My candidacy for the U.S. Senate is about change. It is about the courage of convictions. It is about the commitment to clear and concise Democratic principles. As a person from a working class background, I understand how it is to live week to week on a paycheck. I understand the value of public education. As a former union worker, I understand the power of standing together. I understand the concept of “We the People”.
I also understand that my candidacy is not about me, but about us–about us, as a United Democratic Party in these United States. The time has come to carry the message that new leadership means a new partnership; a partnership between our U.S. Senator and the people of Massachusetts–a partnership that brings a renewed sense of purpose. It is a positive message of hope and change in our state, our country and the world.
Ed O’Reilly
It’s good to have primary challengers, just so Kerry can clarify his positions, if nothing else.
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As for your candidacy, though, I’d like to hear some specific ideas you have beyond renewed senses of purpose and positive messages. Any thoughts on healthcare? This will likely be one of the larger battles going forward. Single payer? Tax increase?
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I would advise that you get a website soon-with position papers. Frankly, that was what drew me to Patrick more than anything else early on, that he had clear, specific, progressive ideas laid out, and I fell back on this whenever anyone accused him of overdoing the flowery rhetoric.
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Also, I take it from your post that you would have proposed the Iraq intervention. What about now? Do you support a full withdrawal? Maintaining the permanent military bases that we are already constructing?
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I find your mention of union membership promising. Would you support the Employer Free Choice Act? This is an important union bill that in the Senate will be very, very close. We have something like 48-49 endorsements in the Senate.
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I’m not advising that you give bullet point answers to these right now. Rather, I would like to see lengthy, substansive posts on certain issues, with real discussion following these posts. It has disturbed me recently that candidates who shall remain unnamed have been using Bluemassgroup as a mere outlet for press releases. As Afertig said:
“It’s odd because unlike print newspapers (which have limited space), radio or TV (which has limited time), blogs have almost no limit to time or length. You can prepare your blog entry for however long you’d like, run it by however many advisors or staff you’d like, add as many specifics as you like, and make a direct connection to high information voters/volunteers who are likely to choose a candidate in the primary.”
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Read his entire comment, it’s quite good.
And yes, I agree that all those questions need to be addressed. Also, I’d be curious to hear about the environment as well–will the candidate work for Cape Wind? Kerry has been a strong advocate on a whole plethora of environmental issues. Can this candidate do better or the same?
I have a specific Independent Energy Proposal that I feel deals not only with renewable energy, but brings control back to the local level. It is based upon the model of the 40 municipally owned electric companies in Massachusetts. It is about having regional or municipal companies that are not for profit and the Board of Directors is elected by the local community. It is about having the local communities decide what type of renewable energy projects are appropriate to their specific area. The Federal Government’s role would be to support the infrastructure and offer technical expertise.
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I talked about this issue at my announcement during the Convention.
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I will post more on this proposal in future writings.
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Thank you.
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Ed O’Reilly
Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts
I appreciate the time you put into your posting and welcome the opportunity to make clear my positions on the issues you presented and stimulate constructive discussion.
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As for your comments about using blogs, I hate to admit it, but I didn’t really know what a blog was or how to post until last weekend attending the Convention. You can search any and all blogs ad infinitum and, until last Sunday, you won’t find any posts by me.
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I shall take your advice, not respond immediately with bullet points and follow through with thorough and specific answers to your questions in future postings.
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One specific question you asked left me a bit perplexed. I want to state that I have been an opponent to the unilateral military action in Iraq since the idea was first proposed. This was the major reason I became disillusioned with Senator Kerry and supported the one Presidential Candidate (Howard Dean)who had the courage to stand by his convictions despite a hostile environment. In Massachusetts, several of our U.S. Representatives, as well as Senator Kennedy, also stood their ground in opposing the unilateral military action in Iraq. I have the utmost respect for their courage of conviction. Eventually, I supported Senator Kerry again as the apparent Democratic nominee for President.
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I am in favor of an immediate withdrawal of all of our troops from Iraq while maintaining a rapid deployment force in the area to deal with Al-Qaeda and threats of terrorism. I do not favor keeping military bases in Iraq. I would however, support sending troops into Iraq as part of a multi-national peace keeping force.
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Relative to your comment about a website, I do have a website. It is http://www.edoreilly… It has only been active for 4 days and I am adding to it daily.
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I’ll address the other issues in future postings and I thank you, again.
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Ed O’Reilly
Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts
Regarding the Iraq war opposition. That’s one thing you gotta get used to on blogs…I just posted a very lengthy post on my blog, and I bet even though I spent a long time cleaning it up, it’s still goofy in places. Especially given that it’s one in the morning…
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For someone who hasn’t read blogs or knew about them before last weekend, I’m impressed. You’ve already posted two responses to people in comments, which as mentioned is rare sometimes for candidates, who can’t seem to grok it (including Senator Kerry, LOL). By the way, we shook hands outside the convention (me and Mimi were a smidge late) and I think I mentioned I write the Left in Lowell blog. If I did, it must have confused you at the time. đŸ˜‰
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Welcome to Blue Mass Group, and I look forward to robust conversations in the future!
Hi Lynne,
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I took typing in Watertown High School as a major course simply because I liked the ratio of female to male students. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made.
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In high school, I got an office job at night at United Parcel Service as a teletypist while my friends sorted packages and loaded trucks. I had no supervision while they had a ten minute break.
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Years later, computers appeared and this week, I have entered the world of blogs. Thank you Mrs. Callahan for teaching me how to type.
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All of this just confirms my belief that one must follow his/her instincts. Who knows what the future has in store for us?
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I look forward to participating in robust conversations. For now, I need to get ready for court as I still have obligations to the clients I have remaining.
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I hope you have a nice day.
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Thank you.
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Ed O’Reilly
Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts
If you are “in favor of keeping a rapid response force” in the “area”, but do not “favor keeping military bases in Iraq”, where will you stick the rapid response force? Will you put them in bases in Iran, or Syria, or one of the multitude of other Middle Eastern countries that would just LOVE to help America fight al-Qaeda?
And what would you do if the “multi” part of your multi-national force never materialized? Would you not favor sending troops in then? Or would you do it, gasp, unilaterally.
Also, I think your caveat that you would send troops into Iraq (for some unstated circumstance) points to the fact that if we withdrew our troops, chaos will follow. Nice to know you would vote to plunge Iraq into chaos…
I’m starting to think you have a clever strategy of sabotaging Giuiliani’s campaign by depicting his supporters as ignornant of foreign affairs.
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Not all Muslims are the same. As did the government of Iraq, the government of Syria has no use for al-Qaeda. Syria is a secular dictatorship, and though they tolerate extremism for foreign policy purposes, the regime would resist any attempted takeover by Islamists. Iran, of course, is in Iraq. Like most countries, Iran is nervous about having anarchy on its border, and is trying to influence the outcome.
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Chaos will continue if we withdraw troops, not follow. I’d rather not have American soldiers in the crossfire. They have this thing now called “the news”, and you might want to check it out. They keep talking about stonings, murders, and bombings in Iraq. While we’re still there.
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But you ask one very fair question. Given that the current president has alienated the globe with his actions (I’d not use the word “policy” to describe them), it would indeed be difficult to get other nations to sign on to a multinational force. The best, first step in that process is electing a Democratic president.
Again, the obsession with al-Qaeda to the absolute exclusion of all other terror networks operating around the globe. Al-Qaeda is target #1 of many, not #1 of 1, get it through your skulls!
So, in other words, you’re saying that we need to stay in Iraq in order to fight the terrorism groups that are steadily formed and strengthened by us staying in Iraq.
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Okay. In related news, I need this bucket to bail out the boat that started sinking when I took the bucket off the hole it was covering.
Thanks. I hope it rises through the Google ranks soon so it is more accessible.
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It’s definitely a good start, especially your foreign policy support. It’s good to see people start talking a little about Pakistan, and the damage that his been done their to US relations. The administration threatening to attack doesn’t exactly help.
Thank you for not only visiting my website at http://www.edoreilly… , but also for going beyond the front page.
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I want to be more pro-active than re-active in foreign policy. We need to provide more aid directly to foreign populations e.g. more money through Not for Profits. I am concerned about giving foreign aid to autocratic governments without conditions which can result in further alienating the general population.
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It is interesting to compare the European Aid Package to the U.S. Plan in Pakistan. In not being pro-active in targeting foreign aid, the result can often be an emphasis on military programs rather than aid to community infrastructure including education, rural development and local economic development.
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Let’s continue our discussions next week.
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Ed O’Reilly
Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts
My brother just emailed me and pointed out where there might be a little confusion about the words I used in describing Senator Kerry’s vote authorizing the unilateral use of force in Iraq.
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Somewhere I said Mr. Kerry’s vote was not a mistake. Senator Kerry is saying that his vote was a “mistake”. I am saying it was not a mistake. It was a well thought out, deliberate vote based upon the results of polls at that time, in my humble opinion.
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Recently, the polls have indicated that the only way to minimize political damage from this vote is to admit it was a mistake. There is always a price to pay for a mistake.
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I have called upon (my website) Senator Kerry to repay the full amount of $15m left over from the 2004 Presidential campaign and to then donate the total amount to charitable Veterans’ groups. In my letter I quoted Mr. Kerry’s own words ?Let?s stand with the troops, not just in words, but in action,?. I fully endorse these words and have suggested the action.
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I have come to realize that politicians who base their positions on polls, eventually become “Polliticians”. A “Pollitician” is one who loses his/her ability to be a leader. By the very nature of voting according to polls, a “pollitician” becomes a follower.
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I need to run (double meaning?).
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Ed O’Reilly
Democratic Candidate for the U.S.Senate from Massachusetts
Mr. O’Reilly:
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Last Saturday, as the convention was winding down, you and two aides found yourself on the 8th (?!) floor of the student center at UMass Amherst, at a smallish party hosted by PDM. I suspect that you intended to arrive somewhere else, because the three in your party walked quickly in, and just as quickly walked out.
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In any case, why not stay for a few minutes and glad hand? After all, you’ve got to get some political junkies who will give you sweat and money on your team, and while being at the convention was a great start, you need to have short conversations with these sorts of movers and shakers, not just perform the million man handshake at the main door.
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Over the next few months, you’ve got to wow ’em with your position papers or with your charm. BMG has pointed out the need for positions, and now its pointing out that you simply can’t afford to wander into a room of activists (and potential campaign volunteers) and not stop and chat, trying to pick up some potential recruits.
I went to the PDM meeting hoping to engage in conversation. The meeting was actually on the 11th floor. The room was large and the crowd was broken into a few small groups. I felt it would be rude to interrupt any of the small group conversations. I did walk through the room and hesitate by the window in case someone wanted to talk.
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I came into the meeting after people had thinned out at my gathering which was on the 9th floor. The bottom line is that I thought I was too late. I apologize for not making myself more available, but I didn’t want to give the impression of self importance. I look forward to the next opportunity.
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Thank you.
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Ed O’Reilly
Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts
Our country needs one less John-Kerry type in the U.S. Senate.
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And it would be nice to see a UMass alum in the delegation.
The experiences both inside and outside the classroom at UMass, still influence the way I look at life, today. This campaign was founded on a UMass connection.
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As the next U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, I will not only bring new ideas to the forefront, but a fresh style as well.
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Thank you.
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Ed O’Reilly
Democratic Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts