Tonight’s Lincoln Reagan Dinner — Most Successful in San Diego Republican History

Highlights from tonight’s annual dinner at the Rancho Bernardo Inn:

• 600 people attended, and over $200,000 was raised to support Republican Party of SD programs.

• Grover Norquist gave a fine key-note speech combining Humor with Reform.

• John Hoy named “Consultant of the Year”.

• Bill Baber took  the “Chairman’s Leadership Award”.

• John Neinstedt proclaimed “Pollster of the Year”.

• John Wainio cited as  “Best Kept Secret” for his essential work in 2010 races throughout SD County.

SD Rostra congratulates all of them, along with Chairman Tony Krvaric and Executive  Director Barrett Tetlow for the Dinner’s great success.

……..Other  Faces in the Crowd

Assemblyman Nathan Fletcher led the flag salute, and City Councilmen Kevin Faulconer and Carl DeMaio made brief speeches calling for the advance of GOP reforms in local government. Assessor/Recorder/Clerk Ernie Dronenburg told SD Rostra he loves the new job voters handed him last November.   City Attorney Jan Goldsmith was also in the audience.

District 3 Supervisor rivals Pam Slater-Price (incumbent)  and Steve Danon were there.  A group of pro-Danon sign wavers greeted arrivals as they turned on to Bernardo Oaks Drive. Danon and Rep. Brian Bilbray were praised by Tony Krvaric for helping raise $38,000 to support the SD-GOP.

………Grover Norquist’s speech

The leader of Americans for Tax Reform sketched the two Coalitions jousting for power in American politics.  (1) The Leave Us Alone Coalition consists of Taxpayers, Religious believers, and 2nd Amendment defenders who want the Federal Government to Leave Us Alone. Since active duty and retired military specialize(d)  in making sure Other Nations Leave Us Alone, they too become frequent allies of the First Coalition.

The Second Coalition, Norquist believes,  includes the Coercive Utopian movement, trying to force Americans into tiny Cars, to use light bulbs that don’t quite illuminate a room, and the Recycling Priests who will force you to separate the green glass from the brown! The 2nd coaliton  also numbers the Dependency Coalition, set up to contain the poor, managed  by $90,000-a-year bureaucrats trying to assure their dependents do not get jobs or become Republicans.

There was laughter when Norquist said the First Coaltion is a Collection of Friends, while the 2nd Coalition consists of Competing Parasites.

He predicted that if Republicans succeed in slowing down Federal and State spending, the 2nd Coalition will fracture.   “It will look like the next-to-the-last scene of  those Lifeboat movies…when the characters decide who to throw overboard, and who to eat.  If we stop giving them more public money, they will fight each other for what money remains”  Norquist stated.

……..Looking at U.S.  Senate races in 2012 and 2014

Grover Norquist concluded by reviewing the national political scene, stating that 23 of the 33 U.S. Senate seats at stake in 2012 are held by Democrats, and half of those are vulnerable to GOP takeover.  In 2014, Democrats have 20 seats to defend,  compared to 14 for the GOP.  Norquist expects Republicans to gain a Senate majority in 2012, and believes a filibuster-proof 60 votes is a real possibility by 2014.