The Sept. 6 guest column, “A vote for Morse will not help oust Trump,” is a perfect example of the unimaginative, fearful thinking that currently plagues the Democratic Party.
Telling new candidates to “wait their turn” as we focus on the latest critical election hasn’t been a successful strategy in the past, and worse, prevents us from growing the next generation of leadership.
A cynical reader of this column would infer from concern over the “Squad” that the authors value the status quo over the long-term health and effectiveness of the party. As for Congressman Neal, he’s been out of touch with his constituents for years, so let’s not blame that on his new responsibilities as the House Ways and Means Committee chair.
Please don’t insinuate that the people in the First Congressional District who want our representative to address big challenges like health care and climate change are naive and short-sighted. Quite the opposite.
Lastly, the column contains some speculative hand-wringing, but presents no actual evidence that a strong primary challenger for Neal’s seat would increase the likelihood of a Trump victory in 2020. I’ve worked in Washington too, and that tactic is Insider Gatekeeping 101. No thanks.
Rebecca Sweger
Easthampton