We’d like to know. That’s why the ACLU sent a questionnaire on key civil liberties issues to all the candidates running to fill the U.S. Senate seat held by the late Edward Kennedy. While we sent the item to all of the candidates, we have not heard back from Republicans Scott Brown or Jack E. Robinson.
It will be tough to fill Senator Kennedy’s shoes. He made a lifetime of contributions to the cause of civil rights and civil liberties, and in 2006, we gave him the ACLU of Massachusetts’ highest honor, the Roger Baldwin Award, named for the Massachusetts-born founder of the ACLU.
We hope that the next U.S. Senator from Massachusetts will provide that kind of leadership. To find out where the contenders stand, we asked questions such as these:
Would you support a Congressional investigation of possible unlawful activities by government officials in the post 9/11 era to determine who should be held accountable?
Would you have sponsored the JUSTICE Act that would have fixed problems with the USA PATRIOT Act and FISA Amendments Act that threaten the rights and liberties of all Americans?
Will you support establishing independent oversight and enhanced privacy standards for fusion centers, including the Massachusetts Commonwealth Fusion Center?
Will you support reversing the Hyde Amendment, which bars federal Medicaid funding for abortion?
Check out our special election page for a full listing of the candidates answers, additional statements on the issues, and other information.
Discuss
2 Comments . Comments are closed.Yes
Since all four candidates answered yes to all survey questions, it would seem (assuming that the Democratic Party nominee is elected) that our next U.S. Senator will be a civil libertarian (by this measure).
The ACLU
should take a look at Coakley's actual record on the issues of civil and Constitutional rights. That'd add some value to the discussions. Capuano too, he has a long coting record worth investigating.
Asking questions is have the job. Digging a bit and asking the candidates to explain former positions and reconcile them to current ones is worth twice as much. imo
That said, I'm a big fan of the ACLU's work and would like to see them have a better stream of funds to accomplish more.
« Blue Mass Group Front Page
Wed 16 May 10:31 PM