The Rider University College Republicans were elated by the visit of Governor Mike Huckabee last Wednesday, April 1, to raise money for the Rebovich Institute and give a speech to the campus community.  Gov. Huckabee came to campus due to the generosity of Rider alum and Trustee Mike Hennassey.  One would think that at a notoriously apathetic university, that students who were already liberal would stay home and watch some TV.  There was, in fact, a strong presence from the community, much larger than Donna Brazile and Harold Ford, both liberals who barely packed the BLC Theater.  One must ask then: what was the protest about?  

            On college campuses, one must expect that there are a fair number of liberal professors.  These professors are entitled to their points of view, as a college campus is supposed to foster free speech and a lively debate.  Unfortunately, the face of the protesters was not one of open minded debate but one where college professors and students wanted to silence a conservative voice.  Where was the outrage when Rider hosted only liberals right before the 2008 election?  Is it only conservative students who care about an honest, intellectual debate on this campus?  While we may not agree with Gov. Huckabee on every issue his presence here brought 700 students and community members together to listen to him speak.  This was a success for the Rebovich Institute and the University.  Rider can finally be seen as an open intellectual center where students can disagree but remain passionate at the same time.

There are two sides to every argument.  In politics, we call this a bias.  College campuses are known for having a liberal bias, and Rider is certainly no exception.  So when a conservative Republican came to campus, there was bound to be hundreds of liberal students, with pitchforks and torches held high, banishing this evil man from campus.  At least, that is what Dr. Goldie and his protesters wanted you to think.  To the contrary: the community of students showed itself not as a politically apathetic school, but as one who is tolerant and accepting of all view points. We wish that the students could teach a thing or two to the faculty who decided that their own personal politics was more important than an intellectual debate on the issues.

That being said, this paper proved to be an unfortunate tool to the leftist Goldies. Last week’s editorial was a lapse in quality journalism. Editorials are going to be biased, as they are opinions, but opinions should stand by fact and reason. The editorial board made several rather lamentable attempts to conceal their aversion to the successful night. First, they charged Gov. Huckabee of being a hypocrite for coming from humble beginnings and traveling in a limo.  However, most speakers don’t go on speaking tours in Honda Civics, especially when they are a former candidate for president. Even Al Gore travels in carbon consuming luxury. Moreover, Rider is an expensive private University; attacking Gov. Huckabee for being wealthy is quite hypocritical as we spend upwards of thirty thousand a year for tuition.

Thirdly, they asserted Gov. Huckabee neglected to address the protesters. While he did not invite Dr. Goldie up on stage and decorate him with some sort of medal, he did tell the audience to respect those who had contrary opinions, so long as they could articulate them. Fourthly, Rider News arraigned that Gov. Huckabee did not speak about solutions. However, he spoke in detail about out of control taxes and solving this problem by implementing the fair tax.  But that aside, this was a speech not a lecture, Gov. Huckabee was not in an atmosphere to delve into a wonkish oration.

Rider news and its Goldies were too narrow-minded to admit the full success of Gov. Huckabee’s speech, and instead chose to besmirch the notion of bipartisanship. There is reason to disagree with Gov. Huckabee’s claims, but complete opposition to his arrival does little good for the university and the free flow of ideas.

Written by Joshua Hursa and Kyle Collins, Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Rider University College Republicans, on behalf of the entire Rider University College Republican executive board.

A recent Rutgers University study asserts that Megan’s Law, which warns parents when sex offenders move nearby, has not been effective in preventing children from being molested by sex offenders. However, this should not be viewed as a failed law.

Though New Jersey gave birth to Megan’s Law, our Legislature has neglected to nurture it. In 2005, 9-year-old Jessica Lunsford of Florida was abducted from her home by repeat child sex offender John Couey, who raped her, placed her in a garbage bag and buried her alive in a shallow grave. Authorities discovered in her hands a stuffed purple dolphin, which she clutched while she de parted this Earth alone and frightened.

More than 40 states across the nation responded with legislation that would prevent weak sen tences from being given to repeat child sex offenders, as in the case of Couey, who served a mere two years for molesting a child in a previous case.

Since 2005, the Lunsford Act has been introduced in the New Jersey Legislature every session, but has yet to become law. I suggest the Legislature stop debating trivial issues, such how sad it is New Jersey does not have a state song, and show some gumption and pass this law. The Jessica Lunsford Act languishes in the Judiciary Committee, despite the fact that more than half of the Assembly members signed on as co- sponsors. It appears that many state lawmakers know how to sign their names, but little more.

KYLE COLLINS

Chairman: Joshua Hursa

Vice Chairman: Kyle Collins

Executive Director: Kyle Battaglia

Field Director : *vacant*

Treasurer: Kevin Van Loan

Finance Director: Janine Jakubauskas

Recording Secretary: Elizabeth Jones

Corresponding Secretary: *vacant*

If you are interested in serving in the vacant positions, please go to our contact us page and let us know.

On this last Thursday of November from California to New Jersey Americans celebrate a holiday unique to our nation, but often historically misrepresented. School children are taught its origins are from plentiful feast between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans or a variation of such. However, immensely helpful Squanto may have been in helping the pilgrims this does not properly explain the history of Thanksgiving.

President Abraham Lincoln declared a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863. This was during America’s most divisive moments of our history. This was a time when brothers shed the blood of brothers and sons the blood of fathers in the Civil War. The South and North battled each other, dividing even families. Lincoln, as had George Washington before him, occasionally declared days of Thanksgiving, but the words in Lincoln’s speech nationalizing it as an American holiday to be celebrated by generations to come, are vital in understanding the religious history of America. In the mist of this fighting which divided a nation Lincoln called for a day of unity. As was common in early America, religion was not anathema (how times have changed). Much to the contrary, it was the guiding light. That is evident in these exerpts from Lincoln’s less famous than it should be Thanksgiving Proclamation:

“Today is a day of prayer and fasting, to be observed by the people of the United States with religious solemnities, and the offering of feverent supplications to the almighty God for the safety and welfare of these states, his blessings on their arms, and a speedy restoration of peace”.

“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.”

I remain baffled by secularist and atheist trying to wedge religion out of history. Religion has helped bring Americans together in times of great pain. It was the backbone of the antislavery movement.  It is what has given this great land the character to sustain and to overcome.

For some this Thanksgiving may include a smaller turkey than in years previous. A possible precursor to fewer gifts under the Christmas tree for some come December as unemployment rises and consumer confidence declines. But let us not forget the true gifts God has blessed us with. Let us not forget our blessed gift to sit down with our friends and family as we take a break from our other activities to be with those we love. Most importantly, let us never forget the sacrifices so many of Americans have made from the Revolutionary war to our current War on Terror, so we can dine securely in a free land.  We have much to be thankful for, not just food and football, and we must never forget that.

November 4, 2008 – Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt’s invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters. America today is a world away from the cruel and prideful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African American to the presidency of the United States. Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth. Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer in my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day, though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

My friends, we have — we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly. A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight. I’ve always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too. But we both recognize that though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain. These are difficult times for our country, and I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together, to find the necessary compromises, to bridge our differences, and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

It is natural tonight to feel some disappointment, but tomorrow we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again. We fought as hard as we could.

And though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.

I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends. The road was a difficult one from the outset. But your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I am especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother and all my family and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign. I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate’s family than on the candidate, and that’s been true in this campaign. All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude, and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I have ever seen and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength. Her husband Todd and their five beautiful children with their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough-and-tumble of a presidential campaign. We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country. To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly month after month in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don’t know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I’ll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I’m sure I made my share of them. But I won’t spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life. And my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

I would not be an American worthy of the name, should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century. Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

Tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama, I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president.

And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties but to believe always in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender. We never hide from history, we make history.

Republican Weakness. Where is it? In the Northeast, across the upper Midwest, and in cities and upscale suburbs. To gain a majority in Congress, Republicans will have to win House and Senate seats in those places. To win the presidency, they’ll have to appeal to voters in those locations.

Republicans in Washington must keep these voters–they’re more moderate than conservative–in mind and avoid alienating them. Republicans don’t need to jettison conservative principles. Ryan, the party’s most innovative thinker, says Republicans need only apply these principles to the new political era, and moderates will be comfortable with the result.

One more thing is essential, according to Ryan. “We’ve got to be happy warriors,” he says. “We’ve got to stop being the angry white guy party.” Otherwise, Republicans will play right into Obama’s hands.

More than anything, we need to stick our principles.  But we cannot be overbearing social and neo conservatives.  We are going to do well in the South.  But what are we doing to win votes in the Northeast and the Northern Plains?  Why haven’t we been competitive in the Pacific Northwest?

These are all valid questions and we, as Republicans, need to start digging deep to find the answers.

The 12% margin of victory for Myers in Ocean County is a joke.

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How do we lose two freeholder seats and the county clerk’s office in Burlington County?

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How do we get swept out in Cumberland County?

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We have a lot of questions.  We need to do some soul searching in the next few weeks.  But know this: our path to victory in 2009 and beyond begins today.  We cannot be looking over our shoulders wondering what we could have done different.  It is time to be proactive.  It is time to bring forth a new generation of young Republican leaders.  We need to rally around Congressman Cantor from Virgina and Congressman Ryan from Wisoconsin.  We need to rally around Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal and other young Republican leaders like him nationwide.  And we need to dump Tom Wilson, our illustrious State GOP Chairman.  Our party is in shambles here in New Jersey.  Just look at the selection process for our U.S. Senate candidate to understand my point.

My friends, join me: stand with me as I fight to bring about Republican ideas and values.  Stand with me as I work to rebuild our party from the ground up, so we can retake Trenton and Washington.  It is time for a taxpayer revolution my friends, and it begins today!

Lawrenceville, NJ, October 29, 2008 – The Rider University College Republicans are hosting a “Country First” Rally to energize the Republican Party in the waning days of the 2008 election season.

The rally will be held on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 in the Cavalla Room of the Bart Luedeke Center. From 6 pm to 9 pm, Republicans from across the state will gear up for the blitz weekend, which is the final campaign push before Election Day. “We are expecting about 200 people,” says Joshua Hursa, Chairman of the Rider University College Republicans. Hursa adds, “We have an exciting list of speakers and distinguished guests. We feel holding a rally is important in the last days before the election. The Republican Party needs to come together to push our candidates over the finish line.”

Invited speakers include New Jersey GOP State Chairman Tom Wilson; State Senate Minority Leader Tom Kean Jr.; Former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan, NJ Director of Americans for Prosperity; John Crowley, Honorary Chairman of Building the New Majority; Assemblyman Richard Merkt, Republican Candidate for Governor; James McSorley, Candidate for Mercer County Sheriff; and Mayor David Fried, Robbinsville.