Red, White and True: In defense of Charlie Baker
By Alec Whipple | February 21The moderate Republican is a dying breed. Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker represents one of the last and most powerful proponents of this ideology. Recently, Baker, an anti-Trump Republican, has taken a lot of criticism despite his opposition to the current administration. Merely by being in the same party as President Donald Trump, Baker must stand trial for many of the administration’s decisions. However, Baker cannot completely oppose his own party and so must tread a thin middle line. A moderate in the truest sense of the word, Baker’s socially liberal and fiscally conservative policies deliver high approval ratings. However, there are those on the left who think Baker should be doing more to oppose the Trump administration, such as more strongly supporting the many protests in Boston since the inauguration. On the right, people criticize Baker for being far removed from his fellow Republicans. Although many people will likely support a Democratic candidate for governor in the next gubernatorial election, it would be better for the state to have a Republican governor in office during the Trump administration’s time in Washington.
