WEST SPRINGFIELD — In an period when the “poisonous atmosphere” of Washington dominates public dialogue, Linda Melconian argues it’s vital to check the work of the late U.S. Home Speaker Thomas P. “Tip” O’Neill Jr., the Boston legislator who famously stated, “All politics is native.”
Melconian, the previous state senator for Agawam and West Springfield and earlier than {that a} member of O’Neill’s workers, not too long ago revealed the ebook “Lay it on the Desk: A Change Agent in Motion: When Tip O’Neill led the Home of Representatives to finish the Vietnam Struggle.” She is going to focus on her ebook and signal copies from 6:30 to eight p.m. on March 8 on the West Springfield Public Library, 200 Park St.
Earlier than her service as a Springfield-based Democratic state senator from 1983 to 2004, Melconian was assistant counsel to O’Neill, who served within the U.S. Home from 1953 to 1987, changing into one of many nation’s most outstanding politicians.
Though her ebook was revealed in January, Melconian started engaged on the story years in the past.
“It was my grasp thesis at George Washington College,” stated Melconian. Years later, she determined the time was proper to increase it right into a full ebook.
Melconian stated she is “pissed off with Washington’s tradition at present.” Her ebook, she stated, can “showcase a cut-off date when Tip O’Neill was a frontrunner, the place everybody noticed frequent floor,” and obtained outcomes.
“I at all times needed to put in writing a ebook about him ending the Vietnam Struggle,” stated Melconian.
She stated rather a lot has been written about O’Neill and former President Ronald Reagan. “They have been miles aside” of their political beliefs, Melconian stated, however they have been capable of work collectively and make compromises on points like Social Safety.
He additionally performed a key function in ending the Vietnam Struggle within the early Nineteen Seventies, she stated. Melconian stated O’Neill got here to the conclusion that the battle was “unwinnable” and labored to finish it.
It’s a lesson that America nonetheless must be taught, Melconian added. She stated she wrote the epilogue to her ebook in August 2021, as U.S. troops have been lastly being pulled out of Afghanistan after a 20-year battle.
“Possibly if we adopted O’Neill’s recommendation, we wouldn’t hemorrhage tax prices and American lives,” Melconian acknowledged.
Whereas the majority of her ebook is about O’Neill’s initiative and management to result in an finish to the Vietnam Struggle, she made a degree to acknowledge the alternatives he created for girls and other people of shade. As Home majority whip earlier than he turned speaker, he reformed the chamber from the within, Melconian stated.
“He modified committee and subcommittee construction [in Congress] that opened doorways for girls,” Melconian acknowledged.
When Melconian was working for O’Neill, she stated, solely 13 U.S. representatives have been girls. Now, there are 125 within the Home, many in management positions.
“O’Neill helped deliver this about,” she stated.
Melconian has a groundbreaking legislative document of her personal. She was elected as a state senator in a Springfield-centered district, which additionally included Agawam and West Springfield, in 1982, serving repeatedly till she opted to not run for re-election in 2004. She rose by way of the ranks to the chamber’s second-highest workplace.
“I used to be the primary lady majority chief of the Massachusetts Senate,” stated Melconian. She was honored as “majority chief emerita” for her ardour and arduous work.
Exterior of her work as an creator, Melconian teaches public coverage, nonprofit and enterprise legislation programs at Suffolk College in Boston. She has been instructing for 15 years, ever since leaving the senate.
She stated she’s heard optimistic responses to writings ebook about O’Neill. She has a number of upcoming talking engagements, together with a visitor opinion column that was posted in The Boston Globe. To this point, Melconian stated, all the ebook opinions have been good.
Her speak in West Springfield is free to attend, however the library is asking attendees to register prematurely due to restricted area. For extra info, or to register, go to the Grownup Providers desk or name 736-4561, ext. 3. This occasion is sponsored by the Associates of the West Springfield Public Library.
Following the dialogue of her ebook, Melconian stated she’s going to signal copies and open the ground for questions. Copies of her ebook will probably be bought in the course of the occasion. She is going to donate any cash raised by way of gross sales to the library. She stated she plans to do that with all library talking engagements sooner or later, as properly.
Melconian’s ebook may be discovered on Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and at libraries.