[Cross-posted from the ProgressMass blog. Like ProgressMass on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.]
During the 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Republican Charlie Baker and his running mate encountered embarrassing episodes in which they seemed not to be on the same page politically. One of the most pronounced such moments was when Baker’s running mate supported an important piece of LGBT equality legislation that Baker not only opposed but also homophobically and transphobically derided as “the bathroom bill.”
To gauge the degree to which 2014 Republican running mates Charlie Baker and Karyn Polito are on the same page politically, here are five questions regarding important public policy issues to which Republican Lieutenant Governor candidate Karyn Polito’s answers would be thoroughly enlightening.
1) This past October, Republican Charlie Baker declared his opposition to an increase in the minimum wage, offering a factually inaccurate justification for his opposition to such an increase. Despite Baker’s misguided excuse for his position against a minimum wage increase, do you share his opposition to a minimum wage increase?
2) During his 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Republican Charlie Baker simply ducked the issue when he was directly asked about his position on climate change, cryptically saying “I’m not saying I believe in it. I’m not saying I don’t.” Do you share what the Boston Globe referred to as “Charlie Baker’s willful ignorance” on the issue; or, do you acknowledge that climate change is a real phenomenon and that it is driven by human activity?
3) During his 2010 gubernatorial campaign, Republican Charlie Baker ran as a staunch ally of the gun lobby, and even described gun safety efforts as “misguided.” Considering the numerous shocking and tragic gun massacres in recent years, from Tucson to Aurora to Oak Creek to Newtown and many others, do you share Baker’s belief that gun safety efforts are misguided?
4) Republican Charlie Baker has expressed his opposition to connecting the South Coast of Massachusetts to Boston via commuter rail, despite the enormous benefit it would provide to major cities in the region like Fall River and New Bedford and their surrounding communities. Oddly, despite Baker’s many years as a Beacon Hill insider, Baker’s excuse for his opposition to the South Coast commuter rail connection is that he just can’t figure out the permitting. Do you share Baker’s opposition to a commuter rail line between the South Coast and Boston?
5) Despite the overwhelming support Cape Wind has received from Massachusetts residents, Republican Charlie Baker has long opposed the popular renewable energy project. Do you share Baker’s opposition to the widely popular Cape Wind project?
If you want clear answers to the questions, the preambles need to be dropped. Asking “When did you stop beating your wife” questions will only have opposition candidates clam up or, worse, call you out for posing push poll type inquiries. It is a vote losing strategy. Just outright questions will fill the bill.