WINNING IDEAS
TALKING POINTS
Winning Sam’s Club Voters
by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty
G o ve rn or T i m Paw len t y j o i n e d G OPAC on T hu rs da y, A u gu st 2 1, 2 008 , t o d i sc uss w in n in g t act ic s f o r R e pu b l ican ca nd i date s a nd w hy t h e R ep ub l i ca n P art y n e eds t o e mb rac e “ Sa m ’s C lu b R e pub l i ca n is m a nd vo t ers. ”
Here are the key points: Governor Pawlenty comments on the Republican Party and GOPAC:
“On policy issues voters are asked: Do you like our (Republicans) approach on energy – Yes; Do you like our approach on taxes – Yes; Do you like our approach on health care – Yes; Do you like our approach on military, national security and foreign affairs – Yes. The voters support our solutions; we just aren’t communicating them well...” “I don’t think our [Republican Party] approach is wrong, Republicans just need to do a better job of articulating it and presenting it to voters” “The Republican Party has to get back to being a party of ideas and enthusiasm that will help people with what their real needs are and what their real concerns are…” “Many of us remember the heyday of GOPAC, the idea factory that is was; the energy level… I see much of that coming back under Michael’s [GOPAC Chairman Michael Steele] leadership.”
What are “Sam’s Club” voters?
“People deserve, and expect, a more effective government at a better price. Sam’s Club voters are looking for more value on the dollar and are results oriented…” “What the Republican Party needs, is to do a better job of reaching out to different groups than just our traditional groups; one of those is folks who might shop at places like Sam's Club, Target or Costco. They're looking for value. They don't necessarily have more money to spend, but they want to make sure they get good value for what they have…” “It’s a basic American premise that we must live within our means. Most Americans have a limited budget and are always looking for more value on their dollar. Whether it is managing a business, holding a family budget or planning for the future, everyday people have limited budgets. Just like businesses and just like families do, government must live within its means. The Republican Party should be the party that promotes this basic concept and pushes for more value on the dollar and a government that lives within its means and is accountable...” “The Sam's Club metaphor is part of an effort to shed the GOP stereotype that it's not for "the working person," because we are, and this will help our party emphasize that Republicans are the party that can provide voters more value for their money.”
What is a key “Sam’s Club” issue in the upcoming election?
“Fiscal discipline is a key issue in 2008…” “Government must live within its means. When our economy is growing more slowly, government can’t grow quicker that it – that’s just not responsible. If American’s paychecks are only going up 3-4%, then they expect their government to live within its means – just like they do – and when times are tough recognize the need for government to also tighten its belt…” “Our Party needs to reach out to conservatives, would be conservatives, independents and Reagan Democrats on the issue of fiscal discipline. Our campaigns and public leaders must emphasize fiscal discipline and living within our own means; Americans understand this concept and will vote for it at the ballot box.” “The Party needs to modernize. That modernization doesn’t mean watering down conservative principles... it means applying conservative principles to the issues of our time...”
What needs to be done about the energy crisis?
“The country, and government, has been slow to respond to the energy crisis. Americans and Sam’s Club voters are feeling the squeeze. Government must provide results in times of crisis – all hands must be on deck. We must consider all options in dealing with the crisis affecting everyday lives of all Americans. “ "We need to be the ‘all of the above party’ in dealing with energy. We need to get our hands on all the energy that we can. From my standpoint, we need to have more nuclear power, we need to have clean coal, alternatives sources and everything else is on the table…"
What can the GOP do to promote better education systems?
“The Republican Party must be the party of results; performance; teacher quality; academic excellence; and choice.” “Republicans should support properly funding our schools but also hold them accountable for improved student achievement. The state should assess student progress and hold districts accountable for improved results. More rigorous graduation standards for all students need to be implemented statewide. We need performance pay for school staff. Our seniority only salary system is out of date and we should be rewarding teachers for performance…” “One great example of a Sam’s Club Republican issue: We should be promoting dramatic reductions in the costs of higher education. Why make students drive 1 hour, during rush hour, to a remote parking lot, to be taught by an assistant professor that may not be any good anyway, when you can access first rate classes online, at your own convenience, take the test and be done with it. This may not work for all classes, like chemistry for example, but it does for some, like your foreign languages and others…”
Health Care Costs:
“Sam’s Cub Voters want more value for their dollar, and getting health care cost down is a major obstacle…” “We must be the party of health care reform that is market-driven and restores the relationship between doctors and patients, and uses savings from the system to hold down the cost of health care premiums.” “Providing information so people can make efficient choices is part of the solution. Good information on costs, good information on quality, and financially incentivizing good economic choices, this is what Sam Club voters want…”
How do we make our state business competitive and what is the biggest threat to our middle class?
“Economic growth: In a hyper competitive economy and with businesses struggling, we need to find ways to be more competitive. If we don’t, the middle class and jobs will suffer…” “In hard times, businesses are strategically looking at where it is best to build operations and expand. They look first at what it costs to do business in any given location. These costs: measured in taxes, regulation costs, insurance costs, energy costs, workers compensation costs, unemployment costs, all go into a basket that rational decision makers and business leaders calculate and then say: does it make sense to build and expand here or there?” “One economic opportunity for Americans is to get a job. If 70% of job growth comes from small business, we cannot afford to place additional constraints on business and for that matter, workers…”
Can you recommend 3-4 winning campaign tactics for a first time candidate?
“Door knocking is critical. Old fashioned, shoe leather, house-by-house, vote by vote work is a must. Even in a technology driven world, person-to person outreach makes a real difference.” “Visibility and name recognition are also critical. While unfortunate, sometimes voters don’t have the time to listen to every single one of your policies, so it takes money and resources to get your message out, you need name recognition; its takes resources to get name recognition...” “Simplify your message. So many times I’ll read a campaign pamphlet that reads like a novel. Voters get lost when they don’t know what issues define you. Focus on 3-4 key issues that matter to voters. This way they know where you stand…” “Finding a professional team. You can spend a lot of time reinventing the wheel. With an experienced campaign staff you can avoid trial and error mistakes and spend your time on the things that matter…”
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