POST-GAZETTE - Res Publica

Happy New Year

by David Trumbull

December 26, 2008


Good-bye to 2008. The year now ending brought us a summer with rain almost every weekend, financial collapses in banking, housing, and manufacturing, and further erosion of the small Republican minority in the state legislature that mirrored GOP loses nationally. Good riddance to 2008!

Personally, I am optimistic about 2009. Surely we are in for tough times, but at least the bad economy is prompting some to rethink the failed economic policies of the last 20 years that got us into this mess. The Industry Trade Advisory Committee I serve on is non-partisan, so I’ll continue as an advisor to the United States Trade Representative and the Secretary of Commerce in the new Obama Administration. Watch for continued articles from me on international trade and how Washington trade policy is helping or hurting American workers.

The new year 2009 is a good time to start rebuilding the Republican Party in Massachusetts.

Here in Boston we have a hard-working, intelligent, and dedicated candidate for City Councillor—Doug Bennett. Doug has been knocking on thousands of door, meeting the voters and discussing the issues that matter to them.

On January 27th the Massachusetts Republican State Committee will assemble to elect a new party chairman. For the first time in many years a candidate is not being forced on the committee members by a Republican governor more focused on illusions of national office than on building the GOP in the Bay State.

Two candidates have stepped up, there could be more by the time of the vote. Jennifer Nassour of Charlestown has a reputation as a GOP fund-raiser—a skill much needed after the current chairman who drained the treasury while providing little if any leadership. Mike Franco is a well-regarded conservative activist from one of the few Republican towns in the Commonwealth, East Longmeadow.

The Massachusetts Federation of Young Republicans is hosting a candidates’ night for persons seeking the post of Mass. GOP Chairman to present their cases. So far Jennifer Nassour is confirmed as attending, and Mike Franco has been invited and is expected. The event will be Thursday, January 8, 2009, from 6:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m. at The Point, 147 Hanover Street, Boston (that’s the part of Hanover Street near Haymarket, downtown, before Hanover passes the Central Artery into the North End). There is a suggested donation of $10.00 to help defray the cost of the event. For more information contact Richard Wheeler at (617) 872-0096 or richardhwheeler@yahoo.com

Best wishes for 2009!

[David Trumbull is the chairman of the Boston Ward Three Republican Committee. Boston's Ward Three includes the North End, West End, part of Beacon Hill, downtown, waterfront, Chinatown, and part of the South End.]

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