The Delegation Is Expendable
Via Cliff, who comments on Kendall’s Saturday Chat, we have Kendall’s take on the delegation and their being indispensable.
With all due respect that is simply not true, and I agree with Cliff, though we’d disagree on the remedy. 
There are several points I would like to make to refute this. The first one is simply, NO one is indispensable, and the anger towards these guys for their backing the canceling of the primary, the Kazanjian endorsement, among other things (and there’s a long list, folks), is justified, and we voters deserve a competitive race for every seat in every election. Elected officials should have to come and ask, hat in hand, for our vote, and prove that they earned it. I am sick to death of the crowning of successors and then perpetual incumbency til death or resignation. That is undemocratic. It is anti-American.
But beyond this, and beyond the constant interference in local affairs by the delegation (over multiple years) on behalf of their not-so-deserving friends, I can tell you that a lump of coal could do better than some of these guys.
Case in point, the entire House delegation is on the outs with the leadership. You see, when DiMasi was forced to resign (sigh, two weeks after getting reelected as Speaker), there were two guys were vying for the leadership (Rogers and DeLeo). Both of them sucked donkey bits, too. There was the ethically-challenged, conservative, pro-casino DeLeo, and there was the even more ethically-challenged Rogers who was an equally bad choice.
The entire delegation threw their support behind Rogers, even when a three year old could tell it was going the other way. DeLeo won, and the delegation was metaphorically sent to the basement offices, the opposite direction as leadership. So not only did they pick the worst guy, but they did it stupidly. Now, they are virtually without much power in the House, as I understand how these things work.
How is that good for Lowell and “bringing home the bacon”? And besides occasional walkabouts by Golden, raise your hands if you often see the delegation in evidence at local events, neighborhood meetings, or really anywhere your average citizen dwells? Only when it pats them on the back (like the Hamilton Canal kickoff) do they show up. I don’t get the impression they’ve burned the night oil in the House making an impression there, either.
Now let’s talk policy…Nangle - who, by the way, was the handpicked successor to Cox back when Cox left under an ethics cloud - is not a Democrat. Whatever way a Democrat typically votes, he consistently goes the other direction. I’m sorry, I missed the part where I’m supposed to be all right with being represented by this guy? And Murphy - I don’t see anything useful with his name on it, and I don’t see how he has really pushed on issues I or my neighbors care about. Golden is nearly as conservative as Nangle, albeit at least more visible in the community.
Yeah, these guys are the bee’s knees all right. (That was sarcasm.)
And then there’s Senator Panagiotakos. Granted, he’s the only one where Kendall’s argument even applies at all. As Chair of the most powerful committee, Ways and Means, he holds a lot of sway over the budget, and as such, can make deals that few can dream about, on behalf of his constituency. I’ll even go so far as to say that I think he does a pretty all right job up on Beacon Hill, in terms of voting record, sans his stubbornness about gay marriage.
But anyone, even St. Steven, is replaceable, and a newly elected person could, if they are the right sort of go-getter who works well with others and knows when to push and when to give, can reach decent heights in a legislative body. And it’s erroneous to say Lowell will stop getting millions if these entrenched incumbents got overthrown. To say that a new person wouldn’t get up to speed quickly enough to be useful to Lowell is to say that we should just give up electing people all together. I mean, why bother to even hold elections when there’s an incumbent if tenure is the be-all and end-all of politics? Let’s save the city lots of money, and declare that so long as Panagiotakos, Nangle, Golden, and Murphy are staying in their seats, we won’t bother to hold an election. God, what have we come to in this country??
Lowell is particularly blessed when it comes to the state’s formulas. Because of our population, size, and density, Lowell receives strong levels of local aid and Chapter 70 money for our city services and schools. Perhaps with less influence in the Ways and Means, we might see some drop. However, Lowell is now designated a Growth District, it is on the radar as a “gateway city” and regional economic engine, and I doubt that the Governor and the rest of the legislature would start ignoring the good work in Lowell just because some of the seats were suddenly held by junior elected officials.
Give me a break. Elevating the self-importance of the four members of the Lowell delegation only serves one purpose in my mind: to boost their own egos. They are replaceable, and if we are lucky, they might well be. I am keenly interested in competitive primaries. (No, I won’t support a Republican over a Dem, though I might not fight too hard if the Republican and Democrat were about the same level of progressive.) More and better Democrats!
I think Nangle is very beatable, for instance, if certain people were interested in a primary challenge…
Addendum: this part of kad barma’s comment at R-S-o-L is good:
Our problem is that the four yahoos “representing” us on Beacon Hill aren’t actually representing us at all, and so their “influence”, whatever it might be, is never going to be used for our benefit. (THAT’S the logical flaw in Kendall’s bogus argument). These are the chislers who happily caucused to scuttle our primary election, and to do just about whatever the gang of six told them to do. The right move for an informed and self-interested electorate would be to fire their patronage politics IMMEDIATELY, no matter how junior their replacements will turn out to be.
Ya.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Just a quick factual correction-it was Tom Golden who followed John Cox in the state rep seat. Nangle won the seat occupied by Ed Lelacheur.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Cemeteries are full of indispensable people!
I’d love to see legit challengers to these folks start campaigning. All you have to do is read the Beacon Hill Roll Call on how they are voting on various issues to see that they are out of touch on most issues!
Can a Republican get elected? Doubtful. I think back to when Tim Golden was on the SC and took at shot at a State Rep’s seat as a Republican. Tim consistanly had the highest vote total of any candidate in Lowell, CC or SC, but once that R got behind his name he lost big time!
November 24th, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Three more things to consider:
1) At least from what I’ve seen none of them have spoken up at all about the rep from Cambridge charged with driving away from an accident he caused, most likely under the influence. With numerous local accidents caused by drunken drivers, where is their leadership on this issue - which from where I set is pretty clear-cut. Zero tolerance for anyone in a leadership/role model position, period.
2) On the twin issues of the day that matter around the kitchen table - jobs and foreclosures - have any of them offered any leadership, pushed perhaps for a moratorium on foreclosures while the state’s unemployment rate remains above 9% or pushed hard for stimulus money job creation?
3) On the recess from now to the start of 2010 - where do they stand? Can it be that there are no problems, issues that need to be dealt with? Should they all take a pass and let six weeks go by without concerted action on jobs and foreclosures and ed. reform?
This does not equal indispensable to me.
November 24th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
bd - thanks. I do know that those same people backed Nangle and hence the mixup.
November 24th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
RE: Comments 1 and 4
The districts are very different now. Cox represented Centreville and Dracut (not sure about Pawtucketville). Colleen Garry was his aide and now represents Dracut and Tyngsboro; I’ve always thought of her as Cox’s successor.
I agree, Lynne, that we shouldn’t be so afraid of primaries, but that begs this question - When do we see your name on the ballot?:)
November 24th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
Keep it coming, Lynne!!!! I hope that the election results in Lowell inspire some good contenders to replace these guys. Do they actually think they are respected? Someone should tell them to read that story about the emporer who has no clothes.
November 24th, 2009 at 4:34 pm
Lynne
First of all you are correct “No one is indispensable”
But as I have asked before Do you wake up everyday mad at the world?
I have had my disagreements with my rep and senator but are you kidding?
The Hamilton Canal District — How did Lowell get to be put on the “Growth District (or whatever its called) for the Commonweatlh” — Must have been nothing but Luck. Is every community on it? Answer No What other community has brought back that type of Money? Answer ?
Bringing home the Bacon? Hmmm Lowell has done really well over the years and I don’t think it is by accident.
Judicial Center/Bridges being reconstructed (not shut down as in other parts of the state) new parks/ school building funds, Full Service RMV that some like and some don’t
UML and MCC with new additions with state money
And this is what I have read.
You really have to be kidding?
Conservative? Didn’t two of these guys vote for gay marriage?
which does not follow what I wanted. I wanted to vote on it.
The primary election? Not sure if you said it but someone did. Not having a primary will benefit “the entrenched establishment” — guess you were wrong there
Chap 70 $ is not a lay up — read what the towns are always saying that “they don’t get enough” being from Chelmsford before I can agree.
Who the hell would want to run for public office with people like you who feel they are above it all and will never run bc they cant raise the money.
Fact — I don’t like everything they do
Fact — No one is indispensable
Fact — You just don’t like these guys bc they are not like u
I don’t comment often any longer (which I am sure you like)
Because this site is becoming more and more of a dividing point for this city. Us vs Them
Have you ever really called one of these guys?
Probably not — and you won’t bc it just easier kicking the sh#t out of people.
Happy Thanksgiving
November 24th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Dear Outsider
The answer to your question is that Lynne does not call people all she does is complain and bash them. She would not have the guts to put her name on the ballot !
November 24th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
How many times do I have to say this? Backing Rogers didn’t work out but it made no sense to abandon principles and back DeLeo at the last minute because Sal worked out a successor deal for him! This is like all the people criticizing Belichick because the Patriots lost. Critique the call but don’t be an armchair quarterback when hindsight is 20/20. You didn’t know in early 2008 who the next speaker was going to be. Bob DeLeo didn’t know. John Rogers didn’t know. The Lowell delegation didn’t either. They supported the guy they thought was a better candidate. I love how you are all of a sudden criticizing people for being on the wrong side of “insider politics.” How GOBish of you.
If you had any clue how the Speaker position is decided, loyalty is important. Rogers and DeLeo were lining up votes for 2 years. The Lowell delegation had been with Rogers from the very very beginning. You really think a last minute jump to DeLeo who only wrapped up the votes after the freshmen reps were seated in January would have done them any favors?
And furthermore, Golden is the vice-chair of election laws. Not an extremely powerful post, but it shows that he still has clout since he is one of only a very small handful of Rogers supporters to get any sort of chairmanship.
So please stick to advocacy on issues and don’t discuss the “inside politics” that you hate so much if you aren’t going to grasp the reality of the situation.
And I still have yet to see where Rogers was more ethically challenged than DeLeo. He paid for the Ethics Commission to investigate his vacation home purchase. Did they find he violated campaign finance law??? What was the finding? Oh yeah, he didn’t violate campaign finance law. Does the situation sound very good? No of course not. There’s always the question of working with “friends.” But they found him not guilty. Now DeLeo had an actual responsibility in all that Sal touched.
Admit it, its about ideology and not performance. They don’t vote the way you like, so you want someone else. Otherwise they do bring home the bacon. They backed the wrong guy for speaker, but they still have seniority and (some) clout.
If you want a truly wicked progressive liberal, then run one. Have a primary challenge, I think that all seats should be contested. Of course a candidate that you would wholehearedly love won’t win in Lowell, but it is worth a challenge.
And at least get your facts right, John Cox was gone from the State House waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay before Dave Nangle was elected. As the earlier commentators pointed out there was serious redistricting. Cox’s former district is sort of split between Colleen Garry and Tom Golden. But Dave Nangle is on the other side of the bridge!
November 24th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Lowell Resident,
You are correct, no one knew who the Speaker would be in 2008 but the delegation were VERY CLOSE with DiMassi and if you are correct that Sal worked out a successor deal then why didn’t they back DeLeo? Golden was especially close to SAL…From The Legislature Journal Jan 2009
“And Mr. DiMasi, having been declared elected, was conducted to
the Chair by a committee consisting of Representatives Harkins of
Needham, Bosley of North Adams, Wagner of Chicopee, St. Fleur of
Boston, O’Flaherty of Chelsea, Haddad of Somerset, Fagan of
Taunton, Rodrigues of Westport, Golden of Lowell”
The delegation backed the wrong horse. But to state Mr. Rogers “paid for the Ethics Commission to investigate his vacation home purchase” Isn’t exactly correct.
What was the finding? in September 2008, the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance determined that Mr. Rogers had inappropriately used campaign funds to pay the mortgage on the Falmouth property by channeling the funds through a political consultant. Thomas H. Drummey paid the mortgage for 22 months, during which time he received thousands of dollars in consulting fees from Mr. Rogers’ political campaign account.
Did they find he violated campaign finance law??? the OCPF found that because Mr. Drummey had, in fact, provided substantial political services to Mr. Rogers, no violation of campaign finance laws had occurred. They permitted Mr. Rogers to “reimburse” them $30,000 — from his campaign account, no less — for the costs of the investigation, thereby avoiding referral of the matter to the attorney general’s office for criminal investigation.
Not EXACTLY a NOT Guilty finding when the words “inappropriately” & permitted Mr. Rogers to “reimburse” thereby avoiding referral
I am far far from a ” truly wicked progressive liberal” more of a conservative Democrat but I am leaning toward running against Mr. Golden because I beleive we need change to the process and way we do things. We need to listen to the people of the district not the Party and the Lobbyist that run Beacon Hill. Look at the increase in Boston based lobbyist and PACS contibuting to Tom’s campaign..He represents them not us in the district.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:02 am
Can we stop blowing our state reps for the Hamilton Canal district already? I mean, yeah it’s nice that our crack den pocket of dowtown is going to get a face lift, but they’re totally swinging and missing on an opportunity to market new infrastructure, centrally located, for pivate commercial projects. Instead we’re getting a slew of buildings owned by the state. Sweet.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:59 am
It appears they are expendable for the next 6 weeks at least. If they are not needed now with so many issues facing the State, when are they needed at all?
November 25th, 2009 at 9:50 am
Hey “Resident,” I already corrected the Nangle thing. Get over it already.
And I’m sorry, but just because insider politics works pretty much like local politics do here (loyalty is more important than whether or not the guy you’re backing ACTUALLY is the best guy) doesn’t mean I can’t dislike it or call it out when I see it.
“Joe”: Wow, a personal attack! How relevant to your argument. Oh, wait, you didn’t even make one. I have spent a lot of my personal time in electoral politics, thank you very much. Just because I have not and probably will not put my name on a ballot doesn’t mean I don’t have a right to speak out. Unless this isn’t a democracy? Sometimes it doesn’t look like one, and all of you who want me to be silenced because I don’t like the way your buddies do business are the ones who make it seem that way.
Fact is, on BOTH the actual issues and the manner in which they do politics, these guys are not the best and brightest that we could send to the state house. And yes, I DO think that Lowell would have become a Growth District without some or all of these guys, or if we had a couple more junior folks that had replaced them. Why? Because Lowell was pretty much the PERfect set up to become one, due to the HCD and other work being done. Everyone looooooves patting themselves on the back but the facts on the ground is that there was a LOT that went into gaining that status and getting the monies, and not all of it was the delegation’s doing. They are replaceable. Other people could do the job they are doing just fine, even without “tenure.”
But I love all the apologists coming out of the woodwork now…”No, don’t hold anyone accountable, that would be bad!” Yeah.
November 25th, 2009 at 9:55 am
Here is a list of things undone that makes the entire legislature’s six-week vacation an insult to the taxpayers.
Educational reform bill, declining state revenues and what to do about municipal aid in 2010, declining state revenues and the higher education budget, the looming disaster of stimulus dollars ending forcing sharper cuts in k-12 public education spending, the failures of stimulus dollars we do have in the Commonwealth producing any new jobs, the fact that while most of our current delegation has been under the Golden Dome there has been almost no net new job creation at all around here or in the state as a whole.
That’s for starters folks - there’s more.
If they can walk away from all of this, not to mention the various ethics, drunk driving, and other dumb ass transgressions by their buddies, might it be time for them to look for a line of work where taking six weeks off in the middle of the worst economic crisis since 1930 is OK. Oh wait, under no circumstances in the private sector would this be OK - so why is it here and now.
Can our delegation look in the eye everyone out of work, everyone getting food from a food pantry, everyone facing foreclosure and say ‘ya, we;ve got your back and are working as hard as we can to fix this freakin mess we are in?
November 25th, 2009 at 11:20 am
Pedro
What buildings in the Hamilton are owned by the state other than the new Courthouse?
November 25th, 2009 at 11:23 am
Time for Accounting for Time
The MASS. Legislature’s formal session is “Out” until January because a Joint Committee of State Senators and State Representatives decided that “All formal business of the first annual session of the General Court shall be concluded no later than the third Wednesday in November of that calendar year”
By Article X in the MA Constitution they are “In Session” from the 1st Wed in January until the 1st Tuesday of the 1st Wednesday of the following year…However they apparently have the power and rights to set Formal and “Informal sessions” .
Take a look at how many Hours a week they worked in session during Oct & Nov to date. * During the week of November 16-20, 20 hours and 39 minutes / Nov. 9-13, 8 hours and 25 minutes Nov. 2-6, 5 hours and 21 minutes / Oct. 26-30, 5 hours and 52 minutes. (Per Beacon Hill Roll Call)
On aver in the last 3 years they have had these “sessions” about 138 out of a possible 240 Working Days a year (allowing for 4 weeks vacation). The average informal session last one to two hours at most. (Per House Journal on line at http://www.mass.gov/legis/journal/main.htm)
Isn’t time we require these elected officials to post their calendars and show us what they are doing the other One Hundred and Twelve Days they are not in session? How about the other six or so hours when they are in session?
A Lowell Representative is paid a base salary of $60,000 plus receives $7,200 a year for “expenses” and a per diem to travel to Boston of $26.00 a day. Is it to much to have them show us what they are doing?
In the private sector we have to show production and account for our time. Isn’t it time we start requiring our elected officials to do the same?
Next Year in 2010 again by a Joint Committee of State Senators and State Representatives formal business of the second annual session shall be concluded no later than the last day of July of that calendar year.
Which means they have a lot of unaccounted for time for the last five months of an election year…what will they be doing?
November 25th, 2009 at 3:39 pm
I know Tom Golden and his staff were passing out Turkey dinners to the less fortunate last night. I delivered a meal to a family that really needed it. Tom did all the fundraising for it. As far as what the legislators do every minute of every day; the info you provide does not take into account reviewing the materials presented or dealing with constituency issues. Do you really not understand the job of a State Rep and what they do while not in session? You may want to do some more research before you decide to run.
November 25th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
It’s very well and great for people to get involved with charitable giving and fundraising.
However, one does not have to be a state Rep to do so. Mr. Golden could do just as much good in charity as he does now without holding the seat he holds.
I do get sort of tired of this mixing up of private good works with elected life. During the local campaign, every single time I heard Bud Caulfield speak, he talked about a litany of things he’d done…every single ONE of them was all stuff he could do while not being City Councilor. Laudable, but not a reason to elect him. Same with the rest of them.
November 25th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
They may be expendable but I bet that tomorrow afternoon they’ll be wishing they had expandable clothing. Happy Thanksgiving to all my lefty friends and also those “others”.
November 25th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Lynne
Do you have a good word for anyone??? You have to be the most miserable person on this earth. I wonder what thanksgiving will be like at your house are you going to sit around the table pulling apart elected officals who don’t meet your standards. We have seen your standards the likes of Gov Patrick ( hopefully one term Gov) who wants to give everything away to the people who are in this country illegally. That was a great pick Lynne
November 25th, 2009 at 7:49 pm
RayB
Tom does a great job with the Thanksgiving Baskets but he can do that as a private citizen as I have getting donations for my daughter’s schools auction or teaching CCD or Coaching Baseball all things I have done with my time and my kids over the last 20+ years while working 40+ hours a week days in the printing field while my wife worked 40 hours at night from 6:00 pm - 4:00 am .
Really they take care of Constituency?? That should account for most of their time but have you ever called and got through on the 1st try to talk to a Rep? How about meeting the public in the district at a regularly scheduled time? When was the last time Tom held a district meeting or district office hours? Many people want to talk face to face , not just voice mail and email. I do believe their staff handles most of the work with Constituency and Tom’s staff is very good but the district elects Tom not his staff.
How about meeting once a quarter with the City Manager to work together for the good of the City? That to much of their time?
If you are telling me they use the other 112 days ,8 hours a day for 16 week helping their Constituency or studying “issues” then they should have no issue with documenting their time as those of us do in the private sector.
Why is it if you like a Politician then he doesn’t have to be accountable for putting in hours that most of us have to do every day and week?
In your job Ray do you not work a 35-40 hour week? Do you get 6 weeks vacation? What about the other 112 days they are not in session? How do justify a 5 hour and 52 minute work week and yet they leave the Educational reform bill on the table and take off for 6 weeks?
I’ve written on Colleen Garry’s Facebook page this past spring that I would not want to have to make the decisions on cuts they faced, but the more I’ve looked into why they do what they do, the Blind Party following and not cutting their own pay while taking a pay raise, canceling a primary after saying they would not do it again ,getting involved again in City elections and having so much unaccounted for time the angrier I got and decided that I had to think about running to change the way things are done.
They need to account to us for their time.
November 25th, 2009 at 8:17 pm
Gerry- RUN!! Seriously, you certainly seem to have the time to devote yourself to it. Speaking of accountable time, are you blogging while your at work?
November 25th, 2009 at 8:20 pm
“…have you ever called and got through on the 1st try to talk to a Rep?”
Heh. As soon as you said this I was reminded of somthing I heard about Tip O’Niel. Apparently in his DC office, when his secratary went out to lunch he’d cover anwsering the phone himself. Imagine calling the office of the Speaker of the House and after a couple of rings hearing “Tip O’Neil here, how can I help you?”
November 25th, 2009 at 11:47 pm
Bravo ‘Joe Says’!
‘Joe Says’ apparently has not much of substance to ’say’ so he focuses on launching personal attacks on the author. He essentially cannot put together a sufficient issue-oriented rebuttal to Lynne’s skillful deflections of any and all issue oriented challenges so he must, as usual, attack her personally.
Good job Joe Says. Bottom line is that Joe has very little to say in regard to the topic so he feels that he must take the messenger out at the knees.
As anyone who really knows Lynne can attest, she is anything but “the most miserable person on this earth”. She is actually quite the most pleasant person on this earth who just happens to have no tolerance for the bullshit that spews from the GOB set. And I do so wish that I was invited to spend Thanksgiving with her and family.
And, by the way, I think Deval Patrick is doing a very admirable job especially considering what he and all of his predecessors are typically up against down there at the State House.
Nothing but a bunch of bone-head loyalists.
Time for a change!!!
November 26th, 2009 at 8:19 am
All I’m saying is I find it hypocritical to talk about how backroom deals and insider politics is so awful, and then criticize people for being on the wrong side of the deal. If John Rogers was replaced by some true progressive voice, would you be blasting his supporters for backing the wrong horse, or giving them props for standing up for a good cause? I think this is mostly all just a lot of personal dislike of the delegation. As for the legislative rules, do people think that professors only get paid while they are in the classroom or do they respect that there is a lot more to the job than those few hours a week? the same thing with the legislature. the fact that the federal government is bribing the state with ed reform money that will hurt in the long run makes it a good idea that they are taking time to think these pieces of legislation over, and hopefully the charter school bribes aren’t passed.
November 26th, 2009 at 10:13 am
A Concerned Taxpayer
Thanks for the encouragement, I am fortunate to be able to blog during my breaks and lunch and have the owners permission and support since a lot of my time is spent on the computer. He is even encouraging me to run for office since I have actually worked in the private sector for the last 20 years compared to someone like our current Rep. who since he was 24 has been in office.
I understand and appreciate the small business owner and their struggles. Tom gets great grades from the AFL-CIO but the MA, chapter of the National Federation of Independent Business gave him a grade of 22 and the Mass Tech Council (MassTrack )34 percent in 2007-2008. While we need to work with labor (my dad was a Union Steward for many years )and several state unions have voluntarily taken furloughs to save jobs, we need the small business owners and need to assist them in keeping people employed. I’ve seen first hand the closing of many printing companies in the last year and loss of jobs with no help from the state.
Mass. has a great Workshare Program through the Division of Employment and Training that needs to be expanded and we need to use some of our Federal stimulus money to support this. It allows companies to reduce hours for employees while the state pays a percentage of the employees salary and the employee keeps their benefits, especially their health care.
The Printing company I worked for did this from January 2009 through Sept. 2009. The Admin staff (Customer Service, AR/AP) worked 32 hours a week and we received about 3.5 hours of pay from Unemployment so we really lost only 4.5 hours of pay while keeping out health insurance and accruing vacation/sick time at the normal rate.
Due to the large unemployment rate in Mass. both the funds for Mass unemployment and Mass Health are dangerously low and all companies will face a higher payment come January 2010. Our Elected Officials should be in session working on issues like this instead of having the next six weeks “out of formal session”.
November 26th, 2009 at 10:25 am
You will NEVER and I repeat NEVER knock one of these guys off individually. Their style of politics is “circle the wagons”. If you want them out, you’re going to have to go after them with a slate. Even a popular, capable and qualified guy like Bill Martin couldn’t beat the meter reader in South Lowell. Why?? This “Cox” stuff goes back that far. Anybody that thinks that they can pick them off one by one is crazy. We don’t need martyrs, we need results. and as long as Kendall has Senator Little League in his pocket, he stays.
November 26th, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Actually what pisses me off most about the Speaker race is that our delegation backed the WORSE of the two, the one who was known to have more ethical problems than the other guy…all in the name of loyalty. I have been completely and utterly CONSISTENT on this. At some point I would like people to actually read what I write instead of being apologists and staying obsessed with tripping me up rather than ACTUALLY address my points.
RE Patrick, I am very happy with my choice. You know why you guys (the apologists) hate him? Same reason the same people (or same-minded at least) hate Bernie Lynch. He doesn’t play by the corrupted loyalist pig trough rule book, but by one driven by real ethics and practical decision making for the best outcomes for all residents. Not favoritism politics that is preferred by the set of people who hold a vice grip on those seats.
On all the measures that count, Patrick has been a damn sight better than the Republican do-nothings that have held that seat before. On green tech, on governing for the GOVERNED instead of the cronies like what Romney put into place, on balanced, careful budgets that are fair and take the tough stance instead of putting off the pain and problems like Romney and others did.
I can’t tell you how pleased I am with Patrick as governor and how much I want him to be reelected. I don’t get a damn thing from him being there (my job doesn’t rely on him, I hold no patronage position) except what we all get - a stronger Commonwealth. His Growth Districts initiative, his green programs, which yes, all pass with the help of the lege but would NOT exist without him pushing for it, his leadership on saving the Mass Turnpike from facing the music of kicking their debt can down the road…all of it, good practical leadership. All with a solid progressive attitude on why government exists and who it exists for.
If Patrick had not been at the helm during this fiscal crisis, but his opponent was instead, we’d be screwed up a pole faster than you can say deficit, just like we were back when Romney was in charge in the last downturn. How much Chapter 70 money got cut under Romney? How much local aid? Patrick understands what he’s doing and is trying to be responsible with the lemon he got handed thanks to Mr. Bush II.
And sometimes, thank god, Patrick has had to take the mickey out of the pain in the ass “loyalty first” legislature to do it. I applaud his leadership on all those fronts, on ethics reform, where he held firm when the legislature wanted to water it the hell down, on transportation reform which was a campaign promise and which he has delivered, and truth to tell, the ONLY way he was going to get decent laws out of this sorry legislature was to play hard ball. He played it right and now all the little whiners in the state house are wah, wah, wah. Well, too damn bad. Stuff either gets done WITH you, or WITHOUT you. Take your pick.
November 27th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Let us not be so critical of the Blog-Mistress. Contrary to some comments above, she is NOT all negative. To wit: “With all due respect that is simply not true, and I agree with Cliff, though we’d disagree on the remedy.” Darned straight we’d disagree on the remedy. But we would disagree with some modicum of respect for the other party. And sometimes disagreements are really just about the path to an agreed objective.
Beacon Hill is broken and left and right may not be able to agree on the specific solution, but we can all agree that for true democracy to flourish in our Commonwealth we need a little competition. Mr Wallace, with all due respect, is not encouraging that competition with his last “Chat.”
The commenter who said “slate” may be on to something.
Regards — Cliff
November 27th, 2009 at 10:53 am
Lynne,
I may be a Democrat but I’m a very conservative one and I know LIL is an ultra Liberal Blog but for you to describe Gov. Deval has governing for the GOVERNED instead of the cronies or to say” He doesn’t play by the corrupted loyalist pig trough rule book, but by one driven by real ethics. Is a very large stretch. He has done some good but not a whole lot for the middle class workers in this state and has played politics as usual as far as I can see…examples:
First his neighbor landed a $120,000-a-year job that never existed before. Then there was the Sen. Marian Walsh debacle,
Patrick also hired Martina Jackson, a longtime campaign supporter and member of the Democratic State Committee, as the $65,000-a-year communications director for the Department of Elder Affairs.Less we forget the sister of his former campaign manager John Walsh, hired for a job that pays $105,000 a year who then helped land a $83,000 gig for her friend and neighbor swiftly hiring her pal, Kathleen Reilly, as a DCR “fiscal officer.” After cutting jobs in the state.
That’s not business as usual? Didn’t you and I go through a dialogue about a Superintendent hiring politically connected people? I though you disagreed with that type of hiring?
“Not favoritism politics” and “strong on ethics reform” well except when if favors him…
After demanding that lawmakers pass “meaningful reforms” - he took advantage of a loophole that allows him to raise more than 10 times the legal limit in campaign contributions.
A group of heavy-hitting lawyers hosted a fund-raiser for Patrick’s political committee at the Union Club on Beacon Hill. The fund-raiser’s invitation encourages those “who feel inclined to make a donation larger than $500” to give to the Seventy-First Fund. The group - so named because Patrick is the 71st governor - allows contributors to donate $5,500, which is split between the state Democratic Party and Patrick’s political committee. The party then uses most of the money to pay off Patrick’s campaign bills. Party chairman John Walsh (formal Deval Campaign Manager) said the fund complies with current state campaign laws. Just good work on his part right, taking advantage of a loophole??
“we’d be screwed up a pole faster than” This isn’t one of the biggest screwed up ideas in MA history??..Gov.Deval Patrick defend a program that hands donated cars to welfare recipients who got the car for free — along with a year subscription to AAA plus taxpayer-funded insurance with free excise tax ! It’s OK to to lay off nurses, counselors for the disabled and mental health workers across the state, while thousand more private companies lay off yet the State can give people who don’t pay taxes free insurance and cars.???
“all of it, good practical leadership…like The New Cadillac
the $55,000 upgrade to his office, courtesy of the taxpayer, and the unrelenting junkets, including one to China that cost us $250,000. While he was in the Orient, Patrick picked out an office in Beijing. That’s right. Beijing. Right now, we are paying rent on office space in China, and you will be happy to hear that, “in addition to the state’s Beijing office, Massachusetts will maintain a satellite contact office in Shanghai,’’ according to the state’s own press release. What a relief. We also pay for an office for Patrick in Washington D.C.
Lets not forget the lobbying by Patrick & Obama that resulted in a bill that let Governor Deval Patrick appoint an interim successor to Edward M. Kennedy, after the Democratic Legislature voted in 2004 NOT to all a MA. Governor to do that.
Patrick is as bad as you think the current Legislative Reps are. He plays the game as well as anyone and this state is not in better shape with him in charge. Just one guys opinion.
November 27th, 2009 at 3:53 pm
With all due respect, Mr. Nutter, you really don’t know much about what you’re talking about.
It’s not cronyism to work with someone in your campaign then put them in charge of something once elected. This happens ALL the time. Patrick surrounded himself with very smart people in all manner of fields and as experts in those fields, I hope to god he hired some of them to the various departments. I knew a lot of folks in that campaign that more than deserved to continue to influence policy. Cronyism is when you hire someone not qualified over the best and brightest that you could get instead. I have not seen one instance of this being proven under Patrick, just a lot of rhetoric without any substance.
Marion Walsh was actually hired to do a job, and I’ve spoken to people in the administration on that and was completely satisfied with the why of her hiring and what she was supposed to be doing. Did you know that that whole thing was an attempt to reign in a very loose and problematic area of government? Her job would have been to do so. Too bad she was never allowed to do so.
The drapes and Caddy thing is so stupid I am sorry to see you mention it seriously, as I lose a lot of respect for people who do. Not to hash over the same damn thing over and over again, BUT the circumstances in both stories were completely honest ones. The former being that Mr. Romney took all his furnishings out of the state house when he left (he had paid for the decor while he was in office) and there was little left that wasn’t very shabby or falling apart. Unlike most states, we do NOT have a Governor’s mansion to upkeep, so the ONLY house of state is our state house. To ask dignitaries and other leaders to come there with the place in shambles is pretty stupid if you ask me.
The Caddy is even more stupid. Do you have a problem with providing bullet proof security for our Governor? I’d like to know. Because Patrick’s people had very few cars to choose from on a list of state-police-approved cars that COULD be purchased and retrofitted with that security, and ALL of them were expensive large cars (required by the retrofit). That entire story to me smacks of racism - had it been any other expensive large car other than a Caddy would it even have been discussed?? I surmise that it would not have.
You’re a dupe if you repeat those stories without all that context.
The car program - only lauded as a great program that helps people, ooooooh no! Can’t do that! We tell people welfare that you get kicked off so get a job, but then we tell them we can’t help them get to that job or help with childcare or any other thing that would make that possible.
As to splitting larger donations to the party, that isn’t against any sort of laws and is done all the time. It’s perfectly legal for the Governor to host a party with donations to the party. Give me a break. Why would we bother to have political parties otherwise?? As backdrop?
And since when is it NOT the job of our Governor to make relations with other places that we can build business with? Seriously, you have no idea what you are talking about. And an office in DC seems to me like a practical expense which can only help us interact with the federal government. We made out pretty damn well in the stimulus money so I think we can credit the work laid out ahead of time for some of that.
I’ve already said my piece on the interim successor. Funny how conservatives were ALLLLLL for it back when Romney was Governor.
“Just one guys opinion.”
Honestly, I don’t see much MORE than opinion here, not a lot of context and certainly a lot of hot air. Sorry, just because you cherry pick a lot of things and decide to chuck out all context of each item does not mean you’ve proven your point.
November 27th, 2009 at 5:08 pm
The complaints about the Seventy First Fund are not about the legality of the arrangement , but the way it may undermine party principles .
Basically , a donor contributes $5,500 ; that donation is then split with $500 going to Governor Patrick’s campaign account and $5,000 to the Democratic State Committee.The novel twist is that the Democratic State Committee has entered into a written agreement to pay some debts of the Patrick Campaign Committee.
The Democratic State Committee is supposed to be neutral in the event of an Primary, but it is hard to see how neutrality can be maintained when the party has such an arrangement with an incumbent .Adding Governor Patrick’s campaign manager to the mix as Chair of the Democratic State Committee heightens the problem .
This is not as much a reflection on Governor Patrick as it is , in my opinion , a dereliction on the part of the elected Committee Members.They never should have authorized Chairman Walsh to sign the agreement .
Nonetheless it is clear that Governor Patrick is willing to collude in a ploy designed to benefit from and protect incumbency .It is an example of insider politics , albeit not the worst one we have seen of late.
November 27th, 2009 at 5:20 pm
LOL isn’t that what a BLOG is? your opinion and those of others who post? ..just people posting their opinions? Let’s face it you use little facts and cherry pick those you decide to use,again not that there is anything wrong with it .
I just get a big chuckle when I or anyone present facts and then you accuse us of cherry picking..You the lead picker of facts and undocumented rants. At least I refrain from needless name calling .
You’re a dupe ! A childish response that reminds me of the 12 year old who replies “So’s your old man” or Stick and stones may break by bones. I find when people can’t defend facts they resort to childish name calling.
You’re a dupe ! Maybe I am but your so far left that it is you and the other leftist that have ruined the Democratic Party. It used to be the Party of the working class but Leftist have made it the party who wants to give to those who sit on their ass and want a handout. Find 10 working class people who think the Free Car program was good for anyone but the freeloaders or who think Deval is doing a good job.
It is time for conservative Democrats to get involved, make the Legislature work for the people of their district and not the people looking for handouts and the far left of this party.
Lynne, I enjoy this forum and the chance to spar with you and others, this is real democracy in action and while we agree to disagree on what looks like many many issues I thank you and Mimi for hosting the site.
For many reasons this will be my last post until I finalize my decision to run or not. Since your site has re-energized my interest in elected office yours will be the 1st to know if I am a candidate or not. I look forward to meeting you and to engage in more lively debate in the year ahead.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:14 am
Wanna know why I used those terms with regards to that canard? Because the canard is childish. Sorry, I call a spade a spade.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:25 pm
So Gerry, you’ve got all the answers and a boss who doesn’t mind you screwing around at work. Stop talking and put your money where your mouth is-RUN!!
November 29th, 2009 at 8:21 pm
A Concerned Taxpayer,
I wasn’t going to respond but you seem so angry and accuse me of screwing around. Why so angry? All I am asking is what is wrong with asking them to account for their time? Tom is doing good work with the Perscription Drug abuse program and now with the Coupons for prescrition meds. But he has become to engrossed in Beacon Hill then th district in my opinion. So why can’t he account for his other time to the district and have more district meetings and meet with the Manager once a quarter?
Aside from blindly supporting the last two FELONS (SAl & Tommy) as Speakers of the House. Trying to meddle in the last two City Elections (endorsing B McMahon & Alan K) and being the ONLY Rep to vote to allow a temp. Senator. Where was he for 90 - 100 days that the Legislature wasn’t in session? Why is it so hard to ask all of them to be accountable?
Again just dealing with facts, WHERE was Tom ?
The House met 126 out of 215 working days in 2009? 89 Days doing what?
In 2008 150 out 240? Where was he for 90 Days?
In 2007 138 out of 240? For 102 days
In 2006 132 out of 240? For 108 Days
Will Rogers said: Politics has become so expensive that it takes a lot of money even to be defeated” I don’t have a lot of money, Tom has over $50K in his campaign war chest. I may be defeated as you seem to wish but I’ll wear out shoes and lose weight walking the district and use Internet space as often as I cam before spending more than $2,500 on a campaign. People need their money for more important things like health insurance, heat, food and car payments. I think any contributions should come from friends, family and people in the district.
Not Lobbyist and PACS. According to the MA OCPF Since 2002 Tom’s contibutions from Lobbyist & Lawyers went from $2,125 in 2002 to $22,719.00 in 2008. Most from Outside the District.
So IF I run it will be without Lobbyist and PAC contributions Will Tom??
You seem angry with me and I don’t know why. Please feel free to contact me direct at gnutter@comcast.net if you would like to chat one on one. I look forward to hearing from you.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
ya Gerry go ahead and run so that the witch of blogging can rip you apart lol
December 1st, 2009 at 11:41 am
I can’t grasp why so many people chose to bash and rant over the delegation I read one of the earlier posts about trying to get hold of a rep or the senator on the first call. Well honestly, I have been able to reach those that I’ve called on a first call. I’m certainly no different than the rest of the constituents out there.
As for their vulnerability, forget about the picture that endorsed Alan K. prior to the election…if you think that’s a reason to move one of those men out of office, then I feel bad for you. Vote the people out that you don’t like, I’m all for that, but have some concrete reasons for doing so. I mean seriously, do you people vote based on who these people are friends with OR do you vote for them because you think they can represent you on Beacon Hill?
Sometimes I think this blog is like an avalanche ….one sneeze and it all comes rumbling downhill without worrying about what might be in its path.