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Arm-twisting at the Statehouse? Shocking!

Mar 14th, 2008 by Taylor Armerding

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s surrogates are starting to sound like Capt. Renault in “Casablanca” who was “shocked, shocked to find gambling going on,” in a gambling room of Rick’s Cafe Americain - just as an employee handed him his winnings.
The governor’s aides are professing shock and outrage to hear that poor, helpless, rank-and-file state representatives are the victims of strong-arming, pressure, arm-twisting and the like at the powerful hands of House Speaker Sal DiMasi, which they fear will squash Patrick’s casino initiative in the back (no longer smoke-filled) rooms of the Statehouse.
How could this be? Things like that have never happened before at the Statehouse, have they?
The gov needs to both get a grip and a clue. If he doesn’t think this is the way business has always been done on Beacon Hill, he doesn’t belong in the corner office. It also seems he has a very short memory. It was Patrick himself who was doing some arm-twisting a year ago, urging the Legislature to violate the state constitution and duck a vote on a petition aimed at putting gay marriage to a statewide vote.
Patrick still doesn’t seem to have figured out that there is more than one branch of government.

Posted in Massachusetts politics, Taylor Armerding | Comments

  • jacrlsn
    Not to mention the arm twisting that is probably going on by the Governor promising jobs to those legislators who would swirch they're votw from nea to yea. Together we can.
  • bilge rat
    But Jim, don't you see it's different when Governor Patrick does the arm-twisting?
    It's for the good of the commonwealth, don't ya know!
    (Sorry I have nothing constructive to add to this discussion)
    Happy St. Patrick's Day, everyone!
  • jacrlsn
    It is appalling to me that all of these idiots call for "new revenue" but refuse to recognize the source of governments problems, too much spending,. It doesn't matter what or how much the new revenue is they will spend it. It won't be used to bail out anyone of a current crisis, it will be spent to increase the spending base so that when things get better they'll be able to spend more. They fail to recognize that the golden goose is dead. Between job losses overseas (read other countries), a manufacturing sector that is just about gone and numerous other government created ills, we just aren't the same country anymore.
  • bilge rat
    But the golden goose isn't dead, Jim. We keep electing these corrupt, moneygrubbing, pandering fools over and over again in spite of all the outrage. The golden goose comes through for them with each and every election.
    And they know it and continue along their path of destruction in this state.
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