Orange County Register

 11 Comments

• OCGOP says:

  November 20, 2008 at 7:55 pm

  Martin,

  You are a person who stays well within the loop of the goings on at the OCGOP. I find it very troubling that you posted this gentlemanâ??s comments in full without reporting any of the facts.

  1. Why wouldnâ??t the OCGOP find success and share in it with their members at the Central Committee meeting? That is their job â?? promote and further the ideals of the Republican Party. While I concede there is superficial bruising upon the conclusion of the National election, the OCGOP made great strides in local races. That is something that we Republicans should all be proud of and not overlook. In fact, the gentleman may want to read an OCGOP essay from one of its activists: Opportunity At The Local Level - http://www.ocgop.org/press/index.cfm/ID/153.htm.

  2. As for some of the factoids in defeat. I challenge anyone to blame the McCain team. Surely mistakes were made, but I see the race as this â?? Republicans had an incumbent President with approval ratings in the high teens and low twenty percentiles, were out raised nearly 2-1, were out spent in certain swing states nearly 5-1 and historically speaking when in a down economic cycles the challenger (party) becomes embolden. Now couple that with a media bias who had 70% positive stories on Obama and 60% negative stories on McCain (independent research, not just some pie in the sky poll) and I have to ask why did McCain come within 6% points of victory? He should have been obliterated. Still further why were several states that were considered battleground states (and seen largely as easy victories for Democrats) come within 2% of the vote?

  And for what it is worth, I voted for McCain — not against Obama.

  3. The gentleman is correct in stating this was a down year for Republicans, but it was not for lack of effort. The OCGOP actively co-mingled their efforts with the Victory 2008 campaign (a California Republican Party coordination of organizers, volunteers, activists and strategists). Please know that there were 9 (yes, 9) different campaign headquarters through out Orange County to coordinate victory. And while I would concede that this effort may not have turned out the vote in Orange County for McCain, it did turn out the vote in Missouri, Florida, Ohio, North Carolina among others. You see, in order to be effective in campaigning, you must use what you have and be able to pick your battles. The state of California was never going to be won by John McCain. Knowing this, Republicans banded together across this nation and used text messaging, cell phones, blogging and good old fashioned precinct walking (there was a trip to Nevada by over 100 OCâ??rs to walk for Republicans) to get out the vote.

  To steal a line from John McCain himself, that ‘My Friend’ is leadership and dedication to the Republican party (and the OCGOP).

  4. Also, if the gentleman appeared at any one of the OCGOPâ??s 9 headquarters, he would have seen that it was staffed with young and old alike. In fact, it ranged from families bringing their kids (some as young as 8 and 9 years old) to college students to retirees with intermittent volunteers who filled shifts before and after work. There were coordinated efforts across all of Orange Countyâ??s high schools too. Many of which are now hooked on politics and dare I say it — have bcome Republican.

  5. The gentleman also writes about the OCGOP not making conservative endorsements. Good grief Martin, you yourself have chronicled many of the heated endorsement meetings where candidates espouse and articulate their conservative principles and records. Anyone who even reads the OC Register can figure that one out or hey guess what, go to the OCGOP website at - http://www.ocgop.org/stay_informed/candidates/.

  By the way, these candidates go through a fairly rigorous process to become endorsed.

  6. Newsflash â?? Chuck DeVore is running for US Senate. Of course he is going to launch a grassroots campaign vying for conservative voices. That is called great campaigning! There is no conspiracy here.

  7. Not to denigrate Jesse Petrilla, but that is another newsflash of a potential candidate simply trying to make â??heyâ?? for name identification. There are ample CRA, RWF and GOP volunteer units serving South Orange County and the Saddleback region.

  In fact, go take a look — http://www.ocgop.org/get_involved/clubs/.

  You can also search by city at http://www.ocgop.org/yourcity/.

  8. Officials from the federal, state and local government make their opinions very clear within the OCGOP community. They are constantly publishing their opinions in the Orange Grove commentary with the OC Register and they even feature their comments on the OCGOP.

  Take a look - http://www.ocgop.org/press/.

  And yes, they stand for the Republican Party.

  9. Now if the gentleman wants to become apart of the technology age as he describes, then he would already have been a part of the e-communication team over at the OCGOP. It is a very easy sign-up too. Just click on http://www.ocgop.org/squeeze/ and he would have been privy to weekly email communications that go out to nearly 5,000 of the GOP faithful here in Orange County.

  The Squeeze as it is called is published every Tuesday. He would even be able to take notice of all of their events with an email on Friday mornings.

  If he does not like receiving emails, but still wants to be connected on his own time, he can always review what is going on in the OC at http://www.ocgop.org/events/.

  10. If this gentleman wanted to go to an OCGOP coordinated rally, then I would suggest he have gone to any number of the John McCain rallies (had one in August) and again with Sarah Palin (had one in October). If he thinks national candidates are going to stay on his front porch, then he ought to move to New Hampshire during the primaries, not live in California during the General Election.

  Guess what? This is a big nation and they only come through town a few times. And you know what else? When they did come to town, thousands of people showed up and give their support. It is unfortunate that this gentleman was blinded by his lack of information and was unable to join us.

  11. Also this gentleman talks about the lack of civic leadership through conservative clubs. Just who are you kidding? OC is home to some of the most active blogging, emailing, donating, volunteering, telephoning, precinct walking people there are. Gee whiz, have you ever looked at http://www.redcounty.com/orangecounty/ ?

  12. If this gentleman missed any one of the candidate forums held all over Orange County, I feel bad for him. Some of them were not only educating, but quite entertaining. There was ample debates, town halls and coffees to go around. And all of them were free to the public!

  I could go on and on and put not only one foot of this gentleman in his mouth, but probably both feet in his obnoxiously large mouth and ram it all the way down his throat until it comes out the other side.

  â?¦and please pardon the vision there, but after reading this gentlemanâ??s comments, I got very upset. I donâ??t akin to the uneducated and overly arrogant who talk about everything, but yet conveniently know nothing.
• Elliott E. Alhadeff says:

  November 21, 2008 at 11:29 am

  To respond to the anonymous “response” regarding my concern of the inaction of the OCGOP,
  and the accusation of my own inactivity, let me submit the following:

  To begin with, it must have been an embarrassing admission for the writer to tacitly admit that
  except for the OCGOP endorsements - which have been the subject of extensive criticism and the
  subject of concern at the Nov. 17th, Central Committee meeting, the remainder of the items the
  writer refers to as proof of OCGOP activity are, in fact, those sponsored, organized, staffed and
  funded by the McCain campaign and/or of individual clubs and candidates having to act on their
  own.

  Indeed:

  On June 17, 2008, at the Republican Women’s Federation meeting, Mr. Baugh spoke and
  complained about the policies and actions of the Republican Party at the national level. I asked
  him what he, on behalf of the OCGOP, had done to oppose these actions. His answer: he did
  nothing. He said his inaction was intentional and deliberate because he did not want either the
  OCGOP or its Congressional representatives to appear in conflict with the administration.
  Although there was no discernable laughter, you can judge for yourself how unconcerned Mr.
  Baugh was then and is now regarding his “performance” as the head of the OCGOP and how
  ludicrous is this response.
  Thereafter, I asked what strategy was planned by the OCGOP to oppose Obama and help elect
  McCain. His answer: no strategy was planned on either issue because the national campaign was
  not putting any money in California. Again, no sense of responsibility to engage the leadership
  of the OCGOP in this most important event.
  At the following Sunday breakfast meeting held by Senator Ackerman, I again asked if the
  OCGOP planned any strategy to help defeat Obama and elect McCain. Senator Ackerman
  confirmed the answer by Mr. Baugh that nothing was planned because there was no money
  expected from the national campaign. My jaw was the only one heard as it fell to the floor.
  I received numerous requests for contributions and assistance from the McCain campaign. I
  received nothing from the OCGOP.
  Nevertheless, I volunteered several hours at the Lakeforest Women’s Federation Headquarters -
  which, I was told, encountered considerable resistance from the OCGOP in their attempt to open
  their office. During the several days of my work there, I saw no indication of any activity by the
  OCGOP - all of the effort was sponsored by the local clubs, the candidates or those supporting
  the initiatives.
  Because the OCGOP had thrown Orange County under the bus making it politically irrelevant, I
  volunteered a weekend to travel to Nevada. I personally knocked on over 200 doors in precincts
  assigned to me. This program was organized by the McCain campaign - with nothing to indicate
  any assistance from the OCGOP.
  I attempted to assist in registering Republicans as permanent absentee voters and was referred to
  and spoke with Saulo Londono. After a lengthy telephone conversation, Mr. Londono stated he
  was only able to register “about 50%” of those he called. He did not state there was any on-going
  campaign to continue registering voters as permanent absentee mailers. While I was working at
  the Lakeforest headquarters, there was nothing there from the OCGOP that indicated any
  program either to register persons as permanent absentee voters or to monitor those who were as
  to whether they had voted. I was told that the results we recorded regarding our phone contacts
  went to the McCain campaign.
  I regularly reviewed the activities on the OCGOP website and saw nothing that was programmed
  by the OCGOP. All of the campaign activities I saw were those held by organizations other than
  the OCGOP.
  In addition, it is important I note that Jim Mirrotto and I met with George Andrews to discuss
  these same issues over a year ago. Mr. Andrews was adamant in asserting that the OCGOP has
  only three functions: registering voters, funding campaigns and getting out the vote. Therefore,
  none of the items mentioned in my letter would be assumed by the organization. I have attempted
  to review this decision. Mr. Andrews does not return my calls and I have received no response to
  my request to meet with Mr. Baugh.
  Of course, much more can be written, but the letter is already too long to hold your attention.
  Nevertheless, as I indicate in the letter, the catastrophic defeat the OCGOP suffered in this
  election, which I briefly describe, is not acknowledged. Instead, allow me observe that you limit
  your response to only a portion of a single line in the letter, which, not surprisingly, was fully
  anticipated, i.e., “… you argue of all the things the OCGOP has done…”.
  Your neglect of or ignoring the rest of line - indeed, and the rest of the letter - does not speak
  well of your objectivity in judging the merits of my concern. What the OCGOP did, obviously,
  is not the focus of my concern or of those who have voiced their support of the letter. Using a
  bat to strike at the wind hoping it will have an affect on the weather is likewise an exercise in
  futility. Instead, we are all gravely distressed at the issue raised right after the line, i.e., “…. -
  look at what it (the OCGOP) failed to do in this election and fails to do as a political party…”
  I will assume your not responding to the numerous items I list thereafter is an unintentional
  oversight. Let me review them and, allow you an area where you can respond to each:
  No effective, responsible OCGOP review of candidate endorsements and intelligent support -
  that does not result in embarrassing Republicans or helping the opposition. For example the
  debacle in Mission Viejo, reviewed in a letter in Nov. 20th Register, and the Irvine City Council.
  Your response:
  No OCGOP on-going official public support of Republican elected officials and their objectives.
  For example Proposition J. This would help to show what we stand for by aggressively
  supporting those who stand for us.
  Your response:
  No OCGOP programs organizing rallies, demonstrations, protests, E-mails, text-messages,
  telephone calls, letter writings or any other activity supporting or opposing important political
  events, or candidates, or legislation, or public statements, or proposed political action or policy or
  any other political item that should be addressed by a political party that is supposed to activate
  political action.
  Your response:
  And even if there was any such program there is….
  No OCGOP leadership to mobilize any of the leaders of any of the numerous Orange County
  conservative clubs and to lead them to activate their own grass-roots members to execute any
  given political program.
  Your response:
  No OCGOP program to reach out to community youth and seniors’ centers and other public
  media forums where we could have seminars, presentations, debates or panel discussions - to
  communicate our message.
  Your response:
  No OCGOP program to organize school and college youths to join in on political activities - to
  bring the new generation into our Party.
  Your response:
  No OCGOP public definition of the conservative ideology or of a program to publicize our
  principles and to promote and defend what we stand for.
  Your response:
  To be fair to you, I repeat that Mr. Andrews explained these are not the functions of the OCGOP.
  Your response:
  In addition, it would be helpful if you would respond to the comments regarding Hugh Hewitt’s
  criticism of our Party. I.e., we lost the vote of our youth; we fail to communicate our message
  and we fail to select viable candidates.
  Your response:
  I note also you did not respond to Chuck DeVore’s having to assume the responsibility of
  building a “grass-roots” organization in the absence of one by either the CRP or the OCGOP.
  Your response:
  While you’re at it, I would ask you include a response to Jesse Petrilla’s observation of the
  implied necessity to create an independent grass-roots organization in the absence of one by the
  OCGOP;
  Your response:
  I am,
  Elliott Alhadeff,
  Laguna Woods, Ca.
• Oh my word.... says:

  November 21, 2008 at 6:29 pm

  Elliott,

  Hate to break it to you, but the anonomous person (OCGOP) has you dead to rights. Your argument makes little sense and you give too much credit to the OCGOP. Their purpose is to raise money, get out the vote and register voters — nothing more. They are not policy makers. Your argument also does not take into consideration the ample internal dialogue between Team McCain, the RNC, the CRP and the OCGOP…with all the grassroot’s organizations in between. It is increasingly clear by your writings that while your intentions are worthwhile and the questions are worth asking, are unwilling to educated yourself in Campaigning 101. I also think you failed to read that person’s answers. It was clear to me what they meant. They just about went paragraph for paragraph on your original posting.
• The Bolsavik says:

  November 21, 2008 at 9:23 pm

  Is it true, that the OCGOP is now as pointless as the OCDP? Is that the OC’s own idea of bipartisanship, how red and blue now look alike, equally inept?
• OCGOP says:

  November 22, 2008 at 9:22 am

  Mr. Alhadeff,

  Your questions are valid but are unanswerable by the OCGOP. Without the basic premise and concept of teamwork where all Republicans play on one team from the top on down, everything you ask can not be answered. The only amount of leadership the OCGOP in which it can control is local…and for that, I will say this, they did a good job and may of the city councils were retained in Republican hands and many more were strengthened.

  Beyond that for many of the other questions you raise, I suggest that you re-read my original post. The answers are there. You just may not happen to agree with them.

  It is unfortunate that you may not have seen just how close the OCGOP partnered itself with a variety of campaigns and organizations. What you may think as having been all McCain in your bus ride to Nevada, was in large part OCGOP. What you may think were McCain staff, were in large part people associated with the OCGOP.

  Again, many of your questions are valid, but are aimed at the wrong people.

  Also, in closing here, because I still get the feeling that we disagree on the same dynamics that are in play here, but DeVore and Petrilla are attmepting to lure people by having them gravitate toward their own personal agenda (ie campaign). There is no exclusivity clause in politics that if you belong to one Republican group you can’t join another. Also, please know that these groups you speak of are not assoicated with the OCGOP other than they are largely dominated by Republican members who also happen to live in Orange County. And for that, the more the merrier.
• Jesse Petrilla says:

  November 23, 2008 at 2:06 pm

  Now I’ve gotta cut in here to give my two cents. I moved to Orange County several years ago from the San Fernando Valley, and up there I was part of a group that was then called the San Fernando Valley Townhall Conservatives headed up by Gary Aminoff. It was a truly inspirational group of highly dedicated individuals, grassroots to the core, who did the precinct walks, filled the phone banks, and held local officials accountable. When I moved down to OC I thought for certain I would find something similar, but I still have not. The Townhall group I was part of was not tied in with the local party, and even served as a watchdog often times when the party wasn’t doing what they thought was enough to promote conservatism. Down here I have found many groups, and all serve their valuable purpose in the Republican cause, but most are either lead by local elected officials or largely social oriented rather than action oriented. To the point of leadership I ask how can local elected officials be held accountable to conservative values when they lead the club? Secondly how can we recruit and grow when most orgs are focused on themselves and not on grassroots outreach into the community, no I’m sorry I am starting this group because I see conservatism in OC slipping and I’m going to do whatever I can to keep OC in the red.
• Elliott E. Alhadeff says:

  November 23, 2008 at 7:25 pm

   Dear Anonymous.

  Because it seems I have your attention and that you seem to consider being responsive is entertaining, even if you don’t also realize it is your responsibility to be accountable - I will continue to engage in this exercise.

  You remain in denial as to the failure of the OCGOP and its insignificance as a voice for responsible citizens of Orange County, whether they are Republicans or Democrats or anything else. To illustrate this unfortunate state, please try answering these questions:

  1. Why doesn’t the OCGOP express publicly and openly the outrage - to Republican legislators who fail to adhere to conservative ideals - even if, as Scott Baugh shamelessly admitted, it may upset the Administration?
  Your response?

  2. Why didn’t the OCGOP have a strategy to oppose Obama and support McCain, as Scott Baugh stated, even if the national party didn’t give you money? Doesn’t the OCGOP have any independent organization or resources to help all Republican office seekers - especially one running for the President of the United States?
  Your response?

  3. Why is there no effective, responsible OCGOP review of candidate endorsements and intelligent support - that does not result in embarrassing Republicans or helping the opposition. For example the debacle in Mission Viejo, reviewed in a letter in the Nov. 20th Register, and the Irvine City Council. Read the minutes of the Monday meeting of the Central Committee and of the two men criticizing the existing “system” of endorsements. Let me also remind you of the foolhardy endorsements made for Carona. I also include the endorsement of the DA, Tony Rackauckus - who failed to investigate Carona years ago. Moreover, he still can’t figure out how
  to handle illegal immigrants, gangs, UCI corruption, anarchy in the jails, or parental responsibility over juveniles - just to mention a few of the problems that continue to denigrate the quality of life in our county..
  Your response?

  3. There is no OCGOP on-going official public support of Republican elected officials and their objectives. For example Proposition J. There was no strategy or program of support for this important initiative. Moreover, the OCGOP had no strategy or program to support Supervisor Moorlach in advancing the initiative or in helping him and other Supervisors support the initiative. The OCGOP lost the opportunity to completely change California’s socialist landscape when, in 2005, the OCGOP failed to develop a strategy and programs to pass proposition 73 requiring parental notification of abortions; proposition 74, facilitating firing of incompetent teachers; proposition 75, regulating union dues for political purposes; proposition 76 setting limits on state spending and school funding and finally, proposition 77 providing new standards for redistricting.

  Your response:

  4. There are no OCGOP programs - again - PROGRAMS - organizing rallies, demonstrations, protests, E-mails, text-messages, telephone calls, letter writings or any other activity supporting or opposing important political events, or candidates, or legislation, or public statements, or proposed political action or policy or any other political item that should be publicly addressed by a political party that is supposed to activate political action. Saying that I, or anyone else can
  do it is like saying we should individually provide for fire and police protection by buying a hose and a pistol. We need organizational action. In this regard, there is no organizational action because there is no recognized responsibility by the OCGOP to engage in open and public on-going support or defense of activities involving a political ideology.
  Your response:

  5. And even if there was any such program there is…….
  No OCGOP leadership to mobilize any of the leaders of any of the numerous Orange County conservative clubs and to lead them to activate their own grass-roots members to execute any given political program. Can the OCGOP give an example of mobilizing the leaders of the conservative clubs to engage in a definitive program to get their members to engage in a specific political action program to accomplish a specific political objective? Isn’t this what is needed to
  succeed in advancing and defending our principles and making the OCGOP relevant?
  Your response:

  6. No OCGOP program to reach out to community youth and seniors’’ centers and other public media forums where the OCGOP would sponsor seminars, presentations, debates or panel discussions - to communicate our message. If I’m wrong, please describe the OCGOP program; and who headed it, and the seminars, presentations, debates and/or panel discussions that were
  part of the program.
  Your response:

  7. No OCGOP program to organize school and college youths to join in on political activities - to bring the new generation into our Party. Again, to be specific, if there is such a program, who of the OCGOP headed it and what action has it taken?
  Your response:

  8. No OCGOP public definition of the conservative ideology or of a program to publicize our principles and to promote and defend what we stand for. If there is such a public definition or expression of the OCGOP conservative ideology, please refer me to it.
  Your response:

  9. Is it true that none of the above activities are actually engaged in because, as your Executive Director has stated and, as is stated in your own website, these are not the functions of the OCGOP?
  Your response:

  10. Would you respond to the comments regarding Hugh Hewitt’’s
  criticism of our Party. I.e.,
  We lost the vote of our youth;
  We fail to communicate our message
  We fail to select viable candidates.
  Your response:

  10. I note also that you did not respond to Chuck DeVore’s having to assume the responsibility of building a ““grass-roots”” organization in the absence of one by either the CRP or the OCGOP. Is there an independent “grass-roots” organization in the OCGOP - not that of a candidate, but one that is developed and activated by the OCGOP. A grass-roots organization for political action that may not involved anyone’s candidacy - but instead, a political event, like Chuck
  DeVore’s initiative to develop nuclear energy, or the passage of legislation pending in the state or national forums, or to defend against an attack by an ideological adversary, or to recommend new
  legislation or new conservative programs? If there is such an official OCGOP grass-roots organization, when was it last used and for what? If not. Why not?
  Your response:

  You state “your questions are valid but are unanswerable by the
  OCGOP. Without the basic premise and concept of teamwork where all Republicans play on one team from the top on down, everything you ask can not be answered.”

  Why can’t the OCGOP have an ongoing organization to support candidates as well as to weigh in on other on-going political issues? Why can’t the OCGOP’s Central Committee be the OCGOP’s organized on-going team with its own grass-roots organization to work with candidates during elections as well as on political issues that are continually arising?

  You state: “the only amount of leadership the OCGOP in which it can control is local……and for that, I will say this, they did a good job and may of the city councils were retained in Republican
  hands and many more were strengthened. ”

  Supporting candidates is only a small part of the potential of the OCGOP. Defending incumbents who are themselves, primarily responsible for their success or failure, does not respond to the much more important responsibility of the OCGOP to effectively extend its voice and protect its conservative ideals against infringement by liberal activists and to give citizens reasons for electing conservative candidates, other than only their party affiliation.

  You accuse me of not responding to the issues of your letter. Let me go through those issues individually.

  As to item 1 that deals with patting yourselves on the back for the activities of the candidates in local campaigns. What, specifically, did the OCGOP do, independent of candidate publicity to advance and defend conservative ideology. What message did you publish? What programs did you sponsor?

  As to item 2: It refers exclusively to the results of the election - and says nothing about organization or programs created or operated by the OCGOP.

  As to Item 3: That you state you “coordinated withVictory 2008 and local campaign headquarters” does not respond to what strategy or program you executed on behalf of the OCGOP. Moreover, merely referring to the success of other states does not respond to the failure in this state with only a 53% turnout. Indeed, describing the insignificance of California in the election is a disgraceful admission of failure and irresponsibility of this leadership to the demands of campaign action.

  As to Item 4: At the location I worked at, all of the volunteers were solicited by either the Lakeforest Women’s Federation or a particular candidate. Not a single person who visited or worked at the location indicated they were aware of an OCGOP effort to get people to help in the campaign. It is my understanding that the lion share of the locations were staffed by volunteers of candidates or local clubs - not those of the OCGOP.

  As to item 5: The issue is not whether the OCGOP makes conservative endorsements. It is whether those endorsements are embarrassing, effective or counter-productive. See my comment
  above regarding Carona, Reckauckus, Mission Viejo and Irvine.

  As to item 6: Conspiracy? You may wish to re-read my letter to determine where I suggest any such notion. Instead, I state that Chuck DeVore is compelled to strike out on his own in the creation of a grass-roots organization to support his candidacy because there is none to assist him by the OCGOP.

  As to item 7: Mr. Petrilla has responded to the OCGOP’s demeaning charge of his personal interests in his activism. It speaks volumes of the OCGOP’s ineptitude and its rejection of any effort to engage in activism or to encourage activism from others. Instead the OCGOP has no hesitancy in discouraging it and even demeaning those who make any such attempt by accusing them of having only selfish, self-serving intentions. Your internet reference is to other clubs that
  may or may not engage in any political activity other than meet, enjoy good fellowship and a luncheon speaker. What, if any direction has the OCGOP ever given to these clubs to participate in a strategy of programs, planned, organized, staffed, directed and controlled by the OCGOP?

  As to item 8: What officials from the federal, state and local government do is not responsive to any public expression by the OCGOP of what this organization stands for. Why is it so difficult
  to define and state for itself the conservative policies this county supports and voice those standards regularly, openly and publicly defending them when necessary, and likewise, advancing them pursuant to an orderly strategy of intelligent political action?
  As to item 9: It is one thing to have a strategy to immediately be able to communicate on current local issues to an army of activists using e-technology. It is quite another to suggest that activity is covered by a one-way newsletter that goes out weekly over the e-mail. To even suggest such is an admission of how incapable the OCGOP must be in mobilizing effective campaign forces.

  As to item 10: Again, the reference is to what programs organized and operated by the McCain campaign. And again, it is a tacit admission there were no such programs or activities sponsored or organized by the OCGOP.

  As to item 11: The reference is to what other organizations are doing. My concern is what the OCGOP is not doing and is capable of accomplishing. Referring to other activities is like a dysfunctional group disclaiming any responsibility for its failures because other organizations are doing it instead. There is no OCGOP organization to perform the functions listed in item 11.

  As to item 12. Please indicate to me a single candidate forum, debate, town hall and/or coffee meeting sponsored, organized and/or led officially by the OCGOP.

  Contrary to your assertion of OCGOP involvement in the Nevada event, the people in charge of the Nevada event I went on were hired by McCain or were volunteers for the McCain campaign. They may live in Orange County and therefore are part of the OCGOP but to say they were working for the OCGOP is disingenuous, at best. It is a sad commentary that the OCGOP is so ineffectual that it fails to develop a voice that makes California significant so that our efforts would be best spent here than in another state.

  You state that “ many of your questions are valid, but are aimed at the wrong people.”

  Please, please direct me to those responsible for the leadership of the OCGOP that are responsible for the functions of the OCGOP.
  Your response;

  Finally, you state “…that these groups you speak of are not assoicated (sic) with the OCGOP other than they are largely dominated by Republican members who also happen to live
  in Orange County”

  Precisely. Another admission that reflects the OCGOP’s state of unconsciousness. Why should the OCGOP forfeit its responsibility to fulfill these vital functions since it has the
  necessary resources to best accomplish the tasks I have defined?
  Your response.

  Elliott Alhadeff,
  Laguna Woods, Cal.
• OCGOP says:

  November 24, 2008 at 6:50 pm

  Once again, two arguments are being made without any means of equality. It is fairly obvious that you do not like the answers I give, nor the meanings drawn from them. In fact, it is becoming more and more clear that there is nothing that can be said to satisfy your line of questioning or thinking.

  When reading your posts Mr. Alhadeff, I actually feel bad for you. And please don’t take that the wrong way. I do not mean to pity you or feel sorry for you in any way or shape. I feel bad because you because you geniunely are a spirited, loyal an dedicated Republican who seeks an outlet to be heard and answered. I respect that a great deal.

  I would suggest that you take your frustrations time and time again to the OCGOP’s Central Committee meeting. I do not think you will ever get an answer to you liking, but your passion for Republican politics should not be discounted. You have a voice in our party just as much as the next person.

  I would also suggest that instead of speaking from the outside looking in, become even more involved than you already are and be a solution from within. And please don’t take that as being left handed commentary either. Your few hours here and there at a Victory HQ are not indicitive of the goings-on at the OCGOP, CRP or RNC. Who knows, maybe run for office as a Central Committee member.

  As for the series of questions (and re-questions), I would stick to the first set of answers. To grant you explanation as to the minutia and inter-workings of the RNC, CRP, OCGOP or any other Republican organization would be opening the playbook for the other side and for that matter anyone to read. When I suggest that they work in tandem. They really do. And yes, some are as campaign strategy, some are political, ideological or philosophical organizations and some are social (not of the issue kind, but a place for like-minded people to meet).

  To contextualize any further beyond what has been previously said is not fit for this blogging foum. It is not exactly a secret as to who does what or when and at whose direction in campaigns, but to spell it out for you (or for anyone) is just not something that is done in this open arena.

  That said, I think we have spent entirely way too much time blogging on here for entertainment purposes as the written word sometimes just doesn’t cut it.

  Good luck to you and Happy Thanksgiving.
• Elliott E. Alhadeff says:

  November 25, 2008 at 10:46 am

  I agree this medium is inadequate to create the political will necessary to engage in the activities I suggest in my writings. However, as I mentioned before, when Mr. Mirrotto and I met with
  George Andrews, the Executive Director of the OCGOP, he limited the activities of the OCGOP to registering voters, raising funds and getting out the vote, and therefore, he refused to consider these suggestions. I’m encouraged to see you have not repeated this outrageous limitation of the potential of the OCGOP, thereby tacitly recognizing the much greater responsibilities you are failing to meet. I have since been blocked from contact@OCGOP.org and you refuse to respond
  to my calls.

  You may choose to end this discussion and continue to be unresponsive - not because my claims have no merit, but on the pretext that your answer might help the opposition. Permit me to
  suggest you have already made it quite apparent how ineffective the OCGOP is and that you are prepared to steadfastly oppose any effort to improve its performance. Below, I outline for you the chance to prove me to be wrong.

  Orange County is too important and has too great a potential of leadership to allow it to continue to be squandered by a small, irresponsible, apathetic and unimaginative group. Your suggestion I
  address the Central Committee is an underhand claim of my ignorance of its dysfunctional state. I have contacted all six members of my district. Two responded. If that organization had any influence, let alone any sense of responsibility, its members would long ago have engaged in the actions that I have addressed. To suggest I should review these issues with those already presently responsible to think of and act on them, themselves, admits, what I have discovered, that the members of the Central Committee have neither the intention nor the will to solve the many issues facing our Party. All that I wrote specifically explains what hasn’t been done and therefore, what should be done. Nothing that has been written in answer to my criticism indicates an inability, neither legally nor practically to engage in these actions. All that is lacking, and that is missing in so many of our political institutions, is the will.

  Finally, at the risk of advising the opposition of a strategy to succeed in the next election, please consider the following:

  1. Define our ideology. (This is easy. We know what this is. Don’t be afraid to publish it.)
  2. Direct the Central Committee to establish the following OCGOP Standing Committees to perform the functions to accomplish the ideological agenda.

  A. Political Review
  Monitors media and political forums and identifies political issues calling for OCGOP sponsored political action. Refers recommendations to Programs Committee.

  B. Programs
  Identifies and develops practical programs to be used regarding recommendations from the Political Review Committee to achieve the necessary political action.

  C. Publicity
  Identifies and activates media channels to publish the campaign program.

  D. Action
  1. Develops data-base of conservative organizations and their leaders, mobilizes them to contact and activate their members and implements the programs recommended by the Programs
  Committee.
  2. Monitors and evaluates results.
  3. Reviews and as necessary modifies action.

  Let me know if you have any questions,

  I’m not going away….

  I remain,
  Elliott Alhadeff
• OCGOP says:

  November 25, 2008 at 6:52 pm

  Oh Elliott. Where to begin?

  It is becoming increasingly clear why your questions are not being answered, your phone calls not being returned and your emails being blocked. I do not wish to snicker at you, so please do not take it that way. However, the cliche of getting more with honey than vinegar does come to mind.

  And let me just say that one of the nuances of the internet in terms of blogging is to choose any name/handle you wish. I am not on staff nor have any plans to be considered as staff with the OCGOP. My responses however are my views and witnessed actions of their managment at the local level.

  Every good wish to you.
• Mary says:

  December 26, 2008 at 3:44 pm

  Elliot,

  I take umbrage with almost everything you said in your letter.

  How on earth would you know what our OC Party did or did not do?

  If I may, let me shed some light on the subject.

  We were out in force this past election.

  We had nine headquarters (pd for by the Republican Party)here in OC and most were manned by the youth.

  By October we had already made over 300,000 voter contacts……..

  Our Chairman was there every step of the way raising money, giving us guidance and new ideas. Long before the election season began our Chairman set up a meeting with each assembly district. Where were you?

  We had a Voter Reg (vote by mail ) program. Our main focus was (1) Register more Republicans (2) Have each person that registers to vote fill in the “vote by mail” section of the voter reg form. By the way, where were you?

  GOTV— We were out in force hanging campaign literature on door knobs all through the week and on week-ends. Where were you?

  As for myself, I volunteered on an average of 80 hours a week and my job was to recruit volunteers. In one headquarters alone we had 269 volunteers working. We were making between 3,500 all the way to 9,000 calls a day and walking precincts on top of it. We had Home Schoolers, High Schoolers and College Students from every college in OC volunteering. We reached out to the youth more this election then ever before.

  Again, I take umbrage with your remarks especially since I did not see you out helping the cause one iota.

  Let me be clear when I say this E-mail is not coming from the OCGOP. I have taken it upon myself to write you as an individual - I am offended, as would the hundreds of volunteers that put in numerous hours trying to help their country win an election.

  When you start working instead of standing back and criticizing then E-mail me with your sentiments and criticisms.

  Constructive criticisms are always welcome!

  Until then, don’t be so quick to judge and criticize others.

  WE ALL WORKED HARD!

  Thank you, Mary Young