Deleo a Mini Dictator?

[watchman]

Deleo is to Massachusetts as Erdogan is to Turkey he is setting himself up in a similar fashion.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/01/29/mass-house-votes-to-eliminate-speaker-term-limits/

It's best to defeat politicians with personal agendas by joining together and giving voters reasons to make a clear voting decision as to who truly represents them. When his re-election comes up a combined effort of Massachusetts citizens to inform the voting public and stand against him would hurt his chances to win.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

He's only a dictator if you disagree with his positions. If you agree with him, he's an effective representative. Just ask - would you have the same outrage if a pro-gun senate president used his power to block any vote on an AW ban?

Unlike the Turkish Turkey, he is not using his power to have people who insult him arrested, or pressuring foreign nations to prosecute or extradite those who stand against him.

What is unfortunate is that the Senate Presidency has so much power, and the re-election (or in the case of the house, removal of term limits) is done via open roll call vote so our reps are afraid to vote against the incumbent because they will be punished with bad office space and committee assignments if that person wins, which in turn, creates a scenario where the incumbent is guaranteed re-election to the presidency.

 

[71montess]

I've seen some of those basement offices, last weekend. Exile.

 

[Glockster30]

Unlike the Turkish Turkey, he is not using his power to have people who insult him arrested, or pressuring foreign nations to prosecute or extradite those who stand against him.

...but neither DeLeo nor Healey will care if gun owners are arrested by the police over this bogus change.

 

[garandman]

...but neither DeLeo nor Healey will care if gun owners are arrested by the police over this bogus change.

I believe more House Speakers have been arrested in recent years than lawful gun owners.....

 

[Glockster30]

I believe more House Speakers have been arrested in recent years than lawful gun owners.....

True, but what are the chances of DeLeo getting arrested? The jury is still out as to how many lawful gun owners might be arrested over this change though.

 

[beerjeep]

...Unlike the Turkish Turkey, he is not using his power to have people who insult him arrested, or pressuring foreign nations to prosecute or extradite those who stand against him...

Maybe not a dictator, a tyrant - yes.

 

[TLB]

I believe more House Speakers have been arrested in recent years than lawful gun owners.....

The House Speaker is a crime boss in this state. Until they get indicted.

 

[SamWB]

He's like Rob Reiner.

 

[Chevy 2 65]

He's only a dictator if you disagree with his positions. If you agree with him, he's an effective representative. Just ask - would you have the same outrage if a pro-gun senate president used his power to block any vote on an AW ban?

Unlike the Turkish Turkey, he is not using his power to have people who insult him arrested, or pressuring foreign nations to prosecute or extradite those who stand against him.

What is unfortunate is that the Senate Presidency has so much power, and the re-election (or in the case of the house, removal of term limits) is done via open roll call vote so our reps are afraid to vote against the incumbent because they will be punished with bad office space and committee assignments if that person wins, which in turn, creates a scenario where the incumbent is guaranteed re-election to the presidency.

No, because, it's called following the constitution of the United States as intended !

 

[Amputee Marksman]

Deleo is to Massachusetts as Erdogan is to Turkey he is setting himself up in a similar fashion.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/01/29/mass-house-votes-to-eliminate-speaker-term-limits/

It's best to defeat politicians with personal agendas by joining together and giving voters reasons to make a clear voting decision as to who truly represents them. When his re-election comes up a combined effort of Massachusetts citizens to inform the voting public and stand against him would hurt his chances to win.

Old news. This, the vote to eliminate speaker term limits, went down 18 months ago.

 

[JJ4]

What would it take to reduce the power of the speaker and senate president? Ballot initiative?

There are a good number of people on both sides of the aisle who would be in favor of it.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

No, because, it's called following the constitution of the United States as intended !

Those with a different viewpoint believe he is using his power to follow the constitution as intended, and that the 2nd does not protect EBRs. Their belief is as sincere as ours, and there are more of them than us, which is why DeLeo will get more supporters than enemies from his move. If we are to effectively do battle, we need to understand that reality and stop deluding ourselves into thinking the enemy knows what it is doing is wrong.

Old news. This, the vote to eliminate speaker term limits, went down 18 months ago.

Not presented as news, but as an example of how the roll call vote, and power of the Speaker and President to dole out punishments, prevents all but the bravest (most foolish?) from even thinking about voting against the wishes of an incumbent house speaker or senate president.

What would it take to reduce the power of the speaker and senate president? Ballot initiative?

It would be difficult to get such an initiative to pass if the public learned the motivation was retaliation for the speaker doing something most voters favor.

 

[Asaltweapon]

Our system is a mess because we don't have term limits. Pro or anti anything. This state needs term limits across the board including the local level.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Our system is a mess because we don't have term limits. Pro or anti anything. This state needs term limits across the board including the local level.

Remember Marty Meehan? He was for term limits until term limits would force him from office. The voters did not punish him for this 180 since he is a Democrat.

 

[goodzilla]

What is unfortunate is that the Senate Presidency has so much power, and the re-election (or in the case of the house, removal of term limits) is done via open roll call vote so our reps are afraid to vote against the incumbent because they will be punished with bad office space and committee assignments if that person wins, which in turn, creates a scenario where the incumbent is guaranteed re-election to the presidency.

Sounds like a bill is really needed to make this a closed vote. Only problem is it would never see the light of day because he would block it. Gotta love our system.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

Sounds like a bill is really needed to make this a closed vote. Only problem is it would never see the light of day because he would block it. Gotta love our system.

And, if he did not block it, every state senator (or rep) would know that their vote was public, and they could expect severe punishment of they voted incorrectly.

What annoys me the most is the Rep who replied to his constituent about what a good idea removing speaker term limits was, rather than just be honest and say "my power to represent you would be reduced if I voted against the speaker who controls committee assignments".

 

[JJ4]

What would it take to reduce the power of the speaker and senate president? Ballot initiative?

It would be difficult to get such an initiative to pass if the public learned the motivation was retaliation for the speaker doing something most voters favor.

Even the opinion editor of the Metrowest Daily News has spoken out against the abusive power that the speaker holds. Everybody knows the deal: you suck up to the speaker or you end up in the basement and on useless committees. Just like a dictatorship - some will benefit from the arrangement, others will push back, but most people will keep their heads down and go along to get along so they don't get screwed. There has to be a reasonable chance that change will succeed and it's possible to get those people in the middle on board.


E.g.:

http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20100126/News/301269896
2010:

[FONT=&amp]"When all power is put in the hands of one person, it corrupts that process and opens the door to abuse," eight members wrote in a letter to their colleagues last week. "A Speaker now determines everything in the Massachusetts House."
...
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Power was consolidated in the speaker's chair. If you were an ally of the speaker, you got perks and, sometimes, the ability to influence events. If you weren't, you were on the outside looking in.
[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]

2015:
[/FONT]http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20150125/OPINION/150127533

[FONT=&amp]Real changes in the legislative process will have to come from the leaders of the House and Senate. Unlike the governor, they answer only to the voters in their safe districts and to other members of the club. The House Speaker and the Senate President wield absolute power over the institutions they lead, and have traditionally seen calls for more transparency and democracy inside the building as a threat to that power
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]...
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]House Speaker Robert DeLeo has made no effort to embrace similar reforms.
[/FONT]

[FONT=&amp]2015:
[/FONT]http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20150419/OPINION/150416057

[FONT=&amp]Senate President Stan Rosenberg wants to reduce House Speaker Robert DeLeo's power over the legislative process by just a little bit - and he's right.
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]...
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]Bills introduced by members of both the Senate and House are referred to the joint committees, but they can’t be reported out of committee without a majority vote. In practice, that means the bills go nowhere until the House members let them.
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]...
[/FONT][FONT=&amp]This frustrates senators, who can’t even get a vote in the Senate for their bills.
...[/FONT]
[FONT=&amp]The system also contributes to the strange pace of law-making on Beacon Hill, where nothing happens for months until the end of the session, when the House speaker makes his deals and everything comes up for a vote at the same time.[/FONT]