January Party Meeting

The January meeting of the Harrison County Republican Party will be held at the Courthouse in Corydon at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 9, at 10:00 a.m.

Meetings are open to the public.

Hope to see you there!

January YR Meeting

The January meeting of the Harrison County Young Republicans will be held at the Corydon Cinemas at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, January 12.

Meetings are open to the public. There is no cost to attend. Annual membership dues for the Young Republicans are $10.00 (and include a t-shirt).

Hope to see you there!

Merry Christmas!

The Harrison County Republicans hope that you and your family have a safe and very merry Christmas.

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

- Luke 2:8-14

Have a very merry Christmas!

Straw Poll Results

Below are the results for the 2009 Harrison County Straw Poll, conducted on the evening of Sunday, December 13.

Thanks to everyone that came out and made the event a great success!

Photos will be posted soon.

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President (for 2012) - Sarah Palin

Governor (for 2012) - Richard Mourdock

U.S. Senate - John Hostettler

U.S. Congress (9th District) - Mike Sodrel

Secretary of State - Charlie White

State Auditor - Vacant *

State Treasurer - Richard Mourdock

State Senate - Karen Shireman-Engleman

State Representative - Brett Loyd

Circuit Court Judge - John Evans

County Sheriff - Rod Seelye

County Prosecutor - John Evans

County Assessor - Vacant *

County Auditor - Tom Bube

County Treasurer - Vacant *

County Commissioner District #3 - Tie between Jim Klinstiver and Mark Wernert **

Council District #1 - Phil Smith

Council District #2 - Marion Wallace

Council District #3 - Rhonda Rhoads

Council District #4 - Ralph Sherman

* - The straw poll rules required someone present at the event to file for candidates to appear on the ballot. In cases of vacancies, no one present at the straw poll filed for anyone to appear on that spot on the ballot.

** - A voter file check after the event has found that Mark Wernert does not live in District #3, and thus isn't an eligible candidate.

Abraham Lincoln on Thanksgiving

Proclaiming a day of thanksgiving, observed in the United States ever since:

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

"No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

"It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.

"In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.

"Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth."

- Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863

Regardless of your political leanings, the Harrison County Republican Party hopes that you and yours have a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

2009 Harrison County GOP Christmas Straw Poll & Dinner

On Sunday, December 13, the Harrison County Republican Party will be holding a Christmas Straw Poll Dinner. It will be held in Lanesville (I-64, Exit 113) at the Heritage Building.

The address is 7500 Pennington St NE, Lanesville, IN 47136. You can get directions from Google Maps, here.

Doors will open at 5:00 pm for “meet and greet.” Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm.

Our speaker will be State Treasurer Richard Mourdock.

The Straw Poll won’t be as formal or fancy as the Lincoln Day Banquet. Dress will be casual and attendees are encouraged to wear shirts to show their support for their favorite Republican candidate for office.

Tickets will cost $10 per person and can be purchased in advance by responding to the email address at the right or by contacting Lori Davis at (812) 596-0422.

Attendees, with their ticket, will also be able to vote in the Harrison County GOP Straw Poll, which will take place during the event. Candidates can have their name added to the straw poll ballot, or individuals can “draft” a candidate and have someone else’s name added. It should be a lot of fun!

Getting a name on the ballot will cost $5, whether by the candidate or by draft. This should limit unserious candidates and prevent chaos.

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Ads may also be purchased in the event program. Ads are the perfect way for local businesses to show their support for the Republican Party and for candidates to get early attention for 2010.

If you are interested in buying an ad, respond to the email at the right with your ad content or contact Scott Fluhr at (812) 972-5182 for more information. Ad space is limited and ads must be received on or before December 7.

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As we did at our Lincoln Day Dinner, candidates wishing to hand out literature or stickers, or place their literature on the tables at the Dinner, will be required in advance to pay a literature fee.

The tables at an event like the Christmas Straw Poll are valuable advertising space, seen by every Republican in attendance. Stickers and literature are also troublesome for event clean-up, as material is frequently left on the tables after the event is over, requiring additional effort by event volunteers to remove (to say nothing of where the stickers sometimes find themselves).

Accordingly, interested local candidates from Harrison County will be charged a flat fee of $20 and interested state or federal candidates will be charged a flat fee of $40. Payment of the literature fee will entitle the candidate (or their volunteers) to place campaign literature on the dinner tables at the Lincoln Day Dinner, to hand out literature to attendees at the door, and to distribute stickers to attendees.

Please respond to the email address at the right or contact Scott Fluhr at (812) 972-5182 if you have any questions about the literature fee.

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We are also in need of a few good Republicans to volunteer and help with setting up the building and cleaning up afterward. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Lori Davis at (812) 596-0422.

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Hope to see you there!

Corydon Tea Party

Corydon played host on Saturday to a Tea Party, held on the square on the grounds of the First State Capitol. It was a beautiful day and between 550 and 600 people turned out to hear a variety of speakers talk about issues facing America, including the First Amendment, the Second Amendment, the right-to-life, health care, cap-and-trade, bailouts, and other topics.

Some photos of the Tea Party are available here.

Speakers included State Treasurer Richard Mourdock and former Congressman Mike Sodrel. Both of them gave speeches (on bailouts and cap-and-trade, respectively). Patriot Paul, of Indianapolis Tea Party fame, read the Declaration of Independence. Dr. Dan Eichenberger of Floyd County spoke about health care. Jason Higdon of New Albany spoke about the First Amendment. Norman Dennison, who also organized the event, spoke about the Second Amendment. Dr. Frank G. Simon spoke about the right to life. A brief open forum at the end allowed several other speakers the chance to address the crowd before the event ended.

Several local county candidates were also present, including Marion Wallace (a candidate for county council), Michael Gregory (a candidate for county sheriff), and Rod Seelye (also a candidate for county sheriff).

A variety of local media covered the event.

The Courier-Journal:

About 500 people rallied in downtown Corydon Saturday night to express their displeasure with the government.

The event was sponsored by the Corydon Tea Party, which bills itself on its Web site as "a concerned citizens group of patriots from Southern Indiana's 9th Congressional district."

“I’ve never been so frightened and appalled by what our government has done,” said one of the protesters, Gary Massard of Corydon.

He carried a U.S. flag, while his wife Tracy carried a sign that said “For the first time in my adult life I am afraid of my government!”

“I’m a pragmatic, independent person,” he said. “It’s time for people like us to stand up.”

A notice promoting the event said Tea stands for “Taxed enough already.”

The Corydon Tea Party was organized by Norman Dennison, an electrician from Mauckport. He and a group of volunteers put together a slate of speakers and organized volunteers to host the event.

The organization is similar to many others that have formed across the country to protest the country’s current political direction.

According to its literature, the Corydon Tea Party favors limited government, fiscal responsibility, personal responsibility, the rule of law and national sovereignty.

The event’s speakers included Indiana Treasurer Richard Mourdock; Jason Higdon, president of Citizens for Constitutionality Now; former 9th district congressman Mike Sodrel; and conservative activist Dr. Frank G. Simon.

“People in D.C. are hearing us and they do not like what we have to say,” Higdon told the crowd.

“We are so tired of our government running roughshod over us,” said Kristine Roy of New Albany. “They don’t care.”

Georgetown’s David Kunnecke agreed. “The government is out of control. They are spending like a bunch of five year olds in a candy store,” he said.

“These are good people,” said Dennison about the enthusiastic crowd gathered around the gazebo on the square. “They want responsibility in government. They see a tremendous amount of corruption in government.”

Many of those present had traveled to Washington D.C. on September 12 for a national Tea Party protest.

Keith Chew, a school teacher from Brazil, Indiana drove three hours to attend the Corydon rally.

“I’m going to every one of them I can,” he said.

He carried a sign that said "Hitler gave great speeches too" on one side.

“I took this sign to Washington D.C. on 9/12.”

The Corydon Tea Party is not disbanding after Saturday’s event. “This group is going to stay together,” said Bryan Robertson, the assistant event organizer.

The group gathered names and e-mail addresses at the event of those interested in staying involved with the group. A Web site has been set up at www.corydonteaparty.org to provide additional information.

“We anticipate having a good number of members after today,” Robertson said.
“This snowball is getting bigger and bigger and bigger and it’s all across the nation,” Dennison said.

Fox 41 (which also had a segment on their nightly news):

There was another grassroots gathering in the name of patriotism Saturday. It was the 2009 Corydon Tea party in Harrison County, Indiana.

The participants have concerns about the direction the country is heading. Members say they were compelled to start the group after the September 12 Tea Party in Washington, DC.

"I was basically thinking there might be 1,000 people out here, but 500 would be fine, 200 would be fine, 100 would be fine. It's just people that have a concern and a desire that this nation stands and doesn't falter under the pressure of what looks like to be the financial abyss that is coming," said Norman Dennison, host.

Dennison says he was in D.C. this week, with others from Southern Indiana to oppose the President Obama's health-care proposal.

And WAVE 3 (which also had video on their nightly news, though I can't find the segment online):

CORYDON, IN (WAVE) - Healthcare reform would fulfill the biggest promise of President Obama's campaign, but hundreds who gathered in Corydon, Indiana Saturday evening said it's the biggest mistake lawmakers could make.

With protest signs in hand and patriotism on display southern Indiana residents stretching from New Albany to Indianapolis let their voices be heard in the Capitol Square.

Regarding healthcare reform, Tea Party organizer, Norman Dennison, told the crowd, "There are guys up there in Washington D.C. that want this so bad because they desire power over the people more than they desire to do good."

While members of Congress debate the $1.2 trillion bill, Steve Boehman said he couldn't sit on the sidelines anymore. "I'm kinda a newbie at all this, this is my first protest ever," he said. "Who knows the answer? I know I don't want bureaucrats deciding on whether I need an operation or healthcare."

Tracy Massard held a sign saying for the first time in her life she was afraid of her government. "We have the best healthcare system in the world," she said. "People from other countries come her for our healthcare and we're destroying it. And the money that's going to be spent on this healthcare bill I believe will lead to the economic collapse of our country."

Nancy Richardson says government cutbacks have already hit her in the pocketbook costing her $2000. "I have already lost my Medicare supplement plan that I had because of the cutbacks in Medicare and it just scares me."

Former 9th District Indiana Congressman and Republican Mike Sodrel still wants his voice heard. He says there is another way to affordable healthcare for all. "Let it be sold across state lines like we sell car insurance so you have more competition in each market. Let small business ban together across state lines."

Despite the overall disgruntled nature of the crowd towards the Obama administration, Sodrel sees a bright spot. "I'm just really encouraged to see this many people take an interest in their government and what it's doing. This is a good thing."

Sodrel says he sees the country shifting back towards conservative values, and says this about a fifth square off with Congressman Baron Hill: "I have not made a decision either way yet. Sure I'm considering it, but I'm not ready to make any announcement yet either."

All in all, it was a great and very successful event.

Thanks to all of the patriots of all political stripes (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, or independent) that came out to let their voices be heard.