Monday, July 26, 2004
P-Brain
Pretending he hasn't been trying to undermine the Democratic National Convention for much of the past months, Willard Mitt recently "wrote" a 'welcome to Massachusetts' op-ed titled "Our Democracy's Deep Roots Here" which ran in Saturday's Boston Globe.
The piece, which was purportedly aimed at incoming conventioneers, included this whopper:
"I'm proud of Massachusetts and happy to show it off to delegates. Our American democracy has deep roots here.
"It was in a spot roughly 30 miles south of Boston, 384 years ago, that a small group of Pilgrims - even before setting foot on dry land - signed the Mayflower Compact, creating their own government." (source: Boston Globe, 7/24/2004)
Let's run that again in slow motion.
"It was in a spot roughly 30 miles south of Boston ... that a small group of Pilgrims ... signed the Mayflower Compact."
Yikes. If Samuel Eliot Morison were alive today, he'd wish he had been buried with a cell phone so he could call an editor, because as his masterful "Oxford History of the American People" clearly shows, the Mayflower Compact was signed in what is today Provincetown Harbor. (source: Oxford History of the American People, Oxford Univ Press, NY, 1965, page 55)
Had it been signed 30 miles south of Boston it would today be known as the Attleboro Compact, or the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park Compact.
Provincetown, on the other hand, is sixty or so miles due east of Boston.
So is this just another way for Romney to slap P-Town upside its collective head?
Or did the Fraud Governor truly not know where the Mayflower Compact, one of the most important documents in the history of the nation, was signed?
Only his ghost-writer knows for sure.
Pretending he hasn't been trying to undermine the Democratic National Convention for much of the past months, Willard Mitt recently "wrote" a 'welcome to Massachusetts' op-ed titled "Our Democracy's Deep Roots Here" which ran in Saturday's Boston Globe.
The piece, which was purportedly aimed at incoming conventioneers, included this whopper:
"I'm proud of Massachusetts and happy to show it off to delegates. Our American democracy has deep roots here.
"It was in a spot roughly 30 miles south of Boston, 384 years ago, that a small group of Pilgrims - even before setting foot on dry land - signed the Mayflower Compact, creating their own government." (source: Boston Globe, 7/24/2004)
Let's run that again in slow motion.
"It was in a spot roughly 30 miles south of Boston ... that a small group of Pilgrims ... signed the Mayflower Compact."
Yikes. If Samuel Eliot Morison were alive today, he'd wish he had been buried with a cell phone so he could call an editor, because as his masterful "Oxford History of the American People" clearly shows, the Mayflower Compact was signed in what is today Provincetown Harbor. (source: Oxford History of the American People, Oxford Univ Press, NY, 1965, page 55)
Had it been signed 30 miles south of Boston it would today be known as the Attleboro Compact, or the Raynham-Taunton Greyhound Park Compact.
Provincetown, on the other hand, is sixty or so miles due east of Boston.
So is this just another way for Romney to slap P-Town upside its collective head?
Or did the Fraud Governor truly not know where the Mayflower Compact, one of the most important documents in the history of the nation, was signed?
Only his ghost-writer knows for sure.
Saturday, July 24, 2004
On Message
Remember how Willard Mitt claimed he would put politics on hold during the Democratic National Convention and concentrate on being a good host? (source: Boston Globe, 7/26/2004)
Well, true to his word, Romney put politics on hold, and unleashed his lightweight Lieutenant Governor to play attack dog in his absence.
And look what she did with her 13 minutes of fame:
Throwing off the shackles of oppression, Willard Mitt's lightweight Lieutenant Governor Sherry Kerry Healey seemingly endorsed Sen. John Kerry (D - Veteran) over President George W. Bush.
Healey, in a non-scripted appearance on New England Cable News, referred to the Massachusetts Senator as "President Kerry." (source: Boston Globe, 7/28/2004)
Almost immediately realizing her verbal gaffe, Healey then gushed, "President Kerry -- oh, my goodness."
It was not known how long Healey has been carrying a torch for Kerry.
There was no immediate reaction from Healey's handler.
Remember how Willard Mitt claimed he would put politics on hold during the Democratic National Convention and concentrate on being a good host? (source: Boston Globe, 7/26/2004)
Well, true to his word, Romney put politics on hold, and unleashed his lightweight Lieutenant Governor to play attack dog in his absence.
And look what she did with her 13 minutes of fame:
Throwing off the shackles of oppression, Willard Mitt's lightweight Lieutenant Governor Sherry Kerry Healey seemingly endorsed Sen. John Kerry (D - Veteran) over President George W. Bush.
Healey, in a non-scripted appearance on New England Cable News, referred to the Massachusetts Senator as "President Kerry." (source: Boston Globe, 7/28/2004)
Almost immediately realizing her verbal gaffe, Healey then gushed, "President Kerry -- oh, my goodness."
It was not known how long Healey has been carrying a torch for Kerry.
There was no immediate reaction from Healey's handler.
Friday, July 23, 2004
Sticker Shock
Willard Mitt's Department of Public Safety, whose responsibility includes ensuring the safe operation of elevators and related machinery, has admitted it is incapable of conducting mandatory annual inspections of all elevators and escalators in Massachusetts. (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2004)
Team Reform's solution? File legislation to increase the time between inspections, requiring that elevators be certified as safe every two years, rather than every year (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2004) proving once again the faux maxim that 'saying something is better than doing nothing.'
The Fraud Governor's next reforms are said to include improving the state's air quality by suspending automobile exhaust inspections until 2007, and reducing the state's crime rate by relaxing the penal codes.
Willard Mitt's Department of Public Safety, whose responsibility includes ensuring the safe operation of elevators and related machinery, has admitted it is incapable of conducting mandatory annual inspections of all elevators and escalators in Massachusetts. (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2004)
Team Reform's solution? File legislation to increase the time between inspections, requiring that elevators be certified as safe every two years, rather than every year (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2004) proving once again the faux maxim that 'saying something is better than doing nothing.'
The Fraud Governor's next reforms are said to include improving the state's air quality by suspending automobile exhaust inspections until 2007, and reducing the state's crime rate by relaxing the penal codes.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Dust Cover
Remember the last time you were elected governor of Massachusetts and wanted to write a book about your sabbatical out west?
How you found that you had so little "me time" that you had to go out and hire a ghost writer to do the pesky job of 'writing' the book?
Well, too bad you weren't Willard Mitt. Because the Fraud Governor just put the finishing touches on Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games, a 416-page opus that reviews Romney's role as chef of the Salt Lake City Winter Games of 2002, an event that Sports Illustrated called "the most expensive Winter Games ever" from which "eighteen cents of every dollar (came) from the pockets of American taxpayers."
No wonder Romney hasn't been able to travel around the country seeking companies willing to relocate to Massachusetts. He hasn't had time.
So guess which fair and impartial publishing house worked with Willard Mitt on Turnaround?
If you said Regnery Publishing, you were cor-rect!
Regnery Publishing was founded for "the propagation of conservatism." Today it is owned by Eagle Publishing which "provides political news and analysis from a conservative viewpoint."
Romney now joins the Regnery stable of writers, which includes fellow-travelers like Ann Rhymes with "Hate-Spewing-Queen-of-the-Harpies" Coulter and Oliver North.
Willard Mitt must be very proud.
Which begs the following answers:
1) Why did Willard Mitt outsource "his book" to out-of-state Regnery? Guess he couldn't find any publishing houses near Boston. At least none that pander to right-wing, reactionary religious zealots.
2) Why did Regnery publish "Romney's book"? After all, Regnery's parent, Eagle Publishing, claims to believe in the "traditional American values of free enterprise, limited government, and individual liberty." Romney has expanded the scope of Massachusetts state government to limit the individual liberties of smokers and consenting gay adults, and "his book" is about the gigantic expenditure of federal dollars to pay for what is essentially a private event. Romney hardly seems Eagle material.
3) Who really wrote Turnaround? Will they share in the royalties? And who will pay the taxes on those royalties?
4) How is "Willard Mitt's book" anyway? (Not that great, according to one Amazon review which denounces the work as "bunk." Not that anyone trusts critics.)
5) When Turnaround becomes a made-for-Fox-TV-Movie, who will play Romney?
For this - we have an answer. The role of the Fraud Governor should go to Willard Mitt doppleganger Bruce Campbell, the star of Evil Dead and Army of Darkness?
Let's just hope Fox finds roles for a Loathsome Spokesman or two, and maybe a stray ghost.
Remember the last time you were elected governor of Massachusetts and wanted to write a book about your sabbatical out west?
How you found that you had so little "me time" that you had to go out and hire a ghost writer to do the pesky job of 'writing' the book?
Well, too bad you weren't Willard Mitt. Because the Fraud Governor just put the finishing touches on Turnaround: Crisis, Leadership, and the Olympic Games, a 416-page opus that reviews Romney's role as chef of the Salt Lake City Winter Games of 2002, an event that Sports Illustrated called "the most expensive Winter Games ever" from which "eighteen cents of every dollar (came) from the pockets of American taxpayers."
No wonder Romney hasn't been able to travel around the country seeking companies willing to relocate to Massachusetts. He hasn't had time.
So guess which fair and impartial publishing house worked with Willard Mitt on Turnaround?
If you said Regnery Publishing, you were cor-rect!
Regnery Publishing was founded for "the propagation of conservatism." Today it is owned by Eagle Publishing which "provides political news and analysis from a conservative viewpoint."
Romney now joins the Regnery stable of writers, which includes fellow-travelers like Ann Rhymes with "Hate-Spewing-Queen-of-the-Harpies" Coulter and Oliver North.
Willard Mitt must be very proud.
Which begs the following answers:
1) Why did Willard Mitt outsource "his book" to out-of-state Regnery? Guess he couldn't find any publishing houses near Boston. At least none that pander to right-wing, reactionary religious zealots.
2) Why did Regnery publish "Romney's book"? After all, Regnery's parent, Eagle Publishing, claims to believe in the "traditional American values of free enterprise, limited government, and individual liberty." Romney has expanded the scope of Massachusetts state government to limit the individual liberties of smokers and consenting gay adults, and "his book" is about the gigantic expenditure of federal dollars to pay for what is essentially a private event. Romney hardly seems Eagle material.
3) Who really wrote Turnaround? Will they share in the royalties? And who will pay the taxes on those royalties?
4) How is "Willard Mitt's book" anyway? (Not that great, according to one Amazon review which denounces the work as "bunk." Not that anyone trusts critics.)
5) When Turnaround becomes a made-for-Fox-TV-Movie, who will play Romney?
For this - we have an answer. The role of the Fraud Governor should go to Willard Mitt doppleganger Bruce Campbell, the star of Evil Dead and Army of Darkness?
Let's just hope Fox finds roles for a Loathsome Spokesman or two, and maybe a stray ghost.
Friday, July 16, 2004
Class Action
The Massachusetts Democratic State Committee has indicated it will file an ethics complaint against Willard Mitt for improperly spending public dollars to campaign against Sen. John Kerry. (source: Boston Globe, 7/16/2004)
Romney, who recently charged the tax-payers for his trip to Washington DC to tell the National Press Club that his is a wasteful and inefficient administration (see RiaF, 7/15/2004) defiantly said he had no intention of reimbursing the state for the costs of the trip, that "the First Amendment allows me to make comments while I'm also on state business." (source: Boston Globe, 7/16/2004)
Really?
Tell it to Dr. Abraham Philip, who used to be a pathologist for the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner until he exercised his first amendment rights and 'made comments while on state business' to the Fraud Governor that the office needed more funding and better leadership. (source: Boston Globe, 5/25/2004; Boston Herald, 5/24/2004)
According to press reports, 'in a lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court, Philip said he was a whistle-blower and that his actions brought retaliation from Chief Medical Examiner Richard J. Evans and state Public Safety Secretary Edward A. Flynn, whose office oversees the medical examiner's office. Philip said his immediate supervisor, John Cronin, violated his right to free speech by terminating Philip's contract for complaining about the practices and management of the medical examiner's office in a memo to others in the office and in two letters to Romney.' (source: Boston Globe, 5/25/2004)
Hmmm. So Willard Mitt went to Washington and, on work time, complained that Massachusetts state government needed better leadership and more money. (see RiaF, 7/15/2004)
Fraudo, you're fired.
But make sure you contact Abe Philip.
Maybe you two can form a class action lawsuit.
The Massachusetts Democratic State Committee has indicated it will file an ethics complaint against Willard Mitt for improperly spending public dollars to campaign against Sen. John Kerry. (source: Boston Globe, 7/16/2004)
Romney, who recently charged the tax-payers for his trip to Washington DC to tell the National Press Club that his is a wasteful and inefficient administration (see RiaF, 7/15/2004) defiantly said he had no intention of reimbursing the state for the costs of the trip, that "the First Amendment allows me to make comments while I'm also on state business." (source: Boston Globe, 7/16/2004)
Really?
Tell it to Dr. Abraham Philip, who used to be a pathologist for the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner until he exercised his first amendment rights and 'made comments while on state business' to the Fraud Governor that the office needed more funding and better leadership. (source: Boston Globe, 5/25/2004; Boston Herald, 5/24/2004)
According to press reports, 'in a lawsuit filed in Suffolk Superior Court, Philip said he was a whistle-blower and that his actions brought retaliation from Chief Medical Examiner Richard J. Evans and state Public Safety Secretary Edward A. Flynn, whose office oversees the medical examiner's office. Philip said his immediate supervisor, John Cronin, violated his right to free speech by terminating Philip's contract for complaining about the practices and management of the medical examiner's office in a memo to others in the office and in two letters to Romney.' (source: Boston Globe, 5/25/2004)
Hmmm. So Willard Mitt went to Washington and, on work time, complained that Massachusetts state government needed better leadership and more money. (see RiaF, 7/15/2004)
Fraudo, you're fired.
But make sure you contact Abe Philip.
Maybe you two can form a class action lawsuit.
Thursday, July 15, 2004
Backdoor Man
Yesterday, Willard Mitt went to Washington to speak before the National Press Club, an august group which has previously hosted such luminaries as Bob Newhart; Raquel Welch; Miss America Katie Harman; and, Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield.
Romney, whose invitation was based in part upon his role overseeing the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts, curiously downplayed his role in the controversial policy. In fact, his written remarks did not mention a proposed federal constitutional amendment to block gay marriage. (source: Associated Press, 7/14/2004)
Instead, Romney used the platform to blast the administration of President George W. Bush and the Republican Party, saying it funds "programs that don't work (and) tolerates abuse and cheating in the multiples of billions of dollars." He also said it is wasteful and doles out money "based on who will vote for us or for our party: in effect, we buy votes." (source: Associated Press, 7/14/2004)
Romney's shocking use of the first-person "we" pronoun in his description of slothful, illegal action contrasted poorly with the reformer image he has tried to force on the public, and indicates that the practice of 'wasting tax-payer dollars to buy votes' is not limited to Washington, but is also the currency of the Massachusetts Executive Branch.
It is not known if Romney's confession to selling state government will result in an ethics investigation.
It is also not known who penned Romney's remarks. Willard Mitt's slam of President Bush may have been a bold, calculated mechanism to reach out to undecided voters on the national level, a mechanism with minimal risk if Bush loses in November. However, if Bush beats Kerry, Romney may find himself sitting on a park bench next to Sandy Tennant, the one-time rising Republican consultant who, back in 1999, tried to cut across the grain by quizzing W about his (W's) youthful indiscretions.
Tennant's career is still waiting to recover from that bold, calculated mechanism.
Romney also used his first national speech to take a gratuitous swipe at labor unions, alleging that they prevent lean government.
He said that Sen. John Kerry would be a poor leader as he "can't face down the public employee unions." (source: Associated Press, 7/14/2004)
Ironically, when Willard Mitt showed up for his speech, he was greeted by 30 union members from Massachusetts labor groups who had rented a bus to protest Romney's remarks.
Rather than "face down" the public employee union members, the Fraud Governor scuttled around the building and went in a back door to avoid them. (source: Rat Line)
There is no truth to the rumor that he was carrying a copy of John F. Kennedy's book, Profiles in Courage.
Yesterday, Willard Mitt went to Washington to speak before the National Press Club, an august group which has previously hosted such luminaries as Bob Newhart; Raquel Welch; Miss America Katie Harman; and, Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield.
Romney, whose invitation was based in part upon his role overseeing the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts, curiously downplayed his role in the controversial policy. In fact, his written remarks did not mention a proposed federal constitutional amendment to block gay marriage. (source: Associated Press, 7/14/2004)
Instead, Romney used the platform to blast the administration of President George W. Bush and the Republican Party, saying it funds "programs that don't work (and) tolerates abuse and cheating in the multiples of billions of dollars." He also said it is wasteful and doles out money "based on who will vote for us or for our party: in effect, we buy votes." (source: Associated Press, 7/14/2004)
Romney's shocking use of the first-person "we" pronoun in his description of slothful, illegal action contrasted poorly with the reformer image he has tried to force on the public, and indicates that the practice of 'wasting tax-payer dollars to buy votes' is not limited to Washington, but is also the currency of the Massachusetts Executive Branch.
It is not known if Romney's confession to selling state government will result in an ethics investigation.
It is also not known who penned Romney's remarks. Willard Mitt's slam of President Bush may have been a bold, calculated mechanism to reach out to undecided voters on the national level, a mechanism with minimal risk if Bush loses in November. However, if Bush beats Kerry, Romney may find himself sitting on a park bench next to Sandy Tennant, the one-time rising Republican consultant who, back in 1999, tried to cut across the grain by quizzing W about his (W's) youthful indiscretions.
Tennant's career is still waiting to recover from that bold, calculated mechanism.
Romney also used his first national speech to take a gratuitous swipe at labor unions, alleging that they prevent lean government.
He said that Sen. John Kerry would be a poor leader as he "can't face down the public employee unions." (source: Associated Press, 7/14/2004)
Ironically, when Willard Mitt showed up for his speech, he was greeted by 30 union members from Massachusetts labor groups who had rented a bus to protest Romney's remarks.
Rather than "face down" the public employee union members, the Fraud Governor scuttled around the building and went in a back door to avoid them. (source: Rat Line)
There is no truth to the rumor that he was carrying a copy of John F. Kennedy's book, Profiles in Courage.
Wednesday, July 14, 2004
Cheat Sheet
A pal asked if we'd post the following on the occasion of the Fraud Governor kicking off his candidacy for the Presidency of the National Right-Wing Republican Debating and Admiration Society.
Open Letter to (Willard) Mitt Romney on the Occasion of his Speech to the National
Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Dear (Fraud) Governor:
We know that you are busy today talking to the national media about the “Politics of the Presidency,” so we wanted to make sure you got this cheat sheet on the issues you missed today in Massachusetts.
WHAT YOU MISSED ON JULY 14, 2004:
· U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge came to town to discuss security and additional funding for the Democratic National Convention. We guess you figured we didn’t need the extra resources as much as you needed to run for the presidency, or is it the Senate? We're still not sure. Would you let us know?
· An amendment on Health Care for all of the Commonwealth’s citizens was up for a vote at today’s Constitutional Convention. How kind of you to give up that front row seat you had for earlier sessions of the Con-Con. We're sure that Massachusetts’ critically ill, elderly, poor and uninsured will forgive you and Secretary Preston for abandoning them.
By the way, wasn’t Secretary Preston supposed to release a plan long ago on universal health care? But why trifle yourself with such policy details. They’re all "takers" anyway, right?
· We almost forgot – you’re being sued. Apparently, on your watch, the number of deaths of the severely mentally retarded institutionalized at the Fernald School has more than doubled this last year over the average for the previous ten.
· Oh, and there is a comprehensive transportation overhaul bill sitting on your desk. You'll be able to locate it, as it would be the one sitting on top of that dusty pile of other bills awaiting your review.
We hope this crib sheet helps. Good luck in Washington – pursue your dreams, shoot for the stars.
Oh yeah, and don't worry about not fulfilling your pledge to run for and serve a second term as fraud governor.
No one is keeping track of your other broken pledges.
A pal asked if we'd post the following on the occasion of the Fraud Governor kicking off his candidacy for the Presidency of the National Right-Wing Republican Debating and Admiration Society.
Open Letter to (Willard) Mitt Romney on the Occasion of his Speech to the National
Press Club in Washington, D.C.
Dear (Fraud) Governor:
We know that you are busy today talking to the national media about the “Politics of the Presidency,” so we wanted to make sure you got this cheat sheet on the issues you missed today in Massachusetts.
WHAT YOU MISSED ON JULY 14, 2004:
· U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge came to town to discuss security and additional funding for the Democratic National Convention. We guess you figured we didn’t need the extra resources as much as you needed to run for the presidency, or is it the Senate? We're still not sure. Would you let us know?
· An amendment on Health Care for all of the Commonwealth’s citizens was up for a vote at today’s Constitutional Convention. How kind of you to give up that front row seat you had for earlier sessions of the Con-Con. We're sure that Massachusetts’ critically ill, elderly, poor and uninsured will forgive you and Secretary Preston for abandoning them.
By the way, wasn’t Secretary Preston supposed to release a plan long ago on universal health care? But why trifle yourself with such policy details. They’re all "takers" anyway, right?
· We almost forgot – you’re being sued. Apparently, on your watch, the number of deaths of the severely mentally retarded institutionalized at the Fernald School has more than doubled this last year over the average for the previous ten.
· Oh, and there is a comprehensive transportation overhaul bill sitting on your desk. You'll be able to locate it, as it would be the one sitting on top of that dusty pile of other bills awaiting your review.
We hope this crib sheet helps. Good luck in Washington – pursue your dreams, shoot for the stars.
Oh yeah, and don't worry about not fulfilling your pledge to run for and serve a second term as fraud governor.
No one is keeping track of your other broken pledges.
Monday, July 12, 2004
Dimmer Switch
Quick, how many times did Willard Mitt mention the Department of Mental Retardation during his campaign for (fraud) governor in 2002?
"Not many?"
Wrong.
"None?"
Ding ding ding. At least nothing substantive. Because a check of news stories from March through November 2002 shows exactly no links between the Department of Mental Retardation (or "DMR") and Romney.
This is not to say the Department was not in the news. In fact, one budget plan had the House taking money from the Clean Elections fund to help pay for DMR programs. (source: Boston Herald, 4/26/2002) The Department just wasn't important. At least not in terms of Romney's reality.
Turns out that not much has changed in the past two years. DMR is still in the news, and still searching for resources. But according to the Fraud Governor's alphabet, DMR is still pretty much MIA.
Well, one thing has changed. Romney occasionally mentions the agency. But typically only to announce cut-backs, or facility closings. (source: Boston Globe, 4/22/2004; Worcester T&G, 2/25/2004)
Out of frustration, several affected families went to court, requesting renewed federal oversight of DMR facilities because of the state's continuing poor care.
Team Reform's defense? "We’re on it. We can address underfunding with a salary reserve and a bed tax to bring in more federal Medicaid money." (source: Rat Line)
Except when it came time to act, the Fraud Governor vetoed section 172, the proposal to assess each intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded a bed tax - actually a fee-per-bed-day - that would have attracted over $15 million in federal funds. (source: mass.gov)
This despite Romney's bleatings that he would maximize federal revenues to help bail out the state's finances. (source: Worcester T&G, 10/27/2002)
Maybe everyone would just be better off if Romney went back to saying nothing about DMR.
He did less damage back then.
Quick, how many times did Willard Mitt mention the Department of Mental Retardation during his campaign for (fraud) governor in 2002?
"Not many?"
Wrong.
"None?"
Ding ding ding. At least nothing substantive. Because a check of news stories from March through November 2002 shows exactly no links between the Department of Mental Retardation (or "DMR") and Romney.
This is not to say the Department was not in the news. In fact, one budget plan had the House taking money from the Clean Elections fund to help pay for DMR programs. (source: Boston Herald, 4/26/2002) The Department just wasn't important. At least not in terms of Romney's reality.
Turns out that not much has changed in the past two years. DMR is still in the news, and still searching for resources. But according to the Fraud Governor's alphabet, DMR is still pretty much MIA.
Well, one thing has changed. Romney occasionally mentions the agency. But typically only to announce cut-backs, or facility closings. (source: Boston Globe, 4/22/2004; Worcester T&G, 2/25/2004)
Out of frustration, several affected families went to court, requesting renewed federal oversight of DMR facilities because of the state's continuing poor care.
Team Reform's defense? "We’re on it. We can address underfunding with a salary reserve and a bed tax to bring in more federal Medicaid money." (source: Rat Line)
Except when it came time to act, the Fraud Governor vetoed section 172, the proposal to assess each intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded a bed tax - actually a fee-per-bed-day - that would have attracted over $15 million in federal funds. (source: mass.gov)
This despite Romney's bleatings that he would maximize federal revenues to help bail out the state's finances. (source: Worcester T&G, 10/27/2002)
Maybe everyone would just be better off if Romney went back to saying nothing about DMR.
He did less damage back then.
Wednesday, July 07, 2004
Cloud Cover
As a business man, Willard Mitt was almost constantly under a cloud of alleged ethics violations, ranging from purported insider stock trading (Stage Stores, and DDi Corp) to allegations of Medicare fraud (Damon Corporation.) (source: Boston Globe, 10/11/2002)
Proving the maxim 'once an ethically challenged goober, always an ethically challenged goober,' Willard Mitt, who promised to 'Clean Up Beacon Hill, yesterday allegedly violated laws prohibiting the use of public property for political activity (source: Boston Globe, 7/7/2004) by calling a State House news conference to announce that "I look to support with every ounce of energy I can (Bush/Cheney), a team which represents the mainstream of American thought." (source: SHNS, 7/6/2004)
Romney, who has been called a religious zealot, did not define his concept of 'mainstream American thought.'
Romney's statement led state Rep. James Marzilli (D-Arlington) and state Sen. Jarrett Barrios (D-Cambridge) to indicate that they would file complaints with the state Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Politicial Finance as Romney "should not use a taxpayer-paid press secretary, microphones, and telephones to comment on a partisan political matter. No public official is allowed to do this, and no special exception should be carved out for the (fraud) governor, period." (source: Boston Globe, 7/7/2004)
We could not have said it better ourselves.
As a business man, Willard Mitt was almost constantly under a cloud of alleged ethics violations, ranging from purported insider stock trading (Stage Stores, and DDi Corp) to allegations of Medicare fraud (Damon Corporation.) (source: Boston Globe, 10/11/2002)
Proving the maxim 'once an ethically challenged goober, always an ethically challenged goober,' Willard Mitt, who promised to 'Clean Up Beacon Hill, yesterday allegedly violated laws prohibiting the use of public property for political activity (source: Boston Globe, 7/7/2004) by calling a State House news conference to announce that "I look to support with every ounce of energy I can (Bush/Cheney), a team which represents the mainstream of American thought." (source: SHNS, 7/6/2004)
Romney, who has been called a religious zealot, did not define his concept of 'mainstream American thought.'
Romney's statement led state Rep. James Marzilli (D-Arlington) and state Sen. Jarrett Barrios (D-Cambridge) to indicate that they would file complaints with the state Ethics Commission and the Office of Campaign and Politicial Finance as Romney "should not use a taxpayer-paid press secretary, microphones, and telephones to comment on a partisan political matter. No public official is allowed to do this, and no special exception should be carved out for the (fraud) governor, period." (source: Boston Globe, 7/7/2004)
We could not have said it better ourselves.
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Veto Proof
Willard Mitt recently vetoed legislation to let the state pension investment board keep secret details of its holdings in venture capital funds.
When asked to explain his decision, the Fraud Governor claimed that he had "a great deal of concern" with regard to anything related to confidentiality, secrey and the state treasurer, but more importantly, "when that piece of legislation came through, it was the first I'd seen of it or my staff had heard of it. We never received any information about it until it was on our desk...." (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2004)
Really?
Romney vetoed the privacy piece on June 25. (source: State House News, 6/25/2004) Which means that, as he had ten days to review the matter, the bill hit Fraudo's desk around June 16. (Psst - thanks!)
Yet a Boston Globe article outlined the proposal on May 22 in a piece which included the following: "(the) measure, along with the rest of the state budget, now goes to a legislative conference committee and, ultimately, to the (fraud) governor's office for approval. (Fraud) Governor (Willard) Mitt Romney is a former venture capitalist who made his fortune at Bain Capital, a Boston venture firm he helped launch. His spokeswoman said he had not yet reviewed the secrecy measure." (source: Boston Globe, 5/22/2004)
His spokeswoman said he had not yet reviewed the secrecy measure.
Let's review.
His spokeswomen said he had not yet reviewed the secrecy measure: May 22.
Bill sent to Willard Mitt's desk: June 11.
Romney veto: June 25.
"When that piece of legislation came through, it was the first I'd seen of it or my staff had heard of it."
And they say Romney is not primping for a federal post.
Willard Mitt recently vetoed legislation to let the state pension investment board keep secret details of its holdings in venture capital funds.
When asked to explain his decision, the Fraud Governor claimed that he had "a great deal of concern" with regard to anything related to confidentiality, secrey and the state treasurer, but more importantly, "when that piece of legislation came through, it was the first I'd seen of it or my staff had heard of it. We never received any information about it until it was on our desk...." (source: Boston Globe, 7/4/2004)
Really?
Romney vetoed the privacy piece on June 25. (source: State House News, 6/25/2004) Which means that, as he had ten days to review the matter, the bill hit Fraudo's desk around June 16. (Psst - thanks!)
Yet a Boston Globe article outlined the proposal on May 22 in a piece which included the following: "(the) measure, along with the rest of the state budget, now goes to a legislative conference committee and, ultimately, to the (fraud) governor's office for approval. (Fraud) Governor (Willard) Mitt Romney is a former venture capitalist who made his fortune at Bain Capital, a Boston venture firm he helped launch. His spokeswoman said he had not yet reviewed the secrecy measure." (source: Boston Globe, 5/22/2004)
His spokeswoman said he had not yet reviewed the secrecy measure.
Let's review.
His spokeswomen said he had not yet reviewed the secrecy measure: May 22.
Bill sent to Willard Mitt's desk: June 11.
Romney veto: June 25.
"When that piece of legislation came through, it was the first I'd seen of it or my staff had heard of it."
And they say Romney is not primping for a federal post.
Thursday, July 01, 2004
Flexible Flyer
Last month, Willard Mitt claimed he wanted to get more security money to local governments across the nation. The so-called "Romney Commission" called for greater flexibility in security funding. (source: Boston Globe, 6/26/2004)
Too bad Romney didn't mean greater security funding in Massachusetts.
Because Willard Mitt's vetoes show that despite instructing the flack formerly known as the stout, Reese Witherspoon-wannabe dye-job aide to Romney’s loathsome $150,000-a-year spokesman to issue a statement claiming that the new state budget made significant investments in homeland security and public safety, Romney is cutting public safety funding. (source: Office of (Fraud) Gov, Romney signs $22.402B fiscal year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget, 6/25/2004)
Romney vetoed over $700,000 from the Hampden County sheriff's office, over $560,000 from the Worcester County sheriff, over $700,000 from the Middlesex County sheriff, and over $1 million from the combined sheriffs of Essex, Berkshire, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties.
But wait. It gets better. Because Willard Mitt is not cutting all of the sheriffs budgets. T least one name was conveniently left off the veto list.
James M. Cummings of Barnstable County, what makes you so special? Why were seven sheriff's pared back, yet your budget allowed to fly high, unfettered?
Is it due to the fact that you, the Republican sheriff of Barnstable County, are a genuine FOF - Friend of Fraudo - whose name appears on Republican campaign sites and whose employees numbered among Romney/Healey Inc's earliest campaign tools? (see RiaF, 6/18/2004 & 3/9/2004)
Or is this just the Fraud Governor's way of being flexible?
Last month, Willard Mitt claimed he wanted to get more security money to local governments across the nation. The so-called "Romney Commission" called for greater flexibility in security funding. (source: Boston Globe, 6/26/2004)
Too bad Romney didn't mean greater security funding in Massachusetts.
Because Willard Mitt's vetoes show that despite instructing the flack formerly known as the stout, Reese Witherspoon-wannabe dye-job aide to Romney’s loathsome $150,000-a-year spokesman to issue a statement claiming that the new state budget made significant investments in homeland security and public safety, Romney is cutting public safety funding. (source: Office of (Fraud) Gov, Romney signs $22.402B fiscal year 2005 'No New Tax' Budget, 6/25/2004)
Romney vetoed over $700,000 from the Hampden County sheriff's office, over $560,000 from the Worcester County sheriff, over $700,000 from the Middlesex County sheriff, and over $1 million from the combined sheriffs of Essex, Berkshire, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties.
But wait. It gets better. Because Willard Mitt is not cutting all of the sheriffs budgets. T least one name was conveniently left off the veto list.
James M. Cummings of Barnstable County, what makes you so special? Why were seven sheriff's pared back, yet your budget allowed to fly high, unfettered?
Is it due to the fact that you, the Republican sheriff of Barnstable County, are a genuine FOF - Friend of Fraudo - whose name appears on Republican campaign sites and whose employees numbered among Romney/Healey Inc's earliest campaign tools? (see RiaF, 6/18/2004 & 3/9/2004)
Or is this just the Fraud Governor's way of being flexible?
