Reagan Repubs tout conservative principles
<p>Kootenai County Reagan Republican President Jeff Ward speaks to the political group Thursday.</p>
COEUR d'ALENE - Kootenai County Reagan Republican President Jeff Ward reminded the troops Thursday the political group battles for a broad conservative coalition.
"We stand by Ronald Reagan's view that an 80 percent friend is better than a 20 percent enemy," Ward said, speaking at the group's luncheon at Fedora Pub and Grille. "That means that if we mainly agree on those broad conservative principles, we welcome everybody."
He also took the time to review the organization's priorities, including local political activism, he said.
"We can't leave government to the big shots," he told approximately 25 people at the luncheon. "We need more and more people to be active, and that is why Reagan Republicans knock on doors and stamp envelopes and make phone calls, and do the real work of making a consensus in this community and driving conservative principles in government."
Another priority is ensuring citizens are informed about the issues. He said the group hosts regular guest speakers and sends out a regular newsletter.
The final priority is training, he said.
"We can be great activists if we know how to be great activists," Ward said. A great organization will teach its people, he said.
Also, he said, the organization is run best by its members, not top-down by a leader.
"It's not an organization with somebody who is dictating what the organization does," he said.
The Reagan Republicans have rules, or bylaws, which are followed, he said. Anyone who doesn't follow them must be held accountable.
"We think that is distinctly a Republican idea," he said. "The rule of law is more important than the rule of men."
At the very beginning, the Reagan Republicans formed to fight and take back the country, he said. Democrats in the federal government had all of the control.
And when the new group needed a name, the organizers of the new activist group chose Reagan's name, he said.
"Ronald Reagan created the greatest electoral coalition in American history," Ward said. "He brought together conservatives of all stripes. He brought together blue-collar Democrats who had conservative leanings."