OPINION | Barry Richard: You Deserve Better Than Warren and Markey

U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey continue to play the people of this region for fools. The dynamic duo swooped into town over the weekend to try and show us just how much they care. After all, it is an election year for Warren.

The caring began in Fall River, where Warren and Markey were flanked by Congressmen Joe Kennedy and William Keating, in a show of support for their failed labor union contributors. It was a chance for the left wing to denounce the evil folks at Philips Lighting for wanting to move their operation out of Massachusetts, the least business-friendly state in the entire nation.

It is the corporate greed, and not anti-business Democrat policies on the state and federal levels, that is behind the move. Tax, regulate, and mandate those greedy, profit-driven businessmen back to the stone age, or Mexico. That'll teach ‘em.

Warren and Markey then found their way to New Bedford for a meeting with reps from the local fishing industry, which is being crushed by overreaching federal policies. Warren, schooling us on the issue, saying she and Markey, "don't want to turn this into politics."

WHAT? Warren and Markey turn everything into politics.

Warren told WBSM News that she, Markey and Keating, "are deeply committed to getting a fast process so that the innocent people that have been harmed by what's happened here can get back out on the water and fish."

"We're there. We're going to be strong. This is just one meeting that helps make sure that we're fully informed and got all the ammunition we need when we go into these fights. The federal delegation is solidly behind New Bedford and solidly behind the fishermen, the innocent people who want to get back to fishing, and also to those who are trying to build a new industry right off the shores here in New Bedford," said Warren.

She neglected to explain what exactly the gang of three is doing to make that happen. She also failed to mention that she remains steadfastly in support of the marine monument off the New England coast that was put into place by Barack Obama to make life even more unpleasant for our fishing community.

Elizabeth Warren and Ed Markey are political hacks. Their rhetoric is divisive and condescending. They cannot offer solutions to our local problems because they do not understand them, nor do they care to. Neither gives a hoot about this region, but know that if they show up just before the election and pretend to care, they can count on your vote.

It's kind of like the guy who shows up with flowers at the nursing home to see Mom once a year on Mother's Day, and then feels good that he has done his duty. Mom refuses to recognize his faults. "That's my boy," she says. "See the pretty flowers? He really does care."

Your vote is worth more than that.

Barry Richard is the host of The Barry Richard Show on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. Contact him at barry@wbsm.com and follow him on Twitter @BarryJRichard58. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.