LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Torricelli's 'Opportunism'
Robert Torricelli's "Much Progress Since 1955" [Progressive Populist
7/96] is a disingenuous and shabby piece of election year opportunism, if
ever there was one. For anyone with more than a passing knowledge of Torricelli's
record knows that he is one of the last people who should be writing about
or commenting upon progressive politics. He being one of the more retrograde
politicians in this state. He is a friend and familiar to the likes of Haiti's
FRAPH, Cuban American National Foundation's Jorge Mas Canosa and - despite
last year's PR campaign around Jennifer Harbury - in all likelihood, Guatemala's
generals.
His record is horrible. We are including a packet of information that should
enlighten you about him. Among other things, he has voted for GATT, the
fast track provisions of NAFTA, the Crime Bill and, most recently, the end
of aid to dependent families. On other issues, such as the single-payer
health care, when members of our organization were peacefully (and legally)
passing out leaflets on single-payer in front of one of his "town meetings"
at a public high school in East Rutherford, New Jersey, a number of years
back, he had the police run them off.
He has also co-authored a bill with Newt Gingrich, no less, easing 10-K
reporting requirements for corporations, as well as authoring a bill that
would have greatly eroded first amendment rights by copyrighting the American
flag and making it an infringement of copyright law to have burned or destroyed
it.
I can go on, but won't. For further information about his record, our organization,
or the independent progressive U.S. senatorial campaign of former Essex
County rainbow coordinator Wilburt Kornegay - who faces off against Republicrats
Torricelli and Zimmer - please contact New Jersey Independents, PO Box 86,
Hackensack, N.J. 07602, telephone 201-487-3748 / 201-883-1531 (fax).
How your publication, which purports to be progressive, can give space to
him to spew out his mediocre "say nothing" filth is beyond me.
What gives?
Steve Cooper
Chair, New Jersey Independents
PO Box 86
Hackensack NJ 07602
Editor's Note: Torricelli has a mixed record. His 1992 Cuban Democracy
Act, which tightened trade restrictions with Cuba, was opposed by many congressional
Democrats but he also favored sanctions and intervention in Haiti, according
to the Almanac of American Politics 1996. And he supported tough welfare
reforms last year but he also has been rated by the National Journal solidly
among the liberals on economic and social issues in 1993 and 1994. This
distinguishes him from the Republican nominee, Dick Zimmer, who has compiled
a solidly conservative record in Congress. The article by Torricelli in
the July Progressive Populist, a defense of federal government programs,
speaks for itself.
I like Ross
Just want you to know that I am behind Ross 100%. I do not feel like that
I am an American any more. I fought for this country and now I am nothing,
because big busines is running this country and everyone in it. I can not
go along with it I am left out. If Ross has dotted all his I's and crossed
all his T's he should have equal time. It's still my air space and if it
passes through my property without him in it than let the U.S. goverment
pay me for using my air space.
Mike Valliere
email LTHV20A@prodigy.com
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