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The Boston Globe, Editorial MASSACHUSETTS stands out in Congress as the most populous state with an all-Democratic House delegation: 10 Democrats. Given the actions of the Republican majority in Congress, voters locally are to be commended for their discernment. We hope this continues in the next Congress and are pleased to endorse the five Massachusetts representatives who face opposition in the elections Nov. 7. William D. Delahunt, John F. Tierney, Stephen F. Lynch, John W. Olver, and Michael E. Capuano are far from monolithic on all the issues. But their votes in the House reflect agreement on three broad themes - opposition to the fiscally irresponsible tax cuts enacted by President Bush; a refusal to allow the war on terror to become a pretext for restrictions on civil liberties; and support for the use of embryonic stem cells to seek cures for devastating and intractable diseases. Delahunt, a founder of Iraq Watch, informal congressional monitors of the war, has vigorously questioned President Bush's ineffective strategy. Though he opposes the Cape Wind project in Nantucket sound, the congressman has been advocating on behalf of other alternative energy on the South Shore and Cape Cod. And while criticizing Venezuela President Hugo Chavez, Delahunt has also sought Venezuela's help in providing low-cost heating oil to needy Massachusetts residents. American oil companies should be so generous. Tierney, from his position on the Education and Workforce Committee, has fought to protect aid to higher education and workforce training funds. He has also worked successfully to keep veterans clinics open in Gloucester, Haverhill, and Lynn. Lynch, in response to increased drug abuse in his district, obtained $550,000 in federal funds for the Cushing House in South Boston to treat adolescents. He is a strong advocate of increased support for railroad security, a neglected aspect of the War on Terror. Olver has worked to expand economic opportunity in parts of his Western and Central Massachusetts district. He's also helped to prevent Republicans from devastating Amtrak train service. Capuano, a member of the Transportation Committee, has made sure that Massachusetts got an adequate share - $5 billion - of new federal transportation funding. He's made a special priority of encouraging the state to build a tunnel to connect the two existing strands of the Silver Line, which would be an important enhancement to public transit in Boston. Republican control of the presidency and Congress has served the nation badly for the past six years. A vote for any member of the Massachusetts congressional delegation is an endorsement of necessary change. |