The Same Old Same Old

You want to know where our soon-to-be-EX fearless leader learned all he knows about back door, steal all you can get your grubby hands on, politics? That's right, while serving all those years, dug in like an Alabama Tick, in the Great and General Court of Masschusettes. That's the way they like to be described, these "keepers of the public trust". HA! In Ol' Hamhock's case, it describes a go-along, get-along state rep. 

So it should come as a shock to absolutely no one that a couple of weeks after Gov. Patrick announced cuts for many sacred cows in order to balance the State Budget for the current fiscal year, and avoid cutting Local Aid and cause mass confusion and unmitigated pain to everyone, the Good Old elected boys and girls of the Great and General Court voted to restore most cuts made in their most important institutional areas. They sure take care of their own, and I don't mean their constituents. How nice, yet, how predictable. Sure, we'll make sure there are more cuts to the poor and the handicapped and to certain municipalities receiving PILOTS (payments in lieu of taxes), of which Fall River is one, and we'll do it well after the fact and like thievs in the night, which, in fact, is what we are. Just ask Rep. Mike Rodrigues and the lawyer I'm sure he's had to hire due to his questionable handling of the Ticket Re-Sale bill the feds are sniffing around about thanks to a pissed off Suffolk Superior Court Judge!

"All told, lawmakers restored about $24 million in cuts made by Gov. Deval Patrick to make up a $600 million budget deficit. The spending includes $4.1 million for probation - a patronage haven riddled with lawmakers’ kin. (source: Boston Herald)"

Oh, and they also restored those two state holidays that are only for Suffolk County  state and municipal employees, Bunker Hill Day and Evacuation Day, a cost of $18.8 million very small and hardly ever missed dollars. I mean, what harm could restoring those two holidays do, right?

"House Ways and Means committee chairman Charlie Murphy defended the $18.8 million restored to the legislative account, pointing to $5.5 million in cuts to the legislative budget this fiscal year.

“We’re not feathering our nest by any means,” Murphy said."

Heck, these boondock saints already gave at the office. I mean, you can take one look at our own crew of members to the Great and General Court and see how they deprived themselves and their families of so very, very much during their years of dedicated public service. Hell, doesn't everyone drive a new Caddy or BMW? Don't you hire your own family members and close friends to work in YOUR businesses? So, why are you ungrateful lot complaining? Such a deal you get from us, I'll tell you!

So, in order to leave these freedom warriors alone, more cuts will have to be made to the poor, to uninsured  kids needing health care, to the mentally and physically handicapped so that some moron legislator's "too dumb to get a real job" relative can bag a good job at good wages at the Probation Department, you know, a lifetime sinecure at our expense. Now that's some real injustice if you ask me.  But they never ask you and me, do they? We, clearly, are not important enough to know what's good for us.

I'm SO glad these boondock saints are looking out for us, aren't you?