posted 4-15

In the spring of 2011 the giant industrial power General Electric reported its results for the last year. It was a another solid and predictable outcome with sales of $120 billion and profits of $15 billion. As reported, G.E. did not pay any U.S. taxes- in fact they where seeking a credit of over $3 billion from the U.S. Treasury due to tax havens and credits their paid lobbyist had purchased from our lawmakers in Washington. As it stands this type of money grab and stash is neither a one time event- nor is it unusual in the United States today. Large corporations and the wealthy have purchased our lawmakers and generally get what they want- and then some. G.E. may be on the high side of the gluttonize behavior- but they are not alone- and they make no apologies for their actions and outright money take.
In fact GE serves as a role model to other corporations and wealthy institutions / individuals who know that the U.S. lawmakers are for sale. It’s safe to say that the American way has become one that if your rich you can design and redesign the rules and the tax laws so you get to keep all of what you have and in many cases more. And that you will convince that general public that lowering taxes on everyone is good because you know that most of us aren’t smart enough to figure out that a 10% tax break for everyone actually makes me much less well off because it continues to support the post Reagan era approach or reversing the distribution of wealth- and having it concentrated in fewer hands such as the giants like General Electric who can buy more laws, lawmakers, opinion maker, radio stations, and you name it right down the line. It is now fundamentally true that our lawmakers at every level has sold out
Its become a myth to think that life is fair in the United States. In our zero sum society life has become increasingly unfair and lopsided in favor of the haves. And, the haves will not stop the feeding frenzy- we are on a path of continued wealth concentration fueled by the legalization of corruption and payoffs to lawmakers - that we should expect things will get much worse for most Americans during our lifetime- and at an increasing rate of disparity. In my view the American public has become powerless because of our false pride, our lack of understanding that we need a community and to care for each other, and a lack of education and understanding of the legalized corruption and money grab. That is the American people are being robbed and being actively participating in letting the robbers in thinking these are our friends in large part because we have become isolated and afraid to think for ourselves.
Larry
When the light went on outside of Dapper Dans at Assembly Square on December 12, 1989 it was finally over for Larry Bretta. Despite all of the questions that surrounded his reputation he was revered and respected by those who worked in and knew the inner makings of politics in Somerville, Massachusetts. Larry had been a king and a king maker in the rough and tumble world of Somerville politics. He had been the smartest and most charming politician in Somerville’s history and he felt entitled to cash in for her service to others.
The Battle of 1979
Tom August had been elected by a landslide less than 2 years earlier. But his own disinterest in being Mayor combined with a large scale blunder of having his campaign staff buy newspapers put him in a very weak re-election position.

The political campaigns
Start on your own street if you can or don’t start at all…
What are your colors?
Drops
Dear Friends
Bumper Stickers and Roof Racks
Lit Drops
ID the vote
Who is with me
Bumper stickers don’t vote
Carry them to the pols
Precint Captains
Coffee Parties
Door to Door
Stand outs
Literature Drops
GOTV
Checkers
Checking after the primary
Start with your base
One Way Streets
Responding to negativety
Fakers
Lit Dumps vs. Drops

The Bitter reality
Rising above the anger
No Spikes- No Traction
The ITLO Dynasty




The Game Changers
- Bretta
- Ralph
- RedLine
- Rent Control
- Condos
The first females
- Fantasia
- Tomeo
- Howe
- ODea
- Kelly Gay
Alderman and the JV’s
Fundraisers without a venue or Tickets to nowhere
The shake down
No Opponent – more money
I’m whichya
Call em a sheep fucker …
Stealing from them vs. us
Assessments in Pencil
Trust in lifetime residents only
To the Victah

Howie Carr
The angry lot
- Donald Norton, Frank Bakey et al
Trust in no one if not from Somerville
Compare and Lose
- Not as smart as Cambridge
- Not as tough and Charlestown
- Not as good as Arlington
The first Gay Mayor
The 2nd Gay Mayor
Public and Elderly Housing
Tufts
Don’t wink
You Breathing
Don’t speak when you can nod, don’t nod when you can wink
Bretta and Ralph
Brune and Capuano
Brennan, August, and Gay
The person vs. the paper
The person vs. the uniform

The Black Sheep of Boston
- Outsiders not welcome
- Lifelong residents only
The Main Characters
- The magnificient rogues
- The angry savior
- The prince of darkness
- The lottery winner
- The hometown champion
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The Role Players
The Journal and themedia