Monday, November 19, 2012

Jeff Jacoby -- "Grass Roots"


Jeff Jacoby's article on the deepening life-support status of the Massachusetts GOP resonated with me, a conservative in California who has just witnessed the rise of a Democratic tax-and-spend supermajority in my statehouse.

Moreover, a lukewarm, flip-flop moderate Presidential candidate hurt statewide and local races, turning off instead of turning out the vote for the Republicans. With the eight failed years under Bush coupled with impolitic comments like “self-deportation” which alienate Hispanics, Romney sandbagged the GOP.

I believe that Jacoby’s take on the GOP in blue states makes sense not just for the local party but also for the Republican national conference. Grassroots contributors, not businessman or political outsiders, will win elections. It’s not enough to be “against” one party, but Republicans must propose a simple platform of limited government, lower taxes, and local control.  No more purity tests, a simple platform, and the GOP can win again.

Like state senators Scott Brown and Richard Tisei, Republican hopefuls in liberal bastions need to tell people why to vote for them. Tell voters the advantages of less government and more community. Being gay or pro-choice is a side issue, and the national conference can outline a robust, conservative stance without extremism.

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