The Last Debate Was Missing Something. We’ve Got the 3 Indie Candidates’ Answers Right Here
In tonight’s gubernatorial debate, you’ll probably hear a lot from candidate Charlie Baker and Martha Coakley. But you won’t hear from any of the three independent candidates—Evan Falchuk, Scott Lively, and Jeff McCormick—because they weren’t invited.
Or will you?
Boston.com decided that if WGBH and The Boston Globe didn’t want to give the three so-called “lesser’’ candidates a forum tonight, then we would! We’ve asked Falchuk, Lively, and McCormick to give us their responses to the debate questions, and we’ll post them here as the debate unfolds.
Question 1: How will you create jobs?
Falchuk:
Martha says- “invest in our workforce.’’ How? What plan?
Charlie uses lots of very general platitudes.
I say – lower the cost of living by cutting health care costs and housing costs.
This “outsourcing’’ conversation is the kind of thing that people in the political establishment like to talk about. The biggest issue the people face are skyrocketing health care costs and a failure of policy to deal with housing costs. Most people have no idea what this is about.
Jim’s question about either Charlie or Martha “creating’’ jobs is part of the problem. Businesses create jobs, not the government.
Funny to hear Charlie complain about 2 sets of rules. He’s wrong that he’s the only candidate that has put out a plan on transparency in hiring.
And here we go with Big Dig discussion, outsourcing, and Martha saying “I didn’t have anything to do with that.’’ No wonder voters aren’t inspired by either of these two.
Lively:
I would downsize and streamline government, return power and control to cities and states, and lower taxes and lessen regulation on business to spur job creation in the private sector
McCormick:
I have been creating jobs for 27 years in energy, healthcare, environmental, software as well as other industries. No other candidate candidate has helped to create thousands of jobs as I have. I strongly believe we need growth throughout the Commonwealth. This means reducing the burdens on small businesses, creating enterprise zones in our Gateway cities, workforce training and development and educating our students for the jobs of the future. The other candidates talk about it but I have done it.
Deval Patrick should not have moved 500 managers into the NAGE Union making those jobs permanent and reducing the flexibility of the next Governor. This is why I am running as an Independent. We need a Governor in the corner office who is committed to transparency, accountability, and most importantly the working families of Massachusetts whose tax dollars fund state operations. This decision should have been left to the next Governor.
Question 2: Taxes
Falchuk:
It would be a lot easier to believe Martha is a consumer advocate if she stood up to the organization – Partners – that is hurting families and businesses more than anything else.
Martha won’t answer what taxes she will raise – “we are exploring ways’’ which avoids the point that we can’t do what she just said (raise taxes on higher earners).
Charlie’s got no plan, other than to say the word “middle class’’ over and over again. It’s not that people are getting nickel and dimed – they are – but they are getting knocked down by the high cost of living from health care and housing costs, which they won’t talk about. Unless you include someone in a debate that will push those issues.
Lively:
New Taxes? No I would not raise taxes. We have more than enough money in the existing budget to provide for needs of the commonwealth if we expose and stop waste, fraud and abuse.
McCormick:
Taxes – Everything has to be on the table to ensure that services are provided at a level that taxpayers expect and deserve. However, my priorities would be to reduce taxes and put money back in the pockets of working families.
Question 1 – I support the repeal of Question 1, the indexing of the gas tax. This is one of the reasons why I am running as an Independent. Elected officials and, in particular, the Governor, have a responsibility to explain tax increases to the taxpayers and vote on it each time. An index, ad infinitum, without review, is not how we should run the Government.
Question 3: Driver’s licenses, voting rights, and in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants
Falchuk:
Charlie – there are governors from about a dozen states that have figured out how to do drivers licenses. They aren’t no one. Try California, Washington, Nevada, New Mexico, Illinois, Maryland, Connecticut. They’ve all done it. He’s either not aware of this or is wilfully misleading people.
Martha – isn’t really serious about drivers licenses, which is why she didn’t answer.
Jim’s right to say that you can’t just point to the federal government. Unfortunately, Charlie bailed on the immigration forum last week. Martha says she’s not afraid to sue Washington – why didn’t she sue Massachusetts over the failure to follow the law on human services workers?
Lively:
Driver licenses for illegals? Absolutely not. I support the deportation of all illegal aliens so they can get in line behind the law-abiding and honest applicants for entry. We have a very generous legal immigration system. Those who cheat their way into the country should not be allowed to remain.
Voting for illegals? Insanity. Frankly, we would instantly solve the problems of insufficient low income housing and too few jobs if the illegals were deported.
McCormick:
Immigration – I support driver’s licenses for immigrants because it is an issue of public safety. I also support in state tuition for immigrants. 61% of new businesses in the state are started by immigrants. These businesses are the job creators. We want our students to be as educated as they can be.
Voting – I agree with Charlie Baker, you need to be a citizen to vote. It is in the Constitution. What we don’t need is voter ID laws which are designed to suppress voter turnout.
Question 4: Women’s issues and the Hobby Lobby decision
Falchuk:
Charlie – there’s no way to “overthink’’ Hobby Lobby. You don’t know what you are talking about. And this has nothing to do with the serious issues facing women, like pay equity. No discussion of the 77 cents on the dollar women are paid compared to men. No discussion of domestic violence.
Lively:
Women’s issues? Why are women who embrace traditional family values always excluded in discussions of :women’s issues?
McCormick:
Hobby Lobby – Women need access to safe and reliable contraception and certainly can make better decisions for themselves than companies.
Question 5: What misconception about you in the media bothers you the most?
Falchuk:
What drives must voters up the wall is the idea that in an important debate like this we get questions about what bothers Charlie when he gets home. There are millions of people in our state that have lots of stuff that bothers them when they get home, it’s just that no one wants to ask what they think. Voters matter.
Martha then takes him to task about Harvard Pilgrim, I guess that drives her up the wall?
What does all of this have to do with voters?
McCormick:
Media Coverage – I know that the media coverage, or lack of, has impacted impacted the ability of the voters to hear from all the candidates. This on line blogging, while a live TV debate is going on, is a prime example. This is an injustice to Democracy, and if we want real solutions and change, we need to cover all of the candidates.
Question 6: Casinos, and have you ever been in one?
Falchuk:
Does it matter at all if anyone has gambled?
I’ve gambled in casinos a few times. I can’t believe this is a part of a debate.
Glad Martha and Margery have talked about gambling together. Sounds like a fun chat. This is the nice clubby environment we see between press and politicians that leads to the trouble we have today. No wonder they don’t want me there.
Are Martha and Charlie ok with the lottery? That’s the whole point of the lottery (ie having lower income people lose money to fund the state).
Lively:
I have never been very interested in gambling, though a few years ago I dropped about $10 in the slot machines a couple of times in the Las Vegas airport on layovers out of boredom. I strongly oppose the gambling industry because it enriches and empowers people willing to exploit the weaknesses of others for their own personal gain which is why it has always been associated with organized crime. We shouldn’t help people of low morals grow rich and powerful by preying on the weak.
McCormick:
I have been to casinos in the past. I am the only candidate in the race that opposes casinos. Casinos are net-net job killers. Casinos bring with them increased crime, corruption, traffic, and reduced home values. More importantly, they kill the small businesses in the surrounding areas including the arts community. I know we can do better. I have also been to the casino site and the people of Springfield deserve more. I know from my experience that we can create long term job growth without the negative social impact.
Braude brings up a good point that this industry is subsidized by low and moderate income people who can least afford to lose their paychecks.
More Importantly, the casino bill will have an impact on lottery revenue which means less money in communities for fire, police and teachers. That is why I have a jobs plan that will grow companies across Massachusetts without hurting working families.
Question 7: Leniency in the justice system, as evidenced by the Jared Remy case
Falchuk:
The organization Casa Myrna, a domestic violence group, invited all the gubernatorial candidates to come to an event in support of domestic violence laws. Speaker DeLeo and many other leaders were there. Martha and Charlie were no-shows, although Charlie had a fund-raiser in the same building that morning. Priorities don’t match nice words.
Charlie’s basic point is “I know exactly how everything should work. Everything. And better than everyone else.’’ Most voters are not following the intricacies of Governors Council appointments.
Lively:
What to do about judges who are lenient to criminal batterers? As an attorney I know from experience that judges don’t always follow good ethical standards, which is why there are judicial review procedures in most jurisdictions. Let that system work and lets not make judges subject to the micromanagement of politicians.
McCormick:
Judges should be reviewed by an independent panel to make sure that they are upholding the laws and sentencing requirements. The current process needs to be transparent and open to the public. In addition, there needs to be a paper trail for repeat offenders so judges have a full accounting of criminal records during judicial proceedings or when it comes to sentencing.
Question 8: The Department of Children and Families
Falchuk:
Money is obviously the major problem at DCF.
Charlie moves to try to raise, again, the case he tried to hit Martha with in the WBZ debate. It’s distasteful to use the death of a child for political gain like this. He acts like nothing like this could ever happen if he were Governor.
It’s remarkable how Martha can make this all sound so incredibly boring, given how serious the issue is.
Anyone have anything to say about the Justina Pelltier case?
Martha says there is no “mission’’ at DCF – I would suspect the people working there believe they have a mission. They do not have enough money. The buck is supposed to stop at the top.
And Charlie, again, repeats the story of that 2010 case. Really gross to pull injured children in for this purpose. Charlie – come up with a serious way to talk about helping children, not politicizing these awful and difficult issues.
Lively:
DCF is a disgrace and if I become governor, heads will roll in that agency and then it will be rebuilt from the ground up, restoring parental rights in the process. I was a strong advocate for Justina Pelletier and held rallies to demand her release from DCF control. Only when Massachusetts was flooded with complaints from across the nation did that crisis get resolved by releasing Justina to Connecticut authorities – with not a word of apology or regret from DCF.
McCormick:
We need to fund DCF appropriately. I immediately put out an 8 point plan to fix DCF. This plan included: protecting children first, using technology that is standard, changing regulations to ease the burden on caseworkers, and rewarding providers of services to our most needy constituents.
Question 9: Super PAC ads
Falchuk:
That job as the voice over woman in SuperPAC ads seems like a real racket. I want in on that gig.
MEANWHILE:
According to OCPF and the FCC, as of Oct. 2, the pro-Charlie Baker Commonwealth Future Independent Expenditure super PAC had already ordered a whopping $5.8 million of pro-Baker TV ads. Between now and Election Day, millions will fill WCVB Ch. 5 and WHDH Ch. 7 ad sales coffers. These are the same two TV networks that blocked me from their October 28 Boston Media Consortium candidates’ debate, which will feature ONLY Baker and Coakley.
Take note of what is happening to our democracy.
Pathetic, not leadership to be completely unwilling to disclaim SuperPAC ads.
If you can’t handle this you will never ever be serious about dealing with campaign finance. The both of them have incredibly dirty hands on campaign finance.
McCormick:
This is the problem with politics and the two major parties. They are more interested in attacking each other using dark money than offering working families real solutions that will help their everyday lives. Working families in this state are tired of getting the short end of the stick when it comes to policies on Beacon Hill.
They deserve a choice and a real voice for them which is why I am running for Governor.
Question 10: Ferguson and race
Falchuk:
We have to recognize that racism and inequality exist – and it’s amazing that this would be the kind of question that they would be asked to “hurry up on.’’
Martha did not answer the question about Ferguson.
FACT CHECK – Charlie was not endorsed by Larry Ellison in his personal capacity, not MAMLEO.
Charlie and Martha can’t say the word “race,’’ and neither of them can talk about racial profiling, or the reality of life for so many people in black and latino communities. He makes it sound like they are just more crowded suburbs.
Neither has any idea of how – in the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Movement – that events like Ferguson are so common they can get glossed over like they just did.
Racism is real, disparities are real, and the failure of white politicians to be able to talk about it is exactly what is wrong.
I can see why they don’t want me in this debate.
Lively:
I run an inner-city mission that is a model of racial harmony and diversity. I know from experience that the solution to racial problems is focusing on the common ground of family values and Christian virtue.
McCormick:
I feel strongly that local law enforcement has to be a reflection of the community it serves. Everyone should grow up believing that they can be anything they aspire to be. This means providing real jobs in the community and access to quality education. Also, everyone should feel safe in their own neighborhood. This can not happen without trust between the community and the police force.
Question 11: Education funding
Falchuk:
I still can’t believe we had to rush through the conversation on race, and now we are on to the particulars of early childhood education, and the politicization thereof.
We are now back to the same old “Charlie has been there and knows everything’’ answers. It kills Charlie to hear people worried about school choice, but not about Ferguson, inequality, or the high cost of living.
Lively:
I would establish an educational choice voucher system and include home-schooling as a choice. I would promote the expansion of charter schools as well as religious and secular private schools. I would downsize the educational bureaucracy in the government schools and use the savings to hire more teachers to improve the teacher/student ratio.
McCormick:
Charter Schools – I support lifting the cap on charter schools. Charter schools serve as an innovation center for education and develop best practices to provide better outcomes for all students. Why should the fate of a child be decided by a lottery.
Universal Pre-K – I have a plan to provide universal pre-k for all 4 year olds. We need to help the middle class and level the playing field for all residents. Martha only wants to help the most poor and Charlie is picking and choosing who gets served. I am the only candidate standing on the side of working families.
Question 12: Income inequality and the sick leave ballot question
Falchuk:
Nice to hear Charlie and Martha talk about income inequality, at least a tiny bit, on a day when they BOTH have bailed on a forum on this exact subject sponsored by the important organization ABCD.
They’re not serious about this issue, other than as the kind of subject they use for their base voters.
Martha doesn’t know anything about the cost of doing business
Lively:
I support the hike in the minimum wage but oppose the expanded sick leave.
McCormick:
Minimum Wage – I support minimum wage.
Earned Sick Time – I do not support the existing earned sick time proposal in the ballot question. It is a one size fits all solution and it hurt small businesses who are still hurting from a prolonged recession. I understand that families need flexibility in their work life balance but this ballot question is not the way to get there.
Question 13: Ethics
Falchuk:
Charlie – what does Jack Connors and the hospital execs that have you $200,000 at your L’Espalier fundraiser want from you?
Martha – why is Partners too big to follow the rules?
And I do not believe that if Charlie was in the private sector he would be complaining about Martha’s actions, and if he was in the private sector she wouldn’t be complaining about his donations.
Meanwhile how can it be that there is NO discussion of the biggest issue in Massachusetts economy – Partners???
It is shameful that we are having this discussion about employment contracts, and campaign violation fines and vapid, nonsubstantive talk when we have such serious issues to deal with.
Lively:
I am a missionary pastor who left a lucrative law practice in Southern California to found and run an inner-city mission serving the poorest of the poor. I am immune to financial corruption and unimpressed by special interests. My life is an example of redemptive living that seeks to repair and rebuild what is broken. I want the chance to apply those skills and philosophy to solve the problems of Massachusetts.
McCormick:
This is one of the reasons I am running as an Independent because both parties put special interests first. The working families of Massachusetts deserve and expect more from Beacon Hill. This is not just an isolated incident from one political party, we see examples like this on both sides of the aisle. As an independent Governor, I will not be tied to the special interests on either side of the aisle and I will put people before politics.
Ethics/Martha – Martha Coakley’s lawsuit against Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, on behalf of the co-chair of her campaign finance committee, is just more of the same from Beacon Hill insiders. While I am in agreement that homeowners should have an opportunity to refinance their mortgages to stay in their homes, the Attorney General, the chief law enforcement officer in the state, should have filed a disclosure about her relationship with her campaign finance chair.
Ethics/Charlie – As I have said since the beginning of the campaign, the accusations against Charlie need further explanation and I don’t understand why it has taken this long.
Question 14: Who would play you in a movie? Who would play your opponent?
Falchuk:
This is absolutely sad – people are dying from drug overdoses, students are burdened with enormous debt, seniors can’t afford prescriptions, and WGBH wants to know who they will have play them in a movie.
I can’t decide if I’m insulted as a candidate they decided to keep me out of such a lame debate, or as a voter that this is what they wanted to do.
Nothing on health care and housing costs – the two biggest issues facing the people of Massachusetts.
Are you inspired?
Me, either.
Lively:
Who would play Scott Lively? Robert Duval
McCormick:
Jeff – My wife would love Brad Pitt to play me.
Martha – Francis McDormand
Charlie – Brad Garrett with dyed hair.
Question 15: What’s the one issue you would use your position as governor to push?
Lively:
Urban issues? Most needed is the restoration of the natural family model and strengthening or marriage.
McCormick:
We already know that we are facing a skills gap in the near future that could affect the economy and increase the earnings gap and inequality. I will work tirelessly to open 3 additional Vo-Tech schools focused on educating our students for the jobs of the future. These will be public-private partnerships to ensure that everyone in Massachusetts moves forward together to solve these problems.
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