needs to develop an early-voting
strategy that can work to the party’s advantage, he said.
Both criticized Gov. Martin O’Malley’s
handling of the economic downturn, seeing tax increases and greater spending as
an opportunity for 2010.
Lollar supported Republican efforts in the
General Assembly to pass protections to make it harder to approve tax
increases. And he favored changing the word "tax" to "family
funds."
"These are family funds coming out of
our pocket," he said.
