Voting For Vs Voting Against

To the Editor:

The noted historian and political scientist William Bennett Munro once said, “People vote their resentment, not their appreciation. The average man does not vote for anything, but against something.”

Reading last week’s Bee brought to my mind, very clearly, professor Munro’s sentiment. On the front page was a story titled “Republican Candidates Accept Independent Support, With Reservations.” The reportage indicated that the newly formed Independent Party of Newtown (IPN) has decided to support the Republican ticket for first selectman and selectman. The “reservation” referred to the comments made by Paul Mangiafico, the GOP candidate for selectman, who stated that he does not support the platform of the IPN and that he “rejects in total the IPN’s so-called Declaration of Independence.”

So here we have a political entity that is supporting a candidate who is totally opposed to their party’s platform and beliefs, because they do not have a dog in the race, and will do anything to defeat the incumbent. My hat is off to Mr Mangiafico for maintaining his independence and not compromising his principles and integrity in order to gain support from a group whose views are contrary to his own.

This should serve as a message to the many unaffiliated voters in Newtown who may be considering membership in the IPN. They should ask themselves if this is the kind of organization they want to support or belong to. A famous Irish statesman, whose name escapes me at the moment, said it best: “Nothing is politically right which is morally wrong.”

George Caracciolo

Schoolhouse Hill Road, Newtown September          October 1, 2007

(Editor’s note: George Caracciolo is a Republican candidate for the Board of Education. See also Paul Mangiafico’s letter this week, “Story Mischaracterized Candidate’s Position.” )