Ethics bill update
Well the clock is ticking, as most of you already know. The legislature has approved the ethics overhaul and while some of it's very good, some key issues are not in it.
a ban lobbyists from making or soliciting campaign donations
did not include a wire tap authority for the AG's office.
the bill exempts the legislature from open meeting laws
does not allow Sec of State to issue rules regulating lobbyists.
does not ban gifts from friends and family members
it still allows 5,000 donations to political parties
Devall, has a few days left to make more political hey out of this, while holding hostage, the propsoed toll hike and sales tax increase. Next Monday at the Town Hall, the Pike board will meet once again to vote on the toll increase
Fund raising is happening on both sides and millions will come from every possible sector of society who wish to use those funds to buy political favors from those who continue to live in their own little world.
By this time next week, we (regular working and non working class people) will have even less respect for those, who we have allowed to do so much long term damage to our great State.
Lets see what happens next week.
posted by Jim Pillsbury @ 10:15 AM
10 Comments
10 Comments:
This is all a joke. I heard this morning that Cahil never informed the state we did not get into some lottery, but the state is counting on the money from that lottery in the budget they submitted. It was billions of dollars I believe, so now the budget as it stands is at least short that amount of money. Where the heck are we going to make up that shortfall? And does Cahil have to face any repurcussions from not doing his job to inform the state we would not in fact be getting that money?
Where is the bite in this bill? No authority for the AG to wire tap suspected abusers, and no authority for the Secretary of State to regulate lobbyists. So we can’t catch the bad guys because we can’t listen to their planning sessions, and we can not stop the instigators who lobby them. Does not seem like a plan for a very effective reform movement from where I am sitting.
They are trying to pull the wool over our eyes yet again claiming they are making reforms. Remember, these people making the reforms are the same people who did not behave ethically to start with which is the reason we need to have reforms. What can you really expect from that equation?
Good points... it's almost like Cahill was purposely holding back... just to make it worse for all of us and Deval. On the other hand, from what I hear, this lose in revenue will most likely mean something else has to be cut... and the GOP are the only fiscal watch dogs who will again look like the heavies in cutting another large sum of money from the budget.
I think this is at least a step in the right direction. At least they know we are watching. Politicians are corrupt people, to think otherwise is being naïve. Your average honest, reponsible, respectable person does not have the kind of ego you need to be a politician in MA. Look at Richardson if you question that. She went to school to shoe horses and she thinks that makes her qualified to represent us at the state house. That is some ego. Even worse, the democrats in town think she is the best they have to offer us. To ask them to police themselves is like have the fox watch the hen house. But the fact that they are at least admitting there is an issue with their ethics has to be seen as something good, doesn’t it?
Frank.. I agree, it's a slow and begrudging start.
Jim when you say the Pike Board is meeting at Town Hall on Monday, do you mean here in Framingham? If so, is the meeting open to the public?
Ethics reform regulations that are not holding these morons to the same standards as town officials are held to is nothing more than a smoke and mirrors game. If Framingham has to hold “public” meetings and open meetings, how come they don’t have to do that at the state house?
WHat happens if the ethics reforms don't work is my question.
Annon 1 According the Val Mulvey, the meeting is at the Blummer Room, open to the public and goes from 9:30 to 12:30.
Annon 2 If it doesn't work? One house rep was quoted in the paper as saying about the ethics bill passed, "That demonstration is a good thing," he said of the message sent by the ethics bill. "Is it going to end all scandals forever? No. You cannot legislate ethics."
And here is the rub... with all the new rules, even some in the House feel it's not going to end unethical behavior.
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