A Huge Opportunity To Send A Message Tuesday
Gilchrist will shake up the GOP...
[Allan Bartlett] 12/4/05

I have been looking forward to this Tuesday, December 6th for a long time. It is a day when the great citizens of the 48th Congressional District here in Orange County get to send a clear and unmistakable message to President Bush and his open border cartel.

We are fed up with the federal government’s refusal to enforce our immigration laws and the lip service we hear on smaller government. We are taking matters into our own hands.

John Campbell is a decent guy, but desperate times call for desperate measures.

How did we get to this point?

I first heard about Jim Gilchrist and the Minutemen last year when the group started attracting huge media attention for their audacity in actually going down to the porous border and become the largest glorified neighbor watch group in America. I was literally cheering at the television when I saw clips and interviews of Jim Gilchrist and Chris Simcox telling the media that they were doing the job that the federal government has refused to do.

Nobody had even a hint that later the next year (this year) a seat in the House would open up in the district where Jim actually lives.

We literally drafted Jim into the race. He was a reluctant warrior, but I am so glad that he decided to do it.

I have seen first hand what has happened to once great Southern California cities – like Santa Ana and Los Angeles – from the deluge of illegal aliens streaming into our state. Huge parts of these cities are virtually ghettoes. I would never send my children to school in neighborhoods where now English rarely heard and kids can’t even read the words on their diploma when they graduate high school.

I myself have been a loyal Republican foot soldier ever since I turned eighteen. I have always voted only for Republican candidates.

I have never been part of – and don't want to be part of – the county GOP establishment here. I am just a grassroots volunteer in Irvine with a lot of opinions!

I rejoiced when the Republicans won the Congress back in 1994. Lately though, all I seem to see and hear is the Republican majority caving in on important conservative principles.

What good is a GOP majority if you're not using it to govern effectively?

I listen to a lot of talk radio [and got fired up enough to start my own blog – Powder Blue Report – a year and half ago at the urging of my neighbor here in Irvine, Hugh Hewitt. I bet he regrets that advice now, LOL]. My favorite is The John & Ken Show on KFI AM 640. They have been hammering on the illegal immigration problem for years now and, lately, the issue has been getting a lot of traction because of what Jim Gilchrist and the Minutemen have done. I have followed the tragic story of David March, a Los Angeles County Deputy murdered by an illegal alien who fled to Mexico for safe haven. Our local Congressional delegation barely lifted a finger to help the March family get justice. This really pissed me off. The worst of the do-nothing bunch was Congressman David Dreier. John & Ken made an example [aka the “Political Human Sacrifice”] out of him and held his share of the 2004 vote down to only 53% when he had previously received 65-70%.

So, why do I support Jim Gilchrist over a polished, GOP-anointed candidate like John Campbell? After all, I've never punched the chad for anyone but Republicans for my whole life and I have never missed voting in any election since I could vote.

We already have over 200 John Campbell-like Members of Congress back in Washington. I want someone in Congress who is going to be another Tom Tancredo and will stir things up and get in people's faces about illegal immigration and other critical conservative issues.

Jim Gilchrist will be that guy.

John Campbell wants to go to D.C. just to go along to get along, get seated on high profile committees and back in Orange County we'll never hear from him again – except at election time.

Campbell had no buzz in local GOP grassroots circles when he announced his run – nothing like the huge buzz Jim Gilchrist had swirling about him.

On immigration, Campbell has – at best – a suspect record. We all know where Gilchrist stands.

In my opinion, all these factors make Jim Gilchrist the best candidate.

I want to close this column with a plea to my fellow Republicans.

Jim Gilchrist is a Reagan Republican, not a George Bush Republican. There's a big difference. So although, technically, he’s not running as a Republican, he will be a great addition to the GOP caucus back in D.C.

He will hold their feet to the fire.

If you want more of the same from Washington, then John Campbell is your guy.

If you want someone who is going to get into President Bush's and the GOP open border establishment's face, then pull the lever for Jim Gilchrist.

Thanks for your time. CRO

copyright 2005 Allan Bartlett

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