I’m proud to say I’ll be voting for Mike Capuano on Tuesday.
I’ve frequently pointed out that Mike has over a decade of experience in Congress. He has a first-hand understanding of the legislative process and knows how to get results. His record of service is impressive, and certainly gives him a leg-up on the other candidates.
But I’m not supporting Mike because of his experience alone. To me, Mike is extraordinary not because of his six terms in Congress, but because of what he’s done with them.
Yes, he’s the only candidate with any real legislative experience. Yes, he understands the dynamics of Congress better than any of his opponents. He has an in-depth knowledge of today’s issues and the challenges we face internationally and at home–and that’s all essential for a good Senator.
But we have big shoes to fill. We have an impressive array of candidates to choose from, and we can do better than good. Mike will make a great Senator. He has experience, but just as importantly, he has foresight, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to progressive values. And he’s proven time and time again that he has the courage to stand up and fight for them.
Liveandletlive recently pointed out that we tend to elect lifers here in Massachusetts. Healthcare is the most important issue today, but we can’t expect to predict what decisions the Senate will be asked to make in 5, 10, 15 years. Back in 1998, when Capuano was first elected to the House, I doubt anyone expected that he would be asked to vote on the invasion of Iraq, the PATRIOT Act, FISA, or No Child Left Behind. We hadn’t yet realized the implications of our environmental policy or the importance of energy security. No one knew that hundreds of thousands of people would be slaughtered in Darfur while the world turned a blind eye.
I don’t know what we’ll face in the future, and I can’t claim to know how Capuano will vote. But so far, he has been courageous and right on the most important votes of his tenure in Congress. He’s proven that he has the right priorities, and the conviction to fight for them even when it’s unpopular.
The best indication of future action is past action. Mike Capuano is the only person in this race who has already been a legislator, who has shown us how he’ll operate in the Senate. It’s a testament to Mike’s judgement that he stood his ground on so many controversial votes. How many congressmen voted against the PATRIOT Act, No Child Left Behind, and the Iraq War? When Mike spoke out against them, he was in the extreme minority. It’s clear now that he was right, and their former proponents have come around to join him. But Mike stood up when it was the most difficult–which is, consequently, almost always when it matters most.
Mike has never been one to stay on political safe-ground because it’s the easy thing to do. This has been a short campaign, and it’s easy to hide from the issues. But Mike’s consistently engaged the voters, encouraged open discussion, and embraced debate. We need a strong voice in the senate, and Mike has it. Some have called it irritability, I call it passion. Mike knows the importance of compromise, but he also knows what he’s not willing to compromise on–civil liberties, human rights, and war and peace.
One of my favorite quotes (a cookie for anyone who can place it): “If we’re gonna walk into walls, I want us running into them full-speed.” I know I’ll never have to worry about Mike slowing down.
So guys…what did it boil down to for everyone else? What clinched your vote? I can’t wait to cast my ballot for Mike on Tuesday. It’s going to be a tight race–game on!
As Mike’s constituent for nearly a decade, I’ve been getting the update emails nearly every week that describes what happened in Congress that week, and why Mike did what he did. And how he voted.
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p>It’s all very transparent. And nearly every time he’s been on the correct side of every issue that I had an opinion about. And when I didn’t know anything about the topic he summarized the issue and why it mattered. I feel like he really does read everything and understand it. Seems like a basic function, but when you hear some of the others talk….they don’t understand this role like Mike does.
whether it’s popular or not. I want a candidate who will tell it like it is. There is nothing more irritating than politicians who sugar coat everything.
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p>Courage. You are so right about this…
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p>I found that right away in Mike Capuano. I feel that he walks on the ground with us, and sees outside of the government bubble. I found that he has a deep interest in making the BEST decision. He takes his job very seriously. It’s not just a career to him, he realizes the importance of every decision he makes. He works for his constituency. He values their input. He worries less about whether he will be elected and more about being true to himself and the people he represents.
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p>Of course, the fact that we share the same Democratic values and principals is of the utmost importance. But the exceptional qualities I noted above are what drew me to choose Mike Capuano.
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p>I can’t tell you how much I hope he wins this election. He will be a strong and valuable voice in the Senate. We need that so much.
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p>I can’t wait to cast my vote for Mike Capuano.
There have been tons of reasons to support Mike Capuano that have been mentioned on BMG. My reasons are the same as all the others, but with one addition. I want my Senator to know what its like to be working class. This isn’t the sole reason I am voting for him. There are many. But the fact that he was not only born and raised in a working class community, but that he chose to stay there, to raise a family there, and to work hard to make his community a better place for his family, speaks volumes about his priorities and his character.
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p>I want my Senator to know what it means to be able to mow your lawn with a weed whacker so he gets the need of parks and open space; to shop at a corner store that prominently displays that WIC and Food Stamps are accepted there; to have trouble parking so he gets the importance of public transportation. When he drives around his neighborhood, I want him to see diversity, I want him to hear different languages being spoken by people walking by his stoop, (I want him to have a stoop!) I want him to see shops with signs in different languages, so he gets the amazing contributions of immigrant communities.
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p>When he comes back from the marble halls of D.C., I don’t want him to go home to Brookline or Wellesley. Nothing against those communities, but they don’t represent his average constituent. And more importantly, they don’t represent the constituents who really need him. Why is the working class background important? Because those are the people that need their Senator the most. The wealthy (very generally speaking now) have resources that the working class does not. My Senator needs to not only want to help the working class, but he needs to know HOW to represent and help them. He needs to constantly be confronted with their problems and relate to them on a daily basis.
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p>Dozens of Senators live in the burbs, or in rural areas. Few live in working class neighborhoods. We need to be represented in the Senate more. He chose to stay, which means something to me. And by staying, he will be a better Senator for those who need him most.
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p>Thanks for listening. I have very much enjoyed the discussions on here around this campaign. And no matter who your candidate is, I hope you do turn out and vote on election day.
is under represented in the Senate. Kennedy chose to represent the poorest of the poor. Capuano will too.
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p>Great endorsment Trang73Vu!
it’s own post. Well done.
Nice take on the issue.
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p>Jump on the post train!
I appreciate your feed back and I’m glad you see why its important to have a more diverse perspective in the Senate. I am going make this it’s own post now.