Tuesday, July 18, 2006

We're national baby

You know you're starting to penetrate the national conciousness when a liberal rag halfway across the country is ripping you in their editorial page. Congratulations, Governor Romney.

In all seriousness, the Big Dig disaster probably hurts Romney's credibility when it comes to his argument that he's a problem solver (See Salt Lake City Winter Olympics)... It will be interesting to see how (if at all) the Big Dig problems play out in Dubuque, Mason City and Cedar Rapids.

7 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Actually Romney has been fighting with the Trunpike controller (I think that's his title) for over a year about inferior infrastructure materials and shoddy work. Mitt has been trying to oust him forever it seems and now it is painfully obvious that Mitt was right.

I think this disaster proves his point and their will be severe legal ramifications for the firm that built the big dig.

WAR Mitt

11:33 AM  
Blogger Yoda said...

hmmmmm..... SmartChick2008, perhaps change name to Smackdown2008 after that well thoughtout explanation bursting at the seems with facts you should....

hmmm... nice job....


WAR Mitt Romney

1:10 PM  
Blogger Jeff Fuller said...

Big Dig will help . . . not hurt Romney.

How could he have "Turned-Around" the Big Dig if this independent agency was being protected from Executive Branch control by the Legislature AND the Judicial Branch? Now that they're looking stupid they've handed the mess over to Mitt. He's doing a great job.

This blog entry of mine shows how long Romney has been on the right side of this issue.

http://iowansforromney.blogspot.com/2006/07/romney-again-shows-strong-leadership.html

3:26 PM  
Blogger Burton Rider said...

WAR SmartChick - you rule.

I was working on the Romney 2002 campaign and the mid-terms in Massachusetts, and it was certainly something the Governor was trying to get across to voters - that a change was needed at the Turnpike to clean up the Big Dig. There's a cronyism epidemic on Beacon Hill, and he's done everything he could to stop it.

This episode is evidence of his leadership, not the opposite.

6:03 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Smartchick -

I love your style baby!!!

6:37 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm a Huckabee supporter, but I gotta say, smartchick's analysis was dead on. The Big Dig was not his fault. It's like blaming the failure of the ICN on Vilsack.

1:57 PM  
Blogger Jeff Fuller said...

Check out this Press Release from Romney on March 15th 2005 :

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
March 15, 2005

STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY ON TURNPIKE AUTHORITY

Dealing with the Turnpike Authority over the past two years has been an incredibly frustrating experience. I believe the Big Dig has been mismanaged to the detriment of the public.

I have asked for the Big Dig to be put under my authority and control, and I have called for a change of leadership at the Turnpike Authority. Unfortunately, I have been the lone voice on Beacon Hill calling for this change.

It is absolutely startling to me that the Turnpike Authority’s own engineering consultant cannot vouch for the safety of the Central Artery tunnel because he has been denied access to critical records and documents that would allow him to form an opinion.

With the Big Dig, there has been a pattern of cover-up and stonewalling that has left the public with little confidence that the project is being managed well or that the road and tunnel system are safe for travel.

Jack Lemley says he wasn’t given access to critical information to assess the tunnel’s safety. Judge Ginsburg says he was denied access to information so that he could pursue cost recovery. Christy Mihos as a member of the Board of the Turnpike Authority had to go to court to get information from the own authority of which he served as a board member.

This is intolerable. The culture of obstruction and cover-up starts at the very top.

Today, I am taking the first step to remove Matt Amorello as Chairman of the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority.

Today, I will ask the Supreme Judicial Court for an advisory opinion to confirm my power to remove the Chairman. As soon as the court responds in the affirmative, I will install new leadership.

I need this validation from the Supreme Judicial Court in order to avoid a protracted legal battle that would only deepen public cynicism and mistrust and delay action.

The second action I am taking today is this. I am directing my state Highway Department to oversee an independent evaluation of the tunnel’s safety and to make sure that’s carried out as soon as possible.

In order for that to happen, there will need to be full access to all relevant documents, the same documents the Turnpike Authority has been reluctant to give to its own consultant. Therefore, I am asking Attorney General Reilly to seize those documents today so they are available for independent inspection and evaluation.

It is imperative that the Attorney General move quickly given the matter is of such significance to our public safety.

As Governor, I have a responsibility to all the people when it comes to public safety.

My job now is to assure that the tunnels are safe, and to take whatever steps are necessary to put in place responsible management at the Turnpike Authority.

Source: http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=pressreleases&agId=Agov2&prModName=gov2pressrelease&prFile=gov_pr_050315_turnpike_authority_statement.xml

10:30 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

  • Caucus Coolerisms
  • The Cooler Line

    Mike Huckabee 10-9
    Mitt Romney 3-1
    Fred Thompson 9-1
    John McCain 9-1
    Rudy Giuliani 12-1
    Ron Paul 12-1
    Duncan Hunter 98-1
    The Cooler line is an exclusive creation of Caucus Cooler and will be updated as the political environment changes.
    It is an unscientific assessment of the Iowa Caucus (not the Presidential race as a whole) from an insiders view at the given time. The line IS NOW mathematically accurate but is NOT intended for gambling purposes. Information may only be reproduced with credit to the Caucus Cooler.