The Day has, for reasons the rational among us cannot fathom, repeatedly endorsed Heather Somers for any political office for which she happens to hanker. Curiously, however, the Day never bothers to cover what Ms. Somers happens to do in the course of her official duties.
Wait, let me correct myself. The Day slavishly passes on her self promoting press releases, but that’s not quite the same as actually committing journalism in the classic sense that some of us believe the Founders had in mind when they passed the First Amendment.
Here’s a recent case in point, about which the Day’s readers have heard nothing. The Connecticut constitution contains some absurd restrictions that prevent the legislature from allowing early voting except in limited cases. Recently a majority of the Connecticut Senate passed a bill that would begin the process of amending the constitution to correct this flaw. As it requires a super majority to get on the ballot it failed, because every Republican, including Heather Somers, voted against it.
Why is Heather against making it easier for people to exercise their right to vote? Well, according to Heather, you shouldn’t hand people their voting rights on a silver platter. To which a person who believes in democracy might say: why shouldn’t the state hand people their rights on a silver platter. Some might say that the state should make it its business to encourage everyone to vote, and that making voting easy and convenient is a fundamental obligation of any state that calls itself a democracy. Heather doesn’t see it that way. She appears to believe voters must prove themselves worthy to exercise their right to vote by overcoming every obstacle that good Republicans like Heather can place in their way. The Day reprinted a Connecticut Mirror article about the issue, but did not mention Heather or any other local opponent of the bill, nor did it do any independent journalism on this vital issue.
Perhaps the Day should ask Heather why it is a good thing to make people struggle to cast their vote. Perhaps the Day should let Heather’s constituents know that it is her opinion that it is a good thing to make it hard for people to cast a vote. Perhaps the Day should consider reporting on what Heather actually does, rather than reporting on the drivel that comes out of both sides of her mouth.
Just a thought, of course. I realize it’s contrary to the Day’s editorial philosophy to hold Republicans to the same standards as Democrats.
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