Darien Times endorses Shays for Congress

Darien Times endorses Shays for Congress

The Darien Times
Editorial
October 23, 2008

While voters in Darien and the rest of the state’s Fourth Congressional District won’t have much effect on who the next president will be, there is an important, close race for our U.S. representative.

Republican Christopher Shays, who has served the district with distinction for the past 21 years, is being challenged by Democrat Jim Himes of Greenwich, a former Goldman Sachs man, who has done a good job learning the issues facing this district and the nation.

The Darien Times endorses Mr. Shays, an independent and thoughtful member of a divisive Congress, who has proved this campaign and throughout his career that he is needed in Washington.

Mr. Shays has again and again been ahead of the Washington pack on issues ranging from the energy independence, the environment, health care and, yes, financial oversight.

It was in 2004 that Mr. Shays warned of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s potential crash, which proved to be right. Before that, Mr. Shays proposed a bipartisan No Securities Left Behind Act (almost all of his bills have a Democrat as co-sponsor), which would have required Fannie and Freddie to comply with securities law. He also pushed for new regulator for Fannie and Freddie and for the two mortgage lenders to get rid of their high risk assets.

Today, we hear a lot about alternative forms of energy and reducing our dependence on foreign oil. It was in 2005 that Mr. Shays, with a New York Democrat, proposed the Energy for Our Future Act, which would have increased fuel efficiency of vehicles to 40 miles per gallon by 2020, increased tax credits for purchasing hybrid vehicles, reduced heat and electric bills, restore local power over energy decisions and increased funding for renewable energy. Today, these are much more fashionable causes. And Mr. Shays is pushing for us to be dependent of foreign oil by 2020, reducing our energy use by encouraging gasoline-free cars and improving public transportation, among other goals.

While he also has been an leading supporter of the Iraq War, Mr. Shays has been an ardent supporter of responsibly turning the power over to the Iraqis and bringing the troops home. His many trips to the region have given Mr. Shays an important thoughtful perspective. This is in contrast to some national leaders who have been more stubborn than reasonable.

It is getting harder and harder these days to find independent leaders who know how to work with both sides of the aisle. Not only does the Fourth District need Chris Shays in Congress, Congress needs Chris Shays.