Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Awwww, Trav's Heartfelt Goodbye

I only wish I cared. The old guard is almost gone. That's a good thing.

MassEquality seems to be in a cheery mood too.

This afternoon the Senate elected pro-equality Senator Therese Murray (D Plymouth and Barnstable) as its next leader. This follows the resignation of Senate President Robert Travaglini.

This is terrific news. Senator Murray is a long-time friend of the gay community and a strong supporter of equality. With her at the helm, we are one step closer to defeating this discriminatory effort to take away marriage rights from gay and lesbian couples.

Isn't it mildly humorous though that Travaglini cared so little for his own personal agenda, that he'd pre-select a pro-equality senator to succeed him? Don't get me wrong, I thank Travaglini for recognizing his outmoded ways, but if he cared so little for his position he should have at least voted against advancing the ConCon in January. Well, that would assume he counted glbt persons as fully equal citizens and worthy of his support. The Health Care lobby can have him.

8 comments:

Ryan said...

Have you seen her website? Her picture is *awesome* in its fourth-grade aesthetic.

Anonymous said...

I find it impossible to keep track of who's clean, who's dirty, and who's a little soiled in the Legislature these days. Some blogger needs to do a cosmology of the hacktocracy, and fast.

Anonymous said...

Bobby who?

Anonymous said...

You demonstrate on a daily basis a lack of understading of how Beacon Hill works, which is perfectly in line with the new Governor. Traviligni did not "Pre-select" anyone. Murray began shoring up support behind closed doors over a year ago, and it paid off. It had nothing to do with Trav.

Anonymous said...

Great comment, Anon. Those of us who don't have an understanding of what goes on behind closed doors should be ashamed of our ignorance.

Ryan said...

Regardless of whether or not Murray shored up her support long ago, she was Trav's pick. Rarely do leaders make a pick against the grain... and often they want the next most powerful person with them (all the better to get what you want passed). So, maybe I don't have an insiders perspective, but what I said isn't wrong. It's tough to have an insider perspective when you're the one railing against them, too. They tend not to invite ya inside.

Anonymous said...

Ryan - Gay marriage may be YOUR most important issue, but it is a small issue in overall state government. Also - Traviglini read the SJC decision that said a vote MUST be taken. Do not be overly surprised if Sen. Murray also allows a vote, and then votes NO on the plebiscite.

Anonymous said...

10:32, talk about not understanding how Beacon Hill works.

First of all, the SJC did not render a "decision." It explicitly admitted it had no authority to do so.

Second, Traviglini gaveled away the healthcare amendment hours after passing the discrimination amendment. I don't think the pretense that he was "just following the Constitution" is going to fly here. Try BMG.

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