As Goes Massachusetts
So goes the nation. I’ve said it before, turns out it’s true. And we’re getting ready to bollix another one.
This used to be a solidly Republican state, and even after it turned heavily Democratic, the Bay State voted for Reagan, and voted in 16 years worth of Republican governors, one of whom almost became the GOP’s presidential candidate last year. A third of the Massachusetts electorate voted against their own senator, John Kerry, when he was running for president. The late “liberal lion,” Ted Kennedy, great shoveller of pork, routinely lost a third of the votes. Think we’re all flaming lefties up here? Hardly. This place is loaded with Republicans and Bush fans, as well as conservative Democrats who provided those margins for GOP candidates. Sometimes they’ve even willing to admit it in hushed conversation. All frustrated under the relentless PC barrage. Fertile ground. Anyway, the people of Massachusetts voted in Deval Patrick. Tide of history, maybe, with a major assist from a state GOP in disarray. Even the Dems don’t like him so much anymore, thanks to the bumbling and the hypocrisy, and the Democratic legislature never took him seriously. Some of that may sound familiar. Then, after the people allowed themselves to be terrorized into voting down an income tax repeal, the governor and the legislature got the message and voted not only to raise, but to expand taxes. To save the hack jobs they’ve been loading up with relatives and cronies.
So, is the state GOP poised to do anything about it? Not really. The Massachusetts Republican Party forgot about basic organization and message a long time ago, and became a party of individuals and personalities out for themselves. Most of the smart ones opted out, and left everyone else behind to get picked off.
Now, the most iconic dynastic liberal Senate seat in the country is open … a great prize for the GOP, if it could grab it. The Boston Herald reports that former GOP state rep, Reagan aide, Bush 1 transportation secretary and Bush 2 chief of staff Andy Card is eyeing it. It’s another banner Mass GOP individual personality race. The state GOP stands poised to blow it, and not just because Card will get a good Bush tarring. Why? How? Well, I was talking to a friend of mine the other day. Former candidate, political activist, successful businessman with enough money to throw a couple grand at good causes every now and then.
Nobody calls him anymore. There might not even be anyone to make the calls. Not clear whether there are even any phones. And even if they had people on phones, there is no indication lately that they have a coherent message, despite the target-rich environment. Nothing.
Like I said, as goes Massachusetts, so goes the nation. Watch and learn.
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Posted by Jules Crittenden at 10:10 am Comments (3) on Thursday, September 10, 2009
3 Responses to “As Goes Massachusetts”
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September 10th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
What we need is GOP candidates who could pass muster with the tea party crowd. (ie., NOT Andy Card.)
September 10th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
[...] Jules Crittenden has noticed the same thing in his home state, as the Massachusetts GOP is in such disarray that it’s nowhere near ready to mount a real attempt to take the seat formerly occupied by Ted Kennedy. This part of his post is a crying shame: Well, I was talking to a friend of mine the other day. Former candidate, political activist, successful businessman with enough money to throw a couple grand at good causes every now and then. [...]
September 11th, 2009 at 10:28 am
[...] Crittenden, who lives in the People’s Republic, has related thoughts. And Dan Riehl talks about how Joe Wilson’s outburst has changed [...]