Full Speech: Brian Mudd at the Boynton Beach Republican Club

Advice for Candidates in 2012

After his amazing speech to the Boynton Beach Republicans, I asked WJNO's Brian Mudd (a fill-in host for Sean Hannity, Brian knows a few things about communicating effectively), what advice he has for candidates in 2012.  Take a look:

What I learned from Brian Mudd today

Brian Mudd is the program director for Newsradio 1290 WJNO in West Palm Beach, FL.  WJNO is the flagship station for Rush Limbaugh.  Brian hosts The Morning Rush with Jim Edwards, a regionally syndicated radio broadcast, weekdays from 5 to 9 am on WJNO.

Brian Mudd and Brian Kirk

Brian is also a proud conservative who spoke at the Boynton Beach Republican Club this afternoon, and I was privileged to introduce him.  Here are some highlights from his inspiring speech, which touched on fiscal conservatism, the 2012 election, finance, and personal growth and development.

• 66% of Americans think that EVERYONE should pay federal income taxes, yet just 53% actually do. So there's hope.  
• Most people get their news from unconventional sources, such as The Oprah Winfrey Show (when she was on), "Yuk-Yuk" Morning Shows, etc.  No wonder "Hope and Change!" wins elections.  
• Passion + Talent = Unstoppable.  You cannot teach or manufacture passion.  
• Roughly 40% of the electorate is solid Democrats, 40% is solid Republicans.  We need to focus on the 20% in the middle!
• Conservatism, when executed properly, is inherently compassionate.
• It is not "compassionate" that a child born today has $50,000 in debt right off the bat.
• 18% of federal money spent actually goes to its intended recipients, yet 80% of non-profit money does.  
• Natural gas is 80% cheaper than oil, but there's no comprehensive natural strategy to take advantage of it.
• Brian is excited about the field of GOP candidates this year.  Who better than Ron Paul to tackle spending?  Who better than Newt Gingrich to balance the budget?  Who better than Rick Santorum to speak to the heart and soul issues that define our greatness?  Who better than Mitt Romeny to lead a turnaround?
• 54% of Catholics voted for Obama in 2008.  He's now alienated a HUGE percentage of them.
• Regarding class warfare against the rich: "Well, how many people does a poor person employ?"

Brian's speech was truly inspiring.  

Video to follow!

For more information on Brian and WJNO, visit http://www.wjno.com/pages/brianmudd.html

What I learned from Ralph Reed last night

The Palms West Republican Club hosted an outstanding dinner last night.  Ralph Reed was the featured speaker.  You may recall that Reed was director of the Christian Coalition under Pat Robertson, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, and a candidate for Georgia Lt. Governor.

Brian Kirk with Ralph Reed.

Whether you agree with his politics and theology or not, Reed is a brilliant political strategist, with an understanding of the big picture, as well as the minutia of campaigning.  Here are some things I learned from his talk last night:

• 25% of evangelical church members are not even registered to vote.
• 50% of America's unemployed have been so six months or longer.
• 700,000 Floridians have "Choose Life" license plates.  
• There are now 47 million Americans on food stamps.
• 90% of homeless shelters in America are run by religious organizations.
• 1 out of every 6 patients in a hospital bed today are in Catholic hospitals.
• The birth control battle with ObamaCare and the Catholic Church isn't about birth control.  It's about liberty.  
• Why has President Obama been unable to pressure the UN Security Council to produce a resolution on Syria?
• Gov. Christie of NJ is the first pro-life governor of NJ in the post Roe v. Wade era.
• Quote of the night: "I've got a lot of friends running for President, and I'm supporting all my friends." - Reed when asked who he is supporting.

Reed is a smart guy.  His new organization, The Faith and Freedom Coalition, http://ffcoalition.com/, is planning to be actively involved in the 2012 cycle.

On a personal note, I was heartened to see people of several different faiths at last night's dinner.  The Faith and Freedom coalition will have a broader appeal than the Christian Coalition, and I look forward to participating in their grassroots efforts in FL in the months ahead.