Beacon Hill sits amid secrecy

“In a perfect world, we'd all be there, and we'd all speak great thoughts”

Community activist Carl Nilsson stood outside the House chamber late one night this month and spoke with any elected representative who would stop. via Berkshire Eagle

[DAVE HARDING]

This is how one party government works! Don't you remember the late, lamented Soviet Union? Why are you surprised? You voted for this, Massachusetts!!

[pat the painter]

The more things change, the more they stay the same. Shame on our House of Representatives for not being more public and even more upsetting is how someone over 1500 miles can even vote in Boston.

Unfortunately the voters will never learn and keep re-electing the same reps that meet in private, pad their wallets, and work for only special interent lobbyists.

[Steve]

We are getting EXACTLY what we voted for!!! The Double-Dealing, Backroom Handshakes, and the SHAFT!!! When was the last time these CLOWNS on the Hill actually did something of IMPORTANCE? They Killed the CASINO's without so-much as a debate,...they want to tax you for using plastic grocery bag's, and only God know's whats next!!
I truely can't wait to retire,.....sell my business, and move out of this SOCIALIST.

[nannystate brat]

This does not surprise me. Most voters just hear the populist crap that the Dems spew every election cycle. Then they have to work behind closed doors, because if they where honest and open, nobody would ever vote for them again(except libtards). This is how the elite socialists work. If you have to hide what you are doing, you gotta be up to no good.

[Trish]

The Democratic legislature has been in power for far too long. They are too comfortable in their positions. There has to be a constant changing of the guard in politics in order to keep everyone honest and aboveboard. Massachusetts voters either don't get that or they don't care. They are comfortable with the status quo because most of the time it works in their favor. Everybody ignored the underhanded way in which the legislature shot down the petition that many voters had signed to protest against gay marriage, but they were very upset when their beloved casino issue was swept uder the rug and did not receive a proper hearing. You can't ignore corruption when it involves issues you are for and then get all upset when issues you care about are dealt with in the same corrupt manner. It just doesn't work that way.

[Publius]

Trish wrote:

The Democratic legislature has been in power for far too long. They are too comfortable in their positions. There has to be a constant changing of the guard in politics in order to keep everyone honest and aboveboard. Massachusetts voters either don't get that or they don't care. They are comfortable with the status quo because most of the time it works in their favor. Everybody ignored the underhanded way in which the legislature shot down the petition that many voters had signed to protest against gay marriage, but they were very upset when their beloved casino issue was swept uder the rug and did not receive a proper hearing. You can't ignore corruption when it involves issues you are for and then get all upset when issues you care about are dealt with in the same corrupt manner. It just doesn't work that way.

Treason never prospers. What's the reason?
As long as it prospers, none dare call it treason.

It looks as though treason is beginning to lose its prosperity.

What is needed is for people of integrity to find the wherewithal to run for public office, especially on the local and state levels.

I find it especially daunting that there are some individuals in my own small town who put business and immediate profits ahead of long term prosperity and well being while self interest continues to drive the incumbents.

[empowerment]

The Green-Rainbow Party's candidate for Secretary of State (Jill Stein) made it a central platform plank... that the Open Meeting Law should apply to the State Legislature. She got 18% against Galvin. But the Party is struggling to build itself up as a real alternative... people are so caught up in national politics and the daily grind (which is getting harder and harder for most of us) and don't pay enough attention to what's going on in our own backyards. Municipal government on up through state government and national government is wrecking us... policies are written by the lobbyists and corporations who benefit from them... and even our own state legislators are struggling to find the time to read the stuff they vote in favor of.

The Green-Rainbow Party has an informal poll up -- should the open meeting law apply to the MA legislature? Feel free to weigh in: http://community.green-rainbow.org/...

We need to start building up the institutions and networks of people -- including but not limited to an independent political party -- that will hold our government accountable... Even more, we need to start BEING the government and overgrowing the government with people committed to the people of this Commonwealth and the planet itself.