View Various Letters to the Editor in Local Newspapers
Linda asked that I publish this letter as the newspapers thought it
was too long. Thank you Linda.
To the Editor:
When Town Politics
Gets Ugly by Linda Yau
I have lived in Willington for the last sixteen years. And up until the last
four years, I was as guilty as anyone else in town. It's easy to get caught up
in our fair town's bucolic surroundings. Wonderful people. Great schools. Low
taxes. And what used to be responsible town government. It was all too easy to
sit, feet up in your back yard, and ignore what was going on around you.
"Moral indignation is jealousy with a
halo." - H. G. Wells (1866-1946)
But, just prior to Willington's 2003 municipal elections, I began to be
repeatedly bombarded by some familiar faces in town spouting all kinds of venom
about our then First Selectman, John Patton. The information was a little
sketchy, in my opinion, having more to do with his wife, Diane Becker, than
John's work in Willington. I heard a lot about "the Beckers own this, and the
Beckers own that" and "just because they have money doesn't mean they get to run
the town..." Everyone was so sure that the Patton/Becker team was behind some
evil conspiracy to hog land and power in a town of 6,000 people. It all sounded
to me like the upcoming election was personal. On the other hand, I saw a lot of
heads nodding to this rhetoric, although I had not a clue that things were
really about to change. The whisper campaign had begun. There was no stopping it
now.
"A lie gets halfway around the world
before the truth has a chance to get its pants on." - Sir Winston Churchill
(1874-1965)
Things did change. The upcoming elections saw John Patton and Jack Lewis give up
their Town seats to Michael Eldredge and John Blessington. The town government
had officially changed hands. Had people actually believed what they were
hearing out on the streets? What did the townspeople think was wrong with John
and Jack, if anything? Change for the sake of change.
"I do not feel obliged to believe that
the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended
us to forgo their use." - Galileo Galilei
During the next two years, some big projects begun by the A Sentinel Party were
finally coming to fruition, albeit, under the Eldredge watch. The Town library
was being built and the plans were put into motion for the construction of
Senior housing, after being fought over and for, for literally decades.
"There is more stupidity than hydrogen
in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." - Frank Zappa
OK, fast forward two years to the 2005 elections. Someone in the Eldredge brain
trust had come up with the idea of effectively eliminating the A Sentinel Party
from ever being a "threat" to them or their politics again. In 2003, they had
done an experiment where the Republicans were cross-endorsed for the Board of
Selectmen and the Democrats were cross-endorsed for Region 19. It worked so well
then that they did almost the whole slate in 2005. If you're not familiar with
the concept of cross-endorsement, this means that each candidate would receive a
vote each as a Republican and as a Democrat. This would make it virtually
impossible for anyone, Sentinel or otherwise, to get enough votes to defeat any
cross-endorsed candidate. You do the math. Cross-endorsement, by the way, is
perfectly legal, but it does allow the unscrupulous to manipulate the voting
system.
Manipulation of our voting system was not the original reason behind the concept
of cross-endorsement. The intention was that it was a way to keep good
government in place, as a kind of reward system. Because of collusion and misuse
of this process, 41 states have since outlawed its practice.
"Once is happenstance. Twice is
coincidence. Three times is enemy action." - Auric Goldfinger, in "Goldfinger"
by Ian L. Fleming (1908-1964)
As so we come to the 2007 elections, and it should not come as a shock to anyone
that the people of Willington, those of us paying attention, that is,have had
enough of the manipulation of the Republicans and Democrats in this town and
that we realize that it's time to take action. Thus, Dave Charette,candidate for
First Selectman, John Patton and Robert Lisiewski have filed suit in Federal
Court to take down the practice of cross-endorsement in Willington.
"All truth passes through three stages.
First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted
as being self-evident." - Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860)
Of course, you don't file suit in Federal Court naming all cross-endorsed
candidates, our Town Clerk, the Registrar of Voters, and Secretary of State
Susan Bysewicz, without drawing a little fire. For Dave Charette, it has meant
the sacrifice of some long-held relationships. He is, literally, suing his
neighbor. Those being sued have also passionately screamed at him in public for
his actions. Personally, I do not encourage litigation unless it is absolutely
warranted, but this is one of those cases.
"People demand freedom of speech to
make up for the freedom of thought which they avoid." - Soren Aabye Kierkegaard
(1813-1855)
Interestingly enough, the same people that cried "it's not fair!" in 2003 are
still crying that now, this time complaining about the lawsuit. But what's fair?
Is it fair to undermine the voting process of an entire town for the benefit of
a few? And who exactly made the decision to go along with this scam? The fact
is, every cross-endorsed candidate on Willington's ballot this year, each, at
some point, made a conscious decision to blindly follow an ill-conceived,
ill-informed lead. Although I will say that I understand there are some
candidates who have valiantly refused not to be cross-endorsed, as a matter of
principle. As it should be.
"The difference between 'involvement'
and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' -
the pig was 'committed'." - unknown
The townspeople of Willington now have an opportunity, as candidates and as
voting citizens to do the right thing. This is an opportunity for cross-endorsed
candidates to step-up and think for themselves, putting the needs of the Town
first. This, after all, is the essence of public service. As voting citizens,
the rest of us also have an obligation to our town to think for ourselves, no
matter who our friends are. We are, after all,OBLIGED, not "privileged" to vote.
It is our civic duty, and one we should take seriously for our own benefit and
that of our children and their future.
"Always do right- this will gratify
some and astonish the rest." - Mark Twain (1835-1910)
However stunned they were to be sued in Federal court, the cross-endorsed
Republican and Democratic candidates in Willington still have an opportunity to
extricate themselves from this situation. There is still a way out. They could
have changed their candidate status to one party line only, thus eliminating
themselves from the suit, as promised by John Patton, quoted in his August 30
press release. I'm hoping these candidates will come to recognize the true
meaning of public service and decide to do the right thing not only for
themselves, but for the voters of Willington as well.
Nobody ever said public service was easy.
Editors Note: The request for a premiminary injunction to the combined
Republican/Democrat slate mentioned by Linda was denied at the at the trial
court and appellate court.
PARTY
POLITICS and CROSS-ENDORSING
WILLINGTON
STYLE
