KITCHEN TABLES
On Tuesday I spoke at the Cumberland County Republican Committee meeting. It was well attended for an evening in July. When I arrived one of the attendees asked me "What does it mean to be a ‘Next Generation Republican’?" There was some concern that this meant a movement to the middle, a moderation of traditional Republican values. It is actually quite the opposite. I like to reference Ronald Reagan when, during his farewell address to the nation he said, " All political change in American begins at the kitchen table."
Reagan was concerned that the contributions to America by the Greatest Generation, if not told around the kitchen table, would fade into history. Many members of that generation, like my grandparents, came here legally through Ellis Island. They overcame the Great Depression. They fought and won WWII. They ushered in the longest sustained period of prosperity ever known to mankind. They made America the superpower we are – militarily, economically, and in a humanitarian sense. They ended the Cold War without firing a shot. As Reagan observed almost twenty years ago, the values that inspired this “greatest generation” were under assault and in the balance. The best defense against this assault according to Reagan was the conversations that families have around their kitchen tables.
I had just come from having dinner with my parents, two members of the Greatest Generation. We had dinner around the very kitchen table I had grown up at. All nine of us crowded around the table. I learned more around that kitchen table than I would later learn in college. I learned about life and politics. I learned about love and family. When I refer to myself as a “Next Generation Republican” I mean to say that I will adhere, honor, promote and protect the contribution to the world made by my parents and my grandparents. I will do what is possible to maintain their values while implementing modern solutions. America’s position in the world hangs in the balance. Our security, our economy, our ability to lead are all at risk. We cannot let the sun set on Reagan’s vision. Let’s reawaken the new morning in America by recalling those traditional Republican principles.
BACK YARDS
On Thursday I attended the Kennebec County GOP Committee's annual BBQ. While the Maine weather didn't cooperate, the show went on. I want to thank all those who came out. I met some wonderful people afterward. The view was beautiful. It was real "back yard politics." I realized that the view, the venue and the gathering is what we need to preserve. The recreation center in Belgrade felt like a place that was part of someone's vision for future generations - A lovely piece of land that someone once stood on and dreamed that it would be a good place for the generations to gather.
Afterward, I was approached by a lovely couple, Dr. Scott and Carol Kemmerer. The story of their family was inspiring. They lived only 50 miles from the World Trade Center on September 11 of 2001. As a result of 9/11, their son wanted to enlist in the Marines. He was too young at the time. Subsequently, he went to Lehigh University to study electrical engineering. He graduated and as fate would have it, his work has taken him to Iraq where he is working as a private contractor embedded with the Marines. While they expressed their concern, Scott and Carol really wanted to share their pride in their son. She wears his dog tags around her neck. I was touched when she noted that throughout her day the tags gently chime. I was reminded of the scene in my favorite movie, "Its a Wonderful Life" when Clarence declares that "every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings." I only hope I can instill such a sense of pride and duty in my son. I hope and trust that someday, as a parent, I will be filled with the sense of awe and love Scott and Carol expressed for their son.
I don't recall his capacity or job ...but, young man, if you happen to stumble upon this, you should know that this 'stranger' met your parents - they are brimming with pride. It is visible in their smiles when they speak of you. They are well and they wish you a safe return.
Check in next week… I'll share how my trip to D.C. to attend the National Republican Congressional Committee's Candidate School went.
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