ON TUESDAY, WE THE PEOPLE WILL FIND OUT: IS THEIR ANY HOPE OF RECLAIMING OUR GOVERNMENT FROM THE CROOKS?
On Tuesday, Nov. 2, the most important single election contest in recent memory will take place in Pittsfield. It’s the race for 3rd Berkshire District state rep pitting incumbent Chris Speranzo vs. challenger Mark Miller. This will be meoldrama wrapped in suspense framed by import.
This race has morphed into an early onslaught for the ethically compromised Democrat water boy into an 11th hour competitive battle whose outcome is too close to call. Moreoever, the 3rd Berkshire race has become a litmus test to see if there is a sliver of hope for We the People in reclaiming the democracy that is rightfully ours. It is our last, best chance to snatch control from the greasy hands of the career politicians who stole it from us while we weren’t paying attention.
A Tale of Two Campaigns
Consider the alleged “campaign” of the incumbent Chris “No Show” Speranzo:
* He has refused to make any public appearances, including going door to door.
* He has ducked the only two scheduled debates with his opponent, Mark Miller.
* He has not returned phone calls or e-mail message, tweets or inquiries by messenger, from the press. He has not issued any positions papers, press releases, and he does not have a campaign website. He has been, literally, in hiding at the precise time he should be up-fronting.
* He has, while “campaiging” for re-election, secretively put in for a job as clerk magistrate ($150,000 a year, lifetime appointment) and refused to deny this application.
* Another local attorney (from Lenox) reveals what was humming through the grapevine: Speranzo’s wife is a partner in a law firm whose principal serves on the nominating and approving commission for that very same cler mag’s job. This woman sat in on this lawyer’s interview. Speranzo thought not to mention this conflict of interest, which is something every honest man or woman whould have done.
* Spurs tried to hide all this from the electorate. It was only the agressive work of the press, primarily Conor Berry of the Berkshire Eagle, Jonathan Levine of The Pittsfield Gazette, and Yours Truly of PLANET VALENTI, that informed the electorate of the swindle in progress.
Meanwhile, consider what MARK MILLER has done during this campaign:
* Miller has worn out shoe leather going door to door.
* Miller has one of the best candidate websites extant on the web, full of information.
* Miller has answered every question and attended every debate.
* Miller has demonstrated an incisive command of the issues affecting Pittsfield in the present and beyond.
* Miller has refused money from lobbyists, Big Business, and any other special interest, unilke his opponent.
* Miller has been up front and transparent about his intentions. Imagine, an honest politician!
This is why THE PLANET says the future of democracy in Berkshire County is at stake in this race: If the electorate is AT ALL paying attention, if it is IN THE LEAST of the belief that the phony, slimeball politics of which Chris Speranzo is poster boy have to end immediately, and if, IN THE SLIGHTEST, they retain a semblance of what true and just, there is NO WAY they will return Speranzo to the legisalture. If they have done THE LEAST AMOUNT of due diligence in the huge job that is their responsibility in a so-called participatory government, the will elect MARK MILLER on Tuesday.
The 3rd Berkshire contest will be a litmus test.If they vote to return the slime to an already slippery and acrid Beacon Hill, we can confidently say: IT’S OVER. “They,” the special interests, will have won. We the People might as well sit on the sofa eating bon bons and watching Lady Gaga. We will have proven worthy, if not of our bread, then of their circuses. Shame on us if we let this become our fate.
People, don’t let this last chance slip through your fingers. Take back your government. Elect MARK MILLER on Tuesday and tell Chris Spuranzo where he can shove his arrogance and his presumption.
COMING TOMORROW: THE PLANET’S ENDORESEMENTS FOR NOV. 2 DONT’ MISS IT!!!
We leave you with our thought for the night:
It’s never wrong if, in holding a slimeball politician’s feet to the fire, to give him a red ass in the process — Sir Tiberius Fruitjuice.
Happy Halloween!!! Seems all the skeletons always come out of the closet this time year, especially for politicians grabbing more treats than a neighborhood of overage bullies could gather in a Levitt ville neighborhood of cookie cutter houses. October surprises are notorious for this time of year. Halloween pay raises, voted in the dark of night. You’re right though Mr Speranzo was scheduled to glide on through to another term and be the winner if he won or won the bigger prize and then on to a special election. Mr Miller should be commended for not taking the low road and running a informative, above board campaign.
dan it goes like this on voting day in the pitts…. we the sheep get herded to the polls…..vote for the annointed dem and then return to our stables till next time , and then do it again. even when we keep stepping in political sheep poop our elected leave behind.. finally we have a guy …miller … who is beholding to no one and quite able to step right in to work day one……….no brainer here!!!!
Ooh I can’t wait to find out what you’re gonna say today, Dan!
This election season has made me a loyal reader of yours and it’s been interesting reading about some demo’s gettin demo’d.
I wonder what will happen tomorrow and if Jill canceling event’s out east to be here through tomorrow morning will help or hurt those Green boy’s.
They seem to be getting nothing but positive press (shocked by Berk Record endorsement) but aren’t buying any billboards.
Can ideals and ethics really stand up against money in this election?
I almost don’t want it to end tomorrow, this has brought out the fighting spirit for our communities and I don’t want that to end like it so often does after an election. I want people to keep fighting for us out here like they are now and not just when they want a vote from us.
“…beholding to no no one…”
Now now, be kind. I find him quite beholding. Seriously though, I hope the voters find it in themselves to shakes these spoiled apples out of the tree. This election is especially important because it is a rare opportunity to send to Boston qualified people who are not part of the corrupt political establishment.
This election IS important, because it will determine if we have any hope for responsive, responsible representation, especially in the 3rd Berkshire District. Miller is exactly the kind of man people need: intelligent, no-nonsense-yet-caring, a great combination of practicality and optimism, and AN ADULT. He’s the antithesis of everything this campaign has exposed about Chris Speranzo.
Yes this election is very important and I’m worried about healthcare costs rising to beyond the 50% of what Mass already spends on it.
I’m also daring to hope for the transparency and no-ties to a party with corporate influence that Mark and Scott seem to be genuine about.
I want who we elect to be open about what goes on after tomorrow and keep fighting for us out here.
Kind of tough to get real information on all the candidate’s aside from here of course as not all of them are putting their views on the web and I don’t feel like calling a campaign office.
I must be crazy because I want to be able to look up each of the candidate’s information easier then what kinds of toppings I want on a pizza.
This website is all about getting We The People the “real information” you so wisely mention. You are NOT crazy for wanting for reps to be responsive and not run and hide when caught stuffing their craws full of fat-laden cookies.
We’ll have another chance to get rid of a few more REAL crooks next Nov. in our Pittsfield municipal elections, especially our current mayor. Most of our city council needs to go also. Good luck today to the people in getting the establishment candidates out and the real good ones in.