Letter: We Need Congressman Larson’s Seniority, Strong Voice
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To the Editor,
These are extraordinary times for America. It’s no time to lose the experience, advocacy and accomplishment of Congressman John Larson. Unlike his opponents in the Aug. 11 primary, Congressman Larson has seniority that assures our concerns and needs will be heard in the U.S. House of Representatives from day one.
Congressman Larson continues to be a strong voice, speaking out and proposing real action to end Trump’s assault on democracy and decency. He has taken initiative after initiative to stop the madness in Washington and meet the needs of the public that Congress is supposed to serve.
Congressman Larson epitomizes service above ambition and empty appeals to change just for the sake of change. He is caring, purposeful, and responsive. Even his primary opponents acknowledge that Congressman Larson is right on the issues that count. He also gets real results, including substantial federal aid for West Hartford to fund needed programs and services while helping hold down property tax increases. Just ask Mayor Cantor.
On a more personal note, I have known and worked with John during all my years in state government. Yes, I value his friendship but, more importantly, I value his service. I respect all the candidates in the upcoming primary, but not one of them has shown how they differ from Congressman Larson on the issues that matter most. And none of them, even if elected, has the experience, power and position in Congress to make the change we need happen.
Kevin B. Sullivan
West Hartford
Kevin Sullivan maybe overstating the case a bit.
Seniority is valuable, but it is not an entitlement to remain in office indefinitely. Every influential member of Congress once arrived without it. Bronin would initially have less congressional power than Larson, but he is hardly an inexperienced newcomer: at 47, he has served eight years as Hartford’s mayor, helping guide the city from the verge of bankruptcy toward fiscal stability, after holding senior positions in the U.S. Treasury Department and serving as Governor Malloy’s general counsel. He is also a Navy Reserve veteran who served in Afghanistan. His victory over Larson for the Democratic convention endorsement further demonstrates that he is regarded by many within the district as a credible successor.
The real question is whether Larson’s accumulated influence justifies postponing an inevitable transition, or whether it is better to begin that transition now with an experienced candidate who could build influence of his own over many years.
So, re electing a representative who is partly to blame for America’s problems, to help solve America’s problems doesn’t sound like a good idea to me! Vote Republican! We must not keep making the same mistakes over and over again!
My main point was not Congessman Larson’s seniority, valuable as that is. Nor that long service is an entitlement to reelection. But except on Social Security and Medicare, where John is a true champion, there is not one bit of difference between him and Bronin on the issues.
One way of looking at this is to ask whether Congressman Larson has done something to justify firing a good and accomplished older worker who’s doing the job well just to hire someone “new.” In the workplace, that’s called “discrimination.” I respect all of John Larson’s opponents in the primary, but this is no time to change horses in the middle of the raging stream that threaten’s our democracy.