I have not yet made up my mind regarding the Democratic primary for the US Senate race. As I mentioned here, I’ve heard directly from Mike Capuano and was impressed. But I’d like to give the others a chance. I don’t know if I’ll get an opportunity for an up-close and personal event with the other three candidates (if you have event details, please drop them into the comments), so the next best thing is to ask the supporters to make their cases.
So, if you have decided to back Coakley, Khazei, or Pagliuca, here’s a chance to make the case for your candidate to us undecided voters. Or if you are a Capuano supporter, I’d still like more information. Tell me why you are backing your candidate.
In particular, I’m looking for reasons to vote for a candidate, not why to vote against someone. What unique qualities does your candidate bring to the table? Why do you think she or he will be an effective Senator? I have a mental picture of Capuano in the role and I need that for the others.
To those who do respond thoughtfully, my sincere thanks in advance.
Jasiu, I’ll submit this for your consideration:
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p>Mike started his career in politics as a ward 5 city Alderman ’76-’79 in Somerville-the town he grew up in and the Alderman’s seat his father held. He also served two terms as Alderman at large from ’85-’89 then eight years ’90-’98 as Mayor of Somerville before running for US Congress in ’98 and winning. He has won four more times since.
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p>Mike’s been serving as a Congressmen for ten years and he started in the mail room and worked his way up. I put a lot of weight on this experience, from Alderman to Mayor to Congressmen, and perhaps most importantly, I put a lot of weight on his ten years experience as a Congressmen.
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p>Mike’s public school education (Somerville High) Ivy League undergraduate education (Dartmouth College) and law school (BC Law) shows his drive and his competence. He was a tax law specialist.
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p>Mike voted against Iraq war resolution and has remained opposed since. I watched with horror the pre-war “March to War in Iraq” on network TV, on channel 7 and on Fox and becuase I didn’t know what to think, I watched Bush’s state of the Union address and Sec of State Powell address the UN. Neither one provided me with a compelling reason to go to war in Iraq. Mike Capuano saw it the same way I did. Kennedy and Mike and I (although I don’t count) did not see a good case for war against Iraq. Now this was in a post 9/11 climate. In my book, he gets huge up’s for judgment. Kerry voted Yea. Clnton voted Yea.
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It was not consistent with his other votes IMO.
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p>When Ashcorft came to Faneuil Hall in 2003, Capuano gave an impassioned speech about the Bush admin’s erosion of civil liberties. It was a great speech.
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p>He has my vote, but I’d like him to explain his decision on the bailout.
It was the lame-duck session vote in 2000 that greatly expanded the use of derivatives, which made a bad sub-prime 100 times worse, that I’d like explained (by all those so-called liberal MA congressMEN that voted for it).
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p>For the record, Cap is my # two choice.
At that time (2000), few knew the ramifications of these financial products. I was an investment banker for JPMorgan in 2003 and remember learning about these instruments (though I was never involved in selling them). I couldn’t understand them and just figured some math Phd must know what they’re doing.
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p>In hindsight, I’m sure congress (at least the Democrats) would redo that vote. We now have measures to regulate derivatives and other financial instruments before congress and need to support Frank, Capuano, and others to make those critical changes.
I have decided on Capuano based on experience. He’s already a member of the other chamber and so has DC contacts and a knowledge of the process and the issues that will come up. This I see as especially critical when there is really no time for transition and orientation. Coakley is the only other one I would seriously consider as she is a statewide officeholder. I’m sure the other two are nice guys and bring things to the table, but I generally do not favor the US Senate as one’s first elective office.
In my IRV senate primary poll, 29 of 42 voters preferred both current office-holders to both electoral first-timers. This was a larger majority than that for Capuano as first choice (26, with 10 for Coakley, 3 for Khazei, and 1 for Pagliuca). There was one voter who preferred both first-timers to both veterans — presumably such voters are more numerous in the general electorate.
I’ve grown up in and currently live in the 8th District (East Boston) and Capuano has done a very good job representing a very diverse area. I’ve worked with his staff on a few personal issues and they’ve been great. From what I’ve seen of his work as a Rep., I think he’ll be a passionate advocate for progressive values including health care for all and a foreign policy to advances our security and doesn’t lead us astray.
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p>As for the bank bailout, I believe he made the absolute right choice to support that measure. To allow the financial system to collapse would’ve probably led us into a depression. When the capital markets merely froze last September, the turmoil led to an economic contraction of 3.8% and unemployment of almost 10%. Imagine what would’ve happened if more of the major banks failed.
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p>Now that the financial system is stabilized, we need to pass aggressive financial reforms–the reforms promoted by Barney Frank and wholeheartedly supported by Capuano. If we keep relitigating the bank bailout we’ll miss the real issue at hand which is regulating Wall Street. I worked on Wall Street and saw first hand the irresponsibility of a system that put trillions of dollars of private capital in the hands of a few thousand people who had no incentive to work for the public good.
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p>Wall Street needs to be reigned in and Capuano would do that as Senator.
Full disclosure – I am a woman who votes and about as politically progressive as they come. I also supported President Obama from the very beginning so I’m not “one of those Hillary voters” who have been so unfairly reviled. I have also worked for AG Coakley since 1999. This post is an effort to respond to the thoughtful request for reasons to vote for a candidate and to lay out the experience that I believe will make her a great Senator.
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p>First on the issues, Martha is pro-choice and anti death. She in fact received the annual Herbert and Sara Ehrmann Award in 2008 from the Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death Penalty (www.mcadp.org). Other recipients of this distinguished award include Senator John Kerry (1985), Senator Ted Kennedy (1990), and Sr. Helen Prejean (1993).
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p>Martha has take some of the most active aggressive steps on equal marriage. The proudest day of my working career was the day that Martha announced the office’s suit challenging provisions of DOMA that deny rights to gay and lesbian couples.
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p>Second, in terms of experience, the work she had lead at the AGs office has been directed toward effectively addressing the huge disparities in health care, at protecting the most vulnerable from fraud and deception by the powerful financial interests and advocating for fair wages for all workers.
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p>I have seen her work with the legislature on comprehensive crime bills, to develop proposals to address the crisis of abandoned housing and to address huge loopholes that allow corporations to escape real responsibility for homicide. I have seen her work and lead us working with agencies to develop effective regulation that balances the needs and rights of consumers while recognizing that in order for Massachusetts to thrive we need a vibrant economy.
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p>Martha used her regulatory, investigatory and litigation authority to go after the perpetrators of predatory mortgage lending, securing a first-in-the-nation injunction against one of the major perpetrators and following that up with aggressive action on foreclosure rescue and load modification scams. The work done under Martha’s leadership has provided models for some of the most forward thinking and progressive action in Washington.
Martha was neither timid nor indecisive when she created a dedicated health Care Division to address the significant consumer issues and aggressively work to protect consumers during the momentous changes implemented during health reform in MA. Martha’s activism and creative application of law and policy has lead to significant verdicts and settlements against big pharma and under her leadership we continue to look at ways to prevent fraud and seek redress for consumers who have been harmed.
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p>Martha created a victim services division to ensure that MA residents who were defrauded or denied fair wages had support to negotiate the intricacies of the system.
Martha is deeply committed to the protections afforded to each person by our constitution. Her respect for the power of government assured fairness in prosecution. Her advocacy for a woman’s right to choose is unquestioned.
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p>As a boss, Martha leads an office committed to public service and Martha leads by example. She turns on its head that old saw about being “good enough for government work” and asks whether we are good enough to work in the government – b/c it is the highest honor to serve. She takes her work seriously but not herself.
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p>I am a progressive woman supporting Martha Coakley because I believe that she will most effectively represent the most vulnerable among us, that she will advocate for a healthy business climate that respects the environment and the rights of consumers and because in this case, she is the right person, at the right time to work for me, for my kids, for my community and for our Commonwealth.
Nora: thanks, you make a strong case…the right person, at the right time…
United States Senator Martha Coakley will make us proud.
for many reasons.
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p>I support Mike Capuano because he is not a superficial Democrat. He is willing to go out on limb to stand up for the values of the Democratic Party.
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p>He does not appear to be obligated to anyone other than his constituency. If you listen to some of his “youtube” videos, he mentions his constituency quite frequently, in comparison to other elected officials. He has a genuine interest in, and concern for the people he represents.
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p>He is willing to tell it like it is. He is a fighter. He does not sugarcoat his statements to try to please everyone. He’s honest, thoughtful, and bold. He’s intolerant of dishonesty, vagueness, and getting “the run around”.
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p>He has shown himself to be a great leader in the years he has been an elected official. I find Mike Capuano to be an excellent choice for U.S. Senate. He will wake up the Senate and give a bold voice to the values of the Democratic Party.
First to be clear I will support the Democratic nominee whoever he or she may be. I am strongly leaning towards Mike Capuano and have some reservations about Coakley and Khazei but would happily support either of them in the general. Pags is the only candidate I would really have to hold my nose for but any of them would be better than this guy.
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p>If it was IRV it would be Capuano, Coakley, Khazzei, and Pags in that order (and not just b/c its alphabetical)
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p>But the reasons Mike stands out in my view have already been mentioned by me and other supporters but to reiterate in a few key areas:
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p>Experience
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p>Has both executive experience running a fairly run down city that did not handle globalization well and turning it around by focusing on science, technology, education, as well as reducing crime and pollution to make Somerville one of the best places to live in MA.
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p>Has a solid decade in the House where he has been a consistent vote for progressive issues, has been a key lieutenant in the new majority, and in my view is the most qualified to be a Senator and will be ready on day one to not only vote for progressive causes but also author and push through progressive legislation. We don’t need another Democratic Yes Man like Kerry we need a real Doer like Kennedy and Capuano in my opinion is the only candidate with the record of experience to deliver for MA and the country like Ted Kennedy, Barney Frank agrees.
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p>Positions
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p>Is the only candidate who actually risked political capital by opposing the War in Iraq back when it was incredibly popular, even supported by a solid majority of people in his district and in the bay state.
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p>Is one of the few Democrats to question this President’s absurd surge policy in Afghanistan and the direction of that war.
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p>Is one of the only Democrats to commit to voting only for a public option and opposing any plan not containing that key provision.
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p>Is the only Democrat in MA to vote against farm subsidies which are a waste of taxpayer dollars, hurt the environment, and most of all destroy the ability of third world countries to become self-sufficient. His vote and knowledge on that issue amazed me and went beyond the normal headline grabbing issues to focus on something really important no one has heard about
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p>Ditto on Sudan where he has helped co-found a caucus devoted to the genocide and has talked with a number of experts about expanding the US role to stop the genocide there.
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p>Is solidly in favor of gay marriage, overturning federal gay discrimination, and is against the death penalty including the federal one, his opponents are unclear on those topics.
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p>Basically he has a lot more foreign policy credentials than Martha Coakley or his other opponents and this issue is one of the most crucial issues in the Senate and we need a leader not a follower on those topics.
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p>Constituent Services
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p>Love him or hate him Teddy’s office was one of the best not just within the state or within the country but within US history in terms of its ability to respond to almost any request and help any constituent with their needs. A few personal anecdotes my sister used Teddy’s office to help pressure a local school district into funding my special needs nephew’s education. My grandma got a Christmas card every year since he remembered her as a key supporter from way back in 62′. Etc.
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p>Mikes office has been just as responsive. I know several people who entered the military academies because of his help, he also helped my sister with the aforementioned education funding issue, helped recommend me for a State Dept. internship, and was just really helpful for people I know. Had office internships reserved for district hs students.
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p>Even though this is anecdotal evidence it shows that he has both a great staff and a commitment to helping his constituents another key element to being a Senator that I do not think his opponents understand or appreciate.
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p>Character
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p>By no means am I saying the other candidates are lacking in this regard, but I will say that in my view Mike is far more candid, transparent, committed, progressive, and intelligent than any other member of Congress I have interacted with (which includes Markey, Meehan, McGovern, Bernie Sanders Jesse Jackson Jr. and Dick Durbin-and those guys aren’t slouches either).
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p>I hope this endorsement serves Mike well, and I am hopeful that once the candidates debate he will blow them out of the water.
I agree with practically everything said so far about what makes Rep. Capuano a fantastic Congressman. What I haven’t heard much of is what would make him an excellent Senator, and that’s why I want to throw in my two cents for Alan Khazei.
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p>The Senate is a far slower, smaller, and more deliberative a body than the House: it has fewer members, and it requires a larger percentage to pass a controversial bill (60% because of filibuster rules, versus 50%). A senator has a larger constituency than a member of the House, but more importantly, senators need to take a larger perspective to think about the nation and the world.
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p>It seems to me, an excellent senator is someone who is thoughtful, persuasive, and good at knowing both when to make deals and compromises and when to stand his or her ground. The best senators know not only how to play the political game, but how to genuinely work well with other people – fellow senators – to get the job done. The current healthcare debacle that is taking time, money, and political resources is a clear example of senators failing at this important skill (regardless of your views on the matter of health care).
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p>Khazei’s life work shows that he’s excellent at doing just that. We know he’s intelligent, liberal, motivated, and well-spoken – just like Capuano and Coakley. What makes him unique is these skills that he brings to the table: a passion for serving others; the motivation and drive to create organizations that have changed our city, state, and world; leading organizations that empower citizens, and now running a campaign funded entirely by citizen support; and demonstrating through his leadership his commitment to serving the public, working with them, and working for them. His latest project, Be The Change, is a coalition of service organizations led by Alan – and this sort of coalition building around common goals is exactly what I see him doing in DC.
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p>Alan Khazei would bring a breath of fresh air to the Senate, and would be a force to reckon with, fighting both for the citizens of Massachusetts and of the country. His experience working in the non-governmental public service sphere will serve him well in partisan Washington: Khazei is used to getting the right thing done and doing it well, and will be a leading force in the Senate, bringing people together to do the right thing.
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p>Personally, in terms of electing our state’s next US senator, I think that Khazei has given us far more reasons to send him to Washington as a Senator than any other candidate, and his unique skill set will make him a far more powerful voice for Massachusetts than anyone else running.