Op-Ed: Smooth sailing in a democracy

Smooth Sailing in a Democracy

By Liz Argo

On February 2 there was a wonderful example of democracy in action at a Cape Cod Commission hearing. A subcommittee recently finished review of a wind project in Bourne with the resulting recommendation from the subcommittee that the full Commission deny the permit for the wind project. At the public hearing to review this recommendation, however, thanks to the democratic process, evidence came forward to show that the subcommittee’s conclusions were based on speculative and inconsistent analyses.  Thanks to the public hearing process,  the full Cape Cod Commission was able to receive necessary testimony and see the error in the subcommittee’s recommendation for the denial.

One evidenced inconsistency lay in the subcommittee’s conclusion that a coolant mineral oil for the wind project was 100% toxic, whereas in a previous subcommittee judgment, the same coolant for a photovoltaic project was found to be only 1% toxic. This inconsistency between judgments for wind and photovoltaics was troubling to members of the full Commission.

Further inconsistencies were revealed through testimony from three state representatives. The chair of the MA Energy Facilities Siting Board, a legal counselor from the state’s energy office, and a representative from the Clean Energy Center all came to point out the subcommittee’s poor interpretation of the project’s value as a clean energy resource. The three experts pointed out that the benefits of the project are consistent with the mandate from the state and the requirements of the region.

A letter signed by Senator Keating and Senator Kerry was also read, further pointing out the vital role of wind energy projects such as the one proposed.

The apparent misunderstanding of the energy benefits to be derived from the proposed wind project was held up against a previous Commission subcommittee’s understanding of renewable energy benefits when assessing a photovoltaic (PV) project. Expert testimony pointed out that the energy benefits would be the same for both PV and wind.

Finally, testimony highlighted the speculative nature of the subcommittee’s purported project detriments. Numerous testimonies confirmed that to deny, based on the “possible” detriments that were described in the subcommittee’s analysis, would be unacceptable and inconsistent with Cape Cod Commission standards.

The Commissioners listened attentively and asked significant questions as the critical information came forward. Like a boat that can adjust for smoother sailing by heeding the telltales tied to the mast stays, the full Cape Cod Commission can now adjust its decision by heeding the expert testimony from the hearing.  The poorly informed recommendation from the Commission’s subcommittee can now be assessed with all the evidence and the full Cape Cod Commission can make its informed decision.

Thanks to the democratic process, we can expect smooth sailing and a decision on the proposed wind project consistent with the Commission’s mission of maintaining a balanced relationship between environmental protection and economic progress for Cape Cod.

Liz Argo
Orleans
Liz Argo is president of the Cape and Islands Wind Information Network and is employed as an energy consultant.

Community colleges help fix the "skills gap"

Community colleges must become a fully-integrated part of the state's workforce development plan

By Governor Deval Patrick

We have 240,000 people looking for work and nearly 120,000 open jobs today in Massachusetts.  How can we have so much opportunity available and so many people still looking for a chance? 

Business leaders tell me over and over again that it is because the people looking for jobs don’t have the skills required.  Many of these openings are for “middle skills” jobs that require more than a high school diploma but not necessarily a four-year degree: jobs in medical device manufacturing or lab technicians or solar installers, for example.  And a lot of those forced by the economic downturn to make a change in their careers, people in their thirties or forties or fifties, don’t have the proper training for those jobs.  We have a “skills gap.”

We can do something about that.  We can help people get back to work.  And our community colleges should be at the center of it.

For the work they do, community colleges rarely receive proper recognition, let alone adequate funding.  I have visited many of our community colleges and seen their good work.  They are an important resource, and we must ask more of them.

For the work they do, community colleges rarely receive proper recognition, let alone adequate funding. - Governor Deval PatrickAt Cape Cod Community College right now, students through the Dental Hygiene Program work in the community to gain valuable hands-on experience and help meet the dental care needs of the local community. This is good - - but we need more of it and we need it everywhere. 

We need that kind of sharper mission across the Commonwealth, so that community colleges become a fully integrated part of the state’s workforce development plan.  Our colleges must be aligned with employers, voc-tech schools and the Workforce Investment Boards in the regions where they operate; aligned with each other in core course offerings; and aligned with the Commonwealth’s job growth strategy.  We can’t do that if 15 different campuses have 15 different strategies.  We need to do this together.  We need a unified community college system in Massachusetts.  Our competitors – states like Virginia, North Carolina and Washington – have instituted unified systems and are using them to their competitive advantage. 

I have proposed a $10 million increase in state funding for community colleges to help them meet this mission – and I have challenged the business community to come up with a match to help make this a reality.  It is not unreasonable for community colleges to ask for more resources to support their mission; and it is not unreasonable to ask for them to be more accountable to our workforce development strategy in exchange.

Given how important community colleges are to their local cities and towns, some are concerned that this proposal would mean Beacon Hill is telling their campus what to do.  I don’t want that any more than you do.

The goal of this proposal is to ensure that community colleges have the tools they need to be as responsive as possible to the job openings in their region.  Creating a more unified system is not about losing local control; it is about connecting every city and town to the full range of economic possibilities in the Commonwealth.  It’s about making sure a large employer in Boston knows that there is a skilled workforce in Barnstable and reason to expand there.  It’s about making sure the small business in Sandwich has a convenient, locally focused, fully supported resource to help its workers build careers on the Cape and grow the economy there. 

The problem we are trying to fix is the skills gap; the problem is not the community colleges.  The community colleges are the solution.

The challenge facing people looking for work, people in doubt about the future of their American Dream and their place in the workforce belongs to all of us. We can meet that challenge if we work together.  For the good of the Commonwealth and the sake of our future, we must.

Deval Patrick is the Governor of Massachusetts.

Out of the mouths of babes--school superintendents serve up baloney

School Superintendents Serve Up Baloney!

By The Observer (Name withheld by request)

In a recent Op-Ed piece, six Cape Cod Public School Superintendents released a seemingly positive spin supporting the Cape’s public schools.  I may not be a mathematical genius, but what happened to the other half of the Superintendents? Why didn’t they join in?  Were they excluded? Wait a minute… Their ships aren’t sinking, or possibly after reading the “joint” letter, they were able to see through the transparency and wanted nothing to do with this lame attempt at marketing.

I admire the hard work and dedication of the many educators and administrators that contribute to the growth and development, of the Cape’s students.  They are our next carpenters, entrepreneurs, educators, nurses, rocket scientists, servicemen and most importantly, Moms and Dads, who will one day make choices about their own children’s education.  There is little more that I enjoy than starting of my day with a great cup of java and coming across a story of educational wonder, regardless where the student attends school.  As I have stated in my prior pieces, kids are our future!  

With that being said, reading the Op-Ed piece made me reminiscent of much younger days when I was captivated by magic and took everything at face value, it reads more like a dream than a reality, and highlights issues that are not relevant.  I would have respected their intentions if they were honest about their problems and then focused on their efforts of change, improvements and accomplishments.  Look at Tom Brady the other Sunday, he openly commented on his poor performance but went on to compliment the defensive team and what they hope to accomplish going forward.  People are inherently good and understand the difficulties associated with life.  They also have a keen ability to smell the essence of manure in the air.  I wouldn’t consider my self an idiot, and I don’t imagine the 85,000 other people who read Cape Cod Today are either, but who did the superintendents think their target audience was? 

I’m glad to see that students on the Cape have caught the eye of some of the nation’s most recognized and esteemed institutions of higher learning.  In a recent article in U.S. News and World Report, from November of 2011, it states that "a quarter of the incoming freshman in the fall of 2010 applied to at least seven or more colleges".  Some institutions reported that some of their incoming freshman applied to as many as 15 schools.  Not to discredit the accomplishments of the students who left to attend these fine schools of academia, but when you focus on the six schools represented, as it would be unjust to discuss the others, then the intended effect loses its punch. 

From a numbers and ratio standpoint, I would only hope that collectively, there would be a handful of gifted young men and women who would have the opportunity to attend these schools.  Further more, regardless where these students attend school, I imagine they would inherently rise to the top.  Unfortunately, not everyone can have natural academic abilities, and this population only makes up a small fraction of a graduating class.  On the bell curve of life, what do these districts do differently for the “regular kid” to become outstanding.  How do they stand out? Where do they go? These are the students the districts should be focusing on and showcasing.  They are the ones who are the “underdogs” or “average Joe’s” in the masses, and face the greatest odds in the college race. They also carry the greatest numbers in a school’s population.   Fortunately or Unfortunately, I imagine they are also the ones that make up a significant portion of the migrating population leaving these school districts and greatly affecting the sending district’s bottom line.   

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Safe & Secure?   Bullying incidents are frequently reported in the local media, and those are only the ones we hear about.  I received a variety of responses from my last post, thank you.  I’m glad people are passionate.  Many students commented that bullying occurs in their school and their friend’s schools.   This is not safe, nor is it acceptable if this is the mindset!

A powerful letter was printed on January 3 in the Cape Cod Times, and was written by a junior at a local high school about bullying.  She shares her unique insight on the recent increase of bullying and comments about the poor outcome of attending an assembly with a visiting speaker about bullying and the energy that came from it, and then the momentum lost shortly after.  She continues sharing her insight about the unfortunate outcomes of bullying, and what needs to be done to reduce it. She’s a student, people!!!  You want to create a safe school environment, listen to her and her friends!  This young woman has a great head on her shoulders and a bucket of tenacity to go with it!  Keep it up, because the change starts with you!

I was appalled at some of the arguments used.  True 100% baloney!  The idea that certified teachers, licensed personnel, and transportation were selling points only reflect these districts desperation.  These points are law, not options. Further more, if they are going to continue using “the arts” as critical components of their successful programs, then stop threatened to cut them when a new annual budget faces opposition.  If they are that important then they should be protected and treated as such.

Treasure

“Students are a community’s treasure”, this could not be any more on target.  However, the emphasis expressed in the Op-Ed piece linking the experience of attending a student’s home public school to the community is short sighted and antiquated.  We no longer live in a world of “one size fits all”.  The education system has become as competitive as any other sector in today’s market. Students drawn to other schools (public, private, or technical) have their own reasons, and attending another school, the student may find greater success geared more towards their individual needs.  This success positively enhances their relationships and opportunities to contribute to their community, and therefore contribute to a stronger and more vibrant community tapestry.

I encourage readers to share their thoughts with their district’s superintndent or email their views to Cape Cod Today.  Change can only happen if others are informed.

The Observer's name is withheld by request because the writer has children in our schoolm system. The writer agrees with The Buddha who said,"Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many. Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it."

Training for the future

By Richard C. Bartlett

The Cape is training our youth for high-tech jobs in renewable energy. The Mass Maritime Academy and the Cape Cod Community College are on the cutting edge. Unfortunately most of our politicians are on the dull side of the blade, stifling the use of Nature's generous gift of the wind to our area. Fossil fuel money accounts for our officialdom's retarded reluctance to join the 21st century.

America lost 687,000 high-tech manufacturing jobs since 2008. 85% of our  growth in R&D employment occurred overseas. These figures are from a newly released study by the National Science Board, the policy arm of the National Science Foundation.

Because American multinational corporations are increasing the overseas component of their research, China is now abreast of our own high-tech capability. China and India have increased their spending on technology and science education, while we are hamstrung and weakened by an obstructionist Congress (whose contrariness is endorsed by all the GOP candidates for the presidency). They refuse to fund the training of the army of advanced scientists we need for long-term prosperity.

America as a Third World country is a very real prospect if we don't make a serious effort now.

Of the world's  engineering doctorates in 2008,  only 4% were awarded in the United States. And 57% of those were awarded to temporary visa holders. We need to subsidize our own youth if we want to maintain our traditional lead in science and engineering. America as a Third World country is a very real prospect if we don't make a serious effort now.

Some of the remedies lie in the realm of fairer trade policies and exchange rates. The National Science Board suggests some domestic policies: establish a manufacturing investment facility to leverage private capital for manufacturing in the USA, expand and make permanent clean energy tax credits, refocus on post-high school technological education, institute a permanent tax credit to incentivize production in America.

Here's a shocking political fact cited by Dr. Griffiths, chairman of the committee that produced this report:

"Meanwhile, conservatives oppose a national industrial policy, oppose restructuring our trade deals, oppose increased funding to our universities, oppose changes to tax policies to incentivize returning manufacturing to the United States, oppose paying good wages here to bring researchers here, oppose national policies helping companies become more competitive internationally and oppose border tariffs to compensate for advantages gained from environmental degradation and poor human rights practices."

That set of beliefs doesn't sound "conservative" to me. It doesn't even conserve the status quo. It just ensures we'll be sliding down the razor-blade of economic degradation into a fearsome future if the American electorate votes for slogans rather than programs.

Richard C. Bartlett lives in Cotuit, MA.

Kathleen Schatzberg on the Governor's Education proposal

Does not believe  state’s Higher Education department would
understand the local needs better than our local Board of Trustees.

By Kathleen Schatzberg, President, Cape Cod Community College

We are thrilled that Governor Patrick recognizes, and will support with increased funding, our workforce education and training function.  We certainly share his goals to put people back to work.  The recent Dept. of Labor grant of $20M for which all 15 community colleges collaborated, is an example of what the Governor is talking about:  the grant provides funding for unemployed people who are not qualified for “middle skills” jobs (requiring some post-secondary education but not a bachelor’s).  We are eager to work with the Governor to expand this kind of training.

Greatest concern I have is with moving budgetary and presidential oversight from control of the local board to control at the state level.As for the re-organization, there can be some advantages to centralization, collaboration, etc.  For example, state-level standardization could help  a student on the Cape who moves to Worcester and wants to continue the same degree or certificate training at another community college.  We also need to be sure, however, that flexibility accommodates local needs  – for instance, on the Cape, certain healthcare programs will probably emphasize elder care to a greater degree than might be needed in other parts of the state.

The Devil is in the details

We don’t know the details on this plan at all yet – the 15 community college presidents were briefed yesterday morning by the Governor, Education Secretary Paul Reville, and Higher Education Commissioner Richard Freeland about this plan, in a very “big picture” way.  The Governor, Secretary and Commissioner repeatedly said there are many details to work out, which will be done in consultation with us. 

The greatest concern I have is with moving budgetary and presidential oversight from control of the local board to control at the state level.  Accountability is not an issue – we are completely open to whatever accountability measures the state would like to apply.  It’s appropriate for us to be subject to public scrutiny of what we do and how well we do it.  However, I don’t believe that the state’s Higher Education department would  understand local needs better than our local Board of Trustees. 

The Governor’s plan appears to remove virtually all of the local trustees’ authority over fiscal and presidential oversight.  The dynamics will change if the presidents are essentially reporting to the state’s community college authority rather than to the local board.  I’m also concerned about the potential impact on philanthropy.  As you know, we have enjoyed great support from local donors and businesses, and this has helped us fill gaps that reductions in state funding would otherwise have left open.   

The details on how this would work are not yet clear, however, so I’ll reserve further analysis until we learn just how all this would work.

Cape School Superintendents on local public school education

Support Local Public Schools

By Ann Bradshaw, Mashpee, Richard Canfield, Sandwich, Mary Czajkowski, Barnstable, Marc Dupuis, Falmouth,  Steven Lamarche, Bourne and Carol Woodbury, Dennis-Yarmouth

The local public schools in each Cape community offer outstanding educational experiences for students, providing a rigorous curriculum and a wide range of opportunities to develop talents and to learn leadership skills.

Graduates of public high schools attend Ivy League colleges and universities, including Harvard, Brown, and the University of Pennsylvania. The Advanced Placement program offered in local public schools allows students to take college courses in high school.

Because of credit earned in AP courses taken in high school, many Cape graduates are able to enroll in sophomore, junior, and even senior-level courses as college freshmen.  Students attending Cape public schools will extend their learning this year through travel to Spain, London, Germany, Canada, Washington, D.C., and New York City.  

Partnerships with colleges and universities such as MIT enrich learning.   All professional staff in public schools are licensed; many hold advanced degrees in their fields.

Every public school district on the Cape offers innovative technologies to engage and to support students. Students have access to professional-grade software in engineering classes and learn about design and manufacturing.  

Interactive whiteboards and one-to-one computing projects bring the world into the classrooms as teachers and students use current technology as tools for teaching and learning.

Cape public schools offer a range of co-curricular activities that provide opportunities for students to experience success and to distinguish themselves for admission to highly-selective colleges.  Local public schools have award-winning art, music, and theatre programs, athletics, and opportunities to develop leadership through student government and service clubs.  

Cape Cod athletic teams consistently advance to eastern Massachusetts and division championships.  The Cape boasted three Super Bowl Champion football teams this fall, which brought together entire communities in joyous celebration.  School spirit is a wonderful thing.

Comprehensive student services are available in local public schools.  Licensed guidance counselors, school adjustment counselors, social workers, and registered nurses respond to students’ needs.  Highly trained special education teachers assist students with disabilities and collaborate with general education teachers. Individual learning needs are carefully monitored, with additional instructional support or additional challenges offered to students.  

Local public schools offer state of the art facilities, supporting academics, arts, and athletics.   Daily bus transportation is available for students as well as for after-school programs. Community public schools are safe and secure, with staff trained to respond to emergencies.  

Schools unify families through shared experiences. When students attend their local public schools, local tax dollars stay local, which helps to maintain quality programming.

When students attend public schools in their home town, they are a part of the community.  They get involved in community projects, make connections with adults in the community, and serve their neighbors.

Students learn about the unique characteristics of their home town through its schools. Students are a community’s treasure. When they attend their local schools they are vested not only in the opportunities but also the challenges which define their town.

The local community public schools provide outstanding opportunities for the development of well-rounded young people who are confident and prepared to make their way in the world.  

Ann Bradshaw Mashpee Superintendent of Schools

Richard Canfield Sandwich Superintendent of Schools

Mary Czajkowski Barnstable Superintendent of Schools

Marc Dupuis Falmouth Superintendent of Schools

Steven Lamarche Bourne Superintendent of Schools

Carol Woodbury Dennis Yarmouth Superintendent of Schools

No drastic changes needed for Cape's regional government

Abolishing the County Assembly of Delegates is ill-advised

Ever since colonial times, counties have existed in conjunction with Massachusetts government.   Barnstable County was founded in the year 1685. Initially, counties had mainly judicial purposes; however, gradually more and more duties were assimilated, like management of the local prison system, control of specific medical care institutions, roadway maintenance, farming matters and recording of real estate deeds. Massachusetts statutes decreed the process by which elected public officials were chosen, such as county commissioners, clerks of courts, county sheriffs, registers of deeds and probate, as well as district attorneys. Up until a quarter century ago, Barnstable County was akin to other counties within the state; it had no legislative power. That all changed with the Barnstable County Home Rule Charter of 1988. It created specific rights of home rule, along with more and better prospects for improved citizen involvement regarding the Cape Cod regional government. The Charter authorized establishment of a regional legislative body known as the County Assembly of Delegates, which has the power to promulgate laws of regional impact and jurisdiction. Said Charter declares: " We, the people of Barnstable County, in order to gain for ourselves and for our communities all the rights, powers, privileges, duties, and obligations which may now or in the future be derived from county government, do establish for ourselves and for our communities the means and structure to deal with regional issues which transcend the existing boundaries of municipal governments. This home rule charter for Barnstable County places the power and responsibility to deal with unique problems of Barnstable County in a county government directly responsible to the people of Barnstable County.”

The existing fundamental structure of our regional government is just fine at present and functions quite well exactly the way that it presently is!

In recent months, members of the “Barnstable County Special Commission on County Governance” (appointed by the County Commissioners) have been and continue to hold meetings to explore and examine the structure and role of the regional government here on Cape Cod, Massachusetts. As a native-born Cape Codder, I take this opportunity to express my views regarding the structure and status of our regional government. In recent years, I have first-hand experience in dealing with the County Administrator, the Assembly of Delegates, the County Commissioners, as well as other county components. I have always found each of these experiences to be highly positive, enlightening, informative, worthwhile and cordial.

The Special Commission claims it seeks to address the need for strong executive county administrative leadership; the existing two branch structure of the regional government; the representation and role of the Board of regional Commissioners; the representation and role of the Assembly of Delegates; as well as the County’s relationship with the fifteen towns of Barnstable County. The Special Commission needs to fully approach its task in a fair and balanced manner, something it has apparently failed miserably at up to this point in time. Furthermore, it needs to be logical and reasonable about any final recommended changes to the Cape Cod Regional Government.

I have a very straightforward and simple statement to communicate to the Special Commission.  The existing fundamental structure of our regional government is just fine at present and functions quite well exactly the way that it presently is! It does NOT require any drastic changes (like a ‘mayor of Cape Cod’) or “tweaking” as some others may have suggested. Many Cape Codders  (myself included), would be vehemently opposed to any sort of radical reorganization or restructuring of our County government from its current existence. I would like to emphatically voice my absolute opposition to one particular ill-advised and undemocratic course of action recently presented to the Special Commission, the complete abolition of the County Assembly of Delegates. The Assembly of Delegates is the duly elected democratic voice of the people of Cape Cod, and provides us with the requisite protections against overzealous special interest groups and power hungry individuals. The County Assembly as a representative legislative body is the epitome of the American system of “checks and balances” as embodied in both the Barnstable County Home Rule Charter and the United States Constitution.

Ron Beaty
West Barnstable, MA

Tea and Corporations

Tea Party name is a misnomer

       The Deciding Moment:
          The Theft of Human Rights
          (From Thom Hartmann's blog)

"The first thing to understand is the difference between the natural person and the fictitious person called a corporation. They differ in the purpose for which they are created, in the strength which they possess, and in the restraints under which they act.
   Man is the handiwork of God and was placed upon earth to carry out a Divine purpose; the corporation is the handiwork of man and created to carry out a money-making policy.
   There is comparatively little difference in the strength of men; a corporation may be one hundred, one thousand, or even one million times stronger than the average man.
   Man acts under the restraints of conscience, and is influenced also by a belief in a future life. A corporation has no soul and cares nothing about the hereafter...
   A corporation has no rights except those given it by law. It can exercise no power except that conferred upon it by the people through legislation, and the people should be as free to withhold as to give, public interest and not private advantage being the end in view."
    - William Jennings Bryan, address to
    the Ohio 1912 Constitutional ConventionThe Tea Party got it wrong when it picked its name. They thought the original Boston Tea Party was about being anti-government. The Neo-Tea Partiers' anti-regulation policies protecting corporations are exactly opposite to what took place in 1773.

   What went on back then was the model for the corporate takeover of government we are experiencing today. Mad, bad King George III was a bought ruler, a shareholder in the giant East India Company. At their urging, and to his own profit, King George authorized the Tea Act of 1773. Over 2000 colonists rallied in Boston. A group led by Samuel Adams dressed as Indians and went aboard all the ships at Griffin's wharf and threw 342 chests of tea into the harbor.

   Today's reaction against corporate greed is coming from the 99% movement. Tea monopolies are not the target, but the "public be damned" policies of petroleum, gas, coal giants, and especially banks and hedge funds are. They get favorable legislation by bribing congressmen with obscene campaign contributions. The extremely wealthy 1% are protected by the Neo-Tea Partiers and their captive Republican party.

   We citizens who are offended by corporate "personhood", by campaign finance practices, and by the preposterous disparity in personal wealth don't have an obvious "tea chest" solution. The Occupiers have made us all more aware, more outraged. But it will require long, even tedious, political action to correct our country's inequities. Demonstrations help, but it takes reformation of our laws to accomplish the goals.

   For a detailed exposition of all this a good sourcebook is Thom Hartmann's  "UnEqual Protection: the Rise of Corporate Dominance and the Theft of Human Rights."

   It's written in layspeak and really covers the territory.

   Richard C. Bartlett,    Cotuit

Retrospective: Jim Gordon and Cape Wind

"Nibbled to death by ducks"

Editor'sNote: This  piece appeared in The Cape Cod Times yesterday.
Mr. Freeman gave us permission to reprint it as an Op Ed here.

By James P. Freeman

Over the last 10 years, Jim Gordon, president of Cape Wind Associates, has been the most maligned public figure on Cape Cod, and the wind farm he has conceived, planned and obtained legal approval for in Nantucket Sound has been the most consequential story here in the last decade.

Indeed, the Cape Cod Times has published 765 pieces — editorials, op-ed columns, guest opinions and news accounts — on the Alliance to Protect Nantucket Sound alone, Cape Wind's main nemesis in the ongoing battle. That averages a written fingerprint of 1.47 articles per week for 10 years straight, by far the most chronicled story for the paper. Add more for articles solely on Cape Wind.

Most compositions have been unfavorable toward the project; and many efforts, outside this paper, to halt it have been filled with such bile and bombast as to be unbelievable, which may ultimately prove to be a fatal flaw in opposition to the project.

The blades just might turn.

Sitting with Gordon in his spartan Boston office recently is to see a man more willful than wistful. He has endured years of personal epithets, endless public meetings, political and judicial jostling and searing setbacks, but has steadfastly succeeded, in the face of poor odds, in nearly seeing the wind farm begin construction and, ultimately, generation. If operational, it presumably affects every Cape home and business.

In jeans, tweed jacket and brown loafers, he is a study in comportment and contemplation, if not quiet confidence. If there is scar tissue, you wouldn't see it. "Ten years ago," he recalls, "we believed, compared to choosing fossil or nuclear generation, powering Cape Cod and the region with offshore wind was a compelling choice and today we still do."

The project is the most vetted public/private partnership in the commonwealth since the Big Dig. Considering that it is the first proposed offshore wind farm in the country's history, charting new regulatory territory in federal waters, not local, it has been well vetted at the national level, too. As expected, economics have morphed into politics.

Despite the muscle of the opposition led by the alliance (it has raised more than $23 million in the last decade), opinion polls consistently affirm Gordon's belief in the project as he has won more court battles. In 2007, Opinion Research Corp. determined 58 percent of those living on the Cape and Islands were in support of the project. Nearly two years ago, a University of Delaware study found 57 percent supported it. Further, a 2010 poll by The Boston Globe showed 69 percent of respondents supported Cape Wind.

For thoughtful conservatives, Jim Gordon presents an enigmatic crucible of choices that both challenge (skepticism on the validity of climate change, deregulation, and privatization) and embrace (entrepreneurship, limited government) basic conservative precepts. Conservatives are not known for their cuddling up to environmental issues. But Gordon stands on principle, as distinct from policy. Any principle should be welcome in today's political climate.

Low moments of public discourse and civics have outweighed the highlights: Barnstable Town Council's unusual parliamentary maneuvers in May 2002, the alliance's shameful near-exploitation of Walter Cronkite, the Cape Cod Chamber's refusal to allow Gordon to address the whole caucus (a past president was a lobbyist for the alliance).

The absolute low was committed by the Republican Party in supporting a single-issue politician in a 2002 state representative race. The candidate was not the problem; he lost. But his party refused to acknowledge it and coaxed him to appeal to the Supreme Judicial Court which ruled, properly, for incumbent Matthew Patrick, and helped cement, properly, the party's long minority status here. Proper conservatives should have been offended by the party's insouciance.

The alliance may have miscalculated Gordon's resolve, perseverance and his penchant for picking up on early trends, based on his past track record. Succeed or not this time, he will have left his own footprint.

As someone who has spearheaded a national debate, Gordon believes that "the last decade has been a challenging one for the energy industry. As this region and America plans its energy generation choices ... as well as our health and environment, it is evident that we have difficult decisions ahead." Gordon's candor and thoughtfulness are necessary and in demand today, a distinction he holds over those specialized interests that have succumbed to emotion. It also shows that he is, to the detriment of the vitriol of stuffy opposition, more visionary than villain.

James P. Freeman is an Orleans financial services professional. Email him here.

The "real" story of that first Thanksgiving

The True Turkey's Tale