If conservative Republicans in Mass are to be heard from again, my suggestion for the “powers that be” is to run a simple but bold state-wide campaign analygous to the 1994 Congressional campaign which nationalized local congressional elections in which the GOP won back control of the House for the first time in over 50 years. Then it was the “Contract with America” which united Republicans nationally around a finite agenda that they committed to focus on if elected. This bold initiative was engineered by Newt Gingrich with help from such visionaries as Grover Norquist and resonated wildly with voters accross the country.
We here in Mass are a virtual one party state where our elected representatives are almost totally disconnected from the average Mass citizen-voter who beleives that they are virtually powerless to change the status quo. I say to the heads of the Mass GOP, start to think boldly and run a campaign in 06′ in which all candidates for state elections run on a “Contract with the Commonwealth.” Don’t focus on party affiliation and irrelevant issues. Focus on the BIG issues that resonate with voters, and promise the disenfranchised voters in our state that they have the power to alter the compositiion of our state government if they unify on election day and vote state-wide.
The Mass GOP should run a state wide campaign promising to protect traditional marriage and amend the state Constitution to define marriage as 40 other states have done as being between one man and one woman, reduce pork barrel spending, and cut rapidly growing property and personal and business income taxes so that we don’t force our citizens to flee the state. Let the liberal Dems oppose a marriage protection amendment and spending and tax cuts. The message should be “if you support a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman and favor a reduction in state spending, the state income tax, and property taxes, vote Republican! If not, vote Democrat.” Plain and simple. Make the choice simple for voters.
You win elections by clearly articulating your message and focussing on a few important initiatives such as the ones I have suggested. You then make sure that every speech that every candidate gives iterates this platform-message. Finally, you launch a massive ad campaign that promises voters that if they vote on election day for “change” that they have the power to change history and end the liberal monopoly in our state government which has failed to advance the values, ideas, and beleifs of the vast majority of Mass citizens who want traditional marriage protected and who favor lower property and income taxes.
It’s called the “Contract with the Commonwealth.” That I believe is worth some serious consideraton. Time to be bold. Every time conservatives act boldly and clearly articulate their message of traditional family values and lower taxes, spending, and regulation, they win in land-slides every time. Cutting off all state services and govt aid to illegals should also be part of the “Contract.”
Go for it “powers that be!”