The elections did not go well for our side. So why not join us for a drink to commiserate and to look forward to the upcoming holidays?

Our special guest will be Rep. Rich Zipperer. Rich recently won reelection to the assembly district. He’s known as an up-and-coming conservative voice in southeastern Wisconsin. Rich will talk briefly about getting involved in politics and what you can do to help.

Tuesday was not kind to our side (unless you worked for Alberta Darling, and if so, congratulations on her victory). The results, frankly, hurt. Soon, our side will move into the minority/opposition role.

In politics, however, nothing lasts forever. We have begun and we will continue our part in organizing the conservative movement in the greater Milwaukee area. With the election over, CYP will aim to grow and increase its activity level and contribution to the movement. In December, we will put together an organizing committee of people who want to become more involved in guiding CYP. We will need leaders and people with ideas. If you are interested, let Jake, Brandon or me know.

So, if Tuesday left a bitter taste in your mouth and you’re not going to sit and take it, then you need to sign up on our email list, tell your friends about us, and get involved. We have to get up off our backs, dust ourselves off and get back into the fight. The pendulum will swing back, but there is no rule against giving it a nudge.

See you at the next one!

Thanks to everyone who attended Thursday’s Happy Hour at Bootleggers. We had another great turnout. Over 35 people were in attendance, matching our high from our first Happy Hour. What is even more exciting is that many of those in attendance were making their first appearance at a CYP event. What that means is that we now have a solid group of Conservative Young Professionals in the Milwaukee area that have shown a desire to network and get more involved.

A special thanks goes to Tim Michels for speaking to the group. He talked about some very important and interesting issues, including the upcoming election, how young professionals can prepare for future public service, and energy trends which he believes will affect the U.S. over the next fifteen years. As a former U.S. Senate candidate and Vice President of a 5,000 employee Wisconsin-based infrastructure construction firm, Tim is uniquely positioned to offer incite into these and other important issues. Hopefully all those in attendance had the opportunity to talk with Tim one-on-one (and note what that shows about Tim, many prime time speakers would not stay for as long as Tim did in order to speak to everyone in the room).

Wouldn’t Tim make a great governor/senator some day!

Please look for an announcement within the next week or so regarding the last CYP Happy Hour for 2008.
-Jake

Coming to the Wisconsin Forum on November 11–
ERIC O’KEEFE: Who Rules America – and for How Long?
Eric O’Keefe, chairman and CEO of the Sam Adams Alliance, has been an influential leader in political reform efforts for the past 25 years. O’Keefe drafted the plan for a term limits sweep across the country in 1992 and 1994. By early 1995, 23 states had limited the terms of their congressional delegations, but five judges on the Supreme Court reversed the decisions of voters. Fifteen states now have term limits on their legislatures. O’Keefe Who Rules America looks to the country’s founding principles to make the case for term limits, winning praise from the late Milton Friedman himself.

$45 for dinner
Cocktails are from 5:30-6:30 P.M. Dinner at 6:30 P.M. Speaker at 7:00 P.M.
Location: Milwaukee Athletic Club
Questions or Reservations: brenricinc@yahoo.com

If you’re asking why that doesn’t make sense, it’s because usually one has to contribute to attend a fundraiser. However, State Rep. Rich Zipperer has extended an invitation to our members to attend his next fundraiser. While obviously he would welcome all donations (maybe we could all throw in a little cash) he has made it clear he doesn’t expect contributions from us.

Instead, he wants us all to come to Brookfield and experience how much fun a casual fundraiser can be. What is more, Congressman Sensenbrenner is going to be stopping by. And if that weren’t enough, drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be provided.

This is a great opportunity to continue to show the positive impact our group can have. Moreover, this is a very kind offer from Rich. Come out and support Rich, Congressman Sensenbrenner and all the other conservatives in SE Wisconsin.

I’m not sure if anyone noticed, but our very own Jon Waclawski was featured in the Journal Sentinel on Wednesday. Unfortunately, the article did not paint Jon or the state GOP in a very positive light. I think the story needs to be set straight.

Jon is serving as the Director of the state Republican Party’s election day operations. In this role, Jon coordinates efforts to ensure the upcoming election in Wisconsin is fair and free of fraud. In my humble opinion, this is a good thing.

Now let’s break down the JS article. Based on past history, many polling places within certain parts of major Wisconsin cities have experienced irregularities. Keeping in mind that urban areas tend to vote Democratic, it would logically be a good idea for the state GOP to dispatch poll watchers to areas where irregularities are most likely to occur. As the largest city in the state, Milwaukee would seem to be a logical place to focus on. Therefore, it seems that Jon has focused some of his efforts on certain areas of Milwaukee. Understanding once again that past history indicates some of these areas can prove quite difficult for poll watchers, Jon was looking for volunteers that could withstand seemingly difficult encounters.

What type of people are most likely able to handle such stressful situations while remaining calm? If you answered police officers, firefighters and veterans, then you and Jon are on the same page. Jon’s September 8th email sought people to volunteer “at inner city (more intimidating) polling places. Particularly, I am interested in names of Milwaukee area veterans, policemen, security personnel, firefighters, etc.”

Apparently state Democrats think otherwise. They “labeled the e-mail a sign that Republicans were trying to blunt voter turnout in Milwaukee.” According to a Democratic lawyer, “It just seems like it’s part of an overall strategy to intimidate voters, particularly in areas where they think it will vote heavily for Democrats and Barack Obama.”

Understanding that these areas are more likely to vote Democratic, doesn’t it make sense for the state GOP to ensure clean voting in these areas? As the state GOP Executive Director commented, “We’re not afraid of a high turnout. What we want is the law to be enforced.”

I think that is a good thing. And I commend Jon for working to keep Wisconsin election’s fair. I know that I will be working on election day to ensure a fair election. If the people of the state choose Barack Obama for president, so be it. All I ask is that the process by which he is elected is fair and free from fraud.

-Jake

Be a part of history, and help decide the new President of the United States by working for the McCain Palin Campaign.
This position is more than a line on your RESUME.
It’s an opportunity to NETWORK.
It’s a chance to develop JOB SKILLS.
It’s an opportunity to jump start your CAREER.

It’s your chance to get future jobs that are even better. You will have an opportunity to learn about every aspect of a modern campaign and you’ll be a part of a team. No prior experience necessary, but a strong desire to make a difference is required. There are a limited number of campaign opportunities available. ACT NOW!!! $10.00 – $12.00 an hour!!!

Questions? Information? Want to apply? Please contact Josh Dirkse at j.dirkse@wisgop.info or at 262-389-8347.

We are excited to have Tim Michels speak to the group this month. Tim ran for the U.S. Senate in 2004, narrowly losing to Sen. Feingold. He is VP of Michels Corporation, an international engineering and construction firm that was recently ranked one of the Top 10 Utility Contractors in the U.S.

In addition, before becoming involved in the family company, Tim served as an Airborne Ranger Infantry Officer for 12 years in the U.S. Army.

Hope you can stop by. We have a great speaker and are expecting a big crowd. This will be a great opportunity to network with young professionals throughout Southeast Wisconsin. Plus, how can you pass up those great drink/appetizer specials!