Slade tells gathering of GOP women ‘spending spree’ can’t be sustained

by Kay B. Day

Tom Slade, former Republican Party of Florida chair, spoke to the Florida Federation of Republican Women in Tallahassee.Republican women gathered in Tallahassee on Sunday to spend several days strategizing about how best to support candidates in the 2010 elections. And giving them an earful as well as homespun advice was former Republican Party of Florida chairman Tom Slade. Chiding Washington for record deficits, Slade said, “This spending spree cannot be sustained.”

Florida Federation of Republican Women president Cindy Graves introduced Slade to a record crowd. Graves said attendance jumped 35 percent this year. Graves welcomed the women with characteristic good humor. She is perhaps the most charismatic Republican in the land if the truth be told.

Slade spoke on Sunday at dinner following the opening reception. He said the Republican Party failed on the principle of “less government.” And the GOP paid a price of sorts. “Had we not done that,” Slade said, “the Tea Partiers would be Republicans.”

Cindy Graves, president of the Florida Federation of Republican Women, welcomed a record crowd of members to the Doubletree Hotel in Tallahassee.Many Tea Partiers, belonging to a number of different grassroots groups functioning independently, are independent voters. The Tea Party groups have no unified umbrella—they each have their own platform. Federal spending does however seem to be a recurring theme.

Slade wants a return to less spending and less centralized government—after all, America’s debt is a wakeup call because we are borrowing 34 percent of what we spend. “There ain’t no education in the 2nd kick of a mule,” he said.

In a good-humored Southern accent, Slade reminisced about his early days in politics—he switched from Democrat to Republican after what he described as “a tussle.”

Slade said for Republicans to succeed, “We gotta’ start being Republicans.”

One way is for the federal government to “stop spending more than you’re taking in.” Slade said,  “When you find yourself in a hole, quit digging.”

Most of all he wants to see leaders apply the “principles of proper management of government.”

Slade kicked off a week of addresses by top Republicans like former House Speaker Marco Rubio who is running against Gov. Charlie Crist in the Republican Primary for Senate, and Sen. John Thrasher who is serving as RPOF chair until January, 2011. Sue Lynch, chair of National Republican Women was also scheduled.

Also on the agenda were workshops on fundraising, voter registration, a legislative briefing and tours of the capitol and grounds.

The mood among the women attending was upbeat and motivated. They believe Republicans have excellent chances for increasing party numbers in Washington. And to a woman they agreed with Slade that federal spending sprees “cannot be sustained.”

FFRW president Cindy Graves said this year attendance jumped 35 percent.[I had the pleasure of speaking at the dinner as well, and thoroughly enjoyed the time I spent there.--Kay B. Day]