Keller @ Large: State GOP's Jennifer Nassour Talks Mass. Politics
BOSTON (CBS) – Recently, state Democratic chairman Jon Walsh spoke to WBZ's Jon Keller about Bay State politics. Now, it's time to hear the other side.
Jennifer Nassour, the state's Republican party chairwoman, recently sat down with WBZ-TV.
The state's budget was balanced without raising taxes. Unemployment numbers are dropping. And a landmark municipal healthcare was passed. All this was done by a Democratic Governor (Deval Patrick) and a Democratic state legislature.
Part 1:
Why do we need Republicans?
"You need Republicans because up until this year, we didn't see any of those reforms happen. And because we elected an additional 21 new Republicans to the legislature this year, we saw that there were bigger changes because the Republicans were holding the Democrats' feet to the fire," said Nassour.
Is Nassaur alleging that the Democrats on Beacon Hill are living in some kind of fear the growing Republican minority?
Part 2:
"Yes I am! I think that what happened was, we saw in 2010 that the voters decided. Usually what happens is that the voters like their local representation, but in 2010, the voters said 'No, we don't want you there anymore because we're sick of having speakers like Sal DiMasi. Three speakers in a row now. Something needs to change in the legislature. We're gonna change it.' And so by having an infusion of new Republicans there, they were able to offer up amendments to show a united front and to also get some Democrats who are looking to the best interests' of their communities to agree to this," said Nassour.
You can listen to Keller At Large on WBZ News Radio every weekday at 7:55 a.m. and 12:25 p.m. You can also watch Jon on WBZ-TV News.
