Wednesday September 5, 2012

The Transcript endorses Alford-based writer and activist Bill Shein in Thursday’s primary for the 1st Con gressional District seat.

The reason for this is simple: It’s safe to say most agree our federal government is broken, its back cracked over the knee of a cadre of lobbyists who have bought influence for far too long among those elected to power by the people.

After the campaign’s debates, public statements, mailings and editorial board meetings, we were left with the impression that Mr. Shein wants to do more to solve this fatal trend in U.S.government than either U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, or former state Sen. Andrea F. Nuciforo Jr.

Mr. Shein prioritizes getting money out of politics and banning the practice of lobbying. And he’s starting with himself: He states that he has accepted no campaign contribution greater than $99. While this noble gesture makes Mr. Shein free from having to kowtow to corporate interests, it also undoubtedly limits what he has been able to communicate in this campaign, but perhaps that’s another systemic problem that requires a sobering look.

The intentions of the Framers, at least as we have come to understand them in current times, was that this be a country where one has the right and ability to run for any public office. This dictum, in its purest interpretation, was not made on condition

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of the size of a hopeful’s campaign coffers. Was this ever truly the case? We would say likely not, but that is part of the problem as well, and Mr. Shein’s desire for publicly financed elections could be the solution.

As a first-year representative, Mr. Shein would be one shoelace on one shoe of a very large body: Congress. From that position, there is an obvious limit to how many priorities Mr. Shein could hope to address. However, we believe that having even one atom moving in the right direction on the justice of this government matters deeply. What starts with Mr. Shein’s plans could be made real in the future if a multitude like him are elected over time.

Some may call us naive for endorsing someone other than the candidate with the lion’s share of experience, but we would argue that we are in fact simply tired of the system as it exists, and ever hopeful for remedies to the diseases at work in the blood of our federal government.