The Big Dig is a black hole that by its indictment of government incompetence, sucks all issues into its maw. Take taxes: depending on how you slice it, Massachusetts tax burden is not particularly high; if you've ever lived in Chicago or New York you know that's the case. And yet, in light of this colossal failure of accountability, how can any politician in Massachusetts credibly claim that tax money won't be wasted? All of the candidates promise new spending initiatives, in health care, education, potholes, law enforcement, whatever. In the public's mind, the Big Dig calls into question every single government spending initiative, however well-intended and well-designed, because it calls into question the ability of our government to deliver on its promises, and its willingness to put the public interest first.Read the whole thing.
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Sixteen years of Republican governors didn't give us a safe tunnel. Neither did countless years of Democratic legislative dominance. Party didn't matter in this case: in fact, checks and balances were so effective that accountability itself was checked and balanced. Aside from the obvious (Bechtel), to whom to we go to get satisfaction in this case? The Governor? The legislature? The turnpike chair? The AG? Where is the pressure point for public anger?
Tags: Massachusetts Boston Big Dig Turnpike Interstate I-90 Tunnel Election 2006
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