Hastert, Roskam urge state GOP focus on grass roots

Illinois Republicans turned their focus inward today, as Dennis Hastert and Peter Roskam exhorted state delegates to rebuild the grass roots organization they'll need to survive a tough November election and position themselves for gains in 2010.

Seeking to motivate the troops, Hastert and Roskam also drew sharp contrasts between Republican and Democratic policy approaches.

Hastert, speaking at this morning's delegation breakfast, called Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama a "rock star" with little substance.

"What he talks about in his platitudes is bigger government," Hastert said, "a government that starts making decisions on health care. A government that starts making decisions on what kind of car you're going to drive. A government that starts making decisions on where your kids go to school. They really believe bigger government is good."

By contrast, said the former U.S. House speaker, Republicans espouse individual responsibility and allowing people to make their own choices in such matters as health care and education.

The way to elevate such GOP philosophies in Illinois and Washington, Hastert said, is for delegates to do the organizational work needed to rebuild a party that holds no statewide offices, endures minority status in state and federal legislative chambers and in recent years has lost state and national legislative seats in its traditional suburban strongholds, including Hastert's former district.

Hastert, of Plano, lauded the party-building efforts made by Roskam, state House Republican leader Tom Cross, of Oswego, and downstate Congressman John Shimkus. Referring to Roskam, Hastert said, "He's done it with hard work. He's done it by getting people to volunteer, to get involved. That's what builds the party."

Roskam, a first-term 6th District congressman from Wheaton, echoed Hastert in spelling out a GOP view of the stakes.

Particularly critical, Roskam said, are upcoming policy decisions on energy, health care and, more generally, market principles.

Roskam said Republicans have a chance to appeal to "soft Democrats" in this fall's national elections by espousing a comprehensive energy policy that pursues domestic production, alternative and renewable energy sources and nuclear power.

Back in Illinois, Roskam said, Republicans need to spread the word on dysfunction among the Democrats who control state government.

"With all due respect to Sen. Obama, he has been silent about the fratricide that's been going on on the Democratic side under his own nose," Roskam said. "We, as Illinois Republicans, are to bear witness to that."

Also this morning, Illinois Republicans continued to express enthusiasm for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as John McCain's running mate.

"Dan Cronin, our (DuPage) county chairman and state senator, told me that the phone in DuPage County headquarters had been ringing off the hook, with people who are excited and energized and want to volunteer," Roskam said of the Palin choice.