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In order to clarify some issues surrounding the Wisconsin State College Republican Convention this weekend, Chairwoman Mary Burke, recently highlighted in the Marquette Tribune for her great work, issued the following statement (posted on the WI College Republicans website):

April 19, 2007 OFFICIAL STATEMENT Mary Ellen Burke, WICR State Chair

The decision to host this year’s WICR State Convention in Stevens Point, Wis. was made on a conference call Jan. 5, 2007. John Connors did not announce his candidacy until Mar. 27, 2007, almost two months later. The decision was not political. The convention location has been at the home school of a chairman candidate for the last three years in a row, and Marquette hosted the convention last year. Two major factors were taken into consideration when deciding between the submitted convention bids from Marquette, UW-Madison and UW-Stevens Point.

1. Cost- When chapter chairs were asked at the Summer Leadership Conference in Madison last July how the state federation could assist chapters, the response was unanimous—reduce the cost of state convention. With hotel and registration fees, along with membership dues, state convention adds up for individual chapters, especially the smaller ones.

UW-Stevens Point offered the best financial package out of the three submitted bids with reduced hotel fees and quality facilities. The registration fee per person this year is $27, a significantly lower cost than previous years. As state chair, I have the responsibility to make prudent and responsible decisions regarding the financial security of the federation.

All funding from the UW-Stevens Point student government has been dedicated solely to paying for the convention. This funding has not come close to covering the total cost of convention; the UW-SP CR chapter has generously paid out of its individual chapter account for many of the expenses.

WICRs has not and will not fund the election campaigns of individual members running for a state e-board position.

2. Attendance- State Convention is one of the few opportunities throughout the year that every chapter is invited to come together, an experience that is vital to build a sense of unity in the federation. A few chapters in the northern part of the state had difficulty traveling to Marquette for convention last year.

UW-Stevens Point is centrally located in the state, providing equal opportunity for all chapters to attend. This year, I’m proud to report that there are almost 100 people attending from 15 different chapters. Last year’s attendance was half that number.

The Wisconsin Federation of College Republicans is proud to host this year’s state convention in Stevens Point and will continue to make decisions in the best interest of the federation now and in the future.

In preparation for this weekend’s Wisconsin College Republican’s state convention, I have asked the candidates to provide a quick biography and picture for GOP3.com readers. Here is the info on both candidates:

Ryan Wrasse

As I contemplated running for Chair of the Wisconsin College Republicans, I asked some of my CR friends what qualities they wanted to see in the next WICR Chair. Many, if not all, said they wanted someone with experience, time to commit to the orgnaizaiton, a devotion to the Party and the ability to follow through with promises. I strongly felt that I held those qualities, but it wasn’t until many of you expressed your confidence and trust in my abilities to lead and accomplish goals, that I trully decided to run for this position.

At a very young age I understood the fundamental principles of keeping government as far away from our personal lives as possible, believing in the American Dream and fighting hard for our strong morals and values…I just didn’t know how or where to express my ideas. I was looking for a way to help out and fight for what I truly believed in. With no young conservative groups around, my county party was the solution to what I had been looking for. I quickly moved up the ranks of leadership, and shortly after coming into the group, was elected chairman. As a young conservative working closely with the generation of Republicans ahead of me, I gained a unique perspective on where the Republican Party was headed, the challenges it faced and how the next generation of conservative leaders could be part of the solution.

One of the challenges our organization always faces is the turnover in leadership every single year. Early on, I decided that before making any distinctively new campaign promises, we should finish the promises we’ve already made. Mary Ellen Burke has done a fantastic job pushing our organization forward, but we have more to finish and more to improve on. My number one priority has been and will remain strengthening the communication between chapters and state leadership. Our organization only works successfully if the state and regional leaders hear what our chapters are saying.

As we continue to move up the ladder of leadership, we can never forget this fundamental principle: the most important work happens at the grassroots. The voter-to-voter contact that wins elections happens at the grassroots, on individual campuses. As state chair, I will always remember where I came from and how we win elections, and that’s why I will always think from the grassroots on up!

Ryan Wrasse is running with current treasuruer Brandon Goetzman of UW-Madison, who is seeking reelection..

Blog: www.wrasse4chair.com
Email: wrasse4chair@yahoo.com
Facebook

John Connors

John Connors is a Junior at Marquette University studying Business Finance and Entrepreneurship. He has been involved in campus and statewide leadership his entire college career. As a freshman, John served as a senator for the Marquette Student Government and interned for the Milwaukee County Executive, Scott Walker. He left the county to develop the youth campaign for Scott Walker’s race for governor. After Scott bowed out, John began working for Americans for Prosperity where he could continue his grassroots enthusiasm and apply his desires for public policy reform by getting students involved in AFP’s free market and limited government issues. John ran Perfecto Rivera’s late entry and up hill battle for the WI’s 4th Congressional District. As Treasurer of the MUCR’s, Connors brought in thousands of dollars for activites and this Spring, AG John Ashcroft. John is from a small town in Northern Wisconsin where his family owns a timber company and is an outdoors enthusiast in the winter months with a love of snowmobiling, skiing, and ice fishing.

[This biography had to be edited for length, John Connors is running with Tom Burton]

Why We are Running….
Because together, we will be not only the best leaders for Wisconsin’s Federation, but we will rebuild this organization so that the WICR’s become the model for other states across the country. Wisconsin becoming a national leader?

Absolutely.

It is clear, each of us has the leadership to accelerate the state CR committee to a new level but we will not undermine what the WI College Republican Federation is right now.

Currently, Wisconsin has one of the best group infastructures and one of the most solid grassroots network of college republicans in the country, all thanks to the current leadership team. But, improvements in organizational leadership, relationships with other groups especially the state party, communications to all members and the diversity of state wide membership is vital to making Wisconsin the model for the nation.

This is why we are running. We feel we can rebuild this group to a new level not just historically but nationally. To rebuild the Wisconsin CR’s we have to train our leaders. We will bring back fall leadership training and make it as extensive as ever- and with no doubt, it will be fun. Wisconsin is too big and our schools are too random to have Congressional Districts which is why we are working to regionalize our chapters and create regional chairs with more authority. Working with the state party and The Wisconsin Federation of Republican Women, we will diversify our membership with on-campus groups and through the technology, which should have long been implemented, we will provide a monthly e-newsletter and event/news updates via email. Also, 2007 will be a vital development year. To ensure that we can afford the training, communications and most importantly, the fun, we need to make sure we build lasting relationships with our best financial support. With our record as campus and state leaders, there’s no question.

We hope you will be eager to learn more about us and the future of the Wisconsin College Republicans. Visit our web site www.rebuildwi.org or our facebook group or by email to the campaign, rebuildwi@yahoo.com.

Chairman john.connors@mu.edu 414-708-1009
Vice Chairman burtonb@uwec.edu 715-456-1635

A blast from the past to get fired up for 2008. This CNN Inside Politics footage is from the 2004 elections (aired on 10/29/04) and details student activism on Marquette University’s campus. Special thanks to Melissa Lopez for pulling it from the archives (and being a driving force for the CRs as part of the leadership team at that time).

Via Professor McAdam’s blog, we read about the Marquette University College Democrats recent war vigil(this past Tuesday):

This afternoon, at 6:00 p.m. in the Westown Square, the College Democrats will be having a vigil to honor the soldiers who have been killed in Iraq.

The proceedings will consist of a prayer, and the reading of the names of those who have lost their lives in the four years of the war.

We have heard about these types of vigils occurring all over the country. Indeed, it is very important that we remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect the freedoms we enjoy every day. However, I think it’s time for these events to begin to focus not just on the sacrifice but, on what all those brave men and women sacrificed their lives for.

Why not hold a similar vigil thanking the families of the dead along with our Creator for all the things that have been accomplished. Due largely to media bias and mere lack of sensationalism, all the hard fought progress we have made has been largely ignored. Let’s read a list like the one below to all who will listen, thank the dead for their sacrifice and the living for their continued commitment to the noble cause of freedom here and throughout the world. (The White House)

On The Fourth Anniversary Of The Beginning Of Operation Iraqi Freedom, The Regime Of A Brutal Dictator Has Been Replaced By A Democratically Elected Government Operating Under One Of The Most Progressive Constitutions In The Arab World. While there is much work to be done, there are encouraging signs of progress.

Achieving Our Goals Will Require Patience And Determination

Iraqi Security Forces Are Stepping Up To Take Control Of Their Country’s Security. Iraqi Security Forces continue to gain strength and are fighting alongside Coalition forces. Their commitment and sacrifice are real: Casualty levels for Iraqi Security Forces are now higher than for Coalition forces.

* Iraq is now operating 9 National Police brigades and 31 Iraqi Army brigades, meaning almost 329,000 Iraqi Security Force members are now risking their lives to secure their country and allow political progress to continue.
* 9 of Iraq’s 10 Army divisions are taking the lead in their areas of operation.
* 3 of Iraq’s 18 provinces have acquired full responsibility for their own security.
* Iraqi-planned, Iraqi-conducted, and, most important of all, Iraqi-led missions continue throughout Iraq.

Iraqis Are Beginning To Meet Benchmarks To Achieve Political Reconciliation.

* In February 2007, Iraq’s Council of Ministers approved a national hydrocarbon law that provides for an equitable distribution of oil revenues throughout the country. It now needs to be approved by the Council of Representatives and then implemented.
* Last month, the Iraqi government also approved a $41 billion budget that includes $10 billion for reconstruction and capital investment and $7.3 billion for development of Iraqi Security Forces and security related expenses.
* Iraq’s leaders must meet the other pledges they have made. These include:

1) Narrowing the limitations of the de-Baathification law;
2) Establishing the framework and setting a date for provincial elections; and
3) Continuing to pursue the constitutional review process: The Constitutional Review Committee, with representation from all major political blocs and technical assistance from the United Nations, is now working and is likely to present potential amendments to parliament in the next two months.

On March 12, 2007, Iraq Convened A Regional Conference Of Thirteen Nations, Including Neighboring Countries And The U.S., As Well As The United Nations, The Islamic Conference, And The Arab League. Conference attendees discussed issues of common concern regarding Iraq and agreed to form working groups on border security, fuel imports, and refugees. They plan to hold another regional meeting at the ministerial level in April, which U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will attend.

On July 27, 2006, Iraq And The UN Announced The Formal Launch Of The International Compact With Iraq. This Compact, jointly shared by the Government of Iraq and the United Nations, with the support of the World Bank, will bring together the international community and multilateral organizations over five years to help Iraq implement key reforms and grow fully integrated into the international economic community.

* On March 16, 2007, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon Urged Representatives From Over 90 Countries To Back The Compact. Representatives at this meeting closed the text of the Compact and are now moving on to the formal signing and implementation stage.

One half of the bloggers on Gop3.com (Sarah, Daniel and Allison) will be attending (and blogging) CPAC starting today in Washington DC. Unforunately, I will not be among them due to this full time job situation I have finagled myself into. I had a great time attending/blogging the last two years (posts lost to our host failure) and I would definitely suggest that any conservative attend.

I will look forward to Michelle Malkin’s posts, as she will be there as well, blogging and vlogging. Here is a picture from last year with Jeremy Wick, Michelle Malkin and I. Malkin’s comments on Gop3.com before she checked it out? “nice url”…. That’s what all the ladies say

UPDATE: I found this over on Hotline’s list of reasons why they went to CPAC and I must admit, it’s true. The young conservative movement is strong and fun to socialize with at CPAC.

6. The more than 3500 young Republicans who take over the Omni Shoreham. They drink and smoke — the older ones, anyway. They’re fun to be around, regardless of your political or professional persuasion. Think YearlyKos for the conservative mindset.

A big thanks to Chuck, the 6th most frequent Gop3.com commentor and a personal friend, for putting together this guest blog post on the Future Wisconsin convention from this past weekend.

I had a great time Saturday at Future Wisconsin 2007.

In case you have yet to attend the event, Future Wisconsin is an annual conference of conservatives in Wisconsin, unmatched in the quantity or quality of its attendees. The event is well-organized by Mr. Bob Dohnal and the Wisconsin Conservative Digest with the assistance of Mr. Tom Keeley. In spite of Saturday’s threat and presence of heavy snow, hundreds of our state’s most right-minded minds descended upon Wauwatosa to discuss Wisconsin, strategy and the future of conservatism.

After digging my car out from under the snow, I arrived at the banquet hall in time to take in the panel discussion
on “How to Develop Good Public Policy.” The conversation centered on the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to conservatives and our abilities to broadcast ideas and affect legislation. There was near unanimous agreement on two points, the potential gains from growing talk radio and the absence of an individual or institution to guide the conservative movement. Coincidently, various members of the panel and audience considered talk radio host, Mark Belling to be the de facto leader of the Wisconsin conservative voice. This consensus was reached after considering Belling’s contributions to the debate on the automatic gas tax increase and ethanol mandates.

Around noon, we broke for a delicious buffet lunch. Atop the menu for me was: turkey, stuffing, potatoes, pastries and a medley of vegetables. It was at this time when Jessica McBride, Master of Ceremonies, shared her top ten reasons for optimism in the State of Wisconsin. Her number one reason for excitement was “no Attorney General Kathleen Falk.”

After lunch was perhaps the best of all. We returned to our seats to hear Congressman Mark Green give a very moving address on the importance of conservatives in government and an incisive look ahead in Wisconsin. One of the largest points of difference between conservative and liberal legislators, according to Congressman Green, is their desire to spend additional time in Washington. Congressman Green shared that during his time in Congress, he spent only two weekends inside the Beltway. Once was because of an important vote and the other was for a family vacation. This can be partially juxtaposed with five-day workweek initiative of our 110^th Congress.

After Mark Green spoke, I spent the next hour meeting amazing people. Future Wisconsin is an outstanding event to network with conservatives throughout the state.

I returned to my seat in time for State Rep. Jim Ott’s presentation on global warming. To those who may not know, Representative Ott was a long-time meteorologist prior to running for public office.

All told, I spent over five hours at Future Wisconsin 2007. It is truly a remarkable event. If I were to offer a suggestion, it may be to incorporate more focus on actively solving obstacles impeding the conservative movement over and above pure discussion of the issues. Suggestions aside, I wish Future Wisconsin all the best with next year’s event and encourage conservatives across the state to attend.

It would be an understatement to say that I am disappointed in the university I recently graduated from.

Marquette University’s about face on the Vagina Monologues is an example of masquerading behind a newly applied school policy in order to betray our Catholic Identity by putting on a morally reprehensible play about promiscuity, pedophilia and homosexual rape. All of this, in the name of “Academic Freedom” for the teachers.

Out of the otherside of our hypocritical administrators’ mouths comes the destructive denial of the Students for Academic Freedom on campus. Using a series of carefully constructed straw man arguments (described and dissected by Chuck, one of the founders of the organization), the university set up the Students for Academic Freedom for failure and them blew them over. This is just another glaring indicator of the Marquette University administrators’ continuing disregard for the university’s students and it’s Catholic identity.

I think Marquette is a good university that has the potential to be a great university but, not when it betrays it’s values and disrespects it’s students. Here are the three things I am asking you to do to show your support for the Students for Academic Freedom.

1. Email a simple request asking for the decision against Students for Academic Freedom to be overturned and requesting that Marquette stay true to it’s Catholic values when considering the Vagina Monologues to:
Father Wild robert.wild@marquette.edu
Daniel Callendrillo musg.president@mu.edu
Brock Banks musg.senate@mu.edu

2. Write an letter to the editor of The Warrior: Marquette’s Independent Student Newspaper

3. Join the Facebook group “We need a Student Bill of Rights at Marquette” a group of students who are behind the Students for Academic Freedom.

If you want to show Marquette the ridiculousness of it’s decision to support the Vagina Monologues as well, you can always join the satirical “Penis Monologues” facebook group.

Looking for a way to make money as a student blogger beyond Text Link Ads (we just sold our first today)? Apply for the Scholarships Around the US Political blogger scholarship. This is a really great way to encourage activism and political dialogue amongst college students. Here is the description of the scholarship:

Scholarship Amount - $2,000

Do you maintain a political weblog and attend college? Would you like $2,000 to help pay for books, tuition, or other living costs? If so, read on.

We’re giving away $2,000 this year to a college student who blogs about politics. Our scholarship is awarded annually.
Scholarship Requirements:

* Your blog must contain unique and interesting information about political issues, current events, opinions, etc. No spam bloggers please!!!
* U.S. citizen;
* 3.0 GPA;
* Currently attending full-time in post-secondary education; and
* If you win, you must be willing to allow us to list your name and blog on this page. We want to be able to say we knew you before you became a well educated, rich, and famous blogging legend.

“It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.”

This mantra has been repeated in many forms across the business and political environments. Whether you believe it is an example of hyperbole or not, you cannot deny that one’s social network is an important factor in life. In politics, campaigns rely on grassroots networks that encourage their members to reach out to all of their like minded friends.

In recent election cycles, social networking technologies such as the Facebook have received considerable attention. The Facebook works extremely well to reach out to college students and even younger age groups but, many young professionals and adults shy away from it due to the amount of personal information it discloses. Many people consider it dangerous to their career and public life. So how do businesses and campaigns reach out to adults and young professionals, a higher participation voting bracket with with more donation potential?

Enter, LinkedIn.com, the place for more utilitarian, less dangerous social networking and business/campaign outreach. Users on LinkedIn maintain the equivalent of an online resume with some additional information. They can “connect directly” to those they know if they can enter that persons email address and that person accepts. When you gain a new connection you are also able to connect directly to their connections through the same process. If you want to connect someone you do not know, you can ask one of your connects to introduce you. Once built, you can communicate with your network in a number of ways that could be a serious asset to a campaign. You can even post and browse jobs available inside and outside your network.

Wether you are a business person or a poltico, LinkedIn.com is an untapped PoliTech resource that should not be ignored in the future.

Due to the fact that the holidays are a time for reminiscing, I loaded this slideshow from the 2004 election into YouTube for my fellow Marquette University College Republicans.

There is already an angry comment from a liberal on YouTube…