Getting In Front of the Coming Revolution

We are all aware of the Tea Parties, the 9/12 Movement, and the awakening of the silent majority. All this in response to the far left policies and goals of the Obama administration. However, I have heard reports that Independents are leaving the Obama camp at a high rate, but not necessarily coming into the Republican camp at the same rate. There is even talk on the internet of a third party of Patriots. I believe this would be a disaster for America. The challenge to the Republican Party is to offer these Patriots somewhere to go, and a good reason to bring a lot of their friends.

I will start the discussion with three topics that I believe must be part of the enticement to those of the Patriot mindset and the newly awaken not so silent majority: 1) Honesty, 2) A Contract, and 3) An Action Plan that everyone can participate in.


A Little Honesty:
We must be honest with America and admit that the Republicans in Washington have not been the most fiscally prudent during the Bush years or even earlier. We must take pride in the fact G.W. kept us safe after 9/11, but not much got done on reducing the size and scope of the budget. The chart below from the Heritage Foundation makes my point.

We must be honest with the American People and let them know, by strong statements by all party leaders, members, and operatives that we have heard their call for responsible government. A little humble pie goes a long way.

A Contract:
Similar to the effort in the '94 election cycle, a simple 10 - 12 item contract would give the Patriots something to grab onto and say "I stand for this ..." But the plan to implement must also be there. Each element would turn into a Solutions Group and details updated monthly as we challenge our new (and old) members to contribute specific actionable items.

After the election victory, timetables are set, U.S. code to be retired is identified and regular status updates provided. Each element leader would also prepare an educational package for use by each member of the caucus as talking points. Since not every member can be an expert in everything, teamwork is essential.

Linking the web sites to each members Congressional home page is key to having ready access. Blogs to gain input and ideas could also be created to provide Grassroots connectivity.

Action Steps for Everyone:
Not everyone can be a policy wonk or party official, but we must engage all whom desire to participate with meaningful activities. Around the election, tasks are easy to find, but even before the season, engaging the Patriots in activities is key to spreading the message. Demonstrations, marches, e-mail blitzes, and the like can be a starting point. The list could be endless.

Summary:
We who care deeply about this country do not want it torn down by the Socialist Democrats. We must unite and utilize this new found energy and forge it into a single team to educate those that remain on the sidelines. Whether you have been active in the Republican party for 25 years or 5 months, we need to do something to get in front of this energy and guide it.

We need to do it NOW. I suggest we challenge every county organization in the country to compile ideas and action items for a December '09 launch.

Conservative Contract for America v.2010

Below are my proposals for the Conservative Contract for America for this coming election cycle. The details for each item are found in a companion blog. Below the list are important measures that were overlooked in 1994 with regards to implementation.

• Firm support of our Military to win the War with Islamofacism
• Base foreign policy on the Peace Through Strength philosophy
• Cut Government spending at all levels and reduce taxes
• Create a Monetary Policy that greatly reduces the boom and bust cycles
• Move towards Energy Independence by exploring all domestic sources
• Secure the nation’s borders and enforce all current immigration laws
• Implement free market solutions to improve health care delivery
• Restructure the education of our youth
• Move Social Security to a market based solution
• Eliminate judicial tenure, and appoint only strict constructionists
• Revamp entitlement programs to support families and offers more than money
• Common sense solutions to protect the environment that does not overburden the economy
  
  Key Factors for Implementation of the Contract
  History tells us that the 1994 Contract for America was only marginally implemented. I believe it was the lack of a post election plan that lead to that failure. Below are my suggestions that I will fight for with Republican leadership:
  

• Each line item becomes a Solutions Group topic supported with caucus members from both the House and the Senate.
• Every Republican is a member of one Solutions Group. The top two leaders in each chamber may be excused.
• Each Solutions Group is charged with monthly updates to be posted on a web site as *.pdf files for review.
• The key focus within the first 100 days is to identify the specific legislative changes required to implement the plank. Identifying which sections of the US code that need to be eliminated will be a large part of the activity.
• By the end of the first 100 days, a detailed time table will be established for each plank based on the scope of each project.
• Every Republican will maintain links on their home page to the work of each Solutions Group to allow their constituents ready access to updates and the opportunity to contribute ideas.
• Each Solutions Group will identify a leader that will be the spokesperson for the caucus on their particular topic.
• Each Solutions Group will include development of educational materials to support the position and made available to each caucus member to be able to persuade the American people on why their path is best for the country.
  
  I believe that these items are what was missing after 1994. These ideas should not be new to anyone who has worked in private industry or run a large project. They are simply the actions of real leadership that will lead to actually solving problems.

Meaningful Welfare Reform - More than just Money

America is the most generous society on earth in terms of money donated to charitable causes year after year. Whether it be a flood, earthquake, or other disaster, the United States of America is there to offer a helping hand. However, at home, the cost of maintaining individuals and families on welfare year after year is too much a burden for the taxpayer. Therefore, fundamental reform is needed. I offer a concept that will extend the hand of assistance to those in need, but also challenge them to become self sufficient.

The motivation behind these concepts is the underlying premise that life is not fair. Can everyone play basketball at the level of Michael Jordan? Can everyone drive a race car like Jeff Gordon? Can everyone make deals like Donald Trump? Certainly, life is NOT fair, but rather, life is what you make of it. How many hours did Michael Jordan spending playing basketball prior to going pro? How many races did Jeff Gordon not finish on his way to the NASCAR championship? Success requires effort, desire, and a little luck. Life requires effort.

Therefore, the proposal for welfare reform is to help those that seek assistance to understand that they control their future by the amount of effort they are willing to put into their situation. Many people fail because they make poor choices, or in some cases, many poor choices. The heart of any assistance program must be to assist those to learn how to make good choices and to be self sufficient.

Some of the specifics could be:

1. Require all adults on welfare to be enrolled in adult education classes
2. Provide training on making good choices. Not what to choose, but how to weigh the costs and benefits and long and short term consequences of choices.
3. Provide relationship training. How to relate to people in a positive manner, whether it be family, friends, potential employers, or other service providers.
4. Help them to identify and or build support systems within their extended families and communities.
5. Help them learn how to manage their emotions.
6. Teach them the expectations of society at large. They need to know the unspoken rules of society.
7. Challenge them to complete all of the above within a set time frame.

The best resource I have found on this is the work of Dr. Ruby K. Payne, "A framework for Understanding Poverty" 4th edition 2005 aha process inc. Much of the list above comes from the cited work.

Merely handing out money, without support is cruel and cold. If we want to truly assist those in need, we need to understand the entire situation and support in ways that extend beyond financial. A combination of government assistance along with faith based initiatives could be the solution we have been missing to impact much of the poverty in America today.

We need to challenge those that need assistance, but we also need to challenge ourselves to respond to the whole situation with a different perspective.

An Alternative Budget Setting Process

The current level of deficit spending by Congress and the Whitehouse is unsustainable. The massive annual budget deficits only add to the $12+ Trillion national debt. That’s the number 12 with 12 zeros behind. This is what we want to leave for our children’s children? This intergenerational thief is immoral and not the sign of an intelligent society.


What I want to present here is an alternative means for setting spending targets and making decisions about the budget. Currently, Congress and the Whitehouse set their targets on what they think will help them get re-elected and “mandatory spending” programs. The alternative is based on reality and looks back three years and sets the budget on actual revenues. I believe this is a much more prudent means of fiscal responsibility then continuously piling up debt on our children’s children.


In example, say that in 2009 the Federal Government takes in $2.2 Trillion in tax revenues and fees. That would drive the budget in 2012 to be approximately $2.0 Trillion, with approximately 0.2 Trillion to pay down the $12 Trillion debt. The $2,000,000,000,000 number would be hung on the wall and be the ceiling of the budget.


Congress and the Whitehouse would have to proportion the dollars in a way that serves the Taxpayers of the country best. A prioritized list of departments, bureaus, projects, and entitlements along with the dollar amount for each would be published for review by the Taxpayers and voted on in Congress. A running total of the amount would drive a line be drawn on the list (a.k.a. “water line”) when the money runs out. If your project, bureau, or department does not make the list above the line, then there is no funding and you spend no money.


Congress and the Whitehouse would have to make their case to prioritize all programs; Department budgets, pet projects, and entitlements (personal and corporate) would either be above the water line, or get zero funding. This would have to be done each year.


This would necessitate the abandonment of the current fiscal irresponsibility and the ability to hide behind the weak argument of “mandatory spending”. Every program, bureau, and entitlement would need to be reassessed each year. Like families, small business, and private organizations, Congress will be forced to live within a budget set by the American People, not the special interests and campaign contributors.

Intergenerational thief is immoral and not sound economic policy. The insanity must be stopped.

Potential Candidate for U.S. Congress: MI-8th

Richard C. Grimes
Howell, Michigan
Potential Candidate for U.S. Congress: MI - 8th District

I am running for Congress to:

-Bring Principled Conservative Leadership to the House of Representatives with 20+ years experience in solving problems in a large organization to bear on the issues that face our country.


-Identify and help implement free market solutions for issues such as health care, the environment, education, welfare, and the domestic auto industry.

- Cut Federal spending to no more than 95% of the tax revenues collected two years previous.

- Eliminate government programs such as the bailouts of Wall Street, corporate subsidies, and payments to those in this country illegally.

-Stimulate major job growth with Lower Corporate taxes (which are the second highest in the world) and lower Capital Gains taxes, which encourage investment directly and privately into our economy.

Political Theory and Strategy:
Our Country needs new people with real work life experiences that can develop free market solutions and solve problems. We need people that can use life experiences to educate the voting public. We need new people with vision and courage that will challenge the Beltway group think.
My strategy will be to challenge everyone in a constructive manner to think and act differently, to achieve different results. I will challenge all candidates for the House to join with me and create a "Conservative Contract for America" based on timeless principles of individual liberty, balanced spending, self reliance, and limited government.

A New Approach:
Teamwork wins, whether on the sports field, on the manufacturing floor, or in solving issues facing our nation. One of my favorite operating philosophies came from a sportscaster during the Stanley Cup Finals (Professional Ice Hockey): "It is not the team with the best players that typically wins, but the players with the best team".

I have spent 20+ years in the auto industry becoming a proficient problem solver by identifying the root cause of an issue and working with all stake holders to develop an acceptable solution. Structured problem solving is a science that can be applied at all levels, in all areas. The American Society for Quality, of which I am an active member, has expanded from manufacturing to pharmaceuticals, and health care among others.

Combining Teamwork and Structured Problem Solving is the most efficient means for a large organization to make progress. Certainly, there will be disagreements, but by focusing on the issues in a structured manner, the best solutions will rise to the top. I have 20+ years experience of making things happen in exactly this way. This is what I will to take to Congress to serve the people of Michigan.

Work History
More than 20 years in the domestic auto industry, traveling the United States, Canada and Mexico, as a professional problem solver in manufacturing plants. My work was focused on technical and organizational issues at facilities not meeting their quality targets. My job was to understand the issues and challenge the organization in a constructive manner to think and act differently to achieve different results.

Family History
Raised in suburban Detroit and in Howell, MI where my father worked for automotive suppliers. Married in 1980 and adopted two children from Russia in 1996, (the homeland of my father-in-law). Spent three years living and working in Mexico as a problem solver in the auto industry then relocated to our current home in Howell to be close to my elderly parents. Our daughter is a 2009 high school graduate and our son will graduate in 2012.

Education
1973 Graduate of Howell High School
1986 B.S. degree Wayne State Univ. School of Engineering - Chemical Eng.
1988 Graduate of Dale Carnegie courses on interpersonal relations
1992 Master’s Purdue Univ. Quality and Mfg. Sciences

Political Involvement
First got active at the grassroots level in the mid 1990's but had to resign in early 2000 due to relocation to Mexico and extensive traveling. Became active again at the county and district level after the election of Nov. 2008 when the almost constant traveling stop.

Problem Solving Approach Example: The Health Care Crisis:
There are six major players in the Health Care system:
1. The Consumer
2. Health Care Providers
3. The Insurance Industry
4. Employers
5. State Governments
6. The Federal Government

The parties are listed in their relative importance in the role that they should play. Any successful free market solution must look at the interaction of all six groups. The Federal Government has failed at providing efficient health care for the poor and elderly. The States impact price and competition with over 1900 laws governing health insurance.

A free market plan would be to transform health insurance to a consumer directed plan similar to automobile insurance. Everyone has catastrophic coverage, but everything else is optional. States would need to get out of the regulatory business with their community pricing and guaranteed acceptance laws. Employers should also get out of the business and let the people have the tax advantages and make it portable.

The role of the state and federal governments would be limited to helping those with debilitating health issues.

Teamwork and structured problem solving could easily develop a solution that all could support and keep medical decisions in the hands of Americans, not bureaucrats and in addition, drive down costs.

Corporate Politics to Congressional Politics

I may have no "elected official" line items on my resume, but I have almost 25 years of structured problem solving and political experience in a large global organization. My experience has focused on solving technical and organizational issues in the auto industry that has helped my employer "close the gap" in vehicle quality to any and all competitors. This statement is supported by recent J.D. Power Initial Quality Surveys. Unfortunately, I was not involved in the business office where the tough decisions were not handled effectively.

Structured problem solving is the science of using relatively simple techniques to identify the root cause of a problem and propose cost effective solutions. Industry has several names for this process "Lean Six Sigma" and "Red X Methodologies" are but two of many. The common thread is to fully understand the customer's expectations, translate them in to product or process characteristics, and then determine the most efficient means to meet those expectations. I believe this strategy can be applied to government as well. Whether the topic is health insurance reform or border security, a structured approach to the problem will provide a solution that most can support.

My work has included forging consensus among different plants, vehicle platforms, and even global regions. Often my work has been to present a draft solution and then lead the consensus building between the various stakeholders involved or to take a collection of proposals and shape them into one coherent solution that can be widely applied. I believe these skills are indeed applicable to working in Congress to help all understand the root cause of our problems and build consensus around solution options.

During my all to frequent business travels, in lieu of playing tourist, I would read books and articles on economic policy, one of my several hobbies. I believe that through the internet and self education, there is no reason to be uninformed on any topic one chooses to pursue. I believe I have acquired a significant understanding of the science of economics and its application to government policy. The bottom line is that massive government spending did not cure the depression in the 1930s and will not work today. We need a different course.

In summary, the challenges facing our country today are serious, but not impossible. It will take people of passion, courage, and the experience at solving complex problems to deal effectively with the issues. This is why I ask for your support.

Republican Party Grassroots Quarterly - Spring 2009 A critique

Date: 29 May 2009

To: Chairman Michael Steele
Rep. John Boehner

Subject: Grassroots Quarterly - Spring 2009 A critique

The informed grassroots activist did not need a rehash of what the Socialist Democrats have been up to since 20 Jan 09. What we needed to read was an outline of some of the "Bold", "New", and "Innovative" Republican Solutions. This phrase was used at least twice in the 12 pages, but nowhere could I find an example of one of the bold new innovative solutions. The question "Where's the Beef?" came to mind.

Rep. Boehner talked about "Solutions Groups", again, an interesting phrase, but "Where's the Beef?" Where can we see their work?

Overall I give both of you a D- for content and effort. After 20+ years of communicating across a global organization to unify around common processes and projects, I feel I must offer some suggestions to make communication with the Grassroots Activists more appealing and more profitable for your organizations:

1. Change to a monthly mailing (or *.pdf) with each month focused on a topic with a report out from one of the Solutions Groups. A simple survey of who wants a hardcopy and who can handle a e-copy could reduce costs.

2. Each report is to include substantial details, numbers, graphics, and sources that can be used by local and state candidates.

3. Each Solution Group maintains a web site where interested activists may keep abreast of their progress and post ideas that may move the development of the solution set along.

4. Each Solution Group has a target date for completion, no later than May of 2010 to allow candidates to utilize the information as they prepare to win in November.

I have made my living challenging people and organizations to think and act differently to achieve different results. Based on the last two election cycles, I would say that the RNC needs a healthy dose of different.

For the sake of this Great Country: Lead, Follow, or get the Hell out of the way.

Sincerely,

Richard C. Grimes
Revolutionary Conservative
Howell, Michigan

Conservatives and Race

I and my fellow conservatives have experience at being labeled "racists, bigots, homophobes, etc..." However, I would like to present an argument that if you want to have a post-racial discussion of the issues, then find a True Conservative. Because we are the ones that see only issues and ideas, consider only effort and passion, not gender, pigment in the skin, cultural heritage, or religion. True Conservatives focus on the issues, not the speaker. We will listen to all constructive ideas.

During my almost 25 years in the auto industry I have worked for and with people from all races, genders, and a large percentage of industrial cultures of the world. One day while walking down the main corridor at our engineering center, I encountered people speaking no fewer than five different languages. During my three years while on assignment in Mexico, I learned a lot about seeing America through the eyes of another culture. In addition to my work, my wife and I adopted our children from her father's homeland of Russia. Spending only ten days in country taught me so much about the passion that people have towards children and the dangers of a socialist state. I have first hand knowledge that there are indeed, good people everywhere you go.

True Conservatives, when working on a solution to an issue do not care where the ideas and contributions come from. We care only about completing the mission at hand. We will work with anyone that demonstrates passion, integrity, and energy to solve a problem.

We do not engage in identity politics, we don't talk in a local drawl when we go down south, we don't pander to a particular group. We don't think that it is un-American to enforce our immigration laws. We only want to move the solution set forward to completion and help all Americans have a better chance at the American Dream.

True Conservatives do not appreciate the labels of "Afro-American, Hispanic-American, and the like. We prefer the terms of "Americans of (insert cultural name here) descent. We must recognize that we are in this great experiment together, and that we sink or swim together.

We don't care that not every sports team or career classification has the "politically correct" proportion of each ethnic group. We care only about passion, integrity, and contribution. If your child was sick or injured, would you care about the diversity of the medical team? Hopefully you would only care about their competence and experience.

At the same time, we recognize that there have been injustices in the past. Slavery, segregation, and the Jim Crow laws that were part of the culture of America until the 1960s were dark stains on our nation's history. But in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King, we have accepted the challenge to look into a person's heart and soul when we make judgments, not merely at their pigment level, which rest room they use, or how they pray. We do this to honor those that paid the price of the struggle many decades ago and we teach our children the same. True Conservatives, and others, believe that we have come a long way over the last 50+/- years.

Therefore, if you want to discuss the issues in a post-racial environment, find a true Conservative.