Archive: Opinions

Congressman Maurice Hinchey has embarrassed his constituents by advocating crackpot conspiracy theories (e.g., that the Bush administration allowed bin Laden to escape from Tora Bora to create a pretext for invading Iraq) and exuding a sense of entitlement common to many career politicians (e.g., telling a persistent reporter to "Shut up!" -- an outburst caught on tape -- and then trying to deny it).

Less well known are his extremist views on the Middle East, which include voting against the Obama administration’s Comprehensive Iran Sanctions Act -- a bill that passed the House by a vote of 412–12 and the Senate 99–0.  That and other extreme stands have led Ed Koch, the former Mayor of New York and a lifelong liberal Democrat, to endorse the Republican George Phillips over Hinchey.

A joint letter by Koch and Dan Senor says, of Hinchey, "If there is a member of Congress who has voted more consistently against consensus American foreign policy interests and against U.S.-Israel friendship, we would be hard pressed to name him."  The full text of their letter, with further details, can easily be found by an online search.  I urge voters to consider it before casting their ballots.

David Guaspari
Ithaca

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