East Hartford Out to be Justifiably Proud of All It's Political People

 

I appreciate editor of the East Hartford Gazette, Bill Doak’s detailed article last week on the many legislative accomplishments of 10th District Rep. Henry Genga. Without repeating the specifics laid out in Doak’s article, what comes across is Rep. Genga’s commitment to serve the needs of those he represents by delivering tangible benefits to them. I observed Rep. Genga hard at work recently at the Rivermead Pointe manufactured home community meeting between a homeowner’s group—the newly formed Rivermeade Council—and the management of the park in their discussion of critical issues raised that the resident group wanted to discuss.  I am uncertain as to the results of that meeting, but it was clear that Rep. Genga was there to work toward solutions in his encouragement of constructive dialogue between the two groups. 

 I also read the letter by Matt Harper in his endorsement of Salema Davis for her election as the next 11th District House Representative.  I had previously read a bio of Ms. Davis who has a great deal to offer in any position she may obtain. I applaud Mr. Harper for the positive things he writes about Ms. Davis and for his own commitment to public service at the local level.

 Where I take issue with Mr. Harper is in his less than generous critique of the political party that he opposes for, in effect, not caring enough “to hear the real concerns of the real people they represent.”   As a man of the cloth, I would encourage Rev. Harper to embrace his better angels in characterizing the motivation of politicians he opposes, and to stay focused on policy differences where people of good will can disagree.  

 Through the years I have worked in a volunteer capacity with many town Democrats, including council members, state representatives, and two mayors in some depth.  In my recent work on the East Hartford Recharter Revision Commission, I interacted with several town council Republican council members as well as the Democratic majority, including that of Don Bell, who chaired the Commission with a remarkable level of depth and fairness. I can attest that to a person, each representative that I had contact with has sought to serve their constituencies with a high-level of motivation, political skill, and problem-solving acuity.

 I am highly confident that if Salema Davis wins her race to serve the 11th District, she would do so with distinction in meeting what she perceives as the best interests of those she serves. I am also confident that her Democratic opponent, Patrick Biggs, who served with distinction on the town’s Board of Education before replacing the recently retired Jeff Curry for the 11th District position, would similarly focus on what he perceives as the public good.

 In short, the politicians I have encountered in and around East Hartford are highly motivated, committed to public service, and often take a bi-partisan, problem solving approach to resolving complex issues that need to be addressed for effective governance. In comparison to the high dysfunctionality underlying the US. national political discourse, East Hartford is a treasure trove of political excellence in the best Aristotelian sense of seeking to serve the public good. It is something to be honored, embraced, and built upon.

 

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