Politicos Are

Consuming Our Parade

To the Editor:

This year’s Labor Day parade was a great success. The weather was perfect, the crowds enthusiastic, the floats and participants colorful and unique. The only downside to the parade was the inundation of political contingents. The number of politicians and their respective floats, banners, and marchers seems to grow every year. This year they consumed approximately 40 minutes of a two-hour parade or one-third of the total march time.

Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the Newtown Labor Day Parade and everyone expects it to be the largest and best attended ever, especially if the weather cooperates as it did this year. I have a suggestion for the parade committee: allow just three political floats, one for each party and ask all the politicians to march with their respective parties.

The citizens of Newtown receive more than a fair share of exposure to our politicians, local and statewide, with robo-calls, personal calls at the dinner hour, television coverage, signs, posters, mailings, leaflets, emails, front door visits, and handshakes as we enter the supermarket. We don’t really need 40 minutes of our annual parade devoted to their campaign efforts. Three floats for three parties and let the bands play on.

George Caracciolo

Schoolhouse Hill Road, Newtown                         September 7, 2010