Silbert for lt. governor
SUN EDITORIAL ENDORSEMENT
Few can deny that Democrats have three solid candidates in the race for lieutenant governor.
Worcester Mayor Tim Murray, former Brookline Selectwoman Deb Goldberg, and businesswoman Andrea Silbert each have raised the level of debate for an elected position often relegated to second-fiddle status. No doubt all have the energy to change the public’s perception about a job that is important, seeing that two of the last three Republican lieutenant governors have moved up to become the state’s chief executive.
One candidate sticks out for her independence from the Democrats’ politics-as-usual crowd. That person is Andrea Silbert.
Silbert has waged a campaign of enlightenment, telling voters not what they want to hear but what they need to know about the urgency of Massachusetts’ plight — economically, educationally and socially. The freefall of losing population, jobs and educational opportunities must be reversed, says Silbert. A commitment to strategic planning, investment in human capital, improving schools, and creating jobs and affordable housing is vital.
“Just throwing more money at a problem isn’t the answer. It’s how we spend the money, on real solutions, that count,” said Silbert, a Harvard graduate and former Wall Street financial analyst.
Silbert’s history of successful innovation in the private sector sets her apart from traditional politicians. Since 1995, when she co-founded the nonprofit Center for Women & Enterprise, Silbert has helped small business owners create over 14,000 jobs and $400 million wages every year in New England. Not only does Silbert know how to get things going, she knows how to get results. “I know I can help Massachusetts do better,” she says.
The Sun is convinced Andrea Silbert has the leadership abilities to move Massachusetts forward and endorses her candidacy for lieutenant governor in the Democrat Party primary Sept. 19.
Of all the endorsements that have come down thus far, this is by far the most shocking.
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The Sun is, as most know, quite a conservative paper and I would have assumed its editors would give their nod to Tim Murray for his lunchbucket-y, “old time pol” style (I know that’s not his substance, but it is his style, which isn’t a bad thing). Plus, he’s a city guy and lord knows Lowell and its neighbor Lawrence have some major issues that a guy like Murray would probably handle well.
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So it’s telling that in light of that they still went with Silbert. She’s the real deal.
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I think there’s something happening in this state this year, and maybe we’re going to rewrite the playbook this time around. Deval’s got something going on that no one has seen in decades, and Andrea’s really upping the ante by being the first credible candidate from what is already a huge sector in Mass. – the social entrpreneurial field.
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We really are the cradle of innovation when it comes to creating programs to tackle society’s biggest challenges. Look at City Year, Citizens Schools, Jumpstart – all Boston-based groups that have expanded nationally to help kids.
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Look at New Profit, Inc. and Greenlight Fund – two “venture philanthropy” funds that take great ideas and bring them to scale quickly.
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And look at Andrea Silbert’s Center for Women and Enterprise, the largest training center for women entrepreneurs in the region.
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It’s these kinds of creative people we need to have in government, and it’s exciting that the voters are getting the opportunity to have someone like that there. I laughed outloud when Tom Reilly said the other day in the Keller debate that he wanted to create a “renaissance” in state government. There is absolutely no way that he could attract the kind of young, eager talent that someone like Deval or Chris could. People are way too jaded about career politicians to get excited about that. We’ve had a decade of Republicans running things into the ground here and Washington, plus people are fed up with the President. All that will combine, I think, to make this a watershed year top to bottom – in both Federal and State races. People want to move a little bit out of their comfort zones, take a chance on someone with good ideas and a proven track record. But most importantly they want someone who tells them the truth, not what they want to hear. In our little bitty LG’s race this year, that’s certainly been the case with Silbert and Murray, although Deb’s been speaking in platitudes for far too long.
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We’ll see what happens…
Hoss, that was eloquent.
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You’ve split the arrow with that post. And you kept the gratuitous swipes in check. Maybe it’s the time of day or you just got a good night’s sleep. Whatever it is, you’ve made a very good case for Silbert.
…I’m drunk.
for keeping Andrea on the radar screen…every vote for Andrea is one less vote for Deb…(the lunch-buckety boys you derisively characterize have already made their choice, so Murray’s vote won’t change much in Lowell)
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For a group that wants to be the “voice of the middle class”, the use of the term lunch bucket is interestingly out of touch…even the men and women on the scaffolding at construction sites would be unfamiliar with that stereotypical term. Maybe they say that in Harwich and Brookline when refering to people who get their hands dirty for a living…but the folks actually doing the work don’t.
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Pass the chablise…
Thanks for reminding people that Tim Murray is a “lunch bucket” person. At least the middle class will see that he eats and speaks their language. I am so happy that Andrea is getting her name out their, remember we want her to come alive now, every vote for her is one against Goldberg. There is not a major block that were undecided between Andrea and Murray, even you know this. So thanks, tell Andrea to add another 30k into the race,please !!
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Hurry, hurry, vote for Murray !
You used “their” properly in this sentence:
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“At least the middle class will see that he eats and speaks their language”
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Not in the following:
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“I am so happy that Andrea is getting her name out their…”
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Murray’s base is…?
Andrea Silbert has helped a lot of people, some of who were on welfare, start their own small businesses and actually put other working class people to work. What exactly has Tim Murray done, other than “eat and speak their language,” whatever that means. I want substance over form.. which is why I am voting for Andrea Silbert on September 19th.