It would appear that the mysterious Ben has decided to reactivate his extremely enjoyable blog, "Romney Is A Fraud." He’s got two recent posts up: the first – a must-read – recalls that Mitt Romney, reportedly under consideration by the Bush administration as the "flood czar" to supervise the rebuilding of New Orleans, actually vetoed millions of dollars in state aid in 2004 that was supposed to help the flood-stricken town of Peabody recover from a devastating rainstorm and to help it prevent future similar occurrences.
The second post is about the Newton firefighters’ recent, incredibly stupid, decision to protest their lack of a contract by blocking traffic at Newton Corner, thereby causing a massive traffic jam that backed up the Turnpike for miles. Romney responded, correctly, by harshly criticizing the firefighters’ actions. What Romney did not mention, but what Ben reminds us of, is Romney’s similar, incredibly stupid, decision to block traffic on Storrow Drive to take down the famous "Reverse the Curse" sign after the Red Sox won the World Series, thereby causing a massive traffic jam that backed up Storrow Drive.
What’s particularly galling about Romney’s pious hypocrisy on the firefighters’ protest is his comment, quoted in the Globe, that "people standing in the middle of a roadway and inconveniencing thousands upon thousands of people, potentially putting lives at risk and causing accidents in the backup that occurs, [is] unacceptable." Quite right. Of course, that’s EXACTLY what he did in the Red Sox stunt – through which, of course, he caused a traffic jam at the Government Center exit from Storrow Drive, a ramp routinely used by ambulances on their way to MGH or Mass. Eye & Ear. I would also note that his description applies with remarkable precision to his administration’s apparent intention to continue allowing concert-goers on the Esplanade to park on Storrow Drive, thereby causing ghastly traffic jams and blocking that same ramp. I guess it’s only when a union blockades a road and stops traffic for miles that it’s a bad thing.
Welcome back to the blogosphere, Ben – we missed you. Here’s hoping you’ll stick around!
YAY!