The Sun needs transparency

The Lowell Sun editorial page will be the first one decrying a lack of transparency from those seeking or currently holding elected office, as they rightfully should. Context and transparency should also matter in the content the Sun publishes each day. It affords the reader the ability to evaluate the writer’s opinion as well as his motivation.

Following a failed run for state Senate in Massachusetts, Republican John MacDonald has been given a voice in the Sun’s editorial pages to continue promoting his agenda that was soundly rejected by voters in a 27-point loss to Senator Ed Kennedy last cycle.

It’s The Sun’s prerogative to run op-eds and columns that present different viewpoints, but the editorial board consistently fails to identify John MacDonald for who he is – a right wing politician who has tried and failed to win two different elections – one for the state Senate and one for the Lowell City Council. Providing this information puts his motivation in proper perspective, allowing readers to judge for themselves the fairness of it content.

The Sun should hold themselves to the same standards that they hold others to by correctly identifying the authors of opinion pieces they’re so eager to run in the paper.

Gus Bickford
Chair, Massachusetts Democratic Party
Westford