The scene: Beacon Hill, office of the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. It is an early spring day and Robert DeLeo is seated facing the window. A look of deep contemplation on his face. The only sound is steady swish of his feet as they kick back and forth, hanging over the edge of the chair… until he starts snoring. A legislative aide walks in.
Aide: Mr. Speaker?
DeLeo: (snorts) Huh, Wah? Wasn’t me. Didn’t do it. I don’t know this DiMasi character…. What?
Aide: The whip needs an update on the budget…
DeLeo: Right. Ok. (he presses the button on his intercom) Teresa? (silence)
Deleo and the aide stare at each other.
DeLeo: Where is that secretary of mine?
Aide: Um… you mean Teresa Murray…? The Senate President?
DeLeo: (snorts again) Ha! A woman president. You got some sense of humor kid. (he hits the button on the intercom again) Teresa?!?!?! (he releases the button and yells into his outer office) CAN SOMEBODY GET ME THE GOVERNOR ON THE PHONE!?!?!
DeLeo and the aide stare at each other for another five minutes in a frozen tableau of battling wits. Suddenly they jump as the intercom buzzes and a disembodied voice says:
DV: The Governor is on line 2, sir.
DeLeo: Thanks Teresa.
DV: My name is Roger, sir.
DeLeo: Right. A male secretary! Everybodies a commedian. Whatever, Teresa. (He picks up the phone punches the oversized #2)
DeLeo: Bill! How ya doon!?!?
Governor: Uh.. Bill? No, this is Governor Patrick.
DeLeo: Governor Who?
Governor: Governor Patrick.
DeLeo: Patrick Who?
Governor: Excuse me?
DeLeo: Patrick Who? What’s your last name? And where’s Governor Weld?
Governor: Patrick is my last name. And Governor Weld is no longer Governor.
DeLeo: Patrick is you last name? Really? What’s your first name?
Governor: Deval.
DeLeo: Deval? Izzat Irish?
Governor: Not even remotely.
DeLeo: That’s nice. Listen kid. Run along and get Governor Weld for me, willya?
Governor: I am the Governor. Governor Deval Patrick. Governor Weld is long gone.
DeLeo: Hey, kid. I got no time for games. I got this budget and people are afraid a taxes and maybe sumday we get outta this big dig mess, ahright? But right now I gotta talk to the Governor. He’s making a lotta noises about sumthing or other and I gotta argue with him about it, K? Make the people think we’re doing something up here. So just run along and get him to the phone.
Governor: I am the Governor. Did you just, like, crawl out of a hole or something?
DeLeo: You sure you’re Irish? You don’t sound Irish…
Governor: I’m not Irish. Never said I was.. . Are you ok?
DeLeo: What kind a question izzat? ‘Course I’m OK. Never better. Now let me talk to Bill Weld, please.
Governor: Bill Weld isn’t here. Bill Weld is no longer the Governor. I am the Governor. You don’t need to argue with Bill Weld, you need to argue with me. And I am doing something.
DeLeo: Kid. Don’t make me angry. I’m a very powerful person.
Governor: Whatever.
I imagine something else.
Robert DeLeo is laughing.
He is laughing at all of us talking tough as if we could make a difference in this fight. Or in any of his fights.
He is laughing at all of those voters who thought they elected a state representative to represent their interests. A representative whose values were vetted so they could trust her or him when they aren’t paying attention. A representative who would not feel conflicted when both their conscience and their constituents tell them to vote a certain way.
He is laughing at all of those reps who cling to their plum assignments, chair positions and other goodies as if they signified real power, because Bob knows that power is illusory. Exercise some free will, go against Bob, and – poof – it is gone.
The entire time I’ve lived in Massachusetts, the history of the House Speakership has been a sad one. Just what does it take to curb the Speaker’s power? Any ideas? John Walsh, can you weigh in?
I have an idea that it could start with just one vote. Just one vote.
It’s an illusion. What good has any plum assignment done for any progressive and his/her agenda?
Have we passed great policy? Like, say, a revenue package that funds our many needs, while protecting the middle-class and poor?
That doesn’t seem to be panning out, now, does it?
If you need POWER to get progressive stuff done, and progressives fear loss of their POWER, because they won’t get stuff done, and so they don’t take the votes to get progressive stuff done…
What good is that power? Stand up, my progressives!! When you fight we LOVE you all the more, even — especially! — when you lose fighting and trying! Because we get it. It’s HARD to be a proud progressive. And when you get up, stand up for what’s right, WE ADORE THAT because it’s so damned rare.
The emperor has no clothes. Don’t be afraid to point it out.
