| Disappointed in the mindless endorsement given to Chris Shays by The New York Times, I have sent the following letter to Clark Hoyt -- the paper's Public Editor:
Dear Clark Hoyt,
In A Congressional Endorsement two years ago [October 25, 2006], The New York Times supported Diane Farrell for the seat in Connecticut's 4th District saying: "Mr. Shays may be a beacon of integrity, but if he is re-elected he will vote to continue House control by a party that has repeatedly sold out the country to special interest lobbyists. . . .[and] if he is re-elected he will support a Republican leadership that has refused to question even the most ruinous decisions . . . about the conduct of American foreign policy." |
Your newspaper called that race appropriately. However, in the heat of this year's Presidential election, it appears to many 4th District voters that you haven't paid sufficient attention to Shays' record in the last two years. Your earlier piece referred to his "tortuous re-evaluations on Iraq." After 21 trips, and more tortuous re-evaluations, what has become crystal clear is this: Both Ways Shays (which is what he is called by those of us who watch him closely) has perfected the art of putting his finger to the wind and then making whatever statement appears advantageous at that particular point in time; and he changes his pronouncements regularly. However, when it really counts, he has voted with Bush-Cheney most of the time.
Let me point out just a few recent disappointments:
> Convenient reversals are old hat for Shays. He claimed, just before the 2006 elections, that he supported timelines for withdrawal from Iraq. But following that election, he voted several times against timelines. Some beacon of integrity . . .
> Shays also repeatedly has favored privatizing Social Security; yet today I received a political mailing that claimed: "Christopher Shays always has, and always will, vote to Preserve, Protect & Strengthen Social Security." The weasel word here is protect. Just last week Shays stated: "I believe with all my heart and soul that the fundamentals of the economy are in fact really strong." Given his obvious naivete (or denial) about the economy, coupled with the fact that Newt Gingrich quietly just hosted a fundraiser for Shays [both share a passion for privatizing social security], it is fair to question whether Shays has any sincere interest in protecting anyone beside his Wall Street and real estate contributors. His track record suggests the likely explanation for this 11th hour about face: Pollsters may have told him to reverse himself (at least temporarily) - as in until the election is over. Some beacon of integrity . . .
> Shays has been an outspoken defender of Eric Prince and Blackwater - even to the point of being incredibly patronizing and insensitive toward family members of the four contractors murdered in Fallujah. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v... Some beacon of integrity . . .
> For years, Shays stood almost alone amongst Republicans on environmental issues. He became a poster child for the non-partisan League of Conservation Voters - who endorsed him again earlier this year. I suspect that LCV now would like to retract that endorsement: They recently released their 2008 Legislative Scorecard and gave Chris Shays a rating of 54% for the year - by far the worst rating in the entire Connecticut delegation, and his worst score in memory.
> Against this backdrop, as McCain's Co-Chair in Connecticut, Shays recently put Obama's picture beside his own in a campaign ad, never mind that Obama has endorsed Jim Himes. Mr. Both Ways also described Sarah Palin as "awesome." And in the last few days, anticipating a sinking ship, Shays criticized McCain's campaign. Give that guy a tranquilizer! This sort of mumbo jumbo doesn't represent a moderate; it suggests a total lack of moral compass.
I normally consider this newspaper - whether or not I always agree with it's decisions - to be reasonable in its endorsements. When Jim Himes speaks, he is knowledgeable, thoughtful and rational. With a dozen years on Wall street, he understands the economy. With experience in providing affordable green housing, he is in a position to contribute to constructive dialogue in Congress - both in terms of developing environmentally sound legislation and in seeking to alleviate the housing crisis. Like Obama, he is open to hearing other viewpoints and integrating new information; but Himes does not reverse himself at the drop of a hat. Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that Jim also would not describe Abu Ghraib as "sex," nor (so far as I know) has he ever had an altercation with a DC policeman. . . .
Whatever could your editorial board have been thinking when it elected to endorse the pathetic Chris Shays this year? |
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