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© 2021 The Somerville Times. All rights reserved.
(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)
By Ken Brociner
There are eight candidates running for the four At-Large seats on the Somerville City Council. For most people in town, trying to figure out who to vote for on Nov. 2 isn’t going to be an easy task. With that in mind, I’m going to offer my own views on each of the candidates in the hope that it might help you think through which four would most effectively guide our city in the years ahead.
I’ll start with the four candidates who I believe are the most qualified to represent all 80,000 or so residents of our city.
Kristen Strezo is the only incumbent At-Large Councilor running for re-election, and based on her year and a half of outstanding service on the Council, we would all benefit by granting her two more years to forcefully speak up for the rights of women, working people, and the most marginalized members of our community. Her list of endorsements is too long to enumerate here but it includes Ayanna Pressley, Joe Curtatone, the Greater Boston Labor Council, and the Mass. Women’s Political Caucus.
Justin Klekota has so many impressive credentials that it’s hard to keep track of all of them. For example, Justin was instrumental in putting together the resolution that became a key part of the Green New Deal that has been enacted by both the Mass. State Gov’t and the City of Somerville.
Klekota is a longtime resident of Somerville who has not only been active in progressive politics on a local level, he has also been an outspoken leader in the larger LBGTQ community. As if that wasn’t enough, Justin is also Somerville’s representative on the Democratic State Committee. In that capacity, he’s done his best to make sure that progressive views are always incorporated into the DSC’s ongoing work. Of the many professional hats that Klekota wears, perhaps none is more important than being a researcher in the fields of fighting breast and early childhood cancer and developing new vaccines against influenza.
Justin’s been endorsed by City Councilor Mary Jo Rossetti, School Committee members Carrie Normand and Ilana Krepchin, the LBGTQ Victory Fund, the Somerville Fire Fighters Association and several other local organizations.
Tracey Leah Pratt’s campaign was turned upside down by a serious health emergency that put her out of action from the end of July until the beginning of October. Fortunately, she’s fine now and is in the process of giving it her all to win one of the four At-Large seats on the Council.
Matt McLaughlin, who, by all accounts is one of the most progressive and effective members of the City Council, had this to say about Tracey:
If I can convince people to vote for only one person it would be Tracey Leah Pratt. I’m not supporting her because she would be the first African American woman to serve on the City Council, or because our ideals are perfectly aligned on every single issue. I’m supporting her because I truly believe her voice is needed at city hall.
Tracey is not a politician. She is an educator both professionally and in everyday life. While some people attach their names to groups or causes for personal gain, Tracey creates groups and advocates for causes in a way that is inclusive and rooted in compassion. She helped form the group Just Us Somerville to represent people of color who felt their voices were being co-opted by people who want to use the movement for their own self gain. She served as the Ward 1 Democratic Committee chair and helped select the city’s first Race and Social Justice Director.
Jake Wilson’s campaign has also been slow in getting up to full speed. The reason for this speaks volumes about the kind of person Jake is. He was so focused on making sure that Somerville Youth Soccer was going to continue on a solid foundation after he passed on its leadership to someone else that for several months he just didn’t have the time to go all out in his bid for the City Council. Wilson’s deep and long-standing commitment to many hundreds of kids and their families throughout our community has been widely known for quite some time. But now that he feels that Somerville Youth Soccer is in good hands, he is out there knocking on as many doors as he can before Nov 2.
Jake is a pragmatic progressive who considers himself an independent socialist who, interestingly, is not aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America. I think he’d make a wonderful addition to the City Council
Virginia Hussey’s life story is truly compelling. She is a combat veteran of the war in Iraq who faced homelessness when she returned. She’s a single mother and a lifelong resident of Somerville who has coached youth sports and has given back to the community in other ways as well. But when it comes to her political views and judgment, her support of William “Stop the Steal” Tauro raises more than a few questions about her suitability to serve on the City Council.
Three of the candidates running for At-Large seats are running as a slate which they are calling “Somerville For All.” Eve Seitchick, Willie Burnley Jr., and Charlotte Kelley have identical positions on all of the issues – all of which just so happen to correspond to the positions taken by the Boston chapter of the Democratic Socialist of America (DSA).
On most issues, their stands are solidly progressive. However, they seem to be unaware of the fact that Somerville’s current City Council has either proposed or already passed many of the plans that DSA has been campaigning on.
Eve, Willie, and Charlotte all sincerely (and naively) believe that they represent the cutting edge of a new movement in the United States which is being led by DSA. As someone who has been active on the American Left for the last 50 years, I am very familiar with this mindset.
All three of them are young and relatively new to left-wing politics. The way I see it, their zealous attachment to their newfound ideology and organizational affiliation is not terribly different from converts to a new religion.
Another trait they all share is that they see the world in such oversimplified ways that they have convinced themselves that the majority of Americans will eventually see the light and come around to their way of thinking regardless of how extreme some of their views may be.
For example, all of them support the “abolish the police movement.” Apparently, it doesn’t bother them (if they have given any serious thought to it to begin with) that Somervillians who live in the neighborhoods with the highest crime rates see this “movement” as nothing more than a cruel joke.
On some level, though, “The Somerville For All” slate has figured out that their advocacy of abolishing the police would probably not go over well with the overwhelming majority of people in Somerville. So what did they do? Hide it from the voters. Check out their campaign websites and literature – their support of abolishing the police is nowhere to be found.
Same with their explicitly stated goal of making Somerville “the first city in the history of New England to have a socialist majority on the city council.” Putting aside how most Somervillians may feel about this, the plain fact is that the “Somerville For All” slate has decided to keep one of their key goals from … the people of Somerville! You certainly won’t find it on any of their websites or in any of their literature.
What I find to be most galling about all of this is how often these three candidates proclaim their commitment to political “transparency.” Perhaps they themselves are unable to see it, but rather than “transparency” a more appropriate word for this strategy would be “deception.”
Ken Brociner has lived in Somerville since 1975. His essays, columns, and reviews have appeared in Dissent, In These Times, the Boston Phoenix, and the Somerville Journal, among other publications.
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You seem like an untrustworthy person, Ken. You make the claim that you’re on “the American left,” yet you spout standard right-wing democrat talking points. Reactionaries like you should never be listened to.
Thank you for convincing me that the Somerville for All slate are the only candidates worth voting for.
It’s interesting that you mention Ayanna Pressley’s endorsement of Kristen Strezo, but fail to mention her endorsement of a candidate you go into great detail to denounce, Willie Burnley, Jr. Why is that?
You’re very welcome Connor…you are quite right..I am a true reactionary and love spouting right wing talking points – except of course that I have been out in the streets protesting against all sorts of injustices for the last 50 years…but i guess according to your lock shut dogmatic worldview, anyone who disagrees with you is a “reactionary”….good luck with that kind of mechanistic way of thinking!
Why is that Steve? Because I am a rabid racist…at least that’s what you are trying to make me out to be…right Steve? Maybe I didn’t mention that Ayanna Pressley endorsed Willie because I am not supporting him and I am supporting Kristen…is that too difficult for you to wrap your brain around?
One other point. If you read my column carefully, you would have seen that besides Kristen, I am also supporting Tracey Leah Pratt, an African American woman who is one of the founders of the anti-racist group JustusSomerville. But that didn’t stop you from making your snide insinuation. Why not? Next time you have something to say, you might want to just come right out and say it instead of hiding behind oh so clever insinuations.
I think it’s dishonest to mention that Ayanna Pressley endorsed Kristen Strezo and not Willie Burnley, Jr.
Even if this is an opinion piece that detail makes me distrust it.
Andrew
Your point is well taken – however, as you well know, the main thrust of the column was to point out why I think Kristen Strezo, Justin Klekota, Tracey Leah Pratt, and Jake Wilson are the most qualified to serve on the Council.
I explained in some detail why I believe that the three candidates running on the so called “Somerville For All” slate have, in effect, disqualified themselves by running a deliberately deceptive campaign. Given that, who might or might not have endorsed any of them is besides the point – which is why I didn’t mention it.
I’m not an expert on the concept of police abolition, but even a few minutes of googling “police abolition” suggests that it’s Ken Brociner who is being “deliberately deceptive” here, not the “Somerville for All” candidates.
As I understand it, police abolition is a long-term vision of a world where we address the root causes of crime by allocating more resources to address issues like housing, poverty, mental health, addiction, etc. rather than allocating more and more resources to policing and incarceration. The goal isn’t to simply eliminate police departments overnight; it’s to gradually create a world where the root causes of crime are eliminated and police are no longer needed. The people I’ve heard advocating for police abolition describe it as an effort that would take decades or generations to accomplish, not something that would happen in a single City Council term.
Brociner claims that the “Somerville for All” candidates are being deceptive because they support abolishing the police but “hide” that support from voters. A more logical explanation is that these candidates understand that it would be absurd to claim that if elected to City Council, they would immediately abolish the police, and have no intention of doing such a thing. Instead they propose things like “transforming public safety through civilianizing crisis response roles that do not need to be armed” that represent incremental steps toward this long-term vision. According to the Our Revolution Somerville endorsement questionnaire, these candidates also support “cutting the police budget by at least 10% in each year of the next term”, a position which is incidentally also supported by Tracey Leah Pratt (who Brociner does support), according to the same questionnaire.
It is clear that there are significant differences in how the various City Council At-Large candidates envision public safety in Somerville. It is disappointing that rather than trying to sincerely understand and engage with these different perspectives, Brociner has instead chosen to fearmonger and misrepresent the views of some candidates, even while accusing them of “deception” and “seeing the world in oversimplified ways” – accusations which seem more fitting for his own editorial.
Annie, I can’t agree with you more. Seems Ken is hiding his agenda in this hit piece and looking to sway people’s opinions thru subterfuge. It is sickening and shows he is not a TRUE progressive, but someone looking to maintain his ill-gotten gains thru his white privilege. This needs to called out.
I’ve said many times and I know most of “Somerville for All” agree we need better controls on who can post articles and what gets posted on all forms of media. Not only city wide, but nationwide. I have no issue with the 1st amendment (freedom of speech), but we need to have some way to stop all the disinformation and half-truths like this piece from seeing the light of day.
I know it was talked about before, but we all need to push hard to form a “People’s Committee on truthful social posting” . No publication (no matter how large or small) should be allowed to publish or post anything without the committee’s review/approval. Anything the committee deems to be less than truthful or harmful to the people (like the anti-VAXers or any Trump voter) gets flagged and action taken against the persons.
Articles like Ken’s would immediately be tossed in the dust bin before anyone has a chance to be deceived.
Wow, Mark – are you sure you aren’t a character right of Orwell’s 1984?!
Annie,
The last time I looked at the DSA candidates’ websites, they made it clear that, if elected, they would support 10% cuts in the police budget every year for the indefinite future. You can do the math….at that rate, within 10 years, the police budget would be down close to zero. Now it appears that they have conveniently erased those positions from their websites. I wonder why?
You claim that they have only called for such cuts in “the next term.” That may have been how the ORS questionnaire worded it, but on other questionnaires, during forums, on their websites, and on their own campaign literature, none of the DSA candidates made any reference to, or in any way implied, that those cuts would be limited to the “next term.”
You argue that “The goal isn’t to simply eliminate police departments overnight; it’s to gradually create a world where the root causes of crime are eliminated and police are no longer needed.”
That’s a beautiful dream, but only the most naïve among us actually believe that it could ever be realized. Violence has been endemic to the human condition throughout all of recorded history. To believe that it would so totally disappear that we would no longer need any police to help protect us from violent crime is nothing more than wishful thinking.
As I have said before, I still consider myself a socialist – but a more realistic one than I was when I was in college from 1967-71. Twenty years ago, I published an article in Dissent magazine, entitled” Utopianism, Human Nature, and the Left.” Here is a link to it. I think you’ll find it thought provoking, even if you don’t agree with everything in it. https://www.dissentmagazine.org/article/utopianism-human-nature-and-the-left.
As for the elections to the Somerville City Council, there are independent – minded, pragmatic progressives running for the four At-Large seats and for the seats representing Wards 5 and 7. And, of course, there are DSA candidates running for these seats as well.
Apart from how offended I am by the deliberately deceptive strategies being employed by the DSAers, there is also the fact that their main network of support (in terms of money and volunteers) comes from the Boston chapter of DSA – not exactly a Somerville based organization.
A perfect illustration of how this is playing out can be seen from the following message that appeared on the Boston DSA’s website: “ This upcoming November, Boston DSA (my emphasis) has the chance to elect 7 DSA members to Somerville’s city council, which would be a socialist majority on Somerville City Council! “
I have lived in Somerville for 46 years. I don’t want our city’s political future to be determined by a rigid, ideologically driven organization that is more concerned about racking up a victory it can claim credit for than it is about the 80,000 flesh and blood people living in Somerville.
Ken, I have heard this claim from you and several other opponents of the DSA candidates:
“The last time I looked at the DSA candidates’ websites, they made it clear that, if elected, they would support 10% cuts in the police budget every year for the indefinite future. You can do the math….at that rate, within 10 years, the police budget would be down close to zero.”
Could someone please provide a link, screenshot, or some other actual evidence that this is the real plan that the DSA candidates support? I have only ever heard this formulation come from people who oppose the DSA candidates, so I would like to see some primary sources, please.
Forgive me if until I see those receipts, I consider you as accurate in recounting the “Somerville for All” candidates’ proposals as you are in acknowledging the endorsements that two of them received from Ayanna Pressley.
As follow-up point, even supposing that this actual language appeared at some point on the DSA candidates’ campaign material, wouldn’t the logical explanation for the fact that it no longer appears on their websites, campaign literature, etc. be that they have since modified their plans, and not that they are rigid ideologues who are hiding their real plans from voters?
Annie
If I have the time – and can find someone who knows how to recover screen shots, I’ll get them to you. But it might be much easier to call any of the candidates and simply ask them if what I have said is true. Then you’ll see for yourself.
As for your point about the Ayanna Pressley endorsement…scroll up and see what I said to Andrew about that. Sorry – but your attempt to cast aspersions about my integrity doesn’t square with either the facts.
What you have called “a logical explanation” is just wishful thinking. People like that, who are so ideologically attached to a particular position or belief, don’t let go of such deeply held views in the way you are suggesting.
This will be my last comment on this topic, since engaging here doesn’t appear to be a productive use of my time.
I did ask one of the candidates about this specific point (indefinite 10% cuts to the police budget) – I didn’t record their answer verbatim, but if I recall correctly, they made similar points to what I described in my first comment, and had no idea where this particular talking point about 10% cuts came from.
Did you call any of these candidates to clarify the facts about what they actually believe before you attempted to cast aspersions about their integrity?
Annie
I am sorry – but you are simply wrong. I know someone who I think can retrieve screen shots. But perhaps we can go another route…why don’t you indicate exactly which candidate you spoke to and what they said? I strongly doubt ANY of them would go on record by name and state what can be so easily shown to be untrue. Annie, I didn’t have to call any of them to confirm this – they themselves put it up on their own websites.
If you want to end this discussion – and not spend any more of your time on it – that’s fine. But the “evidence” you just cited is, to put it mildly, not worth much. But I too am getting tired of this…anyone in Somerville who saw these websites can attest to what i have written. Just because you don’t/won’t believe what i have reported, doesn’t mean I am under any obligation to go find a screen shot to prove it to you. You are the only person I know of who is disputing the veracity of what I have reported. Seems to me the burden of proof is on you. Once again, which candidate did you speak to and exactly what did they say? And if none of them will go on record and dispute what I reported, then that should be all the proof that is needed to end this discussion.
I would recommend that everyone who is planning on voting to watch the candidate debate which is available on YouTube.
I love it – the Mensheviks vs Bolsheviks right here in Somerville. Hey, Ken, newsflash if you thought the hardcore Bolsheviks (DSA) were going to let you into their little sandbox to play then you’re certainly not the sharpest knife in the drawer. You’re not in their little club and never will be as – as crazy as this is – you’re not Marxist enough for them and don’t toe their line 110%.
Any candidate that the DSA commies are backing – is a stooge/puppet for them. The DSA is a very small, loud and intolerant group – they’re just backed by outside monied interests (mostly developers to scare everyone so they can grab properties on the cheap). Anyone that doesn’t realize that is dumber than Ken.
Sadly, because of voter apathy we don’t have options in this city any longer. I’d be shocked if 10% of people vote and who can you vote for? All the candidates are either commie-lite or regular commies. Be prepared for this city to follow the path of more homelessness and crime when this nuts get full control.
Kelly,
I’m going to take a wild guess. Did you happen to vote for both Trump and Tauro?
Ken, if you knew me you’d know I would never vote for the megalomaniac “Trump”. Hated the guy. I voted Biden because I thought he shared the same space in the democratic party as I do – moderate democratic (pro-choice, pro-LGBTQ+, etc.). He used to when he was a senator from Delaware. I obviously did not realize he is now a character from One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest and barely knows what planet he’s on. Live and learn.
Oh…. and nice try on sucking up the DSA crowd by attacking posters, but they’re not going to let you “in”. You’re not the “right” type of progressive for them now and they tolerate absolutely no dissenters. They may let you scrub the toilets, but even that I doubt. But keep trying!
Kelly
Interesting how you neglected to say whether or not you voted for Tauro.
Also, do you actually think that throwing around such junior high school insults adds to the power of your “brilliant” insights?
And speaking of jr high school insults, how am I “sucking up to the DSA crowd”? Perhaps you haven’t noticed that I have written column after column criticizing many aspects of their campaigns?
One last question, why do you use “Kelly Turnbull” of all names to hide behind? A Google search turns up some very interesting information…but just a coincidence, right?
Ken, no I did NOT vote for William Tauro. Katjiana seemed the most level headed candidate in a very, weak field. I like Will Mbah as he is a likeable guy, but the DSA folks are the hands behind the puppet. I told Will that and that is the reason for my not backing him and advised he show some independence from those Marxist mobsters or he will not win. I think he is too owned by them now, so that can’t happen. I feel bad for Will as once they’re done using him to grab power they will discard him.
As for you and the DSA. What’s that old saying….
first they came for the republicans/conservatives and I said/did nothing…
then they came for the libertarians and I said/did nothing…
then they came for the moderate/blue dog democrats and I said/did nothing…
now… they’re coming for you. You and your old hippie friends that slid in here years ago are the means they used to get in the door, so enjoy the mess you created. Biting at their heels now is some seriously weak tea.
My name? yeh…. one of my ex’s mentioned it was a common name. I’ll have to google it, but I don’t know that anyone has done a WIKI entry for me yet.
What are you talking about?? I said nothing about DSA??! Can your read? Though, I don’t see them in the ridiculous, cartoonish way you do…not at all. Whatever happens in this election, our civil liberties will remain intact and Somerville will not be in mortal danger.
So I “slid in here”? Why the venom…are you that full of hate? And btw, I “slid in here” 46 years ago! and I sure as hell didn’t create any mess – regardless of what your hate filled mind may believe. You can have the last word…I am done wasting my time with someone like you.
Did you know that if you reduce the budget by 10% a year for 10 years, it will be a third of what it was at the start? Not near zero (unless you started near zero, I guess).
(9/10)^10 is about 0.35