Seeding the Grass Roots

Republican Northeast Conference, Day 2, Video: Robert Simmons

By Justin Katz | October 4, 2009 |

Former Congressman Robert Simmons, from Connecticut, is currently running in the Republican primaries for the U.S. Senate.

Republican Northeast Conference, Day 2, Video: Ken McKay

By Justin Katz | October 4, 2009 |

RNC Chief of Staff Ken McKay went over the current standing of the party, with the emphasis on issues.

Republican Northeast Conference, Day 2, Video: Carcieri

By Justin Katz | October 4, 2009 |

Herewith, the video corresponding with my liveblogging of the Republican Northeast Conference. First was the welcoming presentation of event co-chair Louis Pope; Governor Carcieri’s speech is in the extended entry.

Republican North East Conference, Day 2, Afternoon

By Justin Katz | October 3, 2009 |

Tony Blankley’s been giving a lunchtime speech; I’ve been eating. He’s been talking organization, digital technologies, the Obamenon. One interesting point he’s made is that there’s some comparison between Reagan’s accomplishment and Obama’s. The difference about which he’s hopeful is that Reagan changed people’s minds about governing philosophy. Obama sold himself on one theme and…

Republican North East Conference, Day 2

By Justin Katz | October 3, 2009 |

Speaker Co-Chair Louis Pope (from Maryland) is opening the day. He put attendance around 170 and continuing to grow. He also pointed out a group of about eight Republicans who flew in all the way from Puerto Rico. (“They don’t get a lot of snow, in Puerto Rico, but the RNC puts them in the…

Republican North East Conference, Day 1 – Video and Follow-Up

By Justin Katz | October 3, 2009 |

Following the opening event of the Republican North East Conference (video of which is in the extended entry), I followed up with Vermont Governor Jim Douglas regarding the need to define a “Northeastern Republican”: stream, download. His answer wasn’t particularly Earth-shattering, but it struck me as astute, in an understated Vermontian way. His emphasis is…

RNC Northeast Conference, Day 1

By Justin Katz | October 2, 2009 |

Breaking my rule of thumb never to enter into Newport after working hours, I’ve arrived at the Marriott to attend the opening events of the Republican National Committee’s Northeast Conference. Inasmuch as I almost drove an eight-foot-high van into a 6’3″ parking garage, I’d like to take the opportunity to renew my economic development advice…

Some Political Philosophy, Courtesy of the 9/12 Rally

By Carroll Andrew Morse | September 13, 2009 |

The tea party movement was born, in large part, as a response to a political class that was assuming that no serious public discussion was needed about whether bigger, more centralized government was better, whenever the government declared that bigger, more centralized government was necessary. Contra to this idea, an important feature of the 2009…

Images from the 9/12RI and RI Tea Party Rally Today

By Monique Chartier | September 12, 2009 |

The Gaspee [correction] The Brig Beaver (or a reasonable facsimile thereof) The Crowd The Theme Flagage A name that’s been in the news lately … Right to assemble, right of free speech, right to wear a Spiderman hat: new Americans exercising some of their new rights

Ocean State Policy Research Institute Hosts Grover Norquist

By Justin Katz | September 11, 2009 | Comments Off on Ocean State Policy Research Institute Hosts Grover Norquist

Ocean State Policy Research Institue was good enough to invite me to its fundraising event at the Providence Marriott featuring famed tax hawk Grover Norquist. Some of Norquist’s speech was familiar from his last appearance in Rhode Island, but considering all that has happened — with the election, tea parties, legislative assaults, healthcare — there…