Now, if the actions of the voters in this past primary/special election are any indication of the sentiments of Brooklyn Republicans, the desire for genuine improvement over stagnation and failure is the first order of business.  And while the ideological gap between the increasingly younger, anti-”cradle-to-grave” electorate and the party establishment is stark, it is not insurmountable.

Brooklyn Young Republican Club President Glenn Nocera signing into vote for himself and his sister Donna Nocera for the Republican County Committee race in the 44th AD 57th ED . Sept 13, 2011

After all, on Tuesday, September 13th, voters showed, once again, that not only are they maintaining an anti-establishment posture, but they are rebuffing hostile attempts by the party establishment to purge Brooklyn of its young, independent Republican reformers.

In the most talked about upset from that day, we know that businessman Republican Bob Turner beat Democrat David Weprin by an impressive margin in the contest to decide who was going to represent the 9th Congressional District, or the so-called “Anthony Weiner” seat.

Weprin, backed by just about every Democratic establishment figure–including the Brooklyn Republican Party’s best buddy, Brooklyn Democratic Chairman Vito Lopez, was clearly recognized as an unqualified supporter of the Obama and Washington Democrats’ agenda.  The people are fed up with their awkwardly executed and catastrophically unsuccessful agenda for years now.  And so, the voters made it resoundingly clear that they were not going to send more of the same to Congress anymore.

The Brooklyn Young Republican Club, having participated in and analyzed Turner’s performance in 2010, knew from the start that he was a solid candidate.  That’s why our organization was the first in Brooklyn to host a fundraiser for Turner’s special election, donating $1,000 in support of his candidacy, and devoting tremendous time and effort in support of his election.

However, while good Young Republicans and young Republican-leaning voters of all affiliations were helping to send one more voice of reason and reform to Washington, the Brooklyn Republican Party establishment dedicated itself, yet again, to its antiquated Republican-eat-Republican agenda.  In fact, key operatives linked to the Turner campaign had been internally bemoaning the severely underwhelming support from the Brooklyn Republican Party leadership throughout the campaign.

That’s because, as usual, resources were diverted instead to intraparty warfare, just like in the 13th Congressional District primary last year.  Fortunately, whenever the current Brooklyn Republican Party establishment undertakes just about any political initiative, they are about as successful as Obama’s Hope and Change agenda.

For instance, Brooklyn Young Republican Club President Glenn P. Nocera was challenged for his county committee seat in the 44th Assembly District of Kensington, Brooklyn by Republican Chairman Craig Eaton and his hack minions. His leadership as a Young Republican activist and reformer apparently warranted that the Republican Party spend a tremendous amount of donor money on hit-piece mailings against fellow Republican Nocera in favor of candidates who didn’t even live within the same district!

As a testament to well over a decade of dedication to Republican principles and promoting its message of limited government, the Republican voters of Glenn’s district sent a clear response of “Back off and shut up!” to the establishment with an astounding vote of 23-1!

Meanwhile, in the establishment’s favorite battleground district, the 49th Assembly District, which consists largely of Bensonhurst, Borough Park and Bath Beach, the establishment yet again failed to silence the independent Republican voices that have repeatedly called out for reform and improvement within our party.  This was despite multiple, vicious, and expensive hit-piece mailings as well as cadres of county minions on the ground.  In response to the establishment’s hate-filled invective against fellow Republicans, 49th AD Republicans broadly supported Lucretia Regina-Potter and running mate Michael Bennette for the State Committee Member/District Leader positions over their establishment-backed opponents.

Establishment figures like Eaton think they wield the power to summarily replace hard-working, known Republican activist leaders with individuals whose only qualification to serve is fealty to the Chairman (and usually under the threat of removal from a patronage job).  Not only, in fact, is his imprimatur a veritable political Do-Not-Resuscitate for most campaigns–at best, but it only goes to show what the priorities are of the Brooklyn Republican Party under its current administration: cartel-style eradication of all voices of reform from within.

Since 2007, the current administration of the party has solely devoted its resources to engaging in political fratricide.  In doing so, they have completely left stranded a public desperately searching for any refuge of integrity and ingenuity.  There are genuine but completely missed opportunities for real leadership and solutions to government’s financial problems, practical solutions for alleviating the burdens on our economy that stifle growth and prosperity, and providing real reforms to the crisis of the debt-saddled young professional trying to get their start that is plaguing our generation.

And yet, tonight, when the members of that truly august body of career poll workers, Board of Elections employees, and superannuated intraparty warlords convene, I regrettably can only expect the status quo to continue for another two years.

In that case, over the next two years, however, I also expect the gap will further deepen and widen between the handful of Republican oligarchs and the growing young electorate that–Republican or not–is siding more and more with policies that favor limited government, greater personal and economic freedom, and intelligent, pragmatic policies and reforms to get us back on track–just about everything the Republican Party in Brooklyn right now is not.

But just like the cases of Turner, Nocera, Regina-Potter and Bennette, the only ones with the power to bridge this gap are you, the young (and preferably Republican) voters of Brooklyn.

As we move forward, we must fight to put the right people in the leadership of the Republican Party and public office, and, more importantly, cultivate leaders amongst ourselves on the right social, economic and political principles.  Through these efforts, we, together, can build the bridges we need to close the gap that separates the public’s will from effective action in order to accomplish finally what those “leaders” who have fallen abysmally short in conviction and integrity cannot.

Jonathan J. Judge is Chair of the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Young Republican Club.

“I thank Congressman Price for the honor of chairing the Republican Policy Committee’s Task Force on Foreign Policy,” said Rep. Grimm. “I represent a diverse district and my constituents hail from a variety of countries around the world. I am proud to represent their interests as well as the interests of the United States in a legislative capacity in Congress.”

“Congressman Grimm will be an invaluable part of our team and a knowledgeable voice on foreign policy,” said Chairman Price.  “As we are often reminded, the interests and security of the United States can be aided or threatened by the actions and activities of other countries. It is vital we remain vigilant and informed on those issues, and I appreciate Congressman Grimm serving the Policy Committee in that capacity.”

Congressman Grimm is a freshman member of Congress who has also recently been named a co-chair of the House Republican Israel Caucus. He has spent a significant amount of time in the Middle East while serving in combat as a United States Marine during Operation Desert Storm.

Congressman Michael Grimm and BYR Treasurer Glenn Nocera

Michael Grimm’s election in the 13th Congressional District on November 2, 2010 was a showcase of fine Republicanism and grassroots activism. This was the target race in all of New York City, if not New York State. What made Grimm’s campaign important was that he was part of the Republican insurgency of the House of Representatives to defeat Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and introduce a different breed of conservatism in Congress. The seat, formerly held by Michael McMahon, is strategic to conservatives in New York. Why? Because it covers vital Republican strongholds located in Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. The location was the decisive factor in helping Michael Grimm get elected, which included Brooklyn Young Republicans who, by pounding pavement, helped spread the word.

Michael Grimm’s election, however, was one of the very few Republican victories in Brooklyn. While he and Nicole Malliotakis claimed victory Tuesday night in large part due to many Republican votes from the larger Staten Island portions of their districts, other Brooklyn Republicans went back to their homes to no avail. Phyllis Carbo lost with only 34% of the vote in the 47th Assembly District.  Brian Doherty lost with 38% in the 48th AD.  Peter Cipriano also lost with 38% in the 49th AD.

The 58th and 59th Assembly Districts had no Republican candidates running.

And, my favorite: the 46th Assembly District attempted to run a Republican Candidate against Alec Brook-Krasny, but was swiftly knocked off the ballot and Brook-Krasny ran essentially unopposed. Needless to say, those District Leaders in the 46th have some explaining to do.

The numbers can be upsetting.  After all, Republicans do have a lot to offer to New York City and to Albany. Free markets, low taxes, a revamped welfare system, and transparency all contribute to good government. But with election numbers this low in Brooklyn in one of the best years for Republicans in quite some time, a few things come to question.

1) How does the Chairman allow Democrats to run unopposed in districts, especially Democratic Chair Vito Lopez’s handpicked State Supreme Court judge nominees (whom Brooklyn Republicans always cross-endorse)? Republicans are some of the best and brightest in the borough. The question begs, why is there no effort being made to tap into and cultivate a Republican intelligencia?

2) The 46th AD leadership is weak. Not running a candidate is one thing, but dropping a candidate off the ballot is another. With the fervent anti-incumbency feel running rampant throughout the country, District Leaders Clorinda Annarummo and Simon Shamoun had the opportunity to surgically remove a career politician. The question begs, why didn’t they?

3) The low voter turnouts, lackluster campaigns and candidacies, and low vote percentages are unacceptable. For far too long, the Republican Party has been receiving far too few votes in virtually any election. The question begs, why is the Chairman doing nothing to change this?

And so, the question ultimately begs, what are Brooklyn Young Republicans willing to do to fix this?

On Tuesday, Michael Grimm beat his opponent Michael McMahon, 51.5% to 47.8%. With the resurgence of Republicans in the House, we’re looking forward to seeing Michael Grimm lead the charge in Washington. Congrats, Mike!

Roy Antoun and Congressman Rob Bishop (R-UT)

Ericka later connected us with a staffer from Congressman Bishop’s office who was eager to set up a meeting in the Grand Hyatt in New York. Upon meeting Congressman Bishop, Jonathan and I immediately wanted to know: What is the 10th Amendment Task Force?

Congressman Bishop, a former high school history teacher, Speaker of the House, and House Majority Leader, told us that the route the Federal government is taking the country is perverse and unconstitutional. What struck us most was his vehement belief that both political parties in United States politics dragged the country into this mess.  The Task Force that he is spearheading within the Republican Study Committee concentrates on small, limited, and Federalized government, which means a Constitutional government that gives power back to the State governments and refrains the Federal Government from imposing rules and regulations universally on the country. He said that the 10th Amendment Task Force focuses on “civil liberties” and, most importantly, “choices” for the people. It was music to my ears.

After meeting with the Congressman, a few other things struck me. I asked him, “What are your views on legislation like the P.A.T.R.I.O.T Act?” His answer was spot on. He said, “I wasn’t in Congress when it first passed; however, I voted against every extension of it…including legislation like No Child Left Behind.” His principled policy of limited government was clearly reflected in his voting record and vice versa. And while many Republicans in parts of this country are more concerned with issues such as religion, family values, and bombing third world nations, Representative Bishop exhibited core Republican values that were Constitutional–staying out of the private lives of citizens and keeping government local.

Our meeting with Congressman Bishop was productive and informative. It showed Jonathan and I that people across the country are “fed up with the Fed” and the anti-establishment fervor is spreading like wildfire across the U.S. Better yet, two reformers and their good work in Brooklyn, NY caught the eye of a Washington staffer and the House Republican Conference.

Special thanks to the folks at Atlas Shrugs for making reform possible across the interwebs 

Source: Peter Baker / New York Times

The Supreme Court is being asked to decide whether the House of Representatives should be enlarged to produce a fairer distribution of political power.

A group of voters appealed to the court after a special three-judge panel in Mississippi last week rejected their lawsuit seeking to at least double the number of seats in the House in the interest of evening out the sizes of Congressional districts.

The appeal may be just a quixotic bid, given that four justices would have to want to hear the case for the Supreme Court to hear it. But it raises a provocative and largely overlooked issue in a country that prizes itself on a one-person, one-vote democracy: Even in the House, which is supposed to be the most representative government body, some votes are actually worth a lot less than others.

Because each state gets at least one seat, no matter how small its population, and because the overall size of the House essentially has not changed in a century, the number of people represented by a single congressman can vary widely.

According to census data last year, the 960,000 people in Nevada’s Third Congressional District had the same voting power in the House as the 523,000 people in Wyoming’s sole district. That means a Wyoming voter has nearly twice the influence as a Nevada counterpart.

Read the rest here.