The upside to the GOP getting its brains beat out here in New Hampshire in 2006 is the opportunity it provides new faces with fresh ideas to enter the public debate. Jim Rubens appears to be seizing that opportunity. Rubens recently sent out a mass e-mail to an undisclosed list of Republican activists touting his upcoming speaking schedule. The e-mail reads, in part:
Over dinner and beers with Republican friends, conversation often discloses both deep frustration and broad agreement. Frustration over how far our party has drifted from core principle and the national interest – and remarkably broad agreement about where we should go.
Unfortunately unless prompted, most presidential candidates do not talk in public about what grass roots Republicans talk about in private. An applause line about limited government, personal responsibility and a strong national defense is not enough.
So, in the spirit of our unscripted, first-in-the-nation primary, I’ve hit the road, addressing Republican groups, encouraging us to play our historic role in focusing national debate on the tough topics.
He goes on to tout the fact he will speak at the Strafford County GOP meeting tomorrow in Somersworth at 10:00 AM at the Gateway Restaurant. According to his e-mail, topics of his speech will include: National debt & bankrupt entitlements programs, partitioning Iraq, dangerous weakness in national defense, open borders & immigration, pork, earmarks & the K-Street Project, radical tax reform, and fossil fuel addiction.
Rubens and I do not see eye-to-eye on some issues, but considering I’m a resident of nearby Barrington, I would trek to Somersworth to see him if I wasn’t already going to be in Laconia broadcasting Meet the New Press at that time. Jim is exceptionally bright and possesses an impressive capacity for new ideas.
A cynic might suggest, given the long trip Rubens will be making from the Upper Valley, that he is setting the table for a gubernatorial run. Others might look at the subject matter and think: No, he’s running for Congress (though Strafford is outside of Rubens’ congressional district.)
I say: Good! Perhaps he will add a little life to our party.