Letters to the editor for Sunday, Jan. 15
Westborough woman decided to 'fight the poverty'
More and more, faster than the movement of a bird, people fall into food insecurity, hunger and poverty in every nook of the world, including the U.S.
By witnessing poverty, I made my pledge. One day, I wandered in a park in Boston. I saw homeless people begging for food, struggling and sleeping on the muddy grass. I found myself in an emotional quagmire and my heart screeched at me: “Fight the poverty.” I joined The Borgen Project and became an ambassador. The Borgen Project is a unique nonprofit organization that combats global poverty and advocates for the poor.
Poverty is an economic situation that disables people from providing the minimum conditions for maintaining life. It can be seen as a bitter divorce between society and an individual that does not have basic needs. Poverty is rapidly increasing and, like a sickness, it has not been cured. Every year, people are forced to live in cardboard boxes, tents or in homeless shelters.
A keen understanding of the need to care for those in penury is dimmed by other complex global issues, such as the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. However, poverty in the U.S., a country of high opportunities, hopes and dreams, must be addressed equally by its leaders.
The size and scope of the costs of combating poverty in the U.S. must be recalculated, and Congress must take immediate action. Starting today with ourselves, we can change the world to create a better tomorrow.
Olivia Antenucci, Borgen Project ambassadorWestborough
Farewell, Gov. Baker — and thanks for trying to avoid partisan politics
Gov. Baker is usually the smartest person in the room. As a legislative staffer for him years ago, I quickly observed a few things about Charlie: He’s incredibly driven, loves data, is laser-focused and likes to fix things. His staff at all levels (and many critics) respect and admire him. He demands quick thinking and solution-oriented approaches. He likes policy — but did not seem to love politics or government quagmire.
Baker can be intimidating, but also personable and kind. I respect the no-nonsense, low- key, extremely competent style of this popular departing governor. A brilliant, level-headed, even-keel leader with morals seems to be an anomaly now. You might forget which party he’s from — and isn’t that a good thing?
I worked for Baker when he was a senior adviser to Govs. Weld and Cellucci while he oversaw the large Administration and Finance agency. He was sharper than most politicians, and I recall thinking he should run for office — that he should be governor or even president.
In the 1990s, Baker was credited for turning around Massachusetts’ poor bond rating and overhauling and devising critical technology, revenue and health and human services initiatives for the Weld and Cellucci administrations. Baker, often referred to as a “technocrat,” was the brains behind many program improvements, and became known for architecting solutions to big government challenges, including the Y2K technology transition, the opioid epidemic and ambitious energy and climate change projects.
In this era of many politicians exercising bombast and polarizing politics, Baker stayed true to his values and competencies by avoiding the extremism of the right, by perhaps making you forget which party he might be from. I find his style refreshing among the many disturbing leaders holding office. Whether you’re Democrat, Republican, independent or unsure, you’re probably frustrated with one aspect of government. Finding capable candidates who choose to be in the public sector because they can make a difference seems rare.
Baker is not without flaws. I’m an independent and not drawn to many Republicans. He is criticized for not doing enough to improve the state’s transportation crisis and for not improving affordable housing options. But I think he’s tried incredibly hard during what has been arguably the most challenging of times in our state and country’s history — and accomplished a lot.
He is lauded for tackling the opioid crisis, streamlining antiquated processes, and leading the state through a pandemic with smart, difficult choices during early COVID-19 times. As a former health care insurance company CEO, his vast knowledge of the industry — combined with his ability to run a tight corner office ship — prepared him to navigate the many stages and decisions of the pandemic’s daunting stages, tackling vaccine access, education, health care and sound public and fiscal crisis management.
Baker does not fit into a typical party position box. He refused to support our former dangerous president (receiving tremendous ongoing backlash in doing so), defended the politicized masking mandate in early pandemic days and spent more money than a typical Republican on certain health and human service programs; he examined positions and impact and defended policies he believed in (even if those choices defied many on the right). Following the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade reversal, Baker implemented an executive order protecting the rights of women seeking protection under the 50-year law — as well as physicians now threatened by providing related services.
Baker is not adamant about his own ideologies. He listens, pragmatically answering call-in questions regularly from residents on public radio by offering thoughtful responses, dissecting and describing plans for complex problems into simple narratives — admitting when his administration could have tackled something better. We need accountable, knowledgeable leaders with a vision, who inspire confidence, engage with constituents, make safe choices in the best interest of the public and don’t govern erratically or irresponsibly; we’ve come to expect many elected representatives may govern this way — it’s not OK.
Baker was polled as the country’s most popular governor often over eight years. I’m excited about Gov. Healey but I’ll miss Charlie Baker. From this former junior staffer, I’m grateful for his accomplishments, dedication and integrity. I applaud his leadership and wish there were more leaders like him.
Alex ProtheroNatick
This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: MetroWest Milford Daily News letters to the editor for Sunday, Jan. 15
