Blue Mass Group

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Arlington newspaper endorses Republican rep candidate

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It gets even more fun.  From today’s Globe Northwest story, Democrat Charles D. Gallager just can’t support a kid who lives with mom and dad.

Charles D. Gallagher, an Arlington Town Meeting member, sees Garballey’s age as a drawback.

“He’s [23], he lives at home, he doesn’t have a house, or a family, or any of those other things,” said Gallagher, a 53-year-old Democrat who knows Garballey through local politics but supports Worden, a Town Meeting member for 38 years. “That doesn’t disqualify [Garballey], but it certainly handicaps him when I look at a race that involves someone like John Worden.”

On the other hand, attorney Deborah Sirotkin Butler says she’s voting for Garballey because he’s better than her own kid.

“What I particularly like about Sean is his open and can-do attitude. He’s got to be one of the hardest workers I’ve ever met,” said Deborah Sirotkin Butler, an Arlington lawyer who met Garballey when he volunteered for the town’s Democratic committee in high school. “It’s striking to me, because I have kids his age and neither one of them comes within a light year of Sean’s maturity or understands the issues that Sean knows so well and fights for.”

If I were Attorney Butler’s kid, I’d be miffed by this dis’ in the local paper.  If my mom did this, I would vote for Worden  – then I wouldn’t speak to her for a week.

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  1. that the arlington advocate would endorse any candidate that is too chicken to state their stances on civil rights issues like marriage and choice.  it is highly likely that someone in that seat will need to vote on those or related issues in the next 2 years.  for example, repeal of the 1913 laws is on the slate.  and just next week is a hearing on adding trans and bisexual people to the hate crimes and non-discrimination laws.  the people of the 23rd deserve to know where a potential rep stands on such basic issues as employment non-discrimination and the freedom to marry.  i guess the arl advocate doesn’t care, as long as the next person in the seat passes their age litmus test.

    • If they elect Worden, it will only be for a few months.  Progressives should vote for Worden to keep the seat open for a strong Democrat in November.

      • Making it sound like the only way to elect a ‘strong’ democrat is by a voting republican into the leg is a pretty see-through argument, don’t you think?

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        p>If a Democrat angling for the seat in November were strong enough to defeat Worden, who’d be bolstered by all the advantages of incumbency, don’t you think they’d be strong enough to beat Garbally in a primary, as well?

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        p>If you live in the 23rd and are a Democrat, but you really don’t like Garbally for some reason, fine- recruit someone else to run against him in the Dem primary for the seat in September. All Worden’s evasions mean is that he’d vote against the prevailing sentiment of the district on those issues.

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        p>If you believe in equal marriage rights for everyone, or the rights of women to make their own decisions on issues of reproductive health, voting for Worden makes no sense at all.

      • Sean’s positions are progressive.

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        p>I think you don’t like him for other reasons you’d rather not say.

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        p>Or maybe, since you are urging progressives to vote for a Republican, you are not yourself a progressive at all.

    • Here’s an excerpt from MassResistance’s latest e-freakout.  They have done us a great favor by outlining the 9 reasons why we need to know where every candidate stands on choice and LGBT civil rights.  These are all bills that the new rep from the 23rd middlesex could be voting on this session.  I’ve taken the liberty of removing their hyperbolic description of how each bill would usher in The End Times.

      NINE bills to watch (see below) — including three good bills that should be passed

      1. Allow homosexual couples from another state to get “married” in Massachusetts.
      Bills: S800, S1029, H1728
      [Changes: M.G.L. Chapter 207: section 11, section 12, section 13, section 50]

      2. Transgender rights and hate crimes bill
      Bill: H1722   [Changes these current Mass. laws]

      3. Officially legalize homosexual “marriage” by changing the marriage statute.
      Bills: H1710, S918  [Adds new law: M.G.L. Chapter 207, section 37A]

      4. Allow a minor to get an abortion WITHOUT parental consent or judge’s order.
      Bill: H1735  [Changes M.G.L. Chapter 112 section 12S]

      5. Repeal sodomy laws and other “morality” laws
      (plus repeals stigma against Communist Party!)
      Bill H1709
      [Changes Chapter 264 section 16A, Chapter 265 section 34, Chapter 270 section 14, various sections of Chapter 272 ]

      6. Repeal laws restricting abortions, and related laws.
      Bills: H1734,  S831   [Changes Chapter 112 and Chapter 272]

      7. [GOOD BILL] Removes undefined phrase “sexual orientation” from all Massachusetts statutes
      Bill: S928  [filed by MassResistance]

      8. [GOOD BILL] Forces Commonwealth to abide by actual marriage statutes
      Bill: S926  [Filed by MassResistance]

      9. [GOOD BILL] The “woman’s right to know” law regarding abortions, with 24 hour waiting period.
      H1687  [Changes M.G.L. Chapter 112 section 12S and Chapter 111, Section 70E]

  2. Mind you, “Bam Bam” does not want to give an honest report.  He just wants to continue his habit of slamming and belittling.  Could he be jealous?  It sure sounds like he is to me.  Otherwise, why be so snarky and deliberately mislead this community as to the Advocate’s coverage?

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    p>Here is the link to the coverage on the front page about Sean Garballey on the same page, same day as the Worden coverage [note:  Don’t take Bam Bam’s word for anything.  He cheats]

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    p>http://www.wickedlocal.com/med…

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    p>Text:

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    p>

    At 23, Sean Garballey would be a bit younger than most state representatives that have held a seat in the 23rd Middlesex District. Yet, the Arlington resident’s passion for the political process seems to run deeper than many old-time politicians.
    Involved in politics since before he was of age to vote, Garballey got his first taste of state government at the ripe age of 16.
    “My interest in politics started in high school when I was a tour guide at the State House,” said Garballey.
    He said he was interested in history and government at an early age and was thrilled to see it in action. Before long, Garballey started attending town meetings, though he was not yet old enough to participate directly.
    As soon as he turned 18, Garballey became a Town Meeting member and has been for five years.
    He earned a political science degree from the University of Massachusetts and now is continuing his education in a Masters in Public Administration program at Suffolk University. In 2005, he was elected to the Arlington School Committee, where he presently serves as vice chairman.
    “At the time, we were getting a new superintendent, assistant superintendent and a new special education director,” Garballey said. “One of my concerns was trying to improve special education and English language learner classes.”
    Having once been a student of special education for a few minor learning disabilities, Garballey said he learned first hand the importance of such programs for young kids.
    “This allowed me to realize how important those services are,” he said. “If some young person has a learning disability, it doesn’t make them any less valuable to the public school system. Many special education students grow up and go on to do great things.”
    Garballey said his election to the School Committee was a chance to make a difference. Shortly thereafter he worked with the new superintendent, Nate Levenson, to identify special education as one of the five major goals for improvement.
    Last year after Arlington’s social studies chair was cut, Garballey used his position as chairman of the budget subcommittee to find the resources to reinstate the position. He has also fought to get back reading specialists that were cut before his election.
    “The committee before me voted, because of the budget, to get them out,” said Garballey. “One of the priorities we realized was to provide early reading support.”
    Garballey said teaching kids to read effectively at a young age helps prevent a host of education issues later on.
    Democratic run
    Recently, the ambitious, young pol ran a successful campaign for the Democratic nomination for the House in the 23rd Middlesex District (Arlington and West Medford). It was a campaign marked with civility as he and fellow Democratic opponent, Jeff Thielman, got through it without a fistful of mud slung.
    “We stayed on the issues and I thank him for doing that,” said Garballey.
    Surprisingly enough, Garballey said his age has not really been a problem so far during the special election to fill Jim Marzilli’s vacant seat.
    “I would get similar comments everywhere: ‘Oh, you’re young,'” said Garballey. “But I worked hard. We had mailings, I did coffees, I went door to door. I think some people may be a little nervous about my age, but when they sense my commitment to public service and my experience over the last five years, they see someone they believe they can vote for.”
    If elected, Garballey wants to work on getting back continually slashed local aid and look into ways to increase town and city revenues in his district.
    “Medford has lost over $30 million in local aid since 2002,” said Garballey.
    He has already spoken to Mayor Michael J. McGlynn, who has pledged his support, and wants to work with local officials to find a solution.
    At the same time, Garballey said looking inward for local sources of municipal revenue is a must.
    “Obviously, we’re not bringing in the revenue like we used to,” said Garballey.
    Medford has struggled with keeping revenues up. Consistent commercial growth has, however, kept the city’s tax base stronger than many other communities in the commonwealth. Officials in Arlington have had to tighten their belts considerably in recent years. In 2005 the town passed a fiscal stability plan that capped off municipal costs at a 4 percent yearly increase until 2010.
    Garballey said what is needed now is more collaboration between towns, cities and the state.
    “I fully support the municipal partnership proposed by Gov. Patrick,” he said. “We need more collaboration between the state and local levels.”
    The Municipal Partnership Act would allow local governments an increased ability to taxes to help stimulate city and town growth. By the same token, it would remove the practice of home rule petitions, which are often used to keep residential taxes low even in tough fiscal times.
    Garballey said he also wants to look into closing corporate tax loopholes that rob local municipalities of revenue.
    “The telephone companies own the telephone poles,” Garballey said. “They should be paying taxes on them.”
    On the Green Line’s extension through Medford, he said he would fight for complete transparency in the process.
    “I love the idea of increasing public transportation, if it can be done properly,” said Garballey. “There hasn’t been a comprehensive plan put forward yet as to what the truth of it all is.”
    On March 4 the 23rd Middlesex District will decide who will fill Marzilli’s seat in the House. Garballey said he is campaigning as hard as ever.
    “People want someone who will go door to door, pick up the phone and call them directly and talk about the issues that they care about,” said Garballey. “I feel that if we do it right and work hard, we will retain the confidence of the voters.”

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    p>

    • first, your link is to the Medford Transcript.  Second, it does seem to me fair to distinguish between a favorable news article and the editors’ endorsement of a candidate.

      • The article is online at the Medford Transcript, but ran on the front page of the Arlington Advocate.  I don’t know why things are online where they are, but the Garballey coverage was front page.

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        p>As to the Editorial endorsement, it was as weak as watered tea, and full of what I would call faint praise and concerns.

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        p>yeah.  It is an endorsement – that and $3.05 will get you a gallon of gas.  To mention that endorsement, back on page 25 [or where ever it was] and neglect to also mention the front page coverage is, at least in my opinion, deliberately to mislead.

        <

        p>And Sean is a strong democrat, an unusual individual of great promise, and I believe someone “Bam Bam” is jealous of, personally jealous of, and therefore, has a fixation with attacking and trying to belittle – but often in ways that are – again in my opinion – immature and to me, distasteful so as to have the opposite effect.

        • An endorsement is an endorsement.  You can belittle its significance if you want, but newspaper endorsements are a recognized part of the game.  It’s a different ballgame from news coverage, and I see no good reason why it is necessary to talk about news coverage simultaneously with endorsements.

          • I think I remember you mentioning that you’re in this district…I was just wondering if you’d decided who of the three you’re supporting on Tuesday?

          • As for myself, I will admit I have never voted for someone because of an endorsement, but I may be a minority in that [is anyone aware of any good academic studies, esp. peer reviewed studies on the impact of endorsements?  I think that would be interesting as a read, if anyone has a link to one.]  But sometimes as listmates, the end note of a discussion must be to agree to disagree.

  3. …unlike Bam Bam, they are not jealous.  They each know who they are, and what they are not.

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    p>At the age of 23, Sean is remarkably mature, and interested in things – and willing to take lumps from jealous snark lobbers and my offspring are not.  Love to meet you Bam Bam and introduce you.  I did not “Dis” my kids at all – nor was anything said behind their backs.

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    p>Different people not only mature at different rates, but have different interests.  Sean is interested in governance.  My son is interested in playing Warhammer 40k – each to their own.

    <

    p>Mind you, it seems to take someone jealous and unsatisfied with their own life to have nothing better to do than to try to tear down someone exceptional!

  4. My young adult, college student kids support Sean because they know him, like him and value who and what he is – rather than being jealous because his interests differ from theirs, and his achievements are so unusual for anyone, regardless of age.

  5. AmberPaw, I think it is great for you to point out slights of hand when you see them.  However, I see no reason for you to keep personally attacking BM.  I think you’re going too far and undermining the value of your own otherwise on-target and on-message contributions.

    • It hurts my feelings.

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      p>The endorsement is an endorsement.  That’s all it is.  And, if it is weak tea and faint praise for Worden, I guess it is significant that they can’t even brew that for Garballey.

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      p>Please, Amber, don’t call me misleading or lying if I just report the paper endorsed Worden, because the paper endorsed Worden.

      • Do you have any reason to dislike Garballey other than his age? Do you know something about him the rest of us don’t?

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        p>What are your politics? Do you consider yourself a Republican, conservative Democrat, progressive Democrat?  

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