What characteristics and qualifications should the new GOP party Chairman have?

Definitely not 10. (0.00 / 0)

I like 5, 3 and 7. Much as 9 is attractive it won't make much of a difference in Massachusetts.


"Work is the essence of Man."

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by: Karl Marx @ Tue Dec 11, 2012 at 01:47:12 AM UTC

We need to go to BlueMassGroup and recruit some 7s to run for MA GOP Chair! (5.00 / 1)

Molon Labe

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by: Republican Ram Rod Radio @ Tue Dec 11, 2012 at 13:43:37 PM UTC

It's a paradox (5.00 / 1)

If you get a connected, rich, middle-aged white guy like Chairman Maginn, it's great for desperately needed fundraising and leveraging what little existing resources we have. But he won't be progressive on organization or policy or constituencies - or satisfy our too-conservative base.

If you get a disconnected, middle-aged white guy who is a we-need-to-be-more-conservative person, you get the base excited, but the outreach efforts will fail and fundraising among the existing establishment will falter. You might get better organization but you will find few new recruits. We will still lose women, young people, minorities, college-educated suburbanites, etc.

If you get a young, socially moderate guy who wants to grow the party and minimize the social conservatives, you get a chance to grow, but the activists won't muster and he won't necessarily gain the confidence of the older establishment that provides the money and connections.

The way I look at it is that you can't find one guy to handle everything. You probably have to pick one of the three things below to focus on and then hope to at least do well enough with one of the others:

1. Money and establishment support
2. Social conservative activist appeal
3. Grow the party with new demographics

So I think Jen Nassour has some of 1 and 3, but certainly not 2. She wasn't strong with either. (And I happen to like Jen.)

Chairman Maginn is very strong on 1, but has faltered with #2, despite being a down-the-line traditional conservative. (His rejection by the base is all you really need to know about their fundamentalism and anger.) And with #3 he hasn't done anything.

I think #3 is the most important going forward. I would pick that in a leader. Hopefully he or she could convince the establishment that growth is everything and that this should be funded.

As you all know how I feel, I don't see how picking a #2 guy does anything. You won't get the establishment and their money, and the RINO-hunters turn off every demographic other than themselves.

So... I will wait and see if #3 arrives. ;-)

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by: edfactor @ Wed Dec 12, 2012 at 02:08:25 AM UTC

It's more about what they don't say (0.00 / 0)

They shouldn't support gay marriage or be pro-choice, and they shouldn't go too far in the other direction either, they shouldn't oppose civil unions or support extreme pro-life laws that would give personhood to an embryo and end all abortion and IVF and contraception. There is a nice comfy "normal" between those extremes where 80% of people are, and the chairman should be there too. Candidates should be there too, but that's up to them.

If they have to say anything, they should say they support same-sex couples with Civil Unions that are not stepping stones to marriage, they support marriage as a man and a woman, they oppose those radical personhood laws that would outlaw all abortion but support reasonable restrictions on late term abortion and public funding. Done. Then they should say they are focused on keeping taxes down and government small and out of our lives.

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by: John Howard @ Wed Dec 12, 2012 at 03:51:17 AM UTC

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Very thoughtful response Edfactor, thank you! (0.00 / 0)

It's funny, I just today got an email from Babson College, where I volunteer a lot of time.  The current President is leaving and they are asking the following:

•What leadership qualities should the next president possess in order to build upon the strong academic, fiscal, and reputational position Babson enjoys today?
•What do you think are the most significant opportunities and challenges that the next president will need to address?
•What additional considerations should the Search Committee be mindful of throughout this process?

So if Babson is doing this it is the right thing to do.

Let me throw out a name for everyone - Scott Brown.  Would Scott Brown make a good state GOP Chairman?  He has fantastic name recognition.  He is likeable as all get out, and he would be a face of the future.  He would instantly move the perception of the state GOP to the center, which could attract new people.  I realize he might not excite the most conservative members of the state GOP, but he has energy, a solid machine upon which to build, and he is a local guy.  

Ed Markey is now the official 'cheapest' man on earth.  1.5 percent to charity while the average American gave 3 times as much...

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by: Vote3rdpartynow @ Wed Dec 12, 2012 at 14:56:26 PM UTC

[ Parent ]