Healing Charlottesville
Inspiration for Charlottesville Republican party.October 29, 2001Dear Chairman of the Charlottesville Republican Party, The purpose of this public correspondence is to inspire the local Republican Party. Your members are disheartened because their vote in the House of Delegates does not count this year. The Democratic incumbent Mitch Van Yahres is running unopposed even while he says his party "needs new people. I’m an old people" (Daily Progress). The Republican Party offers no opposition. If I suddenly found myself as the chairman of the city Republican Party, here is what I would do: .. Issue a press release listing write-in options to Van Yahres. I would explain how tricky it is for a write-in to be valid. The last-minute candidates send a message of strength to the Democratic Party for the next election. Potential Candidates:
None of these will win. But their votes generate publicity. .. Spend every last penny in the treasury to advertise this strategy. The bold move will energize party members and take attention away from the Democrats. Donations will refill the treasury. .. Begin a weekly column in the Sunday classifieds of the Daily Progress and a regular radio address as funds permit. This "newsletter" would get out the party’s vision. An airing of local issues will further weaken the incumbent party. On election day, I will write in my uncle Thomas Dowell for Delegate as a way to honor his ongoing commitment to this community. For the other offices, I will vote Earley, Reams, Kilgore. I tell you this because people are asking me how they should vote. They want to stand up for democracy. The Charlottesville Democratic Party is searching for a mandate. In the last council election, one in four registered voters voted. A little more than half of those votes went to the Democrats. For every Democratic vote, six or more voters did not vote Democratic. The local government has disconnected from the majority. Moving elections to November is a way for Democrats to build a mandate. But it is a risky gamble. Council is ready to take that risk for several reasons. History teaches that one party cannot rule forever. Council legislative agenda is being challenged on principle by a growing number of people. Councilors realize they lack moral authority. But they are unwilling to step aside and admit there is a better idea. They themselves are bewildered that they remain in power. Meanwhile, the opposition party is too weak to take advantage of the weaknesses of the incumbent party. You have the power to change that. Sincerely,
Blair Hawkins Posted
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