WGBH reports U.S. Rep. Richard Neal’s reluctance to debate his Democratic opponent Tahirah Amatul-Wadud.
“What’s the Dough Boy afraid of?” Ben and Jerry’s slogan, when attacked by Pillsbury, could apply to Neal. Maybe he’s afraid of being asked about the “dough”: the millions of dollars in campaign contributions, roughly 75 percent of which comes from corporations and PACs. Less than 1 percent comes from small donors (under $200). Maybe the donations that he’s taken from the insurance and healthcare industry totaling millions of dollars have made him afraid to answer questions about his reluctance to support single-payer health care, a plank in the Massachusetts State Democratic Platform, and something the public overwhelmingly supports and needs.
He might be afraid of questions concerning thousands of dollars in contributions from Cardinal and McKesson, which have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in federal fines for price gouging and illegalities contributing to our opioid crisis. Why does he refuse to return this dirty money, or redirect it to help those these companies have afflicted?
What’s he afraid of? The press? Not when taking bows in Union Station, where he appears so often that he ought to pay rent. Why does he only hold town hall meetings on weekdays during the day when working people are unable to attend? He doesn’t like to answer the hard questions from real people who pay taxes, unlike so many of his corporate fat cat donors. His 29 years in office have yielded little benefit for average people. His campaign theme song, assuming he actually campaigns in front of actual voters, should be “Am I Blue?” That’s what Democratic voters are wondering.
Ken Eisenstein
Shelburne Falls