FIELD REPORT – Here is a field report from Massachusetts that reader Will Stroock was kind enough to send us by e-mail:

Great Barrington and all of western Mass (I don’t know how to spell the state’s name either, and I’ve been coming here since 1973), is a burnt-out industrial section of the country. The factories were devastated by post war competition and are mostly gone. They took the tourist industry with them. What began moving in during the 1980’s was the same new-age Bohemian element that has taken over Vermont. The café I write this in is filled with dirty hippies - not a political commentary but an actual description – old time hippies who run organic farms, and the local burnouts. For some reason this café is also filled with pretty teenage girls.  I have no idea why they come here. The town nuts prefer Dunkin Donuts. Though they tend to stay away from Great Barrington’s main street, there is a large summer-residence element composed of affluent New Yorkers.  That’s me, but we owned land up here way before it was popular. They treat the locals like servants.

As for the locals, they’re usually too busy working to get political. The deli at the Price Chopper has no fewer than seven photos of children in the military, three marines, two sailors, one soldier and an airman (or woman, I don’t know the term for females). These are the people who are out on Lakes Buel and Garfield right now ice fishing and drinking beer, but mostly drinking beer. If there was ever a revolution the locals would be running the place within five minutes because they’re all armed to the teeth.

Despite the strong NRA/NASCAR element, make no mistake, this is liberal territory. In 2004 this area was filled with Kerry/Edwards signs. I used to go running in a Bush/Cheney hat and often was nearly run off the road for my trouble. In 2006 the yards were filled with Deval Patrick signs. In 2008, of course, Obama signs and stickers were everywhere. There were also a lot of creepy Obama paintings, as we have a strong artist colony here now.

This weekend I counted three Scott Brown yard signs and one Liberty or Union Revolutionary War flag (the royal navy Red Ensign with the words Liberty or Union stitched on it), up here, that make you conservative.

Now hear this: I have seen no, repeat no Martha Coakley signs, not a one. Not a sign, not a sticker, not a placard, except for one of the nuts holding a handmade sign at the bridge across the Housatonic.

Make of this what you will, but it doesn’t sound good for Coakley.

As they say, there's nothing like having boots on the ground, especially when the boots can send e-mails.

January 17, 2010