I have tough questions for the Republican Party leadership. Questions which I think most Americans want answered.

I am going to use Minnesota as a specific example, but these questions apply to every Republican leader in the United States and I’m asking for your help to spread these questions from California to Maine. Digg it. Reddit it. Email it. Twitter it. Stumble it. You know what to do.

Saturday, 3-29-08, as an elected delegate, I attended the Minnesota 2nd Congressional District Convention. The Following Elected Republicans Addressed the Convention:

• Governor Tim Pawlenty
• Senator Norm Coleman
• Congressman John Kline
• Minnesota Republican Party Chair Ron Carey

To Republican leaders:

Each of you said the following…

• I believe in free markets, free enterprise, and entrepreneurship.
• We need smaller government
• We need limited government
• Government is not the answer, government is the problem
• We need less regulation
• We need fewer taxes
• We need fewer government programs
• We need less spending
• I believe in individual freedom and liberty

I agree with each and every one of your statements…

Like many voters, I want you to do the right thing and I desperately want to support you, but I’m afraid this is just more hollow rhetoric. I have been an active Republican since 1989 and since then the size and scope of government has increased dramatically. In that time, the US Federal Government and Minnesota State spending has increased 300%. We’ve seen smoking bans. We’ve seen stadium subsidies. We’ve had half-trillion dollar federal deficits. We’ve had Republican presidents, governors, legislatures, and Republicans even controlled all three branches of the federal government for six of the last eight years.

At our convention on Saturday, Chairman Carey castigated the Ron Paul Revolution, saying revolutions are for tin horn dictators, not Americans (ever heard of the American Revolution?) and said that results take many years of hard work and patience. In all respect Mr. Carey, many of us were proud members of the 1994 Republican Revolution. We didn’t expect instant results and easy answers. We expected action and instead got empty rhetoric. Many of us held our noses and supported you through 2000 and 2004, but finally, fet up in 2006, we (and many others) didn’t support you and you lost in record numbers.

To win, we need you and you need us, and it is time to talk. But do not impugn us or take us for granted. You are winning and losing elections by the smallest of margins.

All I ask is that you, the elected officials and leaders of the Republican Party, for the record, answer the following questions honestly and candidly:

• If, like you say, government is too big, how much smaller should the government be? 10%, 20%, 30%, 50%? Give me a measurable goal.
• If, like you say, we need limited government, what are those limitations? Is government currently exceeding its limitations? If so, where? And what do you propose we do about it?
• If government is the problem, which parts of the government do you plan to eliminate?
• If we need less regulation, which regulations do you plan to eliminate?
• If we need fewer taxes, which taxes do you plan to eliminate?
• If we need fewer government programs, which programs do you plan to cut?
• If we need to spend less, how much less? Give me a dollar figure. Something measurable.
• If, you believe in an individuals right to freedom and liberty, which laws and regulations restricting an individuals private life do you propose we eliminate? Be specific.
• How do you plan to get the Democrats to compromise with your vision of a smaller limited government? It appears that even when you have power you consistently compromise with the Democrat’s vision of a larger more powerful government.

Can you please clarify these items for us?

When I have asked these questions in the past, I get a talking point about how dangerous the Democrats are. And I agree. It is a given that the Democrats are bad. But don’t sell me fear of Democrats, I don’t want to hear it. I will not work for you or support you out of fear. Give me something positive, something optimistic, and something measurable.

On Saturday, Senator Coleman spoke about optimism, free enterprise, and limited government.

Help us be optimistic Senator Coleman. Tell us your plan to reduce government interference in our lives.

You could start with ethanol subsidies.