Points to Ponder

By now, everyone knows about the current (sad) state of finances over at the CRNC. I do have to ask, though, are you surprised? If you are surprised, you are indeed naive. Some big donors have pulled the plug on funding them, instead looking to other youth organizations or a more local GOP group to support. Besides the lack of funds incoming, they hired a record number of field reps for this fall (46 by my count in August) and raised the housing allowance 25% to $500. Even if you give yourselves in the office a pay cut for the election season, you are still going to have problems.
Enough of that, though, because no one should be shocked or taken aback at the news. The common sense solution here is to do a better job of fundraising while being as fiscally conservative as possible. If that meant hiring a few less field reps initially to stay in the black, then that is what has to be done. Everyone should understand having a few less reps for the sake of keeping away from Chapter 13. We want to do as much as possible to win elections, but I would like to think that CRs would prefer to still exist as an organization for the next election. Speaking of financial matters, I have been informed that the field program run in Ohio by the OCRF came in well under budget, by at least $35,000 when all is said and done (probably will be higher than this).
It is pretty clear that anyone running around with "compromise" tickets for the upcoming elections (or circus, which I prefer to call it) is just plain wrong. Now, for those who have followed the CR scene for some time, you will remember that Nick Miccarelli's name was floated in the summer by some folks as a consensus draft candidate. Being that he is not interested in running, the people still running around talking him up are wasting their time. Anyone who says Brent Ludeman is a consensus candidate should probably check themselves into the nearest asylum; Charlie Smith is sailing in the same boat. Sure, the two are in the race, but latest word has them announcing at the December in Denver grand gala. Seeing that this race normally shakes out in late winter/CPAC time, this is extremely too early. Besides that, I cannot see them garnering widespread support outside of the Western Caucus (and this I doubt as well).
One more final thought on the CRNC Field Program (for now), and the results it produced this fall. Though there are many stories waiting to be told in the coming weeks and months, I still see the field program as a very good thing with enormous upside and potential. Even with the lack of production of some reps and the underhanded, deceitful dealings with some state federations and individual chapters, new CRs were still recruited and CRs nationwide put in long hours and did the grunt work for numerous campaigns and issues. This program continues to set our organization apart from our counterparts, the College Democrats. However, we must not rest on our laurels and think that it is perfect by any measure; there is always room for innovation and improvement. This absolutely must be a key plank in any winning CRNC candidate's platform in 2007.