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Re-elect Chris Murphy
Oct 22, 03:36 PM
New Britain Herald
Mavericks are in fashion in the Republican Party, and 5th District Congressional candidate David Cappiello says that’s just what he’ll be, if elected. He is pledging to take a stand, even against his own party, when necessary. “When you’re elected, you have to remember you’re an American first – a Republican or Democrat second,” he said, ticking off GOP mistakes, including President Bush’s excessive spending, his immigration and bailout policies.
At the same time, he blasts his opponent, U.S. Rep. Chris Murphy, for not accomplishing all he promised during his first term in Washington. Freshman Murphy, however, is able to tick off his own list – accomplishments made possible by working within the system.
Murphy led on the Frank Melville Supportive Housing Act that will triple the number of supportive housing units for the mentally ill and disabled – and get them out of senior housing; it has passed the House.
And he advocated for the release of $5.1 billion in fuel assistance to states, nearly doubling federal money to help poor people cope with high home-heating bills expected this winter; President Bush responded last week.
Murphy helped engineer a compromise on offshore drilling and, by working with House leadership, saw that compromise was enacted before Congress adjourned for the August recess.
Cappiello has criticized Murphy for seeking earmarks for his district, adding that he would not pursue them, even the ones that benefit the community. Huh? No one supports the bridge to nowhere (except, perhaps, U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican) but this district has depended on the efforts of Murphy and his predecessor, Nancy Johnson, to bring money to our schools and our neighborhoods.
Finally, Murphy has even had a “mavericky” moment of his own. He told this newspaper, “I don’t think there would have been an outside ethics panel that now has the power to investigate members of Congress if I hadn’t advocated for it. I led a mini-rebellion of freshmen congressmen to require defense contractors to publicly disclose their profits,” an action that will rein in such companies as Blackwater Security.
While we admire Capiello’s integrity, we feel Murphy has demonstrated an independent spirit, along with a willingness to work with others in Congress for the good of the country – and very specifically, for the good of central Connecticut.
We are therefore endorsing Chris Murphy for U.S. representative in the 5th District.
