Gainzo

Remember him?

For mine he was the best Governor we have had in Massachusetts in my adult years. Took over from Dukakis in 1991 and turned the Commonwealth around. Balanced budgets, gave tax breaks, lowered fees at the Registry, didn't slash social programs, etc.

Too bad he lost in his senate bid against Kerry in 1996. As much as I lean to the left Weld was a true centrist who I admired.

Unfortunately he would never survive in today's political climate as the right wing would call him a RINO and the lefties would come up with something to discredit him.

After Weld left we had to deal with Celluci, Swift and Romney My verdict is still out on Patrick.

For those that live in Mass, what were your thoughts on Weld?

shirtsleeve

Weld was light years better than Dukakis and did stimulate the local economy and business by eliminating a bunch of regulation. I was a fan of Romney for the same reasons too, until he dumped the health care disaster on us. Hell, until that happened he would have been remembered as the governor who brought down the Turnpike Authority/Massport. Too bad.

My verdict was in on Patrick when he hired some of his campaign contributors who couldnt get a major project approved, to be in charge of the agency who approves those projects. In the pocket and corrupted on day 1.

Stokes

My recollection of him is positive although I was young then.

I disagree that he wouldn't make it today, I think Scott Brown showed that more moderate Republicans can still be popular in MA elections. Its going national where Northeast Republicans struggle, trying to win primaries in the more socially conservative South.

Gainzo

I was in College the first 3 years of the Weld Administration but entered the workforce, full time, in 1994 and made a good living during the rest of his tenure. Things fell apart (not for me) when Celucci and then Swift were calling the shots after Weld left.

Scott Brown is a good comparison when it comes to Mass politics. Say what you will about Massachusetts but we do make a good move once in a while!

As you said, the GOP base in the south wants nothing to do with Republicans from the Northeast. Chris Christie, Governor of New Jersey, has popular support in his own state but has absolutely no chance of being a viable Presidential candidate if he decides to run in 2016 or beyond.

It's a sad state of affairs when it comes to electing our next President.

Real World

Cellucci was bad, Swift worse, and Patrick sucks. Romney was a decent governor until he started to insert his national interests into his job as governor. Screw him. I actually met Cellucci a few times when he was governor. I have a picture with him somewhere. I was in my early 20's I think. Nice, nice guy in person, but then I read how he couldn't balance his own finances, and in seeing how he ran government, I wasn't surprised.

I remember a bumper sticker that was around during Weld's years in office. It read:

Privatization: A Weld Scam

Anyone else remember that?

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Gainzo

I remember those stickers. Wasn't Weld at the forefront of getting rid of cops doing roadside details at $40 an hour or whatever it was back then?

Sidenote: Was sitting at a red light yesterday in Woburn and the pickup truck in front of me had a bumper sticker that said "Patrick is anti-union." Can't please everyone I guess

Seriously, I would be very happy if Weld came back from the private sector to the public sector.

Real World

Patrick anti-union?!?

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To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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"The most difficult subjects can be explained to the most slow-witted man if he has not formed any idea of them already; but the simplest thing cannot be made clear to the most intelligent man if he is firmly persuaded that he knows already, without a shadow of doubt, what is laid before him."
Leo Tolstoy, 1897

Stokes

I love Chris Christie, and I agree with you. As a Republican I am always frustrated with the need for national candidates to pander to the christian right. It destroyed what little credibility Romney had in 2008. I'm all for more Republican candidates that are intelligent, thoughtful, and dedicated to working on what I consider "big" issues like the economy, the debt, energy independence, and the wars we're still fighting rather than going after things like abortion, same sex marriage, and NPR. Apologies to those of you that consider those issues the most important, I am simply stating my preferences for where a Republican candidate would be focused.

Gainzo

I have no idea what union it was but the guy driving the Ford F350 wasn't happy!

Gainzo

As a Democrat I agree with you 100%. Why does everything come down to social issues?

What the GOP controlled House is doing is ridiculous. NPR? Planned Parenthood? Why go after them? How about jobs? I think we need some of those.

Maybe it was like this before the '90's but the Country has drawn battle lines by state/party affiliation and that isn't good at all. When people like Newt Gingrich are talking family values and looking at running for President it is a sad time.

The saddest thing for me is that the Dems don't plan on supporting anyone but Obama next year. As much as I like Obama I know there are Democrats out there that could at least challenge him in the primaries. FU 2-Party system!