Central Iowa Freedom Forum endorsements

   How a Forum could supplement statehouse research staff, enabling lawmakers to do their job better – Eddie Andrews

   And Dave started pondering, “wouldn’t it be neat if all these people who are trying to get you elected would start talking [together, in a forum] about different topics and not just stop [meeting, working] on November 5 [election day]. …I think Dave envisions a think tank to start talking about ideas going deep, and some ideas supporting candidates at the legislative level, at the congressional level, so that we [lawmakers] can be better informed. [So that volunteers would] still be active, and support their candidates in that way [also]. …I can tell you that one of the things [that makes it] difficult for people like myself, is we have…a great [research] staff….that helps us. But we don’t have a TEAM of staff….We rely on one or two people but we can only go so far. [On complicated issues they sometimes go] back and forth]. The more we can [bring in more brainpower] the better I can do my job. The better [Congressman] Zach Nunn [can do his job].

   Wes Enos: The “Good Works” that the Congressional Staff does, that a Forum could do

   In my official capacity as Deputy Chief of Staff for Congressman Zach Nunn, ...We do a lot of case work. ...People running into issues with maybe their benefit isn’t being paid off properly. Maybe they’re having trouble getting a passport. Or just anything ...We try and go out and find as many people as we can who are looking for help with different things. We try and get other people connected to each other. A [web] of connections and we’re kind of in the center of it. We connect people with needs to people who can meet them. And our ability to do anything depends on our ability to build relationships with people…. somebody over here says I need this. Well, people over here, have the ability to do this. So we connect them together. We basically create a giant web of connections to get a lot of things done for people. Without [them] having to spend a dime or be able to do anything....We literally exist just to facilitate those relationships. It’s the way that government could and should be. [It’s the direction government is moving under Trump] and I’m excited for that.

   [My comment: what a great description this is of what a Forum could accomplish for people!]
   Another benefit of a forum: to keep Republicans passionate and active – complacency will cost us the next election

   ....The reason we struggle with mid-term elections is more about the average voter...to get out and knock doors and be a part of county convention [when our candidates win, get complacent and stop working, stop showing up at events] but the other side is demanding, fighting, ready to fight. Our side, “We’re good. We’re happy.” So we struggle to keep our people showing up. We struggle to make our people excited. We struggle to keep that fire that elected President Trump. We think things are fine.

   But we can’t do that. Because the other side, they don’t think things are fine. They’re angry, and they are going to show up in big numbers. And if we don’t have groups of people who are deeply passionate and ready to show up and defend what we’re doing right now, they’re going to do a lot of damage. If they get control of the House of Representatives and God forbid they get control of the Senate, that’s going to be the end of Donald Trump’s presidency. They will spend everything they have in terms of political power to derail him. We will start immediately with investigations. We will start impeachment hearings. They will start with everything they can do to stop everything he’s doing right.

   That’s what happens if we get complacent.

   To keep this, we have to keep that fire burning. Because if we don’t, we go into a tough year. And we’ll lose what we just gained.

   So I’m excited to be here. I’m excited that Dave wants county leadership helping keep this fire burning. Everyone showing up tonight despite a tornado warning. What a time to launch this group! Because without that fire burning, we’re all in deep trouble.