Letters to the Editor

No on credit scores, but yes on payment history as auto insurance rate factor

On the issue of what factors automobile insurance companies should be able to consider in making coverage decisions (“Car insurance tune-up heads for ’08 collision,” Dec. 27, 2007): I find that a consumer’s overall credit score is unfair in determining coverage and price of coverage. However, if there were a way to rate an insured’s auto insurance payment history by itself, then I feel it would be fair to reward people who have historically paid on time over those with chronic late-payment and/or cancellation experience.

Kathy Bennett
Personal Lines Auto Processing
Heritage Insurance Agency, Inc.

 

Latinos need grassroots resurgence, especially in Boston

I’d like to thank Elizabeth Cardona for her response (“Despite Arroyo’s loss, Mass. Latinos still well positioned for political impact,” Dec. 20, 2007) to my letter (“What’s wrong with Boston’s Latino progressive movement?” Nov. 22, 2007). As the title of my letter indicated, my commentary was primarily about the disarray in Boston’s progressive community, but I appreciate the information on the situation in Springfield. I have said that the most profound political gains in Massachusetts happen outside of Boston, primarily in the middle- and smaller-size cities, at times independent of organizational efforts such as those touted by ¿Oíste?.

Now, with former Boston School Committee member Angel Amy Moreno, former City Councilor Felix Arroyo and former state Sen. Jarrett Barrios gone, and state Rep. Jeffrey Sánchez ready to depart the Legislature and join the Menino administration, we can conclude that we here in Boston are up a creek without a paddle.

The body politic here is oblivious to this, and there is no one sounding the clarion call to wake up the masses. This is where political organizing plays a pivotal role. Unfortunately, that’s in short supply these days. An end-of-the-year “jolgorio” where the political elite meet does not equate with grassroots organizing and political awakening.

Though I applaud the efforts of those in Springfield, there is unfortunately little upside there, even with a new representation system.

Rumors of a fed-up Springfield electorate sick of politics as usual and a do-nothing City Council that sat back as the city slid into bankruptcy turned out to be false. When push came to shove — when it finally came time for the voters of Springfield to let their voices be heard — they overwhelmingly cried out for more of the same political abuse they’ve been getting for the past 20 years. Beware of what you ask for; you might actually get it.

In a democracy, you get the government you vote for. Unenlightened voters do not always make the best decisions. As a result, democracy can, at times, be messy.