Republican Party Chairman John H. Sununu stopped by to visit last week. He grinned, lobbed some political bombs and described a state that has sunk like a stone since he was in charge. Then, in his inimitable fashion, the man who was governor from 1983 to 1989 explained how things could be put right.

On many points we found ourselves no closer to agreement with Sununu now than we were back then. But all of what he said was provocative, and some of it was on the money.

If they want to regain control of a state once known as the reddest in the nation, Republicans should focus on issues of government spending and taxes, Sununu said - rather than on social issues such as civil unions and gay marriage.

He is right. If Republicans are going to regain the governorship, presumably from John Lynch seeking a fourth term, they need to appeal to middle-of-the-road voters who are more likely to pay attention to a message of fiscal discipline than a campaign about right-wing causes.

Sununu argued that the state takes too much money from the citizenry these days, spends it profligately yet fails to do a competent job of delivering services.

It's hard to argue with Sununu on his last point. The Pew Center on the States gave New Hampshire a D-plus in its 2007 analysis of the effectiveness of state government. That was the worst grade in the nation, and a grade that could fall with the impending layoff of hundreds of state employees and furloughs of many more.

Does New Hampshire spend too much? In relation to New Hampshire's willingness to responsibly raise revenue, yes. Does it take too much? Not really. The Tax Foundation says New Hampshire imposes the eighth lowest tax burden on small business.

And in Sununu's last year as governor, the foundation said New Hampshire imposed the third-lowest overall tax burden on its residents. Last year, it was fourth from the bottom.

Sununu argued that the state's problems stem from poor management and spending that is undisciplined, especially compared with the frugality shown by residents at town and school meetings. "The basic tax structure of this state is one of the great miracles of the world," Sununu said. "You have more involvement by citizens of this state in governing than anywhere else in the world."

If the state's tax structure, which keeps New Hampshire chronically broke, is a "miracle," is it because it relies on taxing property? Or, the former governor was asked, does the real strength of the system result from heavy citizen involvement that guarantees greater scrutiny of spending? The latter, Sununu said.

Again, we agree. The more citizens who participate in the political process, the better. Their involvement, as voters, as members of local boards and commissions, and as elected officials, is a great virtue. The state's reliance on the property tax is not - but that will be a subject to discuss on Sununu's next visit.