About Virtue1st: Origin, Overview, Outlook

The founder and most of the advisory board were heavily involved in Gov. Huckabee's campaign for President in 2007-2008. As Rev. John Brewer, the founder of Virtue1st, looked around at the results of the Huckabee campaign’s decision to close, he saw many organizations springing up. Each organization addressed an issue that had not been visible in the conservative movement during this presidential campaign (for more information on the lessons to be learned from this campaign, see: lessons).

With some sorting out, specialization, and contact between groups, this passion and activity could mean a vital and formidable Grassroots conservative movement in years to come. It does present challenges for those of us who want to do all that we can, because we must decide how to best allocate our time and resources. We hope to present you with the reasons why Virtue1st is worthy of your time.

Something in a Name

As an organization, Virtue1st is distinctive because it is tightly woven around the concept that all candidates, and thus our political system, should possess certain Judeo-Christian ethics that are paramount to other factors and policy positions.

Simply put, they should possess virtue BEFORE being considered eligible for serving as a public servant.

For instance, if someone was a known thief before entering public service, does it make sense to elevate them to a position of public trust? Hence, virtue, alongside ethics, values, and character, is supreme in selecting qualified individuals for public office. If you select a crook, it follows that you are likely to get a corrupt politician. Likewise, if you select someone with honor and distinction, your chance of receiving honorable service is much improved.

Virtue1st: A Quick Overview of Purpose

Some groups have set about a mission of collecting up and arming the conservative grassroots with the ability to mobilize for candidates. Still others have specialized in providing forums for discussion. Virtue1st has the following primary objectives:

1) provide funds for virtue-based political advertising as a non-profit 527 organization*.

2) provide opportunities for virtue-based candidates to easily contact donors who are sympathetic to the cause.

3) provide forums for virtue-based candidates to be exposed to both the general public and the Virtue1st membership, such as debates.

4) provide funding opportunity for the Virtue1st-selected winner(s) of forums.

5) maintain the largest possible database of “values” voters with a high degree of accuracy.

6) provide additional assistance to other like-minded organizations as permitted legally.

In summary, Virtue1st is an organization that will provide funding and support to social conservative candidates at all levels, helping social conservatives gain all the advantages that are necessary to win consistently.

Roadmap to Success

The foundation of any successful group is prayer. As the Advisory Board creates the physical foundation for Virtue1st, we need you to join us in prayer that we are walking in the path that the Lord wants us to travel. If this is not constantly based in Him, this will fail. We do not want to travel the road that some other organizations have taken (i.e.-where we forget about our Lord and began to trust in political power).

One Problem for SoCon Candidates

Rev. Brewer ran for elected office in Kentucky. He gave his opponent stiff competition, but at the end, low funding crippled his campaign. Having seen personally how a lack of funds can diminish the opportunities of a godly candidate, he was not shocked to see this repeated on a much larger scale in the 2007/2008 presidential race.

There is a simple formula for winning political contests:

Munitions (money for advertising, hiring staff, etc.) +

Militia (grassroots volunteers to hand out literature, make calls, etc.) +

Message (having the correct grasp on the issues that concern voters) +

Messenger ( the right candidate who can articulate the message and negotiate difficulties)=

an elected official

When scrutinized by an elecorate seeking virtue first, one gets a candidate who has gone through a vetting process and displays honor, values, morals, and ethics. This person should give honorable service where he (or she) will truly be a public servant, placing the needs of the area first over personal needs and the needs of special interest groups.

If Mike Huckabee was an excellent example of a candidate who had three out of four of these elements and still lost, then we can appreciate the importance of having adequate financing. Although campaign funds cannot totally take the place of the other elements, they can help smooth out these other shortcomings. Without funds it is nearly impossible to beat back the typical blitz of media that shapes public opinion in the final weeks of most campaigns.

The Solution

In a world where it is common for the “good” underdog to be under-financed, how can anyone help? That's where we want to go!

Pray for us as we build this organization together. Prepare yourself for action. This is a grassroots organization, and we all have a stake in making sure that the Judeo-Christian fabric from which this country has been woven is never forgotten or forsaken. As for our part, we will do our utmost to provide a vehicle that is both bold and innovative in its approach to fundraising and helping virtuous candidates. We invite you to join with us, seizing the day for Virtue.

As Pogo may have said, "all of us together is smarter than one of us."