David Guarino
For those brave souls who now occupy seats in the state Legislature and want to keep them or move up, these are the 77 most dangerous days in politics. The 11-week stretch, falling this year between Feb. 9 and April 27, is Defcon 4 on Beacon Hill.
What’s that, you ask? Are there protests planned, renewed media scrutiny afoot or a sudden resurgence in civic engagement on the weighty – or not – matters of state? The answers are, in order: Nope, no way and, are you kidding me?
This is that delicate space in time between when nomination papers to run for district office are available and when they are due back in city or town halls across the Commonwealth. Inside this briefest of moments, town selectmen run wild with visions of attaining higher office; Old flames with a grudge — or simple townfolk in a rage — can go out and gather a mere 150 or 300 signatures and take on an incumbent.
The most frequent retort from skittish lawmakers this time of year when asked if they will support or oppose a bill: “Can it wait until after papers get filed?”
Let me say straight out: This is a generalization of the mode on Beacon Hill in late winter, early spring of election years. There are, naturally, Reps and Senators in the building who don’t have one eye on the election calendar and who take sides on a bill no matter the consequences or the timing.
However, it’s only human nature – and a political reality in this kind of topsy-turvy year – to try to keep the left hand up when fists are flying. And playing it safe when potential opponents may be gathering steam is, politically speaking, sometimes the smart thing to do for members and the leadership who set the calendar of debate.
Taken in this context, the legislative actions of recent week make a lot more sense.
Some were aghast that, in the immediate aftermath of Scott Brown’s come-from-nowhere upset in the U.S. Senate campaign, the first piece of business on the House calendar was making sure schools had healthy lunch menus. This surprised no one who’s worked in those halls of power. It was a feel good, ‘who could be against it’ moment for Reps at a time when few knew what voters were for or against anymore.
Since then, the bills debated in the House and Senate have followed a similar path – safer driving for seniors and with cell phones; a measure designed to prevent bullying in schools; a financial bailout for on-the-brink Lawrence; protecting correctional officers from assault by bodily substance; and protecting employers from a steep increase in the unemployment insurance rate.
And, off the floor, the policy topics driven by the Governor, Speaker and Senate President have been all warm and fuzzy, to wit:
- The Governor’s proposal for pension reform and consolidation of the beleaguered parole and probation departments.
- The Senate President’s economic development bill
- The Governor’s effort to rein in health costs for small businesses
- Keeping guns out of the hands of minors
- Yanking film tax credits seen as helping Hollywood more than Main Street
Even casinos, ushered back onto the main stage by Speaker DeLeo last week, fits that category. While some on the left are still skeptical of the “casino culture,” as my former boss, Speaker DiMasi called it, most voters support the concept of casinos.
The leadership is doing its best to give members the air cover they need – to show those who might make a run against an incumbent that the focus really is on jobs and the economy.
As DeLeo said, addressing the House members just before their electoral clocks started ticking, “… Despite the scope of our accomplishments this past year, we cannot, we must not, rest. With so many of our fellow citizens out of work, we have a great task in front of us.”
Does that mean that thornier issues like granting in-state college tuition at state schools to illegal immigrants, reforming the CORI laws for convicts, eliminating Evacuation Day or other “hack holidays,” altering the formula for how public schools are funded and reforming the payment systems for doctors, hospitals and insurers are less important?
Nope. And they will likely get an airing of some sort before the session ends on July 31. It just means they have to wait their turn – just another 50 days or so.
David Guarino is vice president and director of public affairs at MS&L Boston, a strategic communications and public affairs firm. He is formerly a spokesman for the Speaker of the House, the Attorney General and, for 12 years, a Massachusetts political reporter.
He will be a regular contributor to MassBeacon.com.
