By ROB GLEASON
After reading some of the recent commentary in this newspaper regarding the Republican Party of Pennsylvania's efforts to strengthen and rebuild our party's organization in Philadelphia, I thought it would be appropriate to explain why creating a stronger party organization is so important, not only to the future of the party, but also to the City of Brotherly Love.
First, it's critical that the voters of every community, including this city, have a choice when it comes to voting for elected officials. There must be checks and balances on power, and as we have witnessed firsthand in Philadelphia, one-party rule breeds corruption, empty promises, a dysfunctional school system, debt, higher taxes and failed agendas. In one congressional district, more 30 percent of the people go to bed hungry; in two others, people are fleeing at a nationally high rate. One-party rule has driven the city into chaos that has not only been tolerated but encouraged by an entrenched Democratic machine.
But while the Democratic elected officials should shoulder most of the blame for these issues, and rightfully so, the Republican Party must also bear some of the burden for the perennial crises that exist in the city. The GOP City Committee has failed Philadelphia by refusing to compete in nearly every election in recent memory, including last year, when they had their slate of judicial candidates remove their names from the ballot.
The primary role of the GOP in Philadelphia should be recruiting and electing candidates who espouse the principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility, not serving as ballot placeholders whose focus has become appeasing the city's Democratic machine.
I'm aware that rebuilding our party will take time, but isn't the future of this city worth the fight? In the coming months and years, the GOP must build an organization not only willing to run meaningful races against Democratic candidates, but prepared to shift the political conversation of this city back to the needs of the people. Philadelphia needs candidates who question the status quo, demand debates on critical issues and are prepared to make the sacrifices necessary to return the city to prosperity. While all that may take years, my short-term hope is that we'll begin to elect a few Republicans who can monitor what's going on in City Hall.
I'm also concerned about improving the Republican Party's chances of winning statewide elections. Unfortunately, the damage caused by this entrenched machine-style political climate extends far past the city limits as the surrounding counties have also been affected by these political failures.
Countless Philadelphians who've been forced to flee the city to get away from the crime, high taxes, poor schools and poor services have moved into counties that have prospered under GOP control.
That's created a challenge for our Republican organizations in those suburban counties, as nearly all of these Philadelphians have taken their Democratic registrations with them. Thankfully, our county parties in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties have been able to overcome this rising tide of Democratic registrations by being well organized and putting up more qualified candidates than the competition.
In short, they've simply had to work harder. How else can you explain the fact that each of those counties remains in solid Republican control?
But it's become impossible for the other 66 county parties that make up the state GOP to ignore the hopelessness of the Philadelphia situation, especially when they were forced to watch helplessly as Barack Obama rolled to a 470,000 majority in 2008. That night, I vowed we would never witness that again under my watch. That's why, as chairman of the state party, I'm focused on rebuilding and strengthening our party in Philadelphia.
While I've been disappointed with the recent actions of the city GOP leadership, I'm open to working with them to help recruit new Republicans in every part of the city. We must build a stronger, more effective organization, and we need all Republicans who share that mission on one team.
My goals, as I've listed above, are for the betterment of two things I love: the great city of Philadelphia, where I went to college, and the Republican Party of Pennsylvania. I look forward to the challenge that lies ahead, and the better days to come for my party and this city.