We all know it's unreasonable to expect a different result when you do the same thing over and over and over again: http://bit.ly/ybbntu

Take, for example, the clean energy sector.

Those of us in MetroWest and Assabet Valley are all too familiar with failed investments in Solyndra, Beacon Power, Sun Power, and the now infamous bankruptcy of Evergreen Solar – a bad investment which alone cost Massachusetts taxpayers $58 million.

Only giving preferential treatment to one industry is costly, risky, and unproductive. So, why is State Sen. Jamie Eldridge devoting considerable effort to forming a "Green Energy" caucus at the State House, and proposing the creation of yet another state environmental agency to support it?

My opponent wants to expand state government to focus on a small, emerging industry that is not even one-tenth the size of the Commonwealth's health care, education, retail or high-tech sectors. It doesn't make economic sense for the Legislature to focus on only one market at a time when our state still faces high unemployment and systemic budgetary challenges. And, it's no longer acceptable to pick winners and losers in private business.

Immediately after Evergreen’s bankruptcy in the summer of 2011, my opponent also formed a Senate District Advisory Council on just this one, emerging sector of the state’s diverse economy.

Question: Why not create an overall, Senate District Small Business Advisory Council instead?

There is no question supporting clean energy and conservation is good for our planet. But, it's obvious that Sen. Eldridge’s actions are just another election year gimmick, and the latest in his brazen attempts to align himself with only narrow special interest groups.

Unlike my opponent, I have filed a broad-based economic plan that seeks to improve the conditions for small business job creation in all employment sectors (including alternative energy). I believe our elected officials have a duty to listen to various points of view, study local issues, and develop policy positions that, hopefully, benefit the largest number of citizens or small firms. And, I don't believe that state senators should play ‘venture capitalist’ with taxpayer money.

There are better ways to be benefiting residents. For example, as a certified teacher, I would prefer the Commonwealth properly fund things like all-day kindergarten, new teacher development, special education or school building assistance before we repeat failed strategies that have been demonstrated to not work.

Why does my 2012 opponent defiantly forge ahead with unsuccessful and expensive proposals at the same time he is presiding over cuts in local aid? I favor a different approach.

Dean Cavaretta

Candidate for State Senate

Middlesex and Worcester District