Marshall Horwitz on The State-of-Affairs

Marshall Horwitz, Vice-Chairman of the Holden Republican Town Committee, has put together a wonderful, well thought-out, meaningful article detailing many reasons why Representative Lew Evangelidis should be voted House minority leader. Dr. Horwitz begins by speaking about the state of affairs in Massachusetts. From that he leads into why Rep. Evangelidis is capable of enacting positive change in our Party and how growth in the Republican Party can lead to better government in the Commonwealth.

Reading Dr. Horwitz's article may help spark some creative writing in you that's just waiting to burst forth, or at the very least, give you some ideas for topics. For specific how-to's on submitting a letter to the "Telegram & Gazette", along with more suggestions, scroll down to the December 8 entry.

Dear Sir:

The recent announcement by State Rep. Lewis Evangelidis that he is seeking the position of minority leader is exciting for the Republican Party, good for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and healthy for the concept of democracy.

The current state of the political scene in Massachusetts is discouraging. We see scandal after scandal unfolding daily. The crippling stranglehold special interests have over our one party state government is clearly not in the best interests of the citizens. We see a perpetual perp walk of legislative leaders on the television. Competition breeds responsibility and accountability. A strong and respected opposition party is good for all the citizens of Massachusetts.

The most glaring need for a visible minority opposition can be seen in the events surrounding the 2004 and 2008 presidential election. In 2004, with Sen. John Kerry likely to become President, the state legislature stripped then Gov. Romney of his authority to appoint an interim replacement for Sen. Kerry's seat. The Democratically controlled legislature sounded the populist clarion that so much power concentrated in the hands of the governor would deny the people the Commonwealth the right to chose Sen. Kerry's successor. So a special election would be called. This charade was done to preclude Gov. Romney his option to choose a member of the Republican Party, which he surely would have done. Just a few months ago, with Sen. Kerry a potential nominee for the position of Secretary of State, the legislature floated the idea of returning the very same power removed from Gov. Romney to Gov. Patrick. There can only be one of two reasons for such a reversal of thought. Either the legislature has decided that the voters are not now qualified to make an intelligent decision in a special election, or since Gov. Patrick would certainly choose a member of has party to replace Sen. Kerry, it would be advantageous to avoid an election where even the remotest chance of a win by a Republican could exist. Clearly the latter is a far more logical explanation. The unchecked legislature once again carries on its own little fiefdom with no regard or respect for the people.

Just a few days ago, Sen. Kennedy surrendered his post as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. His ill heath makes it a possibility he might not complete his term which expires in 2012. Certainly the issue of his replacement could come up. And if it does, the strong money is on the legislature launching a pre-emptive strike and passing a bill allowing Gov. Patrick to choose an interim senator

Gov. Patrick stated a few days ago: "We are awash in cynicism in the Commonwealth''. We should be. The governor himself added 2000 employees to the state payroll. A state senator who resigned his position after multiple sexual harassment charges goes on a state funded junket to the tune of almost $25,000. The Speaker of the House, Sal DiMasi has billed his campaign for travel expenses, yet still collects his per diem allowance. The legislature routinely rewards retroactive pension increases for the politically connected, even awarding benefits to those who opted out of the state funded program. The list goes on and on. All at the taxpayer expense. Yes, Governor, we are awash in cynicism. And rightfully so.

Even sadder than the antics of this farce is the silent voice of the state Republican party. The leadership of the Republican party is almost never seen on television and rarely seen in print. Few people can identify the minority leader either in the State Senate or State House of Representatives. On November 20,2008 in television interview on NECN hosted by Jim Braude, Rep. Lew Evangelidis and Rep. David Linsky (D. Natick) engaged in a thoughtful and constructive discussion about issues facing the Commonwealth. During this discussion, Mr. Braude, who politically is just slightly to the right of Sen. Bernard Sanders of Vermont, said : "By the way, I don't vote Republican very often, but having 16 Republican representatives out of 160 is not good for democracy." When Jim Braude is more active in promoting the need for an active opposition than the current opposition leadership, it's a pretty good signal that the current Republican leadership needs some fresh faces.

Rep. Evangelidis has served his district well since 2002. In that election, he defeated an incumbent Democrat, only the second time in a decade where a Republican candidate defeated an incumbent Democrat. In 2006 he won reelection by a 70/30 margin over a Democratic challenger in an overwhelmingly Democratic district. In 2008 no candidate from the Democratic party challenged him. This is unheard of in Massachusetts. Rep. Evangelidis has been tireless working for the district in obtaining funds for the cleanup of the Wachusett oil spill, Wachusett Greenways, Rutland Hospital and a host of other worthy projects. He has spearheaded efforts to return lottery money to the towns, tighten laws against sex offenders and drunk drivers, and streamline state government. He has been recognized for his legislative achievements by such diverse groups as conservationists, sportsmen, and small business associations. His attendance for roll call votes was a perfect 100%.

To succeed in accomplishing these tasks requires skill, patience, hard work, a willingness to listen, and a lot of common sense. No one can question Rep. Evangelidis' talents in these characteristics. He will bring a new vitality to the state Republican party. It is clear that if the Republican party follows the same leadership it has now, it will get more of the same result, nothing. Change for the sake of change is hollow. Change with the expectation of progress is the change we need now. The current leadership of the Republican party should welcome this change and recognize that new blood would also bring new life. The phrase "transparency in government" is all the buzz these days. Transparency is great, invisibility isn't. A more effective government can be had if we have a visible opposition party. The purpose of an opposition party is to be in opposition. It need not be obstructionist. But it has to exist.

Our founding fathers were wise enough to insist upon a system of political and judicial checks and balances. Crafting our constitution was a difficult and often contentious process, but well worth the effort. Democracy is well served by effective leadership and openness in government. The current Republican State Representatives will serve their constituents, and all the citizens of this state, well by electing Rep. Lewis Evangelidis as minority leader.

Sincerely,
Marshall L. Horwitz D.D.S.
marshalldds@gmail.com