BlueRidgeForum

A Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) panel “Saving Freedom Through Technology: Growth of the Online Movement” today underscored how the blogosphere has vastly increased political accountability.

Townhall’s Jonathan Garthwaite declared we have a level of accountability we never had before through the internet. Listen here to this panel’s presentation including Erick Erickson (RedState), Jonathan Garthwaite (Townhall), Mark Tapscott (Washington Examiner), Tucker Carlson (The Daily Caller) as well as moderator Robert Bluey (The Heritage Foundation.)

(Blue Ridge Forum was one of around 100 bloggers present at CPAC today and accredited to the conference.)

The gift of the internet makes it quite possible for the voter to track and compare votes and positions of officials elected to local, state, and Federal  responsibilities and is vital in organizing citizen action like Tea Parties.

Which brings us to the 10th District race for chairman in Virginia.

Dave Schmidt is one of two contenders to replace Jim Rich as chairman of the 10th Congressional District.  The other candidate is Howie Lind.

Mr. Lind’s goals (from his website) — should he be elected chairman — are listed here. He urges ways to increase the accountability of elected officials. 

“Develop and maintain a GOP ’scorecard’ on every political jurisdiction in the 10th Congressional District. This ’scorecard’ would list every single elective office holder at every level of government. School Boards. Town, City and County Councils. City and County Treasurers. Board of Supervisors. City and County Attorneys. State Delegates and Senators.”

Here are Mr. Schmidt’s “core objectives.”  They do not appear to include instituting any kind of mechanism for tracking the record of elected officials from the 10th District.

Yesterday we received an email from Mr. Schmidt asking -

“Do you want a Republican Party we can be proud of, or one you could be embarrassed by?

Do you want a Republican Party that attracts and welcomes new voters, or one that limits Republican participation with arcane litmus tests?

Do you want to focus on electing Republicans to office at all levels or waste time debating resolutions and disruptive tactics in meetings with no end?

Do you want a Republican Party Chairman proud to embrace and endorse our outstanding Rep. Frank Wolf, or do you want one to remain neutral and risk losing our seat to the Democrats?”

Fair enough questions for a political campaign, Mr. Schmidt.  We don’t know what Mr. Lind’s responses — if any — might be, but we have a response of our own:

To begin with, here and here are lists of Mr. Lind’s supporters to date.

10th District delegates can decide for themselves if these Lind supporters, such as Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, National Republican Committeeman from Virginia Morton Blackwell, and delegate Bob Marshall, constitute a “Republican Party we can be proud of, or one you could be embarrassed by.”

But Loudoun County voters will not be able to make their views count in this race unless they meet the filing deadline [click for the form] this Saturday to become a Loudoun County delegate [”candidate”] to the May 22, 2010, 10th District Republican Convention.

The 10th District Convention delegate filing deadline is 5 PM, this Saturday, February 20, 2010 in Ashburn.

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