News

By Bill O'Boyle boboyle@timesleader.com
Times Leader Staff Writer
Bill O'Boyle on Facebook   |   @TLBillOboyle on Twitter

WILKES-BARRE – Saying the Republican Party has lost its passion, Lou Barletta on Thursday told well over 100 fellow party members it’s time to embrace the party’s conservative roots and regain political power.

click image to enlarge

Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta speaks to a full house at the Republican Party headquarters on Public Square Thursday. He received standing ovations from the partisan crowd.

Don Carey

click image to enlarge

Hazleton mayor Lou Barletta speaks to a full house at the Republican Party headquarters on Public Square Thursday.

Don Carey

Select images available for purchase in the
Times Leader Photo Store

Barletta, mayor of Hazleton, delivered a 15-minute speech at the Luzerne County Republican Party headquarters on Public Square before volunteers, candidates and officials.

“Some Republicans believe the key to our future lies by moderating,” Barletta said. “With all due respect, those who believe that could not be more wrong. Throughout history, the Republican Party achieved greatness when we embraced conservatism and presented a clear, unified vision to the American people.”

Barletta was given a standing ovation at the start of his speech and again at the end, interspersed with repeated rounds of applause as he said exactly what many of them said they needed to hear.

“I can’t believe this crowd,” said Paul DeFabo, the party’s first vice chairman. “It’s a great time to be a Republican in Luzerne County. This has got to be our year.”

Barletta said the time to start the rebuilding project is now.

“We need to elect our judges and local Republicans, and we need to begin establishing strong networks for the 2010 campaigns,” he said. “Make no mistake about it, there are factions of the Democratic Party that want to destroy the Republican Party.”

Barletta said Democrats are happy to create a one-party system where Democrats set the direction, draft the legislation, stifle opposing points of view and pass the laws they want.

“And they’re well on their way to doing just that,” Barletta said.

Barletta touched on the lack of funding to fight illegal immigration in the stimulus package.

“But don’t worry, the average American worker will get to keep $13 a week more in his paycheck,” he said.

Barletta said Republicans themselves are to blame for the current condition of the party.

“Many Republicans are ashamed to say they’re conservative,” he said. “After all, to some, conservative now means greedy, heartless, backwards. And liberal means enlightened, intellectual, progressive.”

Barletta said Republicans cannot abandon everything they hold dear.

“Conservatism is based on personal freedom and responsibility,” he said. “Why should Republicans abandon those?”

He said the party must build on its foundation of its most basic beliefs: fiscal responsibility, national security and personal freedom.

“Now is the time, and now it must be done,” he said. “It’s time the Republican Party comes out of hiding and embraces its conservative roots.”

___

Video report by Chris Hughes.