Eagle 10-24-04
Berkshire Eagle
I Publius offers endorsements
Saturday, October 23, 2004 - I t is now time for I Publius to make his endorsements in the coming election.
For president of the United States, I endorse John Kerry. The man was not my first choice. Since his campaign began, I have come to respect Kerry but was not as excited by him as I was by Bill Clinton or John F. Kennedy. Kerry has played this campaign not with passion, but by the political numbers. Nonetheless, I agree with almost everything he says. I am taking it on blind faith that he has to back the troops in Iraq, but that he knows that the Iraqi adventure is both foolhardy and a great drain on this country. I believe he will make changes, including the internationalization of the war effort. His promise to deliver health care to every American is a must-do. His promise to take back the obscene tax cuts to the wealthiest corporations and individuals in America is just plain common sense.
Kerry's opponent, George W. Bush, has been a disaster for this country. His very election was suspect, his mandate weak. His need to cater to the few at the top of the social scale is in direct contradiction to his "compassionate conservatism." It is not compassionate to break the national budget so that our kids and grandkids will be paying off the national debt forever, nor is it compassionate to fool with Social Security, the backbone of the safety net in this country.
Bush has proved an embarrassment to the United States and is loathed by the world community. Intentionally or not, he is flirting with a new fascism in the United States. I suppose that if he is re-elected, we will muddle through as we always have, but it is imperative that he be removed from office.
For Congress, I endorse John W. Olver. I interview Olver quite frequently and have come to know him. Although he will never be a stand-up comedian, the man has guts and a commitment to social justice and equality. Along with a handful of others in the Congress, such as Maurice Hinchey of New York and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, Olver has been a conscientious voice of reason. He has served his district well, which is why he finds himself without an opponent.
For "Senator in General Court," I endorse Andrea F. Nuciforo Jr. He is opposed by Dawn Taylor Thompson. Let there be no mistake about it -- Thompson is a bright and energetic opponent. For years, some very decent Republicans have represented Berkshire County in the Senate; Jack Fitzpatrick and Jane Swift come to mind. But Nuciforo is a stand-up guy. Just his positive position on gay marriage is worthy of endorsement. Nuciforo has been hardworking and decent. If you ask for help, you get it, as many of the Berkshire County cultural institutions have come to know. There are those of us who realize that the state government, with emphasis on the Legislature, needs reform. If he wants to bring home the bacon, he cannot afford to be a gadfly. Nonetheless, Andy Nuciforo is a terrific senator.
In South County, William "Smitty" Pignatelli has done a superb job, as I knew he would when I endorsed him for the job two years ago. He seems to be liked by his colleagues in the Legislature, and he has joined Nuciforo in bringing good things home for the Berkshires. He has shown real spunk in taking on Gov. Romney. In fact, he has been so successful at his job that one can just about hear the House leadership saying, "Anything for this nice man whose major asset is that he's not Chris Hodgkins" (who was always a pain in their collective butt). Pignatelli is opposed by a Great Barrington resident, James Bashour. It's good to have an opponent. It keeps you on your toes.
Publius endorses Smitty Pignatelli enthusiastically. Ditto for Dan Bosley, who has token opposition in his race. We are lucky to have someone with Bosley's clout in the lower house. In the 2nd District, Denis Guyer, the Democrat, is running against Richard Stockwell, the Republican. Guyer is my favorite, although it would be nice to have a two-party Legislature.
There are two ballot propositions that are nonbinding. One is a father's rights amendment that calls for a presumption of joint physical and legal custody of children whose parents have divorced. Fathers who have to pay but are deprived of regular contact with their kids are not happy. Nevertheless, I would be the last one who would deprive judges of the latitude to do what they think is best. I'll leave this one to you. Question Two is a "peace" proposition, suggesting that a campaign against terrorism should not be waged at the expense of our civil liberties, and that the Patriot Act provisions that curtail our liberties should be curtailed.
Amen to that.
Alan Chartock, a Great Barrington resident, is chairman and executive director of WAMC Northeast Public Radio and a professor of communications at SUNY-Albany.

- posted by Alan @ 10/29/2004 04:37:00 PM