Word: finneran
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...recent Congressional redistricting plan proposed by Mass. House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran met unanimous opposition from Cambridge’s City Council at its meeting Monday night...
...earned the hatred of House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran and members of his leadership team. And, admittedly, the law is not perfect as written. The minimum standard for receiving public money-200 contributions of at least $5-is extremely low. The regulations could force some politicians to cut back on constituent services, which are often paid for with campaign funds. In addition, the law currently provides that politicians running for office unopposed would still receive some state money-a startling waste of resources...
Unfortunately, opponents of reform are trying to forestall consideration of any compromise by adding needless restrictions to the law. One Finneran idea, to pay for the law through a check-off box on tax forms, would emasculate the law by removing most of its funding. Opponents have also suggested that the Clean Elections provisions should be only be approved along with a new tax, to test if voters truly accept the costs associated with the law. Other means of funding the plan exist, and both suggestions are self-interested attempts by cowardly state legislators to kill the bill without taking...
...perfect marriage of political convenience. The representatives, knowing Finneran will retaliate against them if they vote against him, take the path of least resistance (and of political survival)--they let him stay in power. And in return, Finneran makes it easier for them to avoid competition by destroying a popular and necessary campaign finance reform law that would encourage people to challenge incumbents. The only losers are the people of Massachusetts--who suffer not only if the Clean Elections law is repealed, but also because the representatives' abdication of responsibility diminishes democracy and accountability in the legislature...
...Though Finneran has assaulted any semblance of true democracy in the House in a wide variety of ways, from micromanaging committee actions to single-handedly negotiating the details of the budget with Birmingham last year, he does not alone bear the blame for this shameless power grab. The representatives who find it convenient to have him as a scapegoat also deserve to be censured for destroying any semblance of democracy in order to protect themselves...