RNC Chair Michael Steele and Kansas Republican Party Chair Amanda Adkins
Yesterday Republican National Committee Chair Michael Steele met with about 70 county, district and state Republican “grass roots” Republican leaders in Overland Park. Some traveled from as far away as Wichita and Salina to attend the event.
Steele introduced himself: “I am from you. I am grassroots. I started out licking stamps, knocking on doors, stuffing envelopes, and getting doors slammed in my face, and mail returned, getting cussed out on the phone.”
See some of Steele’s other remarks in the video below.
Near the end of the video as part of a response to a question Steele gave insights into his upbringing:
My mother was sharecropper’s daughter with a fifth grade education … I remember asking my mom when I was much older why she never took public assistance. Her response knocked me over. She looked at me. She said, “I didn’t want the government to raise my kids.” …
We recognize there are some folks that despite those difficulties … really need that help. But it shouldn’t be help that resorts to dependency. And that’s the difference between what we talk about and what the Democrats talk about.
It boils down to this: We’re the party that’s much better and more prepared to teach you how to fish than the party that’s going to give you a fish and make you dependent every day, or every week to go get that fish.
Steele later attended a fund raising event in Mission Hills. Earlier in the day Kansas Democratic Party Executive Director Kenny Johnston commented about Steele attending this fundraiser.
Johnston released a statement inviting Steele to take a tour of Johnson County to view how money from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act was being spent.
The KDP’s press release failed to explain how giving “recovery money” to some citizens but not others was fair. Why do some that are out of work benefit from a government action when others out of work do not?
The KDP’s press release about the $70 million spent on a US 69 road widening project did not explain the waste in money spent for Vice President Biden’s trip when construction equipment was put in place for the day of Biden’s visit and appeared to be working on the road construction project. Actual work on US 69 started nearly a month later on July 6. Why didn’t Biden visit Overland Park on July 6 instead of June 11?
The KDP’s press release did not mention that the “stimulus” money is not free and the projects are being paid for with increased debt to be paid for by future taxes on our children and grandchildren. How are we “helping the children” with the huge debt burden added just this year?
Why is “stimulus” money seen as “free”, when there are dire consequences for spending money we don’t have now? How are we as a society being responsible with such reckless spending?
Isn’t the stimulus money just the free fish that Steele was warning about?
Related:
- Quotations from Chairman Steele: Obama a “collectivist”, Dave Helling, KC Star prime buzz, July 9, 2009.
- Michael Steele in JoCo tonight, David Klepper, KC Star prime buzz, July 9, 2009.
Tags: Amanda Adkins, Kansas Democratic Party, Kansas Republican Party, Keith Esau, Kenny Johnston, Michael Steele, RNC, Ronnie Metsker
