Got Your McCain Sticker?

Are you one of these dots below? This map indicates the request for McCain stickers across Massachusetts.

You can get yourself on the map and declare your support by clicking here and pass it on!

Executive Director Rob Willington

Rep Fagan on Jessica's Law

This clip has over 17,000 hits on our YouTube page.

2 Mass Republicans on Bill O'Reilly

Lexington Project

The Twitter Song

Because Rob Willington, our Executive Director, is such a big fan.

Matt Kinnaman on Obama and the Economy

http://www.thetranscript.com/columnists/ci_9698616
Obama on auto pilot
By Matt Kinnaman
Thursday, June 26

What in the world is he talking about? On June 16, Barack Obama explained his vision for the economy and he said, "Globalization and technology and automation all weaken the position of workers."

Did Obama forget that 96 percent of the world's people live outside the United States, that they hold 75 percent of the world's purchasing potential, and that the expansion of free enterprise, powered by advanced technology, provides workers in America and worldwide with their most promising prospects in history?

In decrying globalization, technology and automation, is Obama calling for a return to the mass human impoverishment and deprivation that characterized the pre-technological age of closed and hierarchical economic arrangements? He couldn't mean that. So what he does mean?

Obama believes technology, automation and globalization weaken the position of workers? They definitely don't weaken the position of his candidacy, which virtually came out of nowhere using automated Internet switches and routers to grab globalized attention. Would Obama like his multimillion-piece campaign mailings to be hand-stuffed and handled by Pony Express instead of automated sorters? Would he like his Internet fundraising enterprise to be replaced by solicitation of door-to-door donations by volunteers on foot in Appalachia? Of course not. So what is he thinking?

Is Obama sleepwalking through the greatest growth ever in human well-being, and the greatest potential ever to help the world's poor escape poverty? The most magnificent quantifiable human success stories in history are happening right now -- in agricultural productivity, nutrition, disease eradication, literacy and increased overall life span -- and are being powered by advanced global capabilities in technology and automation. Obama is bright. He knows this is true. So what's going on?

On June 19, three days after Obama's economic policy pronouncements, Daniel T. Griswold, director of the Center for Trade Policy Studies at the libertarian Cato Institute, testified before the House Small Business Committee. Too bad Obama didn't check in to witness the testimony.

He would have heard that since 1990, the percentage of U.S. gross domestic product originating from exports and foreign investment has risen 45 percent, and now accounts for nearly one-fifth of our total economic output. Last year alone, earnings on U.S. overseas investments rose 20 percent, and exports of goods and services rose more than 12 percent. These increases in global trade and investment helped offset the effects of a slowing (but still growing) domestic economy, highlighting the increasing importance of global economic interaction.

Globalization of trade and investment boosts American GDP, which means it boosts American workers. Of the quarter-million-plus American companies that export goods and services, most are small- to medium-sized business of 500 employees or less. The American workers in these companies are direct beneficiaries of globalization.

Technology and automation are the prime factors empowering a growing global web of economic opportunity. Of the world's 1.3 billion Internet users, 85 percent now shop online, across national borders. The number of transactions is increasing, and the cost of these transactions is dropping. High overhead and heavy hierarchies that once controlled global supply chains, sales infrastructures and product-delivery capabilities are being overthrown by technology and automation, empowering workers in small to medium-sized businesses to reach new opportunities in new markets.

Obama is not just a community organizer or a state senator anymore. If elected president, his influence will be globally consequential for billions of impoverished people worldwide. These are people who need more technology and automation and globalization, not less.

Here's something for Obama to consider prior to pursuing new political restrictions on technology, automation and globalization: Restricting these things restricts economic growth. And restricting economic growth restricts life. The best way to meet human needs for food, clothing, shelter, literacy and medicine is to maximize economic growth. The best way to maximize economic growth is through low-tax free-enterprise pursuits that maximize the benefits of technology, automation and globalization. This combination creates new markets without borders for goods and services offered by entrepreneurs who have abundant supplies of creativity and enthusiasm.

But harnessing this entrepreneurial creativity and enthusiasm requires a creative and enthusiastic embrace of policies that incentivize the spread of advanced technology and automation around the globe, in a vibrant arena of planetary trade.

Is Obama a good talker? Yes. Is Obama making sense? No.

Even though he makes it sound good in speeches and interviews, Obama's high-tax, big government, protectionist and redistributionist policy instincts and proposals are deadly to economic growth and opportunity.

If Obama becomes president, will the whole world pay the price? Absolutely.

The Words of Governor Mitt Romney

"How do we get back and be able to do the job we ought to do, which is help the people of the commonwealth of Massachusetts?" he asked. "They need us. The best thing we could do is make sure we point out what the drawbacks are, what the peril is, by having a state that only has effectively one party in power ... There is going to be excess that will hurt the people of the commonwealth. We need to point that out and slowly but surely, district by district, be able to win seats and bring once again the type of balance that we need." - Governor Mitt Romney, June 24, 2007.

Read More

PolitickerMA Launches

There's a new news site in town, doing excellent hyper-local coverage of Massachusetts Politics. It's called PolitickerMA.com, and right now it's got some good coverage of our question for Deval's sprawling new bureaucracy.

“Let me get this straight," Massachusetts GOP Executive Director Rob Willington said in a statement, "Governor Patrick convened a commission to come up with education reforms, but now needs another commission to figure out how to pay for it?"

Tomorrow Night!

Have you ever wondered what the Swedes and Young Republicans have in common? No? Oh...well, ....you can find out tomorrow night as Svedka Vodka and the Young Republicans team up to put Pub in Republican.

But, your name has to be on the list.

You can get your name on the list by emailing: RichardHWheeler@yahoo.com

Brian O'Connor for State Rep

Brian O'Connor got some good press recently in the Winchester Star - keep up the good work Brian!

O’Connor, a long-time republican, is vying for the legislative seat being vacated by Rep. Paul Casey, D-Winchester.

He recently sat down with The Star to discuss his vision for the district, which encompasses Winchester and Stoneham, and how he can turn that vision into reality if elected to the state legislature.

“I’m in this for the economy and to make sure people can live a life they dreamed of 10 years ago,” said O’Connor, who has an extensive business and finance background. “I think that I have the experience to make decisions at the state house.”

O’Connor cited three main issues relating to the economy, which he intends to promote if elected to the legislature: adequately funding state mandates, increasing Chapter 70 aid, and preserving the quality of life for the residents of Winchester and Stoneham.

Protecting the elderly and children, and improving the education system are also high on O’Connor’s list of priorities.

“I’m focusing on the pocketbook, which then leads to education and to property taxes,” he said.

Kevin Kuros for State Representative!

I was at this event - check his website out and be sure to volunteer if you live down in the district!

Matt Kinnaman has a blog

The Columnist and State Committeeman now blogs here - you all should check it out.

New Nathan Bech Video!

This is a pretty cool idea and a neat concept - well done Nathan!

PowerPoliticsRadio!

I wanted to send out an official announcement regarding Ari Taube's (Chair of the Sharon RTC) terrestrial radio show, Power Politics Radio which broadcast LIVE on WXBR am1460. Here is a message from Ari:

"My show is live and once a week on Mondays from 11am-1pm. I discuss all matters political and all issues controversial! You can tune in on the radio dial at am1460 or listen to a streaming feed at www.PowerPoliticsRadio.com"

"The station is located in Brockton and broadcasts up into Boston, down to the RI border to metro-west with a huge listenership at any given time.
I have interviews every week so if you’d like to come on the show and have your say, contact me!
Audience participation is always encouraged at 508-586-1460.
Hear you tomorrow!!
Ari Taube"

Intern Project

My newest intern project has been creating short videos and commercials for our new website which is set to debut in the near future. I observe the interns for inspiration for my weekly blog, but have recently turned to them as entertainment sources for Mass GOP commercials! Our goal is to give the republican community an inside look into the internship program and the missions we accomplish.

Do you think you have a good idea for a Mass GOP intern commercial?

Please send us an e-mail at intern@massgop.com and maybe you idea will come to life on the video portion of our blog! As always we encourage you to volunteer and campaign for your local party members and this is also a great way to interact with the Mass GOP! We are always open to your questions and comments and now we look forward to your creative ideas!

intern of the week

Introducing....

Robbie Leedham

Robbie is the unsung hero of the group. He can usually be found diligently working on blogs or organizing events for local town committees. One of the most interesting tasks our boss Rob has ever asked him to do was order a moon bounce (for an event of course)! Since Robbie has the “no task is too small” mentality, he got the best darn moon bounce he could find! He looks forward to continuing his involvement with the Republican Party after this summer as a member of College Republicans at Northeastern. Read on to find out some interesting facts about Robbie…

School: Northeastern University

Hometown: Marshfield, MA

Biggest Accomplishment: Making the Dean’s List while pledging for a fraternity

When I grow up I wanna be… An Army Officer

Favorite Republican: Arnold Schwarzenegger

Current Office Project: Creating RTC Blogs

If you would like to contact Robbie please send an e-mail his way at RLeedham@Massgop.com.

nObama.

One of the things that I said on NECN, which was not included, is that Obama's principles are influenced by money. He was strongly for public financing, but having raised significant money, he is now against it.

It's not about finance laws, it's about Obama's principles being influenced by money.

Executive Director Rob Willington on NECN!

Rob Willington slamming Barack Obama on his fundraising flip-flop.

Click here to watch.

Young Republicans Party!

See you there...

Getting It Right: Matt Kinnaman on School Choice

Genuine school choice: Imagine that

By Matt Kinnaman

Gov. Deval Patrick calls his education agenda the "Readiness Project," and there's no doubt that today's students need every advantage to achieve readiness for success in an age of rapid technological innovation.

Here's the upside: With an active political imagination and some rarely-displayed political courage, school reform can be truly revolutionary. It's exciting to imagine what the future of education might look like.

But are Gov. Patrick and the Democrats on Beacon Hill truly interested in this, or are they more interested in keeping peace with the teachers' unions? One sure way to test their political appetite for genuine education innovation is to engage them in an easy imagination exercise. Here goes...

Imagine a government program that achieves more than 90 percent satisfaction among its participants and delivers benefits predominantly to minorities and the poor. Imagine that the most direct beneficiaries are children. In addition, imagine that the benefits include proficiency in math, science and literature, augmented by enhanced opportunities for character development and the fulfillment of personal potential in an environment normally reserved for the financially well off but now accessible to low-income families.

Imagine that the parents in these families are overjoyed at the success their children are experiencing through this program.

Now, imagine the politicians with jurisdiction over this program killing it. Whose side would you be on? Would you stand with the low-income and minority parents and their children, or would you stand with the politicians and the lobbyists who influence them?

It ought to be easy for Gov. Patrick and the Massachusetts Legislature to take a stand, because in real life, it's not just an imagination game. It's precisely what is playing out in Washington D.C., and its lessons are applicable here in Massachusetts and across the nation.

Here's the background: In 2004, the then-Republican Congress approved the Opportunity Scholarship Program for students in Washington D.C., home to some of the worst performing schools in the United States. The program was passed with the support of leading Democrats in D.C. city government, and it provides scholarships of up to $7,500 to families who then use the funds for tuition at private schools of their choice. It has been outstandingly popular among those without the financial ability to choose better schools for their children.

In 2007-2008, almost 2,000 students were enrolled in the Opportunity Scholarship Program. Their average family income, $22,736, is a thin gasp above the federal poverty level for a family of four. For these recipients, vouchers have been a lifeline to a brighter future. Success stories are numerous.

It changed the world for Wendy Cunningham and her daughter Jordan. Jordan now attends the private Georgetown Day School and will study this summer at two colleges before completing her last year of high school. Having seen the effects of genuine school choice in her daughter's life, Wendy Cunningham said, "Other people should have the same opportunity and choices."

Ironically, members of Congress who would never allow their own children to attend Washington D.C.'s public schools are now telling the poor parents of D.C. that the Opportunity Scholarship Program will be axed. Why?

Not because of cost overruns. The entire annual cost of the program equals 1.5 hours of budget expenditures at the leviathan Department of Education. Not because of poor performance. The recipients—the parents and their children—are thrilled with the results. Not because of lack of demand. Hopeful parents with big dreams for their children clamor to get in.

Then why discontinue the program? Could it be that the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers' union and one of the most politically powerful special interests in history, isn't really about educational effectiveness after all, and that the Democrat Congress is in the pockets of the NEA?

As Gov. Patrick and the overwhelming Democrat majority in the Massachusetts Legislature debate the future of education, they might learn from the shameless hypocrisy on display in Washington, where members of Congress prohibit their poor constituents from enjoying the educational privileges these legislators reserve for themselves.

The message for Gov. Patrick and Beacon Hill? Don't stop at incremental reforms. Instead, pursue true readiness for excellence. Remove all caps on charter schools. Embrace vouchers. Encourage home-schooling. Empower parents with maximum educational options by making them the effective owners of every educational dollar in a free market.

Taking these bold steps will refute an otherwise inescapable conclusion: that the liberal commitment to pro-choice ideology doesn't extend to educational choice for low-income and minority families.

Matt Kinnaman's column appears every Thursday in the Transcript.

Quincy Republicans at the State House

Congratulations go out to Quincy Republican City Committee Vice-Chair Kumu Gupta, who recently read and presented a presidential proclamation declaring May to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month at the State House.

Mass GOP Movie Stars!

My newest intern project has been creating short videos and commercials for our new website which is set to debut in the near future. I observe the interns for inspiration for my weekly blog, but have recently turned to them as entertainment sources for Mass GOP commercials! Our goal is to give the republican community an inside look into the internship program and the missions we accomplish.

Do you think you have a good idea for a Mass GOP intern commercial?

Please send us an e-mail at intern@massgop.com and maybe you idea will come to life on the video portion of our blog! As always we encourage you to volunteer and campaign for your local party members and this is also a great way to interact with the Mass GOP! We are always open to your questions and comments and now we look forward to your creative ideas!

MassachusettsForMcCain

Take this graphic for your website/blog. Just right click and save it to your computer.

McCain Web Team

McCainBlogette has some pictures of the McCain web team. Check them out here.

summer cleaning

As you may have noticed, MassRoots is going through a little summer cleaning to tidy this place up. We want your blogging experience to be as tidy as possible at MassRoots.

Thanks for reading.

Intern of the Week

Introducing...

Katie Addison

Every morning at 9 a.m. sharp, sometimes sooner, you can find Katie hard at work in the office. She rides her bike 2 miles to work everyday and still beats the rest of us that blow in 1 by 1 off the jam-packed T! For the past few weeks she has been spearheading the national convention plans for our delegates. Her upbeat and persistent attitude keeps us all in check while we fulfill our daily tasks at the GOP. Read on to find out more about the smallest, yet mightiest, of the interns!

School: U Mass Lowell

Hometown: Carmel, California

Biggest Accomplishment: Moving to the East Coast

When I grow up I wanna be…a Toys R Us kid

Current Office Project: Assisting Republican National Convention

If you would like to contact Katie please send an e-mail her way at KAddison@Massgop.com.

Kuros for State Representative Kickoff!

Sunday, June 22, 6PM

Sokol Club
405 NE Main St
Douglas, MA 01516
(508) 476-7489‎

Also, check out Kevin's website here: www.kevinkuros.org

HP upgrade

Hub Politics has been upgraded, go check it out here.

Happy Father's Day

Police Like McCain

Local police endorse John McCain.

Boston Herald has the story.

RMG $50 drive for Levy

RedMassGroup has organically produced a $50 donation drive to Steven Levy's State Senate campaign.

Give.

Interns Attend McCain Victory Dinner

Last night was the night we’d all been waiting for! It was our very first gop event of the summer, and a exceptional one at that! Senator McCain and Governor Romney teamed up for a victory reception right in our very own backyard at the Westin Copley.

Ten Mass Gop interns joined dozens of fellow republicans to serve as volunteers during registration and the reception. We aided in check-in, meet and greet and the donation collection. For those of you who have not yet sent your checks in, you can look forward to a lovely conversation with an intern! All of that phone banking is going to come in very handy!

The mass reception room was filled with the energy of over 700 generous donors. The extra generous donors even received a souvenir photo op with McCain. A few of our interns even snuck a few “clicks” as the McCain staffers called it. Check out a few of these candids from the night...

The interns dressed to impress!




Intern Robbie and Governor Romney lookin' sharp!




As close as we got to the man of the hour!

After registration we got to sneak in and hear McCain speak a little about his campaign and plans for gaining votes over the next 6 months. McCain’s speech was followed by mingling amongst Republicans and getting to know the party members in the community. We would like to give a special thanks to Tara for giving us this wonderful opportunity to get hands on experience on the campaign trail.

Drill Here Drill Now

This is a pretty cool idea - click below to learn more, and sign the petition!

Kinnaman: The Questions We Should Be Asking About Oil

By Matt Kinnaman
Thursday, June 12
http://www.thetranscript.com/columnists/ci_9562317

What if we had a different kind of hearing on Capitol Hill? What if we put our representatives and senators on the hot seat for a change, turned up the lights, rolled the television cameras, and they had to answer the questions?

It might go something like this:

"Honored members of Congress, thank you for joining us at today's hearing regarding rising gasoline prices and America's dangerous dependence on imported oil. We have some questions for you. Please feel free to stop us at any point if you want to respond. Otherwise, we will proceed.

"Question One: You have shown deep obsession about the caribou in Alaska. Interestingly, since major Alaskan oil-production projects began in the 1970s, the Central Arctic caribou herd, which lives in proximity to these oil-production activities, has increased in size from about 5,000 to more than 30,000. Given these numbers and your continued opposition to drilling in Alaska, we just have to ask: What do you have against caribou?

"Question Two: If caribou could vote, we anticipate they would join the super-majority of Alaska's population, who support drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In addition, nearly a
Advertisement
half-million Americans have signed a petition imploring you to stop blocking access to America's energy resources in Alaska. This oil alone would augment domestic supplies enough to cause an immediate crude price reduction worldwide. With gasoline prices rising faster than ever, do you have anything to say to voters about your refusal to lift this blockade and let America get its own oil, and cheaper gas?

"Question Three: Last month, when you grilled Big Oil executives about their companies' profits, we don't remember hearing that, in the first quarter of 2008, ExxonMobil actually paid more than $29 billion in total taxes, which is almost three times its net profit for that period, and that similar reports were filed by ConocoPhillips and ChevronTexaco. This means that governments are getting more money from these oil companies than the oil companies are making themselves, and that you might therefore see those profits as a good thing. Do you have anything to say about this?

"Question Four: Almost all of our continental shelf on both coasts is subject to government moratoriums on oil drilling, and more than 40 federal policy actions stand in the way of further development of natural gas projects. If these restrictions were lifted, American energy supplies would rapidly expand, and energy costs would drop, but you've been opposed to considering this. Do you think it's possible that the positions you've taken to continue these policies constitute an impediment to the future strength and security of our population?

"Question Five: As you gather your thoughts, let's talk briefly about nuclear power, a technology pioneered by American scientists. It is the cleanest and most efficient energy resource ever discovered, but U.S. regulatory roadblocks have made it virtually impossible to expand its use to meet the growing power supplies required for a healthy economy. Your biggest criticism about nuclear power is that it is dangerous. Here is our question: In the history of nuclear power generation in the United States, how many people have died from accidents, safety breeches or malfunctions? We'll give you a clue; it is equal to the number of answers you've provided in today's hearing thus far. But let's get back to our oil questions.

"Question Six: We have learned that Congress recently enacted a ban on the recovery of oil-shale resources in the American West -- resources equal to almost a trillion barrels of oil, triple the amount in all of Saudi Arabia. American oil companies are ready to invest in the economically viable production of these domestic oil supplies. If you lift congressional prohibitions against it, the United States would move dramatically closer to energy independence, worldwide financial markets would respond favorably, the economy would be strengthened, prices would fall, Americans would have more money in their pockets, and terrorists who celebrate our dependence on foreign oil would lose their primary strategic strength. Why do you oppose this?

"That concludes our questions for today. This hearing will now stand in recess. We implore our legislators to embrace the historic opportunity we have. If Congress does the right thing, America will end its dependence on foreign oil by simply using our own resources. Senators and representatives, for many of you, this will require a whole new level of political honesty and leadership."

Now, that would be a change we can believe in.

Go Johnny Go!

John McCain was in Boston last night where he spoke about a strong national defense, less taxes, and smaller government. It was a great event - even former Governor Mitt Romney was there!

Put a Scare Into a Democrat!

Scare a Democrat This Friday the 13th, donate between now and Midnight tomorrow (6/13/08) to Republican Steven Levy It is time to show what the Republican Grass Roots can do. In the next 36 hours, we need to donate what we can, on line, to Steven Levy! Steven Levy is a great candidate! He is a City councilor at Large in the Largest city in the district, but he needs our help! More over, his opponent is the poster child for liberal insiders on Beacon Hill. They priorities are special interests. Donate $10 to $500 to Steven Levy NOW at the link below. https://co.clickandpledge.com/... Find out more about Steven Levy at: www.stevenlevy.org/ I am sure you will like what you see! This is being done without Steven knowing, but once he sees an influx of donations between now and Midnight tomorrow, the only one scared on Friday the 13th, will be Levy's Democrat opponent.

Fall River GOP Food Drive!

In launching a series of Veterans Outreach events, the Fall River Republican City Committee will be holding a Veteran's Pantry Food Drive on Saturday June 21st from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. at Shaw's Supermarket at 4171 No. Main St. Fall River. Non-perishable pre-packaged meals are preferred. Cash donations and Shaw's Gift Certificates are welcome as 100% of the proceeds will go to The Veterans Association of Bristol County, Inc. at 755 Pine St. in Fall River. To find out more about our Veteran's Outreach Program and how to become a volunteer, go to http://www.fallrivergop.org/.

Jeff Beatty - AP

Here is a great story of Jeff Beatty in the AP:

"Beatty entered the Army as an infantry officer in 1974. He served in Panama, then attended flight school, and later petitioned to join the Delta Force. His cousin had been shot down in Vietnam and Beatty had dreamed of being part of a rescue mission.

He got his chance when American medical students became trapped during a 1983 palace coup on the Caribbean island of Grenada. Beatty was among the thousands of US troops sent to restore order. His helicopter was shot down. He was one of 16 wounded, but still managed to help complete the mission of rescuing the students.

Beatty left the Army to join the FBI, when he worked with a hostage rescue team during the Los Angeles Olympics. From there, Beatty joined the CIA to help run counterterrorism in Europe and the Middle East until 1992."

and

"'We will make the case that we want them to support Beatty’s campaign,' Torkildsen said. 'You’re always running as an underdog as a Republican in Massachusetts, but John Kerry is very unpopular. He has high negatives.' "

Intern of the Week

Introducing...
Shawn Burke

When it came time to choose the first ever “Intern of the Week” there were no second thoughts. Shawn joined the Mass GOP in early April and has learned the ropes of the office in and out. We think of Shawn as the father of the interns and he is definitely our go-to guy. He walks in every day with a smile on his face (usually sun burnt as a result of marching in his weekend City Council parades). Get to know a little bit more about the man who sets the standards for the rest of the interns!

School: Formally Franciscan University

Hometown: Charlestown, MA

Favorite Republican: Ronald Reagan

Biggest Accomplishment: Working on the Mike Huckabee campaign in South Carolina & Working towards John McCain's victory in Massachusetts.

When I grow up I wanna be…the next Karl Rove.

Current Office Project: Distribution of McCain stickers

If you would like to contact Shawn please send an e-mail his way at SBurke@Massgop.com.

- Liz

Update

There has been a lot going on at the MassGOP and I want to give you all a brief update. First, we have been strengthening town committees by empowering them with better tools and technology. We offer town committees a way to get online quickly at no cost with a personalized logo (and we encourage them to do so). Voter vault, a tool primarily reserved for campaigns, has now been given to town committee chairs as a tool to build the committee. Town committees are not social clubs waiting around for Republicans to knock on their door – we are community organizations that are active and voter vault enables you to recruit and identify new members. We have had success across Massachsuetts; from Dalton to Somerville, Reading to Nantucket, town committees are more sophisticated in their outreach. This is the essential core of our party. Vibrant town committees mean not just more candidates, but better candidates. Vibrant town committees mean more activists to help the campaigns with volunteer work. Vibrant town committees mean more data and more registered voters. Vibrant town committees mean more watchdogs on the Democrat incumbents to hold them accountable for their liberal voting records. Vibrant town committees mean Republicans active in their local community, making a difference. Vibrant town committees now, will mean a stronger Republican party in the future. Our number 1 targeted town without an existing town committee, has recently been organized. Our Action Packet has been a huge success – the party used to send out a 90 page manual for town committees to read. We scrapped this verbose guide and drafted our 13 page Action Packet, consisting of 15 bullet points that the committees can be doing right now.

The current crop of Republican candidates, although not large, is one of the best the party has seen in recent memory. These candidates have great backgrounds as members of their community and they have been attending our trainings.

Speaking of which, the party has done a record amount of trainings (with a staff 1/3 the size as it was in 2006) with over 12 trainings in 2007. In 2008 we have already logged in 10 trainings with more to come. Do not assume that all trainings are equal. Gone are the days of powerpoint slides with ham sandwiches, potato salad concluding with a paper packet of the slides as you walk out the door. We are bringing the RNC style of training across Massachusetts. Our trainings are interactive with a hands-on approach. You don't just learn about voter id, you do voter id. You don't hear about door knocking, you print out precinct walking lists. You don't watch a few slides on voter vault, you log in and use voter vault. You don't hear how to blog, you build your own blog. We want you to roll up your sleeves and complete the process from beginning to end. The goal is to have you leave the training, not with vague concepts, but with real skills and knowledge. We have opened up a training center at the MassGOP HQ in Boston for any town committee or campaign to rent. Just give us a date and time and we will have a personalized training prepared for your town or district. We have 6 computers available in the training center but you can bring laptops and tap into our wireless.

We are about to roll out some important issues that we want to fight for. The Issues Committee has met once, and will soon meet again to develop this platform. To date, the trainings have been my favorite part of the job because it's quantifiable progress – real skills are being taught. But we need to couple these skills with a reason to fight and the Issues Committee will soon develop a Massachusetts-centric platform. This is the whole reason that I got into politics and it's an exciting time to be Growing Our Party in Massachusetts.

Finally, we have a great group of interns this summer and they will be communicating with you on MassRoots about their projects. See Liz Grimm's post below. These interns are the future leaders of the Republican Party and we are lucky to have them.

If you have any questions or concerns – compliments or complaints – send them to our opinion line at GOPinions@massgop.com and we would love to hear from you. We have already received a lot of feedback and it's a great way for the grassroots to speak directly to the MassGOP headquarters in Boston.

-Rob

Intern Update

You’re about to enter a whole new world with our new intern cam! See the world through the eyes of a Mass Gop Intern as we stuff your mailers, update your records on voter vault and bond over canoli’s in Boston’s North End!

Today the interns insisted on taking me to lunch to celebrate my birthday. It was the perfect opportunity to test out our new camera to give you insight into our daily routine. Today, Emil, our new intern joined us and before he knew it he was cracking political jokes right along with us at lunch. The team here at the Mass Gop is amazingly supportive and welcoming as new interns and volunteers join us weekly!

Although many delegates may not know this, interns are putting in 8 hour days organizing and planning schedules to ensure a successful trip to the convention in Minnesota Saint Paul in September. So for all of you delegates out there you can think of us when you are snacking on airline peanuts and using hotel shampoo!

In addition to the national convention, we have been focusing on local events as well. As interns we have been invited to volunteer this Wednesday at a McCain event for the victory committee. Stay tuned for more photos and exciting stories about meeting senator McCain and his local supporters!

We have also been calling Republicans inviting them to attend the Norwood Republican Town Committee fundrasier (wine tasting!) which will be on June 12th at the Fiddlehead Theater in Norwood. It's only $10 - what a deal, support the GOP and drink wine for only $10?!?!


Mike, Maggie, Shawn, Lauren, Robbie and Emil hard at work in the Mass GOP training room.

Register To Vote (pass it on)

Congratulations to Jacob Ventura

Jacob Ventura, former Executive Director of the Massachusetts Alliance of College Republicans & one of our Dartmouth Republican Town Committee members, just recently returned from a college-related trip to Germany and he's leaving soon to work this summer in Washington DC. However, in-between he presented the Second Annual Dartmouth Republican Town Committee Scholarship of $500.00 to Amy Medeiros of Dartmouth High School & soon to be a freshman at Bridgewater State College.

Congratulations and best wishes to both Ms. Medeiros & Jake Ventura for their pursuit of higher academics!

Congratulations Jeff!

Today, we congratulate Jeff Beatty on becoming the Republican nominee to challenge John Forbes Kerry for the U.S. Senate. We also thank Jim Ogonowski for running a brief, but spirited campaign. Jeff and Jim both spoke of need for change in Washington D.C., with that change beginning with the election of a new U.S. Senator to represent Massachusetts.

"Now that we have a nominee, the Massachusetts Republican Party offers its full support to Jeff Beatty. John Kerry and Deval Patrick are living proof that one-party monopolies are a disaster for our Commonwealth.

-Peter Torkildsen

MeetBarackObama.com

Obama's Money Man

Also visit RezkoJudgement.com

DiMasi + Ticket Brokers

From the Boston Globe:

Defying an order from Secretary of State William F. Galvin, Charlestown accountant Richard D. Vitale will refuse to appear at a hearing today to answer questions about allegations that he lobbied on behalf of a group of Massachusetts ticket brokers.

Vitale's lawyer sent a letter yesterday to Galvin's office saying that Vitale was refusing to comply with the order and answer questions under oath because, in the lawyer's opinion, the secretary of state appeared to be overreaching.

"That is an indisputable fact," Galvin said. "They clearly were paid by an entity that had an interest in legislation, and that legislation received affirmative treatment in 2007.

"When you cut away all the fancy legal talk it comes down to this: Mr. Vitale is not above the law. We have laws that say that people who get paid to influence public decisions need to tell us not only what they were paid but for what they were paid. Mr. Vitale needs to comply with the law."

Inagural MASS GOP Blogpost

It's the summer before an intense presidential election. Local senate and house campaigns are putting together strong campaign teams and the national conventions are just months away. What better place to be than the Republican Party headquarters in Boston!

Here at the GOP there is no such thing as a "typical day in the office". Interns find themselves doing everything from phone banking and candidate research to collecting data and rubbing elbows with John McCain on the campaign trail.

You're probably asking yourself, why intern at the GOP in a state with a notorious liberal affiliation? Personally, we like to think of it as a challenge we aren't afraid to tackle!

Many may be surprised to find out that our summer intern staff is comprised of 15 college students with diverse backgrounds and interests. Over the next few months we will be featuring profiles on the Mass GOP interns where they will share their stories and experiences. Throw your republican stereotypes out the door and get ready to meet the leaders in your Republican community!

We are excited and ready to get to work and make the Massachusetts Republican Party proud! On behalf of the intern staff, we look forward to hearing from you!

If You Haven't Seen It Yet

Democrats Vs. Obama

Mass GOP RTC Conference!

We had a great time, and everyone learned a lot - some pictures follow:

DecisionCenter

Check out the new site - DecisionCenter.

MassGOP HQ Training Center

Yesterday we had a MassGOP training at our HQ in Boston from 9AM to 1PM. It went really well and if you are interested in reserving our training room, please contact us at info@massgop.com

State Senator Marzilli Arrested

STATE SENATOR ARRESTED IN LOWELL ON FIVE CHARGES

STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JUNE 3, 2008…. Democratic state Sen. James Marzilli was arrested in downtown Lowell today on charges of lewd and lascivious behavior, police said.

Marzilli was also charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, attempt to commit a crime, and obstruction of justice, according to police.

Marzilli was accused of sexual assault earlier this year, but Middlesex District Attorney Gerry Leone did not pursue the case, saying there was insufficient evidence.

Marzilli, an Arlington progressive in his first term in the Senate, tried to resist arrest by fleeing through the city’s downtown, police said.

Kevin Lombard of the Lowell Police Department said Marzilli was arrested on Middle Street in Lowell.

Marzilli was not immediately available for comment late Tuesday.

By Jim O’Sullivan
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE

Jeff Perry's June Message

Some Good Press For Paul Avella

From The Lowell Sun (6/1/08)

PAUL AVELLA, a Republican candidate to succeed Democrat Geoff Hall as representative from the 2nd Middlesex District, has picked up an endorsement from Valerie Wormell, the recently re-elected chairman of the Westford Board of Selectmen.

Surrounded by supporters at Westford's Apple Blossom Festival on May 19, Wormell cited Avella's record of service, both in the U.S. Air Force and Littleton School Committee.

She listed Avella's priority of greater local aid while improving the district's economy as reasons for her support.

"Paul's New England values of thrift, industry and fortitude exemplify the district's character. I will be supporting Paul Avella for state representative to the 2nd Middlesex District because he shares my values and those of my friends and neighbors. I ask that you join me, building a strong and lasting relationship with our next state representative, Paul Avella," said Wormell.

Avella thanked Wormell for her support and looks to earn the respect of voters in Chelmsford, Littleton and Westford. "Working together with the various boards in different towns, we are going to prosper."

It's Avella's second endorsement by a sitting selectman. He previously was endorsed by Eric Dahlberg of Chelmsford.