Howell to challenge Puppolo in the 12th Hampden

Rich Howell from Wilbraham has announced his intentions to challenge incumbent Angelo Puppolo in the 12th Hampden District. Puppolo betrayed the trust of the people after he voted in favor to kill a referendum that would have allowed the people vote on the marriage referendum. Puppolo had strongly campaign to allow the people to vote on the marriage referendum, then switched his vote. After the vote, Puppolo has been peppered with money from interest groups seeking to limit the people's right to vote on the referendum.

I definitely want to vote on this important issue. Allowing the legislators to continue this reckless political game of defining marriage is very dangerous to society. The referendum must be place in front of the people to decide.

Below is the press release Howell's campaign send me.

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WILBRAHAM - The Committee to Elect Richard J. Howell, R-Wilbraham, recently announced intentions to run for state Representative, 12th Hampden District, which includes all of Wilbraham and significant parts of Springfield and East Longmeadow.

Howell will challenge incumbent Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D-Springfield. The race will culminate with the 2008 Presidential election to take place this November.

According to Howell, his committee has collected more than half the signatures required to date. He also met with key advisors to discuss strategy, and volunteers have started the signature-gathering phase of the campaign.

And as a long-time Republican, Howell subscribes to sound fiscal policy and limited government first and foremost. Further, the campaign will focus on family issues, government of the people and not the bureaucracy and public safety.

"The incumbent deceived this constituency," Howell said. "He knew that the majority of the district wanted the opportunity to vote on marriage issue. But he chose to serve the power elite instead.

"In so doing, he compromised the integrity of public office,” he said.

During the campaign, Howell will also discuss the issue of the "right to keep and bear arms."

Changing the Definition of Marriage, Unbelievable !!!

State Rep. Ben Swan

State Representative Ben Swan recently voted to have the definition of marriage change to a neutral definition. Unfortunately, this is not a big surprise as Swan voted for same sex marriage and denied the people's petition for a referendum on the definition of marriage. Now, Swan wants to ram his definition of marriage on all of us. Swan recently joined other Legislators in supporting House Bill H1710. The House Bill was stopped dead on its track after the people flooded the legislature with calls, e-mails and faxes, expressing their opposition.

As it stands now, the definition of marriage in Massachusetts's is an union between a man and a woman. Gay marriage is legal through the shameful Goodridge Supreme Judicial Court decision.

Mr. Swan has a lot of explaining to do.

Mr. Swan, why do you refuse to let the people vote on a public referendum about marriage, yet you insist in changing the definition of marriage?

Who Shall Judge Thee?

According to the Republican, Judges in the state are going to be evaluated on their performance.

Some of the dimension to be covered in this evaluation include, the judge's knowledge of the law, temperament on the bench, treatment of citizens, witnesses, jurors and attorneys, and timeliness on issuing opinions. The State Legislature mandated this evaluation in the 1990's and the result are confidential. The results are given to the judges being evaluated and to the respective Chief Justices. The first evaluation was done in 2004.

All of this sounds wonderful, finally accountability on Public Officials. However, I have several questions involving this process.

First, if the evaluation process was mandated by the State Legislature in the 1990's, why did it take four years to actually conduct the evaluation? Is this me, or does this sound like Government bureaucracy dragging their feet?

Second, Where are the average citizens included in this process? We need input from the average citizen

Third, Why are the results confidential??

Now, before I hear about the Judge's right to personnel file privacy, let me remind you that Judges go into public service willingly, and therefore, their privacy is to an extend reduce. During the appointment process we need to hear any potential conflict of private nature that may influence the judge or any issue with regards to character. Often times these issues cross into privacy issues. Finally, I am the employer of the judge, I pay his salary with my taxes, and so you too are the Judge's employer and pay his salary with your taxes, so Why can't we hear the results?

Making the results public will not, in my opinion intimidate the judges into issuing an opinion according to the public view, after all, judges are appointed and can only be removed by the Governor only in cases of bad behavior. "Shall hold their office during good behavior...the Governor may remove them upon the address of both houses of the legislature...) Massachusetts Constitution Article XCVIII ( 98) , Article 1

Tosado Succesfully introduces Resolution

Roberto Clemente
Picture by Stephen G A from flickr.com

Springfield City Councilor Jose Tosado successfully introduced a resolution to the Springfield City Council to retired baseball number 21 from the baseball league. Springfield now joins other communities throughout the US in the effort to retire Clemente's #21 from the baseball league. The famous number 21 was worn by Puerto Rican native Roberto Clemente. Roberto Clemente a native from Carolina, Puerto Rico, played professional baseball for eighteen season (1955-1972) from the Pittsburgh Pirates, until his untimely death on a plane crash carrying supplies destined to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. Tosado stated, " I am Honor to participate in the effort to retire #21, as a way to pay tribute to this great Puerto Rican and a great Human Being"

As a kid I played baseball in Puerto Rico. I was the catcher. It was a beautiful time in my life. I remember the talks and the special, almost sacred, aura that just the name Roberto Clemente brought to the game and to the field. We all wanted to be like him. I am honor to see this effort to retire Roberto Clemente's #21 from the baseball league. It is a tribute fit to a great star and above all to a great humanitarian, as Roberto Clemente possessed qualities that transcended nationalities.

Roberto Clemente Record Book

Elected to the Baseball hall of fame, only the second player whom the mandatory 5 year period was waived, the other was Lou Gehrig.

Collected 3,000 hits

Lifetime batting avg. of 317

1966 Most Valuable Player

1971 World Series Most Valuable Player

Best defensive right fielder of all times, winning 12 Gold Globe Awards.

Roberto Clemente the Humanitarian

During spring training, refused to accept the indignity of " Jim Crow " segregation in the South, refusing food from restaurants that served "whites only".

Contributed financial support to Afro-American community in Pittsburgh.

After being named most Valuable player in 1971, insisted in speaking his native language(Spanish) first, an act that infused a new sense of pride in the Hispanic community in the US.

Died on a plane crash on December 31, 1971 on its way to Nicaragua to bring needed supplies to earthquake victims, his body was never recovered.

Roberto Clemente drawing and Clemente on Front Cover of Baseball Digest

Pictures by Stephen G A from Flickr.com