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 (“The state party should focus on the grass roots,” Op-ed, Nov. 11). Moreover, a lukewarm, flip-flopping, moderate presidential candidate hurt statewide and local races, turning off instead of turning out the vote for Republicans.
I believe that Jacoby’s take on the GOP in blue states makes sense not just for the local party, but also for the national Republicans. Grass-roots contributors, not businessmen or political outsiders, will win elections. It’s not enough to be “against” one party. Republicans must propose a simple platform of limited government, lower taxes, and local control. With no more purity tests and a simple platform, the GOP can win again.
Comments
'Democratic tax-and-spend supermajority...' ...which sounds better than a 'don't tax but spend' regime - exhibit A would be the Bush administration, which, for starters, began a costly war while saying everything will be fine because, when we cut taxes, we actually enrich the country.
It's impossible for the Republiicans to attract grass roots constituants simply because they have nothing in common with them.