I’m endorsing Congressman Ed Markey for U.S. Senate in the Massachusetts Special Democratic Primary on Tuesday April 30, 2013. You can request an absentee ballot (due back to your local election office by 8 PM on 4/30/13) here: http://www.sec.state.ma.us/ele/eleifv/howabs.htm Or find your polling place here: http://www.wheredoivotema.com/bal/myelectioninfo.aspx
Ed Markey has been a committed progressive Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives for decades. He’s the best candidate to represent the state, Massachusetts Democrats, and Massachusetts working and middle class families. Like Sen. Elizabeth Warren, he will be a fighter for all Bay Staters through consumer protection efforts and banking reforms. His record shows he will stand up for gun control, better education, and stronger public health in our nation.
He has shown strong leadership on issues of climate change and environmental protections – including writing the first cap-and-trade bill for greenhouse gases and getting it passed in the House – when other officials were focusing on less important trench warfare political battles in Washington. He makes a point to discuss scientific issues in a factual manner when others are playing politics. Groups like the League of Environmental Voters are enthusiastically supporting Markey because he’s been such a champion on climate, clean energy, and science. Rep. Markey is the only person suited to take up John Kerry’s legacy in the Senate of working on climate change and environmental protections.
Markey has also proven himself as a progressive time and again on issues of reproductive freedom and health insurance reform, while his opponent has voted for choice restrictions (such as the Stupak Amendment) and against Obamacare. I believe any Massachusetts Democrat should support expanding health coverage and protecting a woman’s right to choose. That’s one reason Markey received Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s endorsement and a 100% rating. Massachusetts can’t risk electing a Senator who might vote to confirm anti-choice judges.
Congressman Markey has been for many years a committed supporter of and leader on equal rights for the entire LGBT community – not just some of its members – earning the endorsement of MassEquality and a 100% rating from them.
Additionally, Markey has made our nation safer by pushing for legislation adopting recommendations of The 9/11 Commission. I don’t always agree with some of his votes and views related to defense and foreign policy, but even so I believe we need some liberal voices counter-balancing the conservative hawks in the Senate. Too often lately, the voices in opposition to foreign policy over-reach are coming from less well reasoned and isolationist places in the libertarian part of the spectrum, which is not the same as cooperative internationalism. But I do agree with his desire to wind down the War in Afghanistan promptly and to control and reduce nuclear arms and proliferation. He worked to get us out of Iraq faster and was a supporter of efforts to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. Both show a commitment to restoring the United States’ image on the world stage, which will strengthen our global leadership capacity and restore our alliances.
Learn more about Ed Markey and his positions at EdMarkey.com
