M O N T H LY

N E W S L E T T E R

MAY, 2013

T U L S A C O U N T Y G O P S TAT E COMMITTEE
By Joanna Francisco With our county and state conventions behind us, it is time to return our focus to the important work of education, activism, and outreach in our precincts, our community, and beyond. The starting place for me is helping people understand basic political and philosophical concepts such as the role of the individual in the governing process and the proper role of government in a free society. Although politicians, academia, the media, and most folks out there may not know it or believe it, the individual is the highest authority in American government. We The People created our government, charged it with certain very limited and defined duties, and it is OUR responsibility to hold our representatives accountable to the oath that they all swore -- to obey and uphold the Constitution. When our representatives fall short, merely complaining about it or shouting at the TV are not very productive ways to hold our representatives accountable, but I bet we could think of some ways that would produce lasting, positive results: Education. Office holders who fall short didnt just come out of nowhere. They were electedby US! So for starters, both voters and elected officials need to correctly understand the proper role of government to protect the life, liberty, and property of its citizens. Essentially it comes down to this: Government is the common force (the collective organization of the individual right to lawful defense) that is limited to only that which the individual can lawfully do defend life, liberty, and property. Until voters and elected officials grasp this concept, we will continue to be represented by people who claim to stand for the Constitution and limited government, but who, once in office, justify trampling our natural rights for our own good and exponentially increasing the size and scope of government under the guise of keeping us safe and secure. Additionally, free people do not need to have committees of other people planning the minutia of their lives and micro-managing their businesses and personal lives through force. That thinking is antithetical to the American tradition. Therefore, educating voters and their representatives on the legitimate purpose of government is crucial for restoring the American tradition of properly restrained government on all levels. By TC Ryan Friday, March 29, 7:00am I awoke, dressed, and shot out the door. Today was my first State Committee meeting as an elected official. We packed the car with luggage and people and headed toward OKC. It was a beautiful day. Windows were down, Muse was playing in the background, and conversation filled the air. We hit the open road. 11:30pm 65mph - 60mph - 50mph The car was slowingOn the turnpike...My foot on the gas The car, seemingly with a mind of its own, decided that it was tired of all this acceleration nonsense and no longer wanted to put in the effort to go faster than about 55mph. Apparently it wasnt as excited for the convention as we all were. After a stop at a mechanic shop in some random side town, we realized the car wouldnt be repaired anytime soon. We thanked the mechanic for taking the time to look under the hood and got back on the road. Slowly. Very, very, slooowly. 1:47pm and Route 66 was the only safe way to go at this point. 55mph - 45mph - 40mph (We tried to go uphill.) After the longest road trip to OKC I have ever experienced, we made it to the State Committee meeting at 3:45pm. The meeting adjourned a little after 4:00pm. The convention Saturday went very smoothly. Kudos to Matt Pinnell. Congratulations to David Weston and Sara Jo Odom, our new state Chair and Vice-Chair. State Rep. Gus Blackwell did a fantastic job serving as convention chair. Now that the conventions have all ended, I am excited to focus all my time and energy on education, interaction, and outreach in Tulsa County! "Whoever wants lastingly to establish good government must start by trying to persuade his fellow citizens and offering them sound ideologies. . . . There is no hope left for a civilization when the masses favor harmful policies." - Ludwig von Mises I had the opportunity to attend a Washington County Young

Activism. There are so many opportunities for activism in Tulsa County. Anyone who has ever attempted to visit all of the area Republican clubs knows this. Our clubs are wonderful venues for interacting with our elected officials and for fellowship with other republicans. Sometimes activism involves more hands-on approaches such as attending government meetings and engaging the representatives in dialogue, public speaking, organizing or working on campaigns, lobbying at the capitol, organizing and/or attending a rally, promoting an issuereally the opportunities are endless and limited only by our creativity. Outreach. The best place to start is right in our own backyards our precincts. The most effective precinct officers do not regard their precincts as exclusive clubs. Rather, they utilize their role by reaching out to all registered republicans within a defined area. We should all be good stewards of our offices by demonstrating inclusivity. If you are not a precinct officer or do not know your precinct chair, take the initiative to contact them. Begin working in your neighborhood to bring people into the party through educational, informational, or social events. Get creative and have fun. Share your good ideas with other precincts.

Republicans meeting recently and was excited to see so many young and engaged conservatives in the room. I believe through YR and a new group of which I am a part, Liberty on Tap, we can reach out to young conservative minded individuals in Tulsa County. Liberty on Tap held its first meeting May 2nd in which around 25 - 30 people were in attendance. Our goals for Liberty on Tap are to have open discussion, promote liberty through education, and activate conservatives in Tulsa County for the Republican Party. I am excited to see what is in store for next months meeting! There are a number of really great Republican groups in Tulsa County: Tulsa 9.12 Project, Republican Womens Club, Tulsa County Republican Mens Club, OKforTEA, After Five Club, just to name a few. If you have yet to join an organization or attend one of the many meetings throughout Tulsa County, I challenge you to do so. One of the best ways in which we can have an impact in our community for the cause of conservatism and liberty is to be informed and actively involved! If you have not done so, please Like us on Facebook @ Facebook.com/TulsaGOPCommittee to stay up-to-date! TC Ryan State Committeeman TRyan@TulsaGOP.org

Education. Activism. Outreach. A group of Tulsa Republicans representing a variety of ages and stages of life has begun a social/ educational group for people who are interested in learning more about such subjects as the role of the individual in the governing process, the philosophy of liberty, and the proper role of government. Its called Liberty On Tap. Through this organization, we hope to reach people who are not yet connected to the party but whose philosophy lines up with the founders of our Republic and the Republican Party platform. We met for the first time last Thursday and it was a blast. Have an idea? Get creative and act! Joanna Francisco State Committeewoman j2and4@sbcglobal.net

MONTHLY CONTRIBUTOR: SAMANTHA JONES

On April 29th, I, along with State Committeeman TC Ryan, attended a young conservatives forum hosted by Joe Beffer in Washington County with guest Congressman Jim Bridenstine. There were roughly 30 young conservatives in the crowd representing a variety of young Republican divisions: high school Republicans, college Republicans and young adult Republicans. In many ways, the forum was incredibly encouraging. These next generation conservatives understood issues better than most voting adults. But the one thing that stood out the most is one of the first topics of discussion. When asked why it so difficult to get involved and encourage others to get involved the answer was: We didn't feel accepted. Several of the twenty somethings discussed how difficult it was to initially get involved because they were treated differently. At times, the GOP still treats kids like they are kids, making derogatory comments about college kids in their dorms. But we can't have it both ways. We can't get upset that the Democrats win the youth and then not treat them equally when youth show up. There is an idea that youth today just don't care. They are too busy and uninformed. I challenge ourselves to go beyond this stereotype by looking at those who are activated. Right now, there is an emerging generation who is wired differently. We are a war weary, distrustful generation surfacing with college diplomas in a jobless economy, saddled with thousands in debt. We see through promises of government support and realizing we are bankrupting ourselves faster than ever before. We are excited by the idea of opting out of social security and other forced programs. We value privacy and independence. We tire of the lies from empty promises and yearn for the truth. I think it's time we let these young folks in. These people in the room had ideas, drive and enthusiasm. They were excited by hearing their Congressman ask their opinion on issues. They are a force the GOP needs to understand before they can embrace. And know that they are waiting. They are waiting to be brought into the fold and waiting to be heard.