The DiMasi Indictment And Deval Patrick

The corruption indictment of Sal DiMasi, according to the Boston Globe, “contains what critics are calling an unflattering behind-the-scenes look at Governor Deval Patrick’s administration, depicting its officials as bowing to political pressure to award a $13 million computer software contract that was allegedly rigged.”

But hey, that was the hope and change Deval Patrick promise wasn’t it? The sad fact is that this is par for the course in Massachusetts. Every election cycle the Democrats gain more seats, and in 2006 they decided to completely remove checks and balances from state government. The people of Massachusetts are to blame. Michael Graham nails it here:

Bay Staters are among the nation’s most affluent and well-educated. About 75 percent of our high school grads go to college. Almost 40 percent of adults have degrees. Our median income is 25 percent higher than the national average.

Yet these “brilliant and amazing” citizens repeatedly vote themselves one of America’s most corrupt and incompetent governments.

Three indicted speakers – and counting. Empty legislative offices with fulltime paid staffs. Pension perks for incumbents so lousy that they’re finally forced out.

What sort of voters put up with this?

Meanwhile, our pols don’t hide from corruption, they celebrate it. When they re-elected Sal DiMasi speaker, everyone knew he was under investigation. But only seven Democrats withheld their votes. The rest were with Rep. Jim Fagan, who bragged, “We are direct descendants of patriots and heroes!” – a comment that must have had Sam Adams drinking in his grave.

It up to the voters to change the state’s government. Deval Patrick came is an outsider, and became part of the corrupt machine.  Empty campaign rhetoric about hope and change doesn’t make you a leader, it doesn’t mean you’ll do all the glorious things you said you would do. Deval’s dismal approval ratings prove that a good campaign speech doesn’t make a good governor. True accountability can’t come until checks and balances are restored. One party rule is crippling the state, and the worst part is that it happened with the consent of the governed.

Matt Margolis is co-author (with Mark Noonan) of Caucus of Corruption: The Truth About The New Democratic Majority. He also blogs at The Buffalo Bean. Follow Matt on Twitter.