Young Republican leader rips Dems for abandoning campaign promises

Young Republican leader rips Dems for abandoning campaign promises

The newly elected chairman of the College Republican National Committee says public approval of Congress' job performance is at an all-time low because the Democratic majority is "wasting people's time and money."

Colorado native Charlie Smith has been named chairman of the College Republican National Committee (CRNC), a group that has 1,900 chapters on campuses across the U.S. Smith, who recently graduated from the University of Denver, argues that although only 24 percent of Americans approve of the way Congress is handling its job, stark differences remain between both major parties.

Unlike the Democrats, says CRNC's new leader, the GOP has put forward a forward-looking vision. That vision, he believes, explains "how we're going to win the war on terrorism; how we're going to maintain family values; and how we're going to keep government small, taxes low, [and the] free-enterprise system up and running so that we can create wealth, create jobs, and make our nation stronger for the future."

Meanwhile, he says, the Democrats are busy "launching investigations and renaming bridges and that kind of thing." And by failing to follow through on many of their campaign promises, Democrats have squandered their opportunity to turn the country in the right direction, says Smith.

As for the CNRC, the new chairman promises the group will "invest in new ideas" and "think outside the box" during the 2008 election cycle. Smith says the CRNC will rely heavily on the Internet fundraising, exploiting his generation's high-tech savvy.

"Our organization is, of course, comprised of a lot of young people who are on their computer all the time -- and we can mobilize that," he emphasizes. "We can capture that energy and create an online army. And then at the same time [we can] get these people out the door to walk precincts and make phone calls, wave signs, and get the general electorate excited about Republican candidates in 2008."

The College Republican National Committee held its 57th biennial convention this past weekend in Arlington, Virginia.