Opinion: 50 Shades of Ryan Call (He's Just Not That Into You)

If "corruption" was a color, we'd need more than 50 Shades for this post.


I have, thus far (and surprisingly successfully), stayed almost entirely out of the 2015 Colorado Republican Chairman's race.

It's no secret that Ryan Call and I aren't exactly friendly (I am, after all, on his enemies list), and that I supported and voted for Steve House at State Assembly for Governor in 2014.  Needless to say, this one is a no-brainer for me.  But without a vote on March 14, it seemed unnecessary for me to step in and rehash so many old things... until now.

This past weekend was the final straw for me, and for many in the Colorado GOP.  Many have continued to come back over and over to someone who has continually thumbed his nose at us, but it's time to make a clean break once and for all.

Before we do that, however, let's see what built up to this moment.  Yes, it's snarky and sarcastic, but solidly based in reality (as you'll see with all the links and endnotes).  Did you really expect anything else from me?  At this point, the joke is on all of us—all Colorado Republicans, and we're all losing because of it.  Sometimes you have to fight fire with fire.  Enough is enough.

Join me (and those signed below) in breaking up with Ryan Call—and if you're bold enough, let me know and I'll add your name to this letter, too (man or woman... unlike Ryan Call, I won't discriminate based on gender).

If Call wins, Colorado loses.  It's that simple.

From the Desk of

Colorado Republican Women

March 3, 2015

Our dear Chairman Ryan Call,

We’ve been together for almost 4 years now.  Maybe it’s time to think about where we are at, and what we have accomplished in our relationship.

The Colorado Republican Party has made some improvements.  We’re now caught up to the early 2000s in technology, as opposed to dwelling in the 1980s dark ages... so there’s that. 

We applaud you for your attempt at building an infrastructure, such as it is, but with nothing there before, it’s a good place to start.

However… not everything has been so rosy.

I mean, we might have been able to overlook your $400 maxed-out contribution in 2006 to Bernie Buescher (screenshots here), a Democratic candidate, while you were Denver County Republican Party Vice Chair… if you didn’t threaten to withhold money from viable Republican candidates because they didn’t pick a company you liked to work with them on their campaign.

We could forget your lovely 2011 mug shot—from a traffic ticket you managed to forget to show up to court for… as a lawyer—if you weren’t funneling tens of thousands of Colorado Republican Committee dollars to your own law firm[1].

It would be possible to forget that you threw two Republican state legislators (Sen. Vicki Marble and Rep. Lori Saine) under the bus… if you didn't admonish the entire House and Senate Republican delegation over opposing in-state tuition for illegal aliens (in clear opposition to the Party platform[2]).

We could turn a blind eye to your pathetic and paltry support of state legislative candidates[3, 4]… if only your pet IEC hadn’t just been found guilty of violating state law on 4 counts—while you are a member of the RNC Finance Committee, and after you trumpeted on the radio that the “independent” committee was, in fact, coordinating with the Republican Party after all.

Maybe we could live with all the secrecy and non-transparency of your entire administration if you didn’t hire a convicted crook to run your new IEC.  I mean… you let someone guilty of federal crimes into our home?  We thought you cared more about our safety, credibility, and integrity as a Party than that.

Speaking of money… you promised us back in 2011 that we would win in November 2012, or our money back—guaranteed!  Here’s what over $8 million (mostly given to you by the blood, sweat, and tears of the RNC, and not from your own shoe leather) bought us in 2012:

• A loss for Romney in Colorado.
• A loss in our only statewide election.
• No change in Congress (despite a potential pick up in at least one district).
• No change at the CU Board of Regents (when there were two potential pick-ups).
• No change at the State Board of Education (granted, with only CDs 2 and 4 up, there wasn’t going to be any change this election cycle).
• No change in the State Senate (despite two very winnable seats, and two more toss-ups).
• The largest loss in the State House, from 33R-32D to 37D-28R, since 2004—the year of The Blueprint.

Oops.  That was kind of embarrassing.  Let’s move on to something better, shall we?   Like 2014.  This past election, we saw…

• A loss for Beauprez; but wins for 3 other statewide Republicans.
• No change in Congress; but a win for Gardner.
• No change at the CU Board of Regents.
• No change at the State Board of Education.
• A 1-seat (net) gain in the State Senate (18R/17D)—could have been 3 net wins.
• A 3-seat gain in the State House (34D/31R)—could have been 6 wins.

That’s a little more positive, isn’t it?  Slow clap on winning one national race while largely letting the rest of the state stay stagnant.

Look.  We might be able to applaud your minimal gains for Republicans in Colorado after 2 terms and nearly $20 million dollars spent on elections[5]… if only registration for active Republicans hadn’t dropped by 5.49% under your tenure, with an overall drop of 1.29% of total registered Republicans during that time[6, 7].

And then there’s your statement on October 7, 2013 about the Senate District 19 recall (“This recall election would undermine our efforts in the governor’s race, the U.S. Senate race and to win a senate majority if voters perceive that Republicans are trying to win a majority through recalls.” [source]).  Now, this we might forgive and forget if it wasn’t just so blatantly wrong—after all, we did win the U.S. Senate seat and the State Senate majority… only and entirely because this seat was up for election in 2014.  This is, of course, after you opposed the ruling that made success even possible in the Senate Districts 3 and 11 recalls… and then tried to cover that up by removing the press release from your website.

Here’s the rub.  There’s a lot we are willing to turn a blind eye to in the name of “unity”.  There’s even a lot that we think can, and should, be kept behind closed doors. 

The problem, Mr. Chairman, is that nothing ever gets resolved behind closed doors because you pretend like we don’t exist.  Let’s face it.  You have a very poor track record of dealing with us women.  I mean, just look at the numbers:

• 4/30 female candidates in 2014 received State Party support
• 5/24 female candidates in 2012 received State Party support
• A mere 14% of funds given to candidates in 2012 and 2014 went to women, who made up almost 1/3rd of all candidates for statewide and state legislative offices

And yet, despite all that, we stayed steadfast, loyal, and true.  But no more.

The final straw, Mr. Chairman, was the transparent and blatant power grab just this past weekend in Costilla County, where you chose to unseat duly elected officers and replace them with your handpicked voters.  We are willing to tolerate a lot, but you finally crossed a bridge too far and we just can’t do it anymore.

We’re not asking for special treatment.  We’re not even asking for the same treatment you give to men.  All we want is a little bit of fair play.  Is that really so much to ask?

It’s time for us to face the truth.  You’ve shown that you’re not that into us. 

Well… guess what?  That feeling is mutual. 

We’re just not that into you, either. 

And no… we can’t be ‘just friends.’  We’re through.

Disaffectionately,

Colorado Republican Women

Sarah Arnold, Regan Benson, Meaghan Croghan, Sharon Croghan, Lana Fore, Mary Anne Greer, Leslie Hanks, Alexandra Harden, Judy Howell, Tina Jones Griffiths, Dorié Ann Lehan, Becky Mizel, Julie Naye, Jen Raiffie, Mailyn Salabarria, Julie Scott, Anita Stapleton, Nancy Wenlock

And the men who love Colorado Republican women...
Matt Arnold, George Athanasopoulos, Kim Herzfeld, William Howell, Simon Kane, Robert Pryor, Joe Webb

__________________

END NOTES

[1] $147,225.00 from 2011-current paid to Hale Westfall LLP by the Colorado Republican Committee. Search committee #C00033134.

[2] “Illegal immigrants should not receive any non-emergency benefits, services or privileges from federal, state or local governments.” [source]

[3] 28.66% of CRC funds, according to TRACER, went directly to non-federal candidates in 2012. 62.41% of CRC funds, according to TRACER, went directly to non-federal candidates in 2014—a number which drops dramatically to a mere 14.85% when you remove contributions to gubernatorial candidate Bob Beauprez. Search committee #19991500072.

[4] CRC money spent in the state of Colorado in 2012 on non-federal elections was 4.41% of the total operating budget that cycle. CRC money spent in the state of Colorado in 2014 on non-federal elections was 8.04% of the total operating budget that cycle. See notes 1 and 3 to find committee information on TRACER and FEC.
        In other words, 1.21% of total CRC money was spent on non-federal candidates in 2012; and only 4.65% of total CRC money was spend on non-federal candidates in 2014… or 1.11% if you take out Beauprez’s contributions.

[5] 64 Republicans in statewide and federal office in 2011 vs. 66 Republicans in statewide and federal office in 2015 (out of 130).

[6] 38.33% active registered Republicans as of 1 April 2011, 32.69% total registered Republicans as of 1 April 2011 [source]

[7] 32.84% active registered Republicans as of 1 February 2015, 31.40% total registered Republicans as of 1 February 2015 [source]

The Reformation and Millennials: What Does This Mean? (Part 4)

This presentation was given at the Weld County Republican Breakfast on 29 October 2014, and has been modified slightly to make sense in this format (there are a lot more pictures in the linked PowerPoint).

Please read Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 first.

What Does This Mean?

In Luther’s Small Catechism, every Commandment is followed up by the question, “What does this mean?” This may seem a disjointed and unrelated talk. An event almost 500 years ago and a generation of young adults today? But there is a distinct connection, at least that I see.

The Reformation changed not only the church, but the world. We can do the same in politics (changing our country, and affecting the whole world) if we really focus. 

While millennials are the least religious generation in American history, those that are religious are longing for something with some roots and history. The GOP can fill that political longing in the same way that High Churches can fulfill their theological longing. But that means we as Republicans needs to stand firm. And that’s where the new (political) Reformation comes in.

New (Political) Reformation

It’s time for us to write our own 95 Theses and nail those on the Republican National Committee and Colorado Republican Committee doors in Washington and Englewood. It’s time the Party knows that we are serious. 

We believe in limited government, but Republicans are voting to raise the debt ceiling and for new taxes.

We believe in individual rights, but Republicans are voting to invade our privacy in ways we can’t even imagine.

We believe in property rights, but Republicans are voting to take away our property through eminent domain and asset forfeiture.

We believe in family values, but Republicans all over are watering down and moderating our message.

We believe in the value of life, but Republicans hide from that issue when it’s politically inconvenient for them.

We believe in the freedom of association, but Republicans are investigating bakers who turn down a customer.

We believe in the right to protect ourselves, our loved ones, and our property, but Republicans compromise under political pressure on that most fundamental of rights.

We believe in the rule of law, but Republicans give themselves special favors and exemptions as elected officials, seeing themselves as above the law and not one of the hoi polloi.

We believe in liberty, but Republicans chip away at that day by day.

On and on and on I could go. I bet you are thinking of areas I missed already. My point now is not to get a full, perfect list, but to say this… that Republicanism, as a brand, is no longer credible. 

It is up to us to rebuild that trust and reclaim our brand… or go our separate way and let them die the death of the Whigs.

Please note: all pictures were found via google image search, all I did was crop and add text.

The Reformation and Millennials: What Does This Mean? (Part 3)

This presentation was given at the Weld County Republican Breakfast on 29 October 2014, and has been modified slightly to make sense in this format (there are a lot more pictures in the linked PowerPoint).

Please read Part 1 and Part 2 first.

Messaging in Politics

I was at fundraising training at the Leadership Institute in Washington DC last month, and we talked a lot about communication, especially right vs. left brained communication.

Left Brain

• Intelligence 
• Logic 
• Thinking 
• Short term memory 
• Conscious awareness 
• Language reasoning 
• Problem solving 

Right Brain

• Motivation 
• Creativity and intuition 
• Feelings and emotions 
• Long term memory 
• Subconscious mind 
• Music and jingles 
• Suggestion

I often say that I am so far left brained, I can’t see right brained. I’m very process-oriented, math-oriented, and so not creative. And, honestly, this is the story with a lot of those right of center. But we have to remember that…

• Voting is an a-rational act 
• Right brain is the motivator, left brain is the rationalizer 
• Conservatives appeal to the left brain… 
• …but the seat of motivation is the right brain! 
• The better you can communicate to the right brain, the more you will motivate someone to take action!

Messaging to Millennials

DON’Ts

• Don’t talk down. 
• Don’t let them know that you know it all. 
• Don’t pander. 
• Don’t be inconsistent.  
• Don’t be a hypocrite. 

Remember: Millennials are the first generation to grow up with microtargeted advertisement from a very young age – they know how to spot BS when they hear it.

DOs

• Do be honest
• Do be upfront
• Do be concise – remember, these folks have an attention span of 140 characters.
• Do appeal to both sides of the brain
• Do stand your ground
• Do realize you aren’t going to change someone’s opinion on the first contact or overnight
• Do build credibility by building a relationship

How to Talk Social Issues

Here are some general ideas to remember when forming your plan to talk about social issues with the “Me” generation:

Do not start out by talking about religion – social issues are moral issues first, not necessarily faith issues. Millennials are the least religious generation in American History.

Ask questions first – and listen. You’ll surprise them. Millennials want to be heard and understood… like everyone else.

Understand that millennials’ education has been drastically more liberal than previous generations. You have to cut through all of that before you can get to the meat of the issue.

Understand that millennials are accustomed to instant gratification. If you can’t provide instantaneous results, they are going to be less interested.

Access to information is much more readily available to millennials than any other generation before. They can fact check, and probably in the palm of their hand, so be precise!

Be ready and willing to agree to disagree, and not argue minutia. Go in with the understanding that you will not come out with 100% agreement.

Follow up. Planting seeds now can reap significant fruits in 1, 5, or even 10 years.

Finally, this is the narcissistic generation. Convincing them that they are wrong is a long-term project. Be ready to invest some time in this endeavor.

Continued in Part 4.


Please note: all pictures were found via google image search, all I did was crop and add text.

The Reformation and Millennials: What Does This Mean? (Part 2)

This presentation was given at the Weld County Republican Breakfast on 29 October 2014, and has been modified slightly to make sense in this format (there are a lot more pictures in the linked PowerPoint).

Please read Part 1 first.

Millennials

A “millennial” is defined on Wikipedia as “the demographic cohort following Generation X. There are no precise dates when the generation starts and ends. Researchers and commentators use birth years ranging from the early 1980s to the early 2000s. ([They are] also known as the Millennial Generation or Generation Y).”

Before we get into the political aspect, let’s bridge that gap with a look at millennials in the church.

Millennials in the Church

I have a few quotes I’d like to share on this topic from three different articles published last year. I want you to pay careful attention, because as with most of this series, there is a meaning to them far beyond just plain theology.

“The kids who leave evangelical Protestantism are looking for something the world can’t give them. The world can give them hotter jeans, better coffee, bands, speakers, and book clubs than a congregation can. What it can’t give them is theology; membership in a group that transcends time, place, and race; a historical rootedness; something greater than themselves; ordained men who will be spiritual leaders and not merely listeners and buddies and story tellers. … They are looking for true, deep, intellectually robust spirituality in their parents’ churches and not finding it.” (Rebecca VanDoodewaard, Young Evangelicals are Getting High)

“Many of us, myself included, are finding ourselves increasingly drawn to high church traditions – Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, the Episcopal Church, etc. – precisely because the ancient forms of liturgy seem so unpretentious, so unconcerned with being ‘cool,’ and we find that refreshingly authentic. What millennials really want from the church is not a change in style but a change in substance. … You can’t hand us a latte and then go about business as usual and expect us to stick around. We’re not leaving the church because we don’t find the cool factor there; we’re leaving the church because we don’t find Jesus there.” (Rachel Held Evans, Why millennials are leaving the church)

“‘He cannot have God as his Father who does not have the church for his Mother,’ said Cyprian, nearly two millennia ago. Perhaps if Protestant churches began acting more like dutiful mothers instead of fun babysitters, there would be fewer youth leaving their ecclesiastical homes as soon as they are out of the house.” (Rebecca VanDoodewaard, Young Evangelicals are Getting High)

“In my 20s, liturgy seemed rote, but now in my 30s, it reminds me that I’m part of an institution much larger and older than myself. As the poet Czeslaw Milosz said, “The sacred exists and is stronger than all our rebellions.” … [Churches,] as you change – or as change is imposed upon you – keep your historic identity and your ecclesial soul. Fight the urge for perpetual reinvention, and don’t watch the roll book for young adults.” (Andrea Palpant Dilley, Change Wisely, dude)

Millennials in Politics

• Most millennials (51%) believe in economic freedom, limited taxes and government, and entrepreneurialism
• Most millennials (62%) believe in “social justice” and consider themselves “liberal” on social issues
• Now, it is important to note that the percentage of millennials who agreed with social justice dropped drastically—by more than a third—when the words “larger taxes” were thrown into the mix. Fascinating, no?
• In other words… most millennials could be considered libertarian (53% would vote for a fiscally conservative, socially liberal candidate)
• Millennials weight social issues as a higher priority than fiscal issues – and that’s where our battle lies

Find more details at this Reason-Rupe Poll released in July 2014.

This is actually neither unusual, nor surprising... considering the idiom about age and political ideology.

Battle for Millennials

In order to win the millennial vote, Republicans need to learn a few things about messaging.

1. Stop moderating our positions.  Period.
2. Learn how to communicate better.
3. Reach people where they are at now, not where we want them to be.
4. Build relationships first.

Continued in Part 3 and Part 4.


Please note: all pictures were found via google image search, all I did was crop and add text.

The Reformation and Millennials: What Does This Mean? (Part 1)

This presentation was given at the Weld County Republican Breakfast on 29 October 2014, and has been modified slightly to make sense in this format (there are a lot more pictures in the linked PowerPoint).

Overview

• Brief history of the Reformation (Part 1)
• The role of church in politics (Part 1)
• Millennials in the church and in politics (Part 2)
• Messaging (Part 3)
• What does this mean? (Part 4)
• The new (political) Reformation (Part 4)

Brief History of the Reformation

The Reformation was a seminal moment in world history.  It is easily in the top 5 most important, impactful events to ever occur.

While there are many players in the Reformation, for the purposes of this presentation, we are focused on the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther, a German Augustinian Monk and author of the 95 Theses, who, on October 31, 1517 (now celebrated as Reformation Day by Lutherans worldwide) at the Wittenberg Castle Church Door in Wittenberg, German, where, today, they have a door with the 95 Theses carved into them at the exact spot where the Rev. Dr. Luther nailed these theses, written in Latin, to expose the teachings of the Catholic Church, primarily on the selling of indulgences and, secondarily, on the doctrinal policies about purgatory, particular judgement, and the authority of the Pope. 

Now, for the backstory.  I'd like for you to meet Johannes Tietzel (John or Johann Tetzel), a Dominican Friar and Grand Commissioner for indulgences in German.  Using fire and brimstone sermons that would put Southern Baptist preachers to utter shame, Tietzel went from town to town in Germany hocking indulgences, which read:

"In the authority of all the saints, and in compassion towards thee, I absolve thee from all sins and misdeeds, and remit all punishment for ten days."

The selling of these indulgences was to pay for the reconstruction of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.  The sale of indulgences for this purpose occurred under Pope Leo X, although half of the money from the sale of indulgences went to the Archbishop of Mainz, Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenberg (who was Tietzel's direct superior) in order to pay off the debts he incurred securing his seat as an Archbishop.

When preaching for indulgences, a little rhyme became well known.  Whether it was used in this exact form or not is the source of academic debate, but I'm sure it's familiar to many readers.  In fact, this was directly addressed in two of the 95 Theses:

“27. They preach only human doctrines who say that as soon as the money clinks into the money chest, the soul flies out of purgatory.”

“28. It is certain that when money clinks in the money chest, greed and avarice can be increased; but when the church intercedes, the result is in the hands of God alone.”

Why does this matter?

Rev. Dr. Luther wanted an academic debate. This is why the theses were written in Latin. However… that was never to be, due to the translation into German and wide distribution of the 95 Theses that caused an absolutely firestorm. The result? Well, it had an impact far beyond just theological reform.

Cultural

• Immense increase in literacy 
• Drastic change in church services (in native language instead of Latin, congregant participation, sacrament accessibility, etc.) 
• Expanded educational opportunities for all (including for women and children) 
• Opening Scripture to laymen 
• Emphasis on marriage and the family

But perhaps the most important cultural impact was the publishing of Luther’s Bible in 1534. This piece of work codified the German written language in a way it never was before. While there are still a wide range of spoken German dialects, the written language is largely unified thanks to this translation. 

Additionally, this piece of machinery absolutely revolutionized the Reformation. The printing press was literally the social media of the day, and Luther seized upon that. There was an excellent article in The Economist a few years ago that talked about this.

“It's also what happened during the Reformation, nearly 500 years ago, when Martin Luther and his allies took the new media of their day—pamphlets, ballads and woodcuts—and circulated them through social networks to promote their message of religious reform.
     Scholars have long debated the relative importance of printed media, oral transmission and images in rallying popular support for the Reformation. Some have championed the central role of printing, a relatively new technology at the time. Opponents of this view emphasise the importance of preaching and other forms of oral transmission. More recently historians have highlighted the role of media as a means of social signalling and co-ordinating public opinion in the Reformation.
     Now the internet offers a new perspective on this long-running debate, namely that the important factor was not the printing press itself (which had been around since the 1450s), but the wider system of media sharing along social networks—what is called “social media” today. Luther… grasped the dynamics of this new media environment very quickly, and saw how it could spread his message.”  (How Luther Went Viral, The Economist, December 17, 2011)

Economic and Political

• Europe became politically fragmented along religious lines 
• Rejection of religious “authorities” by monarchs 
• Many citizens challenging the idea of “divine right” of monarchs 
• Secularization of politics (separation of church and state—up until this time, the state was almost always associated in some way with religion) 
• Weakening of the Holy Roman Empire and rise of the nation-states in Europe 
• A lot of wars (not that this was anything new) 
• Rise of Capitalism

Social

• Rise of individualism—economic, political, and social 
• Encouragement of intellectualism and the renaissance 
• Strengthened middle class 
• Poor classes began to demand reforms for themselves (e.g. German Peasant’s War, 1525) 
• Rise of a more democratic vs. feudal form of government across Europe

The Role of Church in Politics

As much as I’d like to stay out of the theological weeds, I would be very remiss if I didn’t briefly go over one of the greatest theological triumphs of the Reformation: the distinctly Lutheran doctrine of the Three Estates and Two Kingdoms Theology.

Three Estates 

The Fourth Commandment ("Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother") establishes all authority and is the font of societal order and the foundation of all other commandments following.

Estates are the ordering of society.

For more about the role of Christians in government and voting, I highly recommend this resource from my Pastor, Bryan Wolfmueller, called the Voters Guild to the Ten Commandments.

The three Estates are:

• 1st: Family - parents –> children
• Foremost estate of human society—the primary building block 
• 2nd: Church - preacher –> preachee (hearer) 
• Also deals with the 3rd commandment 
• Canonical governance, means of disseminating Law and Gospel 
• 3rd: State - ruler –> ruled 
• Civil governance (derived from family) 
• Unlike the other two estates, the structure of the state is complex, although overly simplified, it becomes ruler and ruled; unique caveat with constitutional representative government system (like America) 

It is VERY important not to confuse these estates (i.e. into a theocracy unless it is established by God--the ONLY one ever established was in Old Testament Israel).  It is wholly inappropriate to confuse or commingle the role of the church and state.

Two Kingdoms Theology

I've written about this here and here and here and here, but below is a brief reminder of the divisions of the Two Kingdoms:

Left-hand Kingdom	Right-hand Kingdom
Kingdom of Man (State)	Kingdom of God (Church)
Law	Gospel
Sword: Internal and External	Word, no sword
Power	Grace
Exists for Order and Justice	Exists for Mercy
External Righteousness	Internal Righteousness
Realm of Morals	Realm of Faith
Ruled by Reason	Ruled by Scripture

Continued in Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

Please note: all pictures were found via google image search, all I did was crop and add text.