And Now, The Daily Dose of Rage...

Friend, Appleseed instructor, and all-around good egg Ross sends in this little bit of infuriating news to peg the ol' blood pressure this morning:

Warning:

(image courtesy of Robb Allen)

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Legislators’ vital work veiled from public’s eye

The $30.6 billion budget approved by the Legislature last week was negotiated almost entirely in secret, with six lawmakers meeting for 24 days of talks that were off limits to taxpayers. Debates, agendas, and even the times and locations of the meetings were held in strict confidence. No minutes were kept.

Information blackouts are treated with an almost religious reverence by the power brokers on Beacon Hill, who frequently decline to detail what is being discussed out of what they term “a respect for the process.’’

Yeah, see, there's that transparency that Øbama likes to talk about. And it gets even better:

This state is one of about 10 in which the public does not have even limited rights to view legislators’ records.

Yep. Massachusetts, the birthplace (and graveyard) of liberty has no provisions to expose its legislative process. Lawmakers have no reason to fear that their votes will come back to haunt them - because no one will ever know how they voted. It is interesting to note that New Hampshire, Florida, and Colorado, states less traditionally liberal than MA, all have significantly more open legislative processes.

MA: You're more likely to be actively prevented from knowing how local government works here.

That is all.