Saturday, March 28, 2009

DeLeo's Dilemma

Oooooppps!!!!

"top senators were miffed this week that DeLeo outlined his proposal before negotiating a consensus package with the Senate"


Guess you got a bit of a schooling on how things work at the statehouse, 'eh, Bob?


"DeLeo proposes ethics overhaul as skepticism reigns" by Eric Moskowitz, Globe Staff | March 25, 2009

Even as House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo formally unveiled an ethics-overhaul package yesterday that he said would help restore public confidence in Massachusetts government, poll results indicated that large numbers of state residents remain skeptical that political leaders can improve the climate on Beacon Hill.

Especially with crap like this:

"Robert A. DeLeo created an additional House committee chairmanship that carries a $7,500 stipend on top of legislators' base salary of $61,440"

C'mon, Bob, stop shoveling us shit!!!

"Public officials must live up to the expectations that people have for us," DeLeo said as he unveiled a weighty package of measures that would tighten ethics and campaign finance rules.

Please tell me he didn't say that.

But a new poll of Massachusetts voters found that expectations are low, with 41 percent of those surveyed believing new ethics and lobbying laws would probably have little or no effect on the way state government works.

It's BASED on PAST EXPERIENCE!!!

The 400 voters surveyed also said they thought the level of ethics and honesty in Massachusetts government has dropped over the past decade, and only 12 percent rated the level of ethics as good or excellent, according to the poll commissioned by the Rappaport Center for Law and Public Service at Suffolk Law School and set to be released today.

The poll numbers suggest that elected leaders need to take long-term actions, said Suffolk Law professor Alasdair Roberts. "They should read it that the issue doesn't go away the moment they pass legislation," said Roberts, a professor of law and public policy. "That follow-through is going to matter."

DAMN RIGHT it is! These guys better shape up or ship out!!!

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And we have good reason to be skeptical:

.... In the sort of internecine twists that can carry great weight in the Legislature, top senators were miffed this week that DeLeo outlined his proposal before negotiating a consensus package with the Senate....

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