Greetings: This is the fourth candidate I have had a chance to talk to.
Thought you might be interested.
 
While the Republicans were in the Palace Theater voting for someone to
"tango" with the Democrats rather than "tangle" with them, I was next
door having a sit-down with former Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore who is
running for President.
 
I got the better of that deal.
With four other NH activists, I spent about an hour talking to James
Gilmore around a small table set up for a lunch for Republicans after the
State Convention. I can say this after meeting the former governor. If
Republicans and Independents are looking for a serious Regan style
candidate this guy is about as close as you can get.

His record is solid as any governor can get. Small government, low
taxes, personal responsibility.

He is anti-tax to the bitter end and does not sell out under pressure
from the legislature. (See the "Virginia Car Tax" battle for details.)
He also cut income taxes for military personnel living in Virginia,
lowered college tuition by 20 percent, and eliminated Virginia's tax on
prescription drugs. All-in-all he presided over the largest tax cuts in
Va. History.

As the former Attorney General of Va. he has a tough on crime record.

Second amendment? On the Board of Directors of the NRA.

Pro-life. He is not 100%. But is a pro-life movement supporter.

Supported home-schoolers as Governor. Instituted statewide testing for
public education.

I would trust him with Supreme Court appointments because of his record
as governor.

Now the interesting issues.

Governor Gilmore was asked to chair a national commission, the
E-Commerce Commission, that was rigged from the start. to sell the idea of
taxing the inter-net. He took on the task. When it was over, his commission
report was the opposite of what the commissions intended results would
have been. Taxpayers and inter-net users won. He says the repercussions
of that action still stick with him. Big government proponents were
hopping mad. The tax and spend crowd at the national as well as state
level were counting on this new form of taxation for new revenue.

I followed this commission back then because Grover Norquist of
Americans for Tax Reform was on the commission as well and constantly alerted
(by email) our taxpayer organization here in NH. It was a cliff-hanger
at the time as to whether or not the inter-net would become regulated
and taxed. I do not think the idea has been abandoned by taxers.

Governor Gilmore headed a commission regarding homeland security that
bears his name. It was tasked with protecting our country as well as
civil rights while coordinating national, state, local and private
resources in an effective manner to respond to attacks. In fact Governor
Gilmore was involved with this same issue before 9/11.

Many people are not aware that on 9/11 Governor Gilmore faced an attack
on the Pentagon located in his own state. He had what was at the time
potentially hostile commercial passenger aircraft flying in Va.
airspace. I was impressed with the list of rapid, sensible actions he took on
9/11 during a surprise attack on our country.

This is a serious candidate. He looks you in the eye. He has a message.
He is no-nonsense and has a record to prove it.. No evolution is
necessary.

Anyone not looking at Governor Gilmore as a presidential candidate is
cheating themselves.

Ed Naile

Chairman

The Coalition of NH Taxpayers