It's the Message

Republican leaders are learning it is the way the message is presented that counts in today's world.  In a country that is too busy to sit down and read or research the candidates, the candidates need to tailor the message for the busy voter.

---

Thomas Ferraro  (Reuters)

January 23, 2013

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Ending a self-imposed silence about the November election, 2012 Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said on Wednesday that he and presidential running mate Mitt Romney lost not because of ideas, but due to ineffective communication.

Ryan said Democratic President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden also prevailed because they did a better job with "technology and (voter) turnout."

"We have to learn that," said Ryan, chairman of the House of Representatives Budget Committee. "We have to fix that."

Ryan made the comments at a breakfast with reporters sponsored by the Wall Street Journal as the eight-term Republican ended his silence and spoke out.

Asked what voters were saying to Republicans on Election Day, Ryan suggested that they did not understand what his party was about.

"We have to do a better job of explaining and demonstrating why our ideas are better" on such issues as fighting poverty and helping people move up "the ladder of life," Ryan said.

"There are a lot of people who just don't think or know that we have good ideas on these fronts," Ryan said.

From State Treasurer Dan Rutherford:

Fitch Ratings announced that the agency has placed Illinois’ general obligation bonds rating on negative watch. Fitch decided to do this because of the state’s inability "to address its large and growing unfunded pension liability." The next step could potentially be the downgrade of the state’s credit rating from Fitch. Failure to enact pension reforms will eventually bring Illinois to its financial breaking point, and it will be worse than any fiscal calamity we have seen thus far in this state. Our state’s credit rating cannot afford to take another hit.

Furthermore, it has now been two years since Governor Pat Quinn’s 66% income tax hike was passed, and though it was billed as a measure that would help solve the state’s financial problems, money matters in Illinois have only gotten worse. On January 11, 2011, the state’s backlog of bills was reportedly $8.5 billion. Today the state owes vendors nearly $9 billion dollars.

In the past decade, the state’s bonded debt has nearly tripled. Illinois’ debt is colossal and growing-- our debt obligations now exceed $200 billion. It is estimated that the failure to address the state’s pension liability is costing the state at least $17 million per day. It is beyond irresponsible to let this continue. The state needs to reign in the pension escalation and not use long-term borrowing as a solution to this problem.

The following persons have been appointed Assistant Deputy State Central Committeemen (women) for the new Tenth Congressional District Republican Organization:

1. Avon:  Erik Woerkmann;
2. Benton: Awaiting Township Chairwoman's recommendation;
3. Fremont: Jeri Atelson;
4. Grant: Awaiting Township Chairwoman's recommendation;
5. Lake Villa: John Lorentzen;
6. Libertyville: Richard Davis;
7. Moraine: Louis Atsaves;
8. Newport: Joseph Neal;
9. Shields: Jan Gibson;
10. Vernon: Leslie Munger;
11. Warren: Michael Amrozowicz/George Iler
12. Waukegan: Robert Ramey
13. West Deerfield: Lauren Turelli;
14. Zion: Martha Korpi/Gregory Jacobs
15. Maine: Awaiting Township Chairwoman's recommendation;
16. New Trier: Katie Dold White;
17. Northfield: Awaiting Township Chairman's recommendation
18. Wheeling: Awaiting Township Chairwoman's recommendation