Republicans everywhere need to put the push on. We have some very stupid people out there who don't like Bush and will not vote for a republican because of HIM!! Bizarre to say the least...but that truly is the mentality out there. So people better get out there and take a very close look at that ideology and see that that mentality will only lead to a one party system. DANGEROUS!!!

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“It takes a strong candidate who is well-financed with the right message,” Buchanan said.
    A perceived crisis also could become an election issue. “The voters will make a change when the need arises,” Buchanan said. “They may not think the crime is bad enough yet or the taxes aren’t just high enough yet, but when they do — we’ll be there to govern the city.”

A "wait and see" attitude!  That's the type of leadership that the Republicans offer?  This is the most disappointing article I've read about local politics in a while. This guy Buchanan is a moron.

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“Are we able to attract quality candidates? Yes. Are we able to field them for every seat? No,” he said. “In the city, the Republicans need to reach out to a broader base of new voters.”

How do Republicans expect to reach out to a broader base of voters when the party chair Buchanan was just quoted in the same article stating that "The voters will make the change when the need arises".  I am dumbfounded!  How do you reach out to the voters while waiting for the voters to change?  Aren't leaders supposed to provoke change by articulating their message against the majority party?  Unless Mr. Buchanan is satisfied with the way the Democrats are managing the County and the City.

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“It takes a strong candidate who is well-financed with the right message,” Buchanan said.

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“They may not think the crime is bad enough yet or the taxes aren’t just high enough yet, but when they do — we’ll be there to govern the city.”

Well Mr. Buchanan, maybe the right message would be that Republicans are going to do a better job fighting crime and lowering taxes?  Don't sit back and wait for the people to realize this, be a little pro-active and bring that message to the people.  

I wouldn't' give a dime to the Republican party with this worthless bum running it.  

The Rotterdam Reps better get their rear in gear and start acting on SOMETHING!! If not it will be a democratic sweep in the next election.

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“They may not think the crime is bad enough yet or the taxes aren’t just high enough yet, but when they do — we’ll be there to govern the city.”

That's true leadership if ya ask me.....the state 'fines' healthcare centers for less.....

Think Term Limits ! If they don't make it a career they are less likely to do things to just get reelected? Maybe?

Term limits should definitely be in place for ALL elected governmental political positions. But who can we get to ever pass that law?

There's only one problem with term limits.  When you finally get the right people into office, and they finally get to a point where they can do what they need to do, they usually would have to leave by then.  Remember how things were back in the 80's?  Now, I don't know if Reagan would have run for a third term if it was a possibility, but wouldn't this country be in a much better state if he had?  I mean besides the fact that we wouldn't have had to deal with Bush Sr. for 4 years, we may have also avoided 8 years of Mr. Clinton, and maybe it wouldn't have filled Mrs. Clinton's head so full of hot air that she thinks she's going to win in a walk this November.

http://www.dailygazette.com

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‘We value your opinion. Please send it in, along with your check for $11’

    Just the other day, I received a very important letter from the National Republican Committee [NRC]. It said that I was among a select group of Republicans who have been chosen to take part in the official 2008 census of the Republican Party. It said that this document ”was assigned and prepared especially for you as a representative of all Republicans in your voting district.”
    The NRC is the only national GOP organization charged with helping win Republican victories, from the courthouse to the White House. They have asked me for my opinion. I swelled with pride. Or was it gas? The questions were simple, slanted and uncompromising; no space for comments or nuances. For example:
    “Do you support the use of force against any country that offers safe harbor or aid to individuals or organizations committed to further attacks on America?” Does that suggest we should consider bombing Iran, Palestine, Syria and Jordan, or just invading them?
    “Do you agree that sowing the seeds of democracy and freedom in the Middle East is a worthy goal?” Some countries have already freely elected their leaders, and we don’t like the results, so I guess that means invasion — pull down the government and establish a new one — as in Iraq.
    “Should we make our fight against the Democrats’ massive tax hikes a central part of the 2008 campaign?” I didn’t know that the Democrats proposed massive tax hikes, but that is one way of balancing the budget.
    “Should Republicans fight for a balanced budget?” Certainly, our federal government should stop spending money uselessly. That is another way to balance the budget.
    Then came the pitch; “I am enclosing my most generous contribution of $500, $250 ...” and so on, with a minimum of “$11 to cover the cost of tabulating my survey.” That seems like an expensive tabulation indeed. The alternative reply was “No, I favor electing liberal Democrats over the next 10 years.” How did they calculate 10 years? I can see four or eight years, but not 10. Perhaps they were thinking of the federal courthouses.
    By this time, I knew it was gas.
    I did not send in my survey form, or my money, but I did write this letter as a contribution to our Republican campaign.
    KERNAN DAVIS
    Scotia

A few years ago I received a similar survey from the National Republican Committee, I filled it out and sent it in.  That was the biggest mistake of my life.  I started receiving mailers from them atleast every day and sometimes two or three pieces of mail a day.  They called me relentlessly and every time asking for money.  When I told them no, they would always resort to calling me a liberal democrat.  I had no choice but to resort to calling them #$%%, and demanding they take me off their list.  It took a while but they finally did.  

There needs to be a new local party organized.  Grassroots style.  There are many Republicans and conservative independents who vote Republican just because they won't vote the Democrat alternative.  And Republicans count on being the lesser of two evils choice for those conservatives and independents.  Believe it or not, there are still people out there who want to vote for a candidate based on their principles and not just their party affiliation. The local conservative party and independent party never run a candidate, they just endorse one of the two major parties, hoping to use the little political clout they do have, to get party bosses and the organizations they represent in favorable status when negotiating with elected officials.  For example, the Conservative party being hijacked by the RPD, and Chief Hamilton.

I believe there should be a PEOPLES PARTY FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNING, for those who want an alternative from the two major parties as well as the two minor parties, deeply entrenched and corrupting effect on Schenectady County politics.

I was re-reading the article "GOP expects long road to success".  I found a quote that I thought was backwards.

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But Buchanan said a city Republican could be elected even now, without the grass-roots foundation that may take years to build.
    “It takes a strong candidate who is well-financed with the right message,” Buchanan said.

I don't know about anybody else, but I would be more inclined to donate to a Republican with the right message, rather than donate my money to the party and hope that they find a candidate with right message.

It sounds to me that Republicans look for money fist, message second.  

They wonder why they have trouble fund raising locally.  

[quoted by Cicero]Believe it or not, there are still people out there who want to vote for a candidate based on their principles and not just their party affiliation. [/quote]

That is good to know.  I find more people with that attitude than with the "party loyal" attitude when campaigning in D'burg.

[quoted by Cicero]I believe there should be a PEOPLES PARTY FOR RESPONSIBLE GOVERNING, for those who want an alternative from the two major parties as well as the two minor parties, deeply entrenched and corrupting effect on Schenectady County politics.[/quote]

How is Michael doing with his new party?  I fear that even if a new party were formed and was successful it would only be a matter of time before it became no different than the major parties, looking out for their own special interest.

As for the money, it is really too bad that the focus is on funding a campaign, but the sad fact is thats what it takes.  Even with a strong candidate from either party it takes money and lots of it to get your message out.  Literature is expensive, postage is expensive.  Assume a candidate can hit every door in District #4, at the cost of fuel this too is very expensive.  Especially when you are wandering around in Duanesburg and Princetown.  The houses are so spread out you can't walk other than in the hamlets so you have to drive.

I love your scales of balance!!  Ain't that the truth?

First, on a whole, I do not feel that I am being represented by either party.

Second, in order to form a grass roots effort, you need informed people. Unfortunatley it is becoming hard pressed to find them.

I've been thinking about the same type of thing.  And I think I came up with a name for it last night.  

The Patriot Party.

And we already have our charter.  It's this old thing some people may have heard of...the Constitution.