Wednesday, February 06, 2008

The House That Mitt Built


As the song goes, "Money can't by you love!".
I wondered down to my voting place, all the familiar Boston Ward 4, Precinct 5, personalities huddled about, the walls were plastered with voting intructions in all sorts of hieroglyphics, Cyrilic, Chinese, Arabic and, even in English, offers for help with the instructions. Not an unknown to this crowd, I requested my Repuublican ballot - as a Republican my legal limit is one. I cast my die, and walking out someone asked why I had a McCain sticker on the back of my rain slicker. Of course it was the question I baited. If anyone was concerned that I was polliticking, I only stated, "It covers the stab wound Mitt inflicted."
51% of the Republican vote for the state Mitt governed doesn't say much. Then again, we Republicans have only ourelves to blame. We gave him more than he was worth in the first place. Yesterday many, though not enough, launched what a fomer State Committee colleague called, ABMs, Anyone But Mitt votes.

Harry Truman is famous for the saying, "If you can't take the heat of the kitchen, get out". Of course if you're sick to your stomach (with phonies, posturers and people doing ego trips your frequent campaigner miles) then the environment is just as uncomfortable.
I was taken back to 16 years before when I was a ward chairman with all 35 seats filled, and I was in a campaign for the Second Suffolk Senate District seat on the Massachusetts Republican State Committee (elected for four years in each presidential primary) . I had two good opponents. With 47% of the votes cast I won. After twelve years and the emergence of Mitt Romney, it was time to settle-up and move on. My position was taken by a young Bain and Co. water-walker, who I realized, only too late, didn't even know the district (having seen the GOP sold at auction to a corporate raider alienated any viable contestants, I guess).
Primary Day was interesting; the ward committee listed only four people and no candidate to represent the district on the state committee.
But that was just the party. Thanks to his stewardship of the GOP, the legislature could convene without the Republicans and still have a quorum. Anyone know of a judge appointed that wasn't sponsored by a Democrat? I can't think of one.
My own position in the administration was taken by a person who had just been fired for abuse of authority only 9 months into Mitt's term. A cadre of deputy commissioners and registrars were running about with blue lights and phoney police credentials. Another would-be Mitt appointee in affairs regarding liquor control was found to be owing to the geriatric thugs of Boston's Cosa Nostra.
I guess it was an example of Mitt reaching across the aisles. I didn't know Mitt stayed up til the early AM hours when the legislature did its business. But, he could if he wanted to. With Ted Kennedy's help he got an easement to allow the minaret (oops steeple) of his church in comfy old Belmont to be extended. And due to Mitt's concern for everyone's health-care, Massachusetts created a plan that only Mike Dukakis is jealous (Anyone recall Mike's challenge, "We'll have this plan. I don't know how we'll pay for it, but we'll have it.") Well, Masschusetts now has one. It can't pay for it. It's three times the cost than originally offered (of course open to all without proof of residency - let alone legal status). (Oh, Yes. There are legal sanctions for anyone who fails to enroll in it. Look up fascism.) And to whom are we to thank for this? Mitt Romney, course. And guess who Mitt praises for inspiration in this white elephant. Ted Kennedy.
Mitt's tradition is that of any other self-made man (in love with his creator). So during the Vietnam War he was a missionary (in France) . Yet, he finds that his sons serve their country by helping him get elected president. He finds reasonable competition in the electoral field to be an affront by those who oppose him. I don't find that very conservative.