A letter from Ken Blackwell, former Ohio secretary of state and candidate for chairman of the Republican National Committee, to members of the RNC:
December 22, 2008
Dear RNC Member:
After Christmas, you will make an extraordinarily important decision that will affect the future of the Republican Party and the country.
Among the candidates for Chairman, I am proposing the most comprehensive reform of the way the RNC operates. I will be releasing my Conservative Resurgence Plan shortly after the New Year. In the meantime, please allow me to offer some specific ideas about how we can make the fundamental changes that we need to implement a genuine 50-state strategy and rebuild our party:
1) Once each quarter, I will hold a 4-person conference call with each state. The calls will be for the three members and me only-no staff, except that I may have a secretary listen in to make detailed notes for me. We will discuss what is going on in your state and how the RNC can help.2) I will implement an aggressive revenue-sharing plan to help fund state party organizations. Each quarter, the RNC will transfer 10% of its net fundraising proceeds to state party organizations, divided according to the amount received from donors in each state.
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3) I will secure a major speaker for each state party once per year to appear at a fundraising event, with all proceeds going to the state party. This is something relatively easy for the RNC to do and relatively difficult for many state parties to do.
4) I will allocate millions of dollars to the precinct organizations in our party to rebuild from the ground up. The Obama campaign learned in the Wards of Chicago how to organize at the precinct level and we cannot allow them to hold that advantage nationwide. It will take a substantial investment of resources at the local level that is unprecedented in our party’s recent history. We will invest the resources in recruitment, training, and development of precinct organizers across the country so that we have the grassroots base required for a successful ground game.
As you enjoy your holidays, if you are like me, your mind may occasionally drift to politics. If so, please consider these ideas for a dramatic overhaul in the way the RNC operates. If you like these ideas you will love our plan. Small cosmetic changes are not adequate.
If you agree, please consider joining our efforts to completely rebuild the RNC with an emphasis on the states.
I look forward to speaking with you soon.
Merry Christmas!
Sincerely,
Ken Blackwell