Democrats in MA want to change the law in case Kerry or Kennedy leave office

C

Chapdog

Abreast of the situations
I think this is very telling. Before Romney was elected governor they changed the law from appointment to special election because they didnt want Romney appointing a replacement. Now that Kennedy and Kerry are at risk of departure I can just picture them in the back ally behind beacon hill stuffing bribe money into there pants plotting how to change the law back


Possible future of Kerry's senate position
Shalini Jayarama, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: News

Page 1 of 1

There is one question everybody has been asking in Massachusetts political circles: Will John Kerry be the next United States secretary of state?

By now it is well-known that Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is considered a possibility for the position in President-elect Barack Obama's administration.

John Kerry was re-elected on Tuesday to serve another six-year term by Massachusetts voters. If Kerry is appointed secretary of state, the question will become one centered around who will fill the empty Senate position.

According to state law, a special election must be held in which Massachusetts citizens vote for a new senator.

Some have proposed the idea of appointing Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to the position, although such practice is not approved by the state's constitution.

Ed O'Reilly, former Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, suggests in an online blog that a new bill be passed that allows Patrick to appoint a senator on the condition that the appointee will not run for re-election in the next statewide election. According to O'Reilly, money that would go toward a special election can go instead toward improving public health and education.

He said that if Patrick appoints a senator on the conditions he suggested, the appointee "will speak boldly for 'ordinary' working people, fight special interests and not worry about being re-elected," he said.

Michael Hannahan, a political science professor at the University of Massachusetts, said that when it comes to public office, the best policy is to stick with the law.

"I don't think we should do what we think is right or wrong," he said. "I think they should do whatever is currently in the constitution."

Several students echoed Hannahan's sentiments.

"[The process] should follow constitutional rules of the state and not digress from pre-defined laws for such scenarios," said UMass freshman Avital Percher.

"You don't get to change the rules just because you like or dislike someone," said fellow student Shawn Flynn.

"The law is a special election. So that's what's going to happen," said political science major Rebecca Hoell, also a freshman.

The law changed from appointment to special election before Mitt Romney took office as governor.

"[The Massachusetts House and Senate] didn't want Romney to be able to appoint a senator" said Hoell. "They might as well have it the way it is. It gives more power to the people."
http://media.www.dailycollegian.com...uture.Of.Kerrys.Senate.Position-3540370.shtml
 
Chapdog said:
I think this is very telling. Before Romney was elected governor they changed the law from appointment to special election because they didnt want Romney appointing a replacement. Now that Kennedy and Kerry are at risk of departure I can just picture them in the back ally behind beacon hill stuffing bribe money into there pants plotting how to change the law back


Possible future of Kerry's senate position
Shalini Jayarama, Collegian Staff
Issue date: 11/13/08 Section: News

Page 1 of 1

There is one question everybody has been asking in Massachusetts political circles: Will John Kerry be the next United States secretary of state?

By now it is well-known that Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) is considered a possibility for the position in President-elect Barack Obama's administration.

John Kerry was re-elected on Tuesday to serve another six-year term by Massachusetts voters. If Kerry is appointed secretary of state, the question will become one centered around who will fill the empty Senate position.

According to state law, a special election must be held in which Massachusetts citizens vote for a new senator.

Some have proposed the idea of appointing Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick to the position, although such practice is not approved by the state's constitution.

Ed O'Reilly, former Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, suggests in an online blog that a new bill be passed that allows Patrick to appoint a senator on the condition that the appointee will not run for re-election in the next statewide election. According to O'Reilly, money that would go toward a special election can go instead toward improving public health and education.

He said that if Patrick appoints a senator on the conditions he suggested, the appointee "will speak boldly for 'ordinary' working people, fight special interests and not worry about being re-elected," he said.

Michael Hannahan, a political science professor at the University of Massachusetts, said that when it comes to public office, the best policy is to stick with the law.

"I don't think we should do what we think is right or wrong," he said. "I think they should do whatever is currently in the constitution."

Several students echoed Hannahan's sentiments.

"[The process] should follow constitutional rules of the state and not digress from pre-defined laws for such scenarios," said UMass freshman Avital Percher.

"You don't get to change the rules just because you like or dislike someone," said fellow student Shawn Flynn.

"The law is a special election. So that's what's going to happen," said political science major Rebecca Hoell, also a freshman.

The law changed from appointment to special election before Mitt Romney took office as governor.

"[The Massachusetts House and Senate] didn't want Romney to be able to appoint a senator" said Hoell. "They might as well have it the way it is. It gives more power to the people."
http://media.www.dailycollegian.com...uture.Of.Kerrys.Senate.Position-3540370.shtml
Click to expand...



Why would they need to bribe anyone to do anything? This isn't Diane Wilkerson greasing the skids so that someone can get a liquor license. Just like the Democratically controlled legislature changed the laws back in 2004 they can change it again in 2008. You don't have to like it but that's the way it is.

As a side note, you really need to stop listening to 97.9 and/or reading Howie Carr.
 
Its a corrupt state, er, commonwealth, and I don't give a fuck what they do. The conservative parts of this country wrote it off long ago.
 
Dungheap said:
Why would they need to bribe anyone to do anything? This isn't Diane Wilkerson greasing the skids so that someone can get a liquor license. Just like the Democratically controlled legislature changed the laws back in 2004 they can change it again in 2008. You don't have to like it but that's the way it is.

As a side note, you really need to stop listening to 97.9 and/or reading Howie Carr.
Click to expand...

i didnt listen to that. I came up with this all on my own trying to google chances of Romney becoming a senator here. i listen to weei on my commute.
 
do you really think Massachusetts is capable of electing a republican to the senate seat in this day in age?
 
Chapdog said:
i didnt listen to that. I came up with this all on my own trying to google chances of Romney becoming a senator here. i listen to weei on my commute.
Click to expand...


Romney may have had a shot at one point before he spent the latter years of his governorship traveling the country (on the taxpayer's dime mind you) disparaging Massachusetts in anticipation of his bid for the White House.
 
Grind said:
do you really think Massachusetts is capable of electing a republican to the senate seat in this day in age?
Click to expand...

lol whats the alternative? Barny frank and Thomas Menino?

OMG Could you Imagine? Wed be the laughingstock of the world.

I actually think that Romney did a great job as governor and i know people who have worked for him who say hes buttoned up good and nothing slimy going on.

Contrast that with Duval patrick who for the second time since being elected is going to raise tolls and fees and continues to break numerous campaign promises to clean up the hill by standing up for the like of wilkerson.
 
Dungheap said:
Why would they need to bribe anyone to do anything? This isn't Diane Wilkerson greasing the skids so that someone can get a liquor license. Just like the Democratically controlled legislature changed the laws back in 2004 they can change it again in 2008. You don't have to like it but that's the way it is.

As a side note, you really need to stop listening to 97.9 and/or reading Howie Carr.
Click to expand...

What would the recommend reading or listening list include?
 
Dungheap said:
What are you looking for?
Click to expand...

In context I was thinking radio stations but that's more an individual market deal so not really comparable across cities (though I'm sure you can fine equivalent stations in each market).

I couldn't place the name Howie Carr at first and thought he was an author and maybe you had other political authors in mind but remembered that he's a columnist for the Boston Herald. I take it you are not a fan because he writes a right-leaning column?
 
Why would it matter to you if they were elected or appointed? It's going to be a Democrat either way.

The legislature should do whatever it must to assure that a senator who isn't radically opposed to Massachusetts values, like some radical Romney would've appointed, isn't put there.
 
now that's pretty damn telling about the fear of losing some power when a legislature changes a major piece of representative selection to a special election just because a republican governer sits in office. what kind of fear based knee jerk reactionary politics is going on up there in MASS.???
 
SmarterThanYou said:
now that's pretty damn telling about the fear of losing some power when a legislature changes a major piece of representative selection to a special election just because a republican governer sits in office. what kind of fear based knee jerk reactionary politics is going on up there in MASS.???
Click to expand...

WTF?

JUST because he wants to appoint a Republican? WTF is wrong with you dumbass?
 
cawacko said:
In context I was thinking radio stations but that's more an individual market deal so not really comparable across cities (though I'm sure you can fine equivalent stations in each market).

I couldn't place the name Howie Carr at first and thought he was an author and maybe you had other political authors in mind but remembered that he's a columnist for the Boston Herald. I take it you are not a fan because he writes a right-leaning column?
Click to expand...


Howie Carr writes a bad column. A really bad column, and he doesn't even write well. That's why I'm not a fan.

Just like I'm not a fan of the Wall Street Journal op-eds. It's not that they're right-wing. It's that they are dishonest. They lie to their readers.
 
SmarterThanYou said:
now that's pretty damn telling about the fear of losing some power when a legislature changes a major piece of representative selection to a special election just because a republican governer sits in office. what kind of fear based knee jerk reactionary politics is going on up there in MASS.???
Click to expand...

You dont even want to know. Our legislatures are 'like' mafia.
 
Watermark said:
Chap, I know you were drooling at the thought of maybe having a Republican senator, but I doubt anyone would let or want that to seriously happen while they could stop it.
Click to expand...

we will see if they try to sneak change the rules again. People in this state as much as they are sheeple for democrats do like some checks and balances once in awhile.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top