My Criteria for Endorsing Candidates for U.S. Senate
Endorsements expressed in this blog are my own. If I persuade the Board of Governors to support these endorsements, they will become the official CIVPAC endorsement and will appear in the Candidate’s section of this website. If a majority of the Board of Governors choose to go with someone else, that endorsement will become the official endorsement and will appear in the Candidate’s Section of this website.
On the whole, I would prefer the Senate to be controlled by the party that does not control the White House. Unfortunately, this Presidential race is so close that I have no idea which party will control the executive branch. Given that uncertainty, I am inclined to treat each Senate match-up on its own merits.
Elizabeth Warren (D) vs. John Deaton (R)
Elizabeth Warren is one of my least favorite Senators and probably my least favorite Democratic Senator. (Please note that Bernie Sanders is an independent, since the Democratic Party is not far enough left for him.) She is a “soak the rich” populist who favors impractical and unconstitutional wealth taxes. She also favors price controls, as illustrated in her sponsoring so called “anti-price-gouging” legislation. Numerous Democratic leaning economists have pointed out how ineffective and counterproductive price controls are. She even appears to have influenced Kamala Harris’ decision to endorse “anti-price-gouging” legislation. She was instrumental in setting up the Consumer Financial Protection Commission, including its extra-legislative funding, which I view as unconstitutional. A key target of this Commission has been so-called “pay day lenders.” Restricting the availability of what she views as predatory financing denies many people, with no other options, their last hope in desperate circumstances.
The Republican Candidate for the U.S. Senate from Massachusetts is John Deaton. To his credit, he defeated a Trump-backed candidate in the primary. He also describes himself as a centrist Republican. Unfortunately, he has an affinity for promoting cryptocurrency. Cryptocurrency is possibly the only regulatory issue on which I support Warren’s concerns.
The Endorsement
Despite my reservations on the cryptocurrency issue, I personally endorse Deaton because Warren is problematic on so many issues.