Political Hopeful Massie Opposes Weld Policies

Looking at the resume of Robert K. Massie, Democratic candidate for Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, it's hard to avoid noting one thing.

The man has a lot of degrees. Besides a bachelor's degree, he holds a master's in divinity from Yale and a doctorate from Harvard Business School.

It is this diversity of education and interests, encompassing both the health of business and the value of community embodied in his ministry, that Massie pitches to voters.

He believes strongly in supporting small business, he says, while endorsing universal health care, environmental protection and education.

The candidate, a chubby version of Vice President Al Gore '69, is a Somerville resident and Episcopal priest who has never before held political office. He is a Luce fellow in religion and public policy at the Divinity school, a self-described teacher and administrator.

Massie is running because he "believes that [he] brings special skills and attributes to the [post of] Lieutenant Governor," he says. His status as a political outsider frees him from special interests and provides a "breath of fresh air," according to his campaign literature.

But Massie is running not just on his own attributes, but perhaps even more on his opposition to the stances of present Governor William F. Weld '66. Massie is succinct in his views on the Weld governorship.

"The overriding question in this election is that this is a referendum on Weld's tenure," Massie says. "I believe that he has failed Massachusetts severely."

Massie says Weld has not addressed several social and economic concerns,including the need Massie sees for a broad-basedeconomic policy favoring small businesses,education reform and guaranteed health care.

Both the health of small businesses andeducational reform rely on improvement in thehealth care system, he says.

"You can't support small businesses unlesspeople get insurance," Massie says. "You can'tpull down education costs [either]."

He also wishes to help smaller firms withexpanded credit opportunities, but as of yetoffers no specific initiatives to improve thestate's education system.

Massie also says Weld is not willing to work toreduce poverty.

"What I object to is the governor's sense thatthis is the best we can do," he says. "I think wecan take another crack to do better."

Though he has not yet offered specificsuggestions on the issue, Massie also advocatesstrong environmental regulations, saying thatpeople today are responsible for keepingMassachusetts clean.

"Environmental degradation is a betrayal ofwhat we have been given and what we are to handon," Massie says.

His concerns with the health of small businessand with health care, education, and the needs ofthe community all emerge from different parts ofhis diverse background, Massie says.

His time at the Business School impressed onhim the need for efficiency and equipped him tounderstand the needs of small business inMassachusetts, he says. And as a teacher, he hasseen the importance of education close up.

On the issue of universal health care, apersonal experience has influenced his stance.

Massie, a hemophiliac, is HIV-positive due to ablood transfusion, though his immune system isfine at the moment and poses no problem to hiscandidacy, he says.

"I don't consider my HIV status a qualificationfor government," Massie says. "It's new, and thatis newsworthy."

In a press release, he notes how people can beleft without health care protection. "I know thiscan happen because when I was a boy this oncehappened to me," he writes.

From his time in the ministry and years inpublic service, he says, he has gained a strongcommitment to community and a politician'shands-on role within it.

"The belief that it is important to articulatethe goals and values of a community is somethingI've held for a long time," he says. "It's a partof ministry and part of political office."

Massie, who calls himself "a rebel with acause," says as Lieutenant Governor he would liketo respond directly to the needs of commoncitizens, even working in shelters and schools.

"I've been involved with public service andwith political issues," Massie says. "I wouldsuggest that Lieutenant Governor is a positionthat responds to creative, energetic commitment."

Janice E. Burpee of Medford, who teaches SundaySchool at the Christ Episcopal Church ofSomerville where Massie was the minister,testifies to Massie's claim that he is a creative,active leader.

"He was a problem solver," says Burpee, whoalso works for Harvard Real Estate. "He made suchan impact on every problem that was there andalways came up with a different angle."

In Massachusetts, candidates for LieutenantGovernor run separately from gubernatorialcandidates during primary elections but are pairedtogether in the November general elections.

Massie says whatever the result of theMassachusetts Democratic gubernatorial primary, hefeels confident he could work with the otherperson on the ticket.

"I support the Democratic platform; theysupport the Democratic platform," he says.

Neither Ronald F. Thiemann, dean of theDivinity School, nor gubernatorial candidatesMichael J. Barrett '70 and Mark Roosevelt '78 wereavailable for comment

Both the health of small businesses andeducational reform rely on improvement in thehealth care system, he says.

"You can't support small businesses unlesspeople get insurance," Massie says. "You can'tpull down education costs [either]."

He also wishes to help smaller firms withexpanded credit opportunities, but as of yetoffers no specific initiatives to improve thestate's education system.

Massie also says Weld is not willing to work toreduce poverty.

"What I object to is the governor's sense thatthis is the best we can do," he says. "I think wecan take another crack to do better."

Though he has not yet offered specificsuggestions on the issue, Massie also advocatesstrong environmental regulations, saying thatpeople today are responsible for keepingMassachusetts clean.

"Environmental degradation is a betrayal ofwhat we have been given and what we are to handon," Massie says.

His concerns with the health of small businessand with health care, education, and the needs ofthe community all emerge from different parts ofhis diverse background, Massie says.

His time at the Business School impressed onhim the need for efficiency and equipped him tounderstand the needs of small business inMassachusetts, he says. And as a teacher, he hasseen the importance of education close up.

On the issue of universal health care, apersonal experience has influenced his stance.

Massie, a hemophiliac, is HIV-positive due to ablood transfusion, though his immune system isfine at the moment and poses no problem to hiscandidacy, he says.

"I don't consider my HIV status a qualificationfor government," Massie says. "It's new, and thatis newsworthy."

In a press release, he notes how people can beleft without health care protection. "I know thiscan happen because when I was a boy this oncehappened to me," he writes.

From his time in the ministry and years inpublic service, he says, he has gained a strongcommitment to community and a politician'shands-on role within it.

"The belief that it is important to articulatethe goals and values of a community is somethingI've held for a long time," he says. "It's a partof ministry and part of political office."

Massie, who calls himself "a rebel with acause," says as Lieutenant Governor he would liketo respond directly to the needs of commoncitizens, even working in shelters and schools.

"I've been involved with public service andwith political issues," Massie says. "I wouldsuggest that Lieutenant Governor is a positionthat responds to creative, energetic commitment."

Janice E. Burpee of Medford, who teaches SundaySchool at the Christ Episcopal Church ofSomerville where Massie was the minister,testifies to Massie's claim that he is a creative,active leader.

"He was a problem solver," says Burpee, whoalso works for Harvard Real Estate. "He made suchan impact on every problem that was there andalways came up with a different angle."

In Massachusetts, candidates for LieutenantGovernor run separately from gubernatorialcandidates during primary elections but are pairedtogether in the November general elections.

Massie says whatever the result of theMassachusetts Democratic gubernatorial primary, hefeels confident he could work with the otherperson on the ticket.

"I support the Democratic platform; theysupport the Democratic platform," he says.

Neither Ronald F. Thiemann, dean of theDivinity School, nor gubernatorial candidatesMichael J. Barrett '70 and Mark Roosevelt '78 wereavailable for comment