Dr. Ralph Reed addresses GACR convention

Dr. Ralph Reed, former Chairman of the Georgia GOP and of the Christian Coalition, and current candidate for Lieutenant Governor, addressed the Georgia Association of College Republicans (GACR) annual convention Saturday.

Dr. Reed spoke of decision 2006 as an "important election," stating the goals of reelecting Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue and adding to the Republican majorities in both houses of the General Assembly. Reed also stated his goal of "establishing the position of the Lt. Governor as the philosophical ally of Gov. Perdue, rather than an opponent," and to "restore that office to effectiveness," so that it can "be a leadership slot for conservative values."

With a father who served in the Vietnam war, Dr. Reed said that he "grew up learning that there are certain values and principles, like freedom, worth fighting and dying for."

Reed hopes to serve Georgia by "eliminating the capital gains tax," promoting a "Taxpayer Dividend Act" which would return 1/2 of any budget surplus to the taxpayers, and by passing a constitutional amendment to protect private property rights. He said that it is "very important to oppose eminent domain abuse," as the three "foundational humand freedoms are life, liberty, and the right to own property," and "without these basic rights, no liberty can exist."

Reed said that he favored a HOPE scholarship amendment to "protect funding and to make homeschoolers eligible for immediate benefit." He also proposed a program called "Charters for Choice", which would determine failing schools (low test scores for three straight years, a non-graduation rate of over 50%, and other determinants), and would provide scholarships for students from these schools to go to private or religious schools, be homeschooled, to transfer to a public school of their choice. Reeed called a good education a "basic civil right," and cited a Harvard study which showed that school choice and competition was "more effective in raising test scores and improving schools" than the fixes instituted by the No Child Left behind Act.

Reed presented himself as a visionary, promoting a "sound public policy that includes every one of our citizens" and saying that, "like Reagan," he wanted to “unfurl banner not of pastels, but of bold colors.” On the topic of immigration, Reed strongly opposed "amnesty in all forms," and cited the need to "protect the borders." On family-values issues, he reiterated his strong pro-life stance.

In response to a question from UGACR Vice Chairman David Ballard, Reed spoke in greater detail about his "Grow Georgia" propsal and the Taxpayer Dividend Act, saying that, after annual growth in population and inflation, ¼ of a budget surplus should be used for education, ¼ for bonds (to maintain Georgia's AAA bond rating), and the rest should be returned to the taxpayers, as "money belongs to the citizens" and, as shown in the 1980s and the 2000s, "economic growth is spurred by lower tax rates."

Dr. Reed closed by challenging the College Republicans to help maintain the low-tax, fiscally responsible, pro-life majority in the Georgia State Assembly, and by saying that the key to College Republican effectiveness can be characterized in three words: “grassroots, grassroots, and grassroots.” He touched on the Campus Canvass initiative--registering and turning out Republican voters--that the UGACRs conducted when he was Chairman, and which today's UGACRs expanded and carried out again earlier this semester. He also stressed the importance of signing up volunteers for the primary and general election, and pledged continual support for young people and for College Republicans as they carry out their grassroots activities.

Reed's speech received a large ovation from the many supporters in the audience. He stopped to shake hands with several attendees on his way out of the hall, thanking them profusely for their support.