Ah, technology

In case you were wondering, I am supporting Kevin Hall for Chairman of the South Carolina Republican Party.

He is right on target with his comments about the use of technology – good advice for building the party (or finding a job, for that matter).

Great make-up day

There was a record turnout for make-up day Saturday, more people than even attended the last Florence County GOP convention.  Even the elephant came back to greet newcomers and old friends! A big “Thank you” to everyone who invited friends and neighbors to these important meetings.

Now for the convention –  Saturday, April 11th, 9 AM at South Florence High School. Yes, I know that’s the day before Easter and it’s not a very convenient date… but try to arrange your trips and activities to start after the convention! Please!

It’s not over yet…

… there’s one more chance to become a delegate or alternate to the upcoming Florence County GOP Convention. This Saturday, March 21st, go to Horne’s Restaurant on South Irby Street at 9 AM, so your precinct can elect you. Most precincts have empty slots for one of those, and we would love to have them all filled!

The County GOP Convention will be Saturday, April 11th, 9 AM, at South Florence High School. Officers will be elected that day for the Florence County Republican Party for the next two years — Florence County Chairman, Executive Committeeman,  several Vice Chairmen –  also delegates and alternates to the State GOP Convention will be elected.

If you couldn’t get to your precinct reorganization meeting last Saturday but would still like to go to the county convention, then meet us this coming Saturday at Horne’s Restaurant, 9 AM.

Don’t you love elephants…

Great turnout

The turnout at the Florence County GOP precinct reorganization was really good, despite the cool rainy weather. Most of those present had been invited in one of the hundreds of phone calls made by volunteers in recent weeks.

If you couldn’t make it to the regular precinct reorganization on March 14th, there is a make-up day this coming Saturday, March 21, 9 AM at Horne’s Restaurant on S. Irby Street.

This is for precincts to meet and elect additional delegates and alternates to the Florence County Republican Convention, and most precincts did have some empty slots. You must be a registered voter in Florence County to participate so bring your voter registration card with  you.

The county GOP convention will be Saturday, April 11th, 9 AM at South Florence High School. Here’s another photo to enjoy… Ellie Elephant attended his precinct meeting, and yes, he was elected as a delegate to the county convention. Many people had their photos taken with Ellie at precinct reorganization.

Thick skin…

… is a must in politics.

Tip O’Neill was right, all politics is local.  And maybe he should have added, and local politics can be: (choose one or more) ___  mean, ___ dirty, ___ vicious, ___ work, ___deceitful, ___ a waste of time, ___ a starting point, ___ necessary, ___ a stepping stone to success at the polls, ___ the way to get your voice heard.

Add some more. There’s lots of options to choose from, and quite a few are true. Some years ago our 6th District US Congressman called me “Hitler,” and “a Nazi,” in a public meeting, from the platform. Why? Because I supported a conservative, pro-life candidate who was running against him.

Lately in Florence County, a number of people who want their voice to be heard in the GOP but have only volunteered for candidates in the past, have started attending local party meetings.

They wanted to have a choice in whose names go on the ballot, not just a choice of which name already on the ballot to choose on election day.

They found to their dismay and disgust that the local leadership didn’t want them. Didn’t welcome them joining in and expressing their views.  Didn’t want them speaking up, speaking out and pitching in to work. Didn’t want them sharing ideas. And sure didn’t want them inviting other folks to come too.

So we need to change that leadership.  To do that, we need other Florence County like-minded GOP voters to come to the Florence County GOP Precinct Reorganization Meetings this Saturday (March 14th) at 9 AM.

Most meetings will be at South Florence High School beginning at 9 AM. A few lower county precincts will meet at the City Fire Station down in Pamplico. If you’d like to be part of the process and need to know for sure which place to go on Saturday, email me, bettecox@bellsouth.net.

Every county in South Carolina has these precinct reorganization meetings this month, and if you live in some other South Carolina county besides Florence, check out http://www.scgop.com and look for the location in your county.

We’ll meet in little groups around the cafeteria tables, fill out some forms, elect precinct officers, and elect delegates to go to the Florence County Convention on Saturday morning April 11th. That April 11th convention is where the local leadership is elected for the  next two years!

If you want to make a difference, come Saturday!

If you don’t stand for something

you’ll fall for anything…

I dropped out of political activities after Tim died, figured there were plenty of other people to stand up, speak out, do all the things Tim and I used to do.  I did vote, but that’s about all. Then too, I wasn’t happy that the GOP leadership were blurring the lines between the parties, at least when it came to big government and big spending.

“Cheer up, things could be worse. So I cheered up, and sure enough, things got worse.” In the US, things seem to be getting worse by the minute! Not just the size of government, but in the values and issues battles that were so hard fought and many of us thought were won. With one stroke of a pen, many of those values-based victories are being undone one by one.

A few weeks ago I received a call from some acquaintances, asking for information about the Republican Party and the political process, how things worked. They wanted to get involved and needed to know how.  I was happy to share the information I had even though it was several years old, and made a few calls to get updated information.

Since then I’ve had to make a decision. Stay out? Or get in? Into the local grassroots efforts of these folks, that is. I’ve watched them roll up their sleeves, put in the effort and the hours of work, and decided it was time to come out of political retirement.

On Saturday, March 14th, the GOP has its bi-annual precinct reorganization. I’ll be there to represent my precinct and hopefully lots of other people will be there to represent theirs. We’ll see.