OPINION: Shea-Porter will defend the rights of seniors and veterans

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THE SOAPBOX

STAND UP. SPEAK UP. IT’S YOUR TURN


Soapbox
OPINION

I am endorsing Carol Shea-Porter because I believe she is the best candidate to represent Manchester in the U.S. House of Representatives. In this election, it is vital that voters send to Congress candidates whom we are assured will help and defend ordinary people.

When I say ordinary, I am not talking about people who are average or common, but people like you and me, people without great wealth or connections, people for whom the “System” is something not to be manipulated. I speak of people who are part of a community that helps them realize their hopes and dreams if they play by the rules and work hard.

The people I served as alderman for 32 years were people who gave back to the community more than they took, but who relied on the community they built with their family, friends and neighbors for help if the chips were down. These are people whose labor and their commitment to faith, duty and love of country made the United States the greatest nation on earth, and New Hampshire the best state to live in.

I am voting for Carol Shea-Porter as her record shows she is committed to defending two of the most vulnerable groups of Americans, senior citizens and veterans. I am both a senior and a vet.

The fight to ensure that seniors can enjoy their twilight years with security and dignity has been, and unfortunately still is, challenging and difficult, given the long history of opposition of Republicans to Social Security. This is a fight that has spanned my entire lifetime, the Social Security Administration having been established by Franklin D. Roosevelt. It is a fight that was and is lead by Democrats like Carol Shea-Porter.

New Hampshire is the only state lacking a full-service veteran’s hospital. Over a decade ago, when Republicans controlled the New Hampshire Congressional delegation, the Manchester Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC) suffered cutbacks and lost its status as a hospital. The staffing levels of the facility deteriorated as Republicans during the George W. Bush Administration pushed for privatization.

The attempted privatization of veteran’s health care services was defeated. After the election of Carol Shea-Porter and fellow Democrat Paul Hodes to the House in 2006, and with Democrat Jeanne Shaheen elected to the Senate in 2008, the situation at the Manchester VAMC improved. Over 160 staff were added.

Unfortunately, with the return of Republican control of the Senate and the return of Frank Guinta to the House, there are again problems at the VAMC. I believe that returning Carol Shea-Porter to the House and electing Maggie Hassan to the Senate are necessary to ensure that the Manchester VAMC not only is preserved, but will once again become a full-service hospital, improving care for New Hampshire’s vets.

I also am voting for Carol Shea-Porter as I have her commitment that, in Congress, she will do all she can to help Manchester, the largest city in the Granite State, address its problems. When I began my career as an alderman, Manchester was in a severe economic decline due to the loss of manufacturing jobs caused by the closing of the textile mills and shoe manufacturers. In the generation that followed, I worked with many dedicated individuals to reverse that decline.

Our efforts grew stronger due to the tenacious support of the community, those ordinary people who have always been the backbone of the Democratic Party. After many long years, we achieved a great success. The Queen City, which once seemed to have a bleak future, regularly was named as one of the Top Ten cities to live in, in the United States.

Our fight for Manchester’s future was a vision that attracted the support of good people of both parties, as does so many programs created and shepherded by Democrats, like Social Security and Medicare. Those vital programs enjoying broad, bipartisan support among ordinary people again are under threat. And so is the economic future of Manchester.

It is sad to see the progress that came through hard work and the love of this great city jeopardized.

Manchester recovered from the economic decline caused by the loss of manufacturing jobs, and the Queen City flourished. But in recent years, Manchester has been plagued by difficulties foreshadowing a new economic decline, caused by the mismanagement or municipal economic policy by two Republican mayors.

This cycle, which is marked by the erosion of Manchester’s ability to attract manufacturers, began under then-Mayor Frank Guinta. Carol Shea-Porter is committed to strengthening the economic base of Manchester and New Hampshire through economic policies that will make our city and state attractive to companies representing the 21st Century economy, with their innovative products and services and high-paying jobs.

I ask you to vote for Carol Shea-Porter as the only candidate with a proven record of defending and helping seniors and veterans, and because of her commitment to the economic development of Manchester and New Hampshire.


Got something to say? Agree to disagree?

Send your Soapbox submissions to Carol Robidoux at robidouxnews@gmail.com, subject line “The Soapbox.” 


William Cashin Portrait Aldermanic Chamber

William B. Cashin was elected a record 16 times to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, serving under seven mayors. (Photo of Cashin’s portrait hanging inside the Aldermanic Chambers).


About this Author

Carol Robidoux

PublisherManchester Ink Link

Longtime NH journalist and publisher of ManchesterInkLink.com. Loves R&B, German beer, and the Queen City!