Democracy Suffers Without Debate
As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, many of us are rightfully concerned about the state of our democracy. Extreme polarization, dark money in elections, and rising authoritarianism are just a few of the challenges facing our ongoing experiment in self-government. While it is tempting to place the blame squarely on the leading party in Washington, there are many actions we can take here in Massachusetts to strengthen our democratic values and institutions. For starters, we need to shine more light on one of the least transparent legislatures in the country, but that won’t happen until we have more competitive state legislative races. This would require more primary challengers to Democratic incumbents, who generally receive strong support from party leadership and other electeds. When voters lack any choice, elections become meaningless and elected representatives become unaccountable. For the first time in over a decade, voters in Dedham, Norwood, Westwood, Walpole, West Roxbury, and parts of Roslindale, Hyde Park, and Jamaica Plain have a choice on the ballot for their State Senator. An accomplished public interest lawyer and BPS parent, Persis Yu, is challenging longtime incumbent Mike Rush. The September 1 primary is a great opportunity for Suffolk and Norfolk voters to engage in the electoral process, talk to their neighbors about the issues, and express their budget and policy priorities. One way for voters to be well informed and engaged is by watching the candidates debate. However, Rush has yet to accept Yu’s challenge to three debates, which she made on June 1. If Rush declines to debate, it will be a disservice to his constituents and harmful for democracy. Elected officials bear a civic responsibility to educate voters about their positions and engage fully in the democratic process. Like many incumbents, Rush presumably feels he has nothing to gain from a public debate. But the voters certainly do as does the democratic process.
Roy Lincoln Karp
West Roxbury
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