New Chance for Goguen

Rep. Emile Goguen, DINO from Fitchburg, finally gave it up yesterday. He had been saying he probably would not run for reelection and made it official.

He's 72, had health problems and seems tired. As he put it, "Over 40 years in this business is enough. It's time to get new blood in here."

Actually, he is a dinosaur as well as a DINO. Publicly, he has devoted far too much of his emotion and efforts to negative efforts. He's against gays, gay-rights and specifically same-sex marriage. He has sponsored one ill-conceived and ill-timed bill after another to prevent or overturn same-sex marriage, and even to oust the four judges who mandated marriage equality in Massachusetts.

The pity is that otherwise, his frail heart seems to be in the right place. He has founded and maintained social services in Fitchburg, out of pocket, out of time and involving public and private support. Just think of what he might have accomplished in the General Court if he did not have those blind spots and dealt with helping instead of hindering.

Well, he has another act to go here. When he returns full-time to his town, he can devote himself to good causes. Maybe he can balance the scales.

Photo: Robert Spencer for The Washington Post