Ten years ago there was a chance that all of this could change. In 1999 Massachusetts voters staged a citizens revolt to unseat the incumbent aristocracy that had controlled Massachusetts politics for years. The binding referendum called Clean Elections was designed to open the election process so that political campaigns would run on ideas and an examination of voting records instead of special interest money. Public funds would be given to challengers who qualified and political races would be contested for a true evaluation of the candidates. The Clean Elections referendum was passed by Massachusetts voters by a 2 to 1 vote.
Even with this show of voter support, the revolution failed. The Beacon Hill ruling class was aghast at the thought they might be thrown from their well-worn seats of power. The 90% plus incumbency rate that Massachusetts was infamous for was not to be disturbed. Four years later another referendum, this time sponsored by incumbent operatives, revoked Clean Elections and the legislative aristocracy could rest easy. A requiem for Clean Elections was given by Grand Duke Finneran, Speaker of the House at the time, when he intoned that, “the voters didn’t know what they were voting for.”
Now Massachusetts is in the grip of a deep financial downturn and the air is filled with a variety of ways to increase taxes. Usually when taxes are about to go up, there is some sort of reform reciprocity to assuage the public. In this state that is not to be, the legislative sponge seems to be impervious to public pressure.
