I am a proud Democrat and I strongly support the progressive values embedded in our party platform. Currently in the Massachusetts Legislature, the power to legislate is centralized with the Speaker of the House in the House of Representatives, and with the Senate President of the Senate. They have the power to appoint people to committees, appoint the chairs of those committees, appoint leadership positions in the majority party, and have enormous influence over the state budget. If state legislators do not respect the wishes of their chamber’s leadership they can lose their leadership position, chairmanship of a committee, favored committee position, and even funding for their district. The Speaker and Senate President decide who gets an office with a prime view of the city, or who is banished to the windowless basement. We have seen undue influence by Speaker Deleo as we have witnessed dozens of lawmakers switch from opposing a casino bill under Speaker DiMasi, to supporting casinos under DeLeo. It is becoming increasingly clear that individual members of the House and Senate are not free to speak or even vote their minds.
A deliberative assembly should be full of free and fair debate. Each representative and senator should have an equal say in the deliberative process. That is the essence of a Representative Democracy. Apparently we don’t have a democracy in the House and Senate, we have despotism. The dynamic of power in the Massachusetts Legislature is inherently undemocratic and wrong. This centralization of power in the hands of the Speaker and Senate President enables lobbyists to more easily influence legislation. Three speakers in a row have been indicted with charges of corruption. Although the Speaker and Senate President are both Democrats, we have the right to say that this mockery of democracy is unacceptable and contrary to the values of the Democratic Party. We work hard as party activists to elect Democrats to the House and Senate, and we have a right to expect their allegiance to their constituents and not be compromised by pressure from leadership. Many Democrats feel frustrated with the “go along to get along” culture on Beacon Hill and they want an opportunity to voice their opinions without having to vote Republican.
That’s why I have started a grassroots organization called “Democrats for Reform of the Massachusetts Legislature”. We will work within the Democratic Party to change the system and restore democracy to the Statehouse. If you are tired of top-down leadership on Beacon Hill, please visit our website and join our movement at massdems4reform.comand attend our first general interest meeting on Saturday, March 3rd at 1:00 PM at the southborough public library Southboro House of Pizza 5 Main St, Southborough, MA 01772 You can RSVP and invite your friends here. We will develop a plan to push for reforms at the statehouse; whether it be through lobbying our state representatives, or organizing a grassroots campaign. Together we can make the Legislature something we can all be proud of.
Maxwell Morrongiello,
Founder of Massachusetts Democrats for Reform of the Massachusetts Legislature.
massdems4reform@gmail.com
1. Does your vision of reform include having the legislature subject to Open Meeting Laws (if not identical to what is in place, reasonable and thorough open meeting laws)?
2. Does your vision of reform include having the legislature subject to our state version of FOIA?
3. Does your vision of reform include strengthening and extending the bar on revolving door jobs with the industry regulated and/or lobbying firms/strategizing firms?
Just for starters!
Hi amberpaw thanks for your support.
Starting off our primary issue is centralization of power in the hands of the few, but these other issues are important ones. I personally think all of those reforms should and need to be tackled. The organization has not met yet, so we really don’t have an agreed upon platform yet. If that is something the members want to focus on we can certainly go in that direction, wither it is a secondary or primary goal. Commoncause MA already does some of that stuff, but they are not focusing on the power issue. Of course it would be good to counter-republicans claims that Democrats are anti-transparency. I hope that answers your question. if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to contact me.
Maxwell Morrongiello
massdems4reform@gmail.com
Amberpaw, if you are available I’d suggest attending and bringing these things up. Reform does need to be comprehensive IMO.
Plain and simple! And Commoncause does not do “that stuff” actually. Depending on how this thread and this post develops, etc., I will make the decision whether or not to attend yet another meeting.
After all, if Max wants people to attend, at least these two principles (and most likely, more) apply:
1. His pitch has to make folks WANT to attend.
2. To get anyone to do anything, one must make doing that “thing” as easy as possible.
I think this first meeting is to see what people want to do. We’ve been around about OML before; we only disagree on the details, not the principle, though I tend to lean toward power concentration as the root of all evil. They are hardly mutually exclusive.
What happens behind closed doors tends to concentrate power. That is true every where, every organization or country.
The less openness, the less democracy and the more power becomes concentrated. That is part of why (as a tangent, admittedly) it is so concerning that the USA is now 47th in openness as to journalists and treatment of the press.
This is definitely something we can talk about at our meeting.
At a very practical level, we cannot address the issue of concentration of power without having access to basic information relevant to the conduct of power. This is true at all levels. I’d love to see a similar push regarding the City of Boston’s routine decision making. Mike Kineavey’s e-mails would be a nice starting point, not that anyone seems to care.
Mike Keneavey’s emails exemplify the arrogance of power that we need to change. Attorney General Martha Coakley’s embarrassingly inept and passive role in that episode demonstrates that the corrupt culture must be forced to change from the outside — the problem will not solve itself.
We are not talking about exempt from “some” open meeting laws, but 100% of them.
Also exempt from FOIA.
Also exempt from the procurement regulations on cities and towns.
And with only minimal “revolving door protections”
Just what checks and balances are there, especially with the evisceration of the court budgets and the unmitigated use of the power of the purse to punish? Punish the courts, take away chairmanships (worth thousands of dollars), etc.
And all quite legal to do behind closed doors. Think about it – there is no way to find out WHO Speakers meet with, or when, except if there is an investigation with subpoenas. The lack of ANY open meeting requirements or any record disclosures does create an environment for shadowy dealings.
Max: does reform include allowing Legislative staff the right to organize a union and bargaining collectively for a contract that sets wages, hours and working conditions? Right now these employees don’t have those rights.
I feel that is something out of the scope for this group, but if people want to tackle that they are free to form a group to do so.
awaiting criminal indictments against perhaps a half dozen members, is at the same time cravenly contemplating a draconian “anti-crime” bill targeted at jailing minorities and low-level drug offenders. Any chance of that legion of greedy, self-serving, corrupt hacks passing a “three strikes and you’re out” anti-corruption bill in the near future? Doubtful. Stealing from the public, taking bribes, and even drunk driving are protected crimes- “our” type of crimes. I think maybe our slimy solons ought to remove the beams from their own eyes first.
It is heartening to see some Democrats recognize the need for reform of the Legislature. After all, you broke it you own it. My focus is in the House. While your efforts likely won’t include the most potent and fastest fix of voting Republican for every legislative seat in 2012, there are 3 simple things you can ask your Rep to commit to do. If they won’t commit, perhaps it’s time to revisit the most potent and fastest fix.
1. Join the Rule 28 Coalition: There is a bipartisan group of Representatives forming to enforce House Rule 28. If a majority of members join in the motion, any legislation pending in Ways and Means or Third Reading must be discharged for debate and vote on the House floor. Members reserve their right to argue and vote against any measure, but all agree to support motions to discharge so we finally have debate, transparency and accountability in the House. Call or email and urge your Rep to join the Rule 28 Coalition.
2. Updating the House Legislative Code of Conduct. After the DiMasi conviction, the House GOP moved to amend the House Code of Conduct for the first time in 25 years to draw upon best practices from ~15 other states’ legislative codes of conduct. The amendment would have created bright line rules of do’s and don’ts for members. The Democrats voted against allowing any debate on the proposal almost entirely along a party line vote. At the first formal session after the upcoming indictments, the House GOP will once again move to discharge that ethics proposal to the floor for debate and require a roll call vote. Your Rep likely voted against debating the amendment last time. Please call/email your Rep and demand they vote in favor of discharging the ethics proposal to the floor and at least having the debate. The results of the roll call vote will be posted on BMG.
3. Reform House Rules to Remove Concentration of Power. In January 2013, some members of the House GOP will move to amend the House Rules to return to the 1970’s model that empowered members and committee chairs rather than concentrating power in the Speaker’s office. The recent history of Speaker choosing Speaker hasn’t exactly worked out well for Massachusetts. Better to empower committee chairs and members to earn leadership positions by, well, leading. Ask your Rep to commit to supporting Rules reform in January 2013.
What’s the over/under on more than 5 Democrats agreeing to each of these simple reforms? Sadly, based on conversations with Democrats I’ve had to date (“I might lose my extra staffer,” “When you take the extra stipend, you need to compromise your principles,” “but I have a bathroom in my office and I want to keep it”) I’m afraid I need to bet on the under.
The “solution” of “voting Republican for every legislative seat in 2012” is a non-starter when most districts don’t even HAVE a Republican candidate on the ballot, when those that do are so woefully incompetent, inept, or worse (Bill Hudak, Jack Robinson, and Jeff Perry come to mind), and when “Republican” remains so closely wed to the terribly destructive garbage that has been front-and-center during this GOP primary campaign.
Sadly, your endorsement of the Grover Norquist foolishness exemplifies what I mean.
I disagree with the ideology of the Republican Party, and don’t vote Republican because of that. Regardless if Republicans in the statehouse put forward valid ideas that are worth considering, ideas that benefit the entire chamber and not just the GOP, our democratic Reps should consider them. The GOP should not have a monopoly on reform.
Have you actually been inside State House offices?
There are few offices with “prime views” – the problem is there are not enough offices to accomodate the 160 members of the House, 40 Senators, five Constiutional offices and their respective staff and support staff inclduing the Governor’s Council offices, clerks, counsels, park rangers and the various public hearing rooms and meeting places.
The fact of the matter is that most ofice spaces in the building is mediocre at best.
BTW – the Speaker and Senate President RECCOMENDS the appointment of members to leadership positions, chairmanships and to various committeee assignmnets – the Democrtaic Caucus has to ratify those nominations or any removals.
Due to a change of plans we will be meeting at:
Southboro House of Pizza
5 Main St, Southborough, MA 01772-1640