In my opinion, she has the most important qualification for the position, there will not be the word "incumbent" after her name.
Right on, Geezer.
Disappointing that My, who has intelligence and backbone, wrote that ridiculous letter in the MFP in support of The Moocher.
mooch·er
ˈmo͞oCHər/
nounNorth Americaninformalderogatory
noun: moocher; plural noun: moochers
a person who lives off others without giving anything in return.
"no one gave me any handouts like these moochers expect"
Normally I do, but this time thoughtless deserves thoughtless.
Thoughtless
That may indeed be true, but I don't believe that I am the only person in Melrose who believes that doing the same thing over and over (like voting in incumbents) and expecting different results, is similar to shoveling it against the tide!
We all are allowed whatever reasons we have for voting as we like, but I won't resort to ad hominem any further.
You’re welcome. It isn’t. Never.
Geezer has it right!
In Melrose today there is no incumbent who deserves to get re-elected. None of them vote for anything but political correctness. They refuse to consider improving the city. Instead, they manipulate a willing public, which remains clueless about the actual issues which could improve the city. That clueless majority elects them again, ad nauseum. Good elected officials could improve so much about the city. Until a majority are elected, Melrose will remain a self-congratulatory wasteland.
"Sorry, folks, but the city is well run - and we always get positive feedback from those outside the city who visit us. however, the schools could be improved and the major problem remains with the school committee run by a dictator, Driscoll. This person is clueless about the incompetence of our school super."
Spoken like a true Dolan sycophant. There is no separating the systemic failures of the school system from the way the city is run, given that the #1 dictator sits on the school committee and directs all actions well beyond what should be his confined power. There are no checks and balances in Melrose city governance now because Rob Dolan (with the help of a willfully blind citizenry) has dismantled them systematically. He is our Trump, unfortunately, and Driscoll is one of his Spicey/Preibus/Flynn/HucksterSanders/Sessions characters (along with PDR/RvC & the rest of the GoodShipRobbiePop) all rolled into one foul package. This tantrum-prone bloated caricature of what a good mayor should be is fully aided by a board of aldermen and school committee that could not care less about what should be appropriate "roles and responsibilities" with time-honored separation between the powers/branches of government that defines what this form of government is supposed to be but most definitely is not in Melrose. The incompetent and foul school administration that has caused such disgrace and harm to the schools and city didn't get that way by itselt, but rather with the gushing and never-ending cycle of self-congratulatory and willfully ignorant BS of all three branches of government and a parent population that really should be thoroughly ashamed of itself for the harm done to so many students.
"Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the theater ?"
"I'm sorry, but I beg to differ. The City is not very well run, unless you count throwing millions of tax dollars at a a dysfunctional school system and seeing ever-diminishing returns on that investment, or unless you count having some of the highest, if not the highest water/sewer rates in the MWRA, and still having the highest I and I in the MWRA as examples of sound management.. All the money wasted in "keeping up appearances" just turns my stomach."
Absolutely!
The "city is well run" crowd have chosen to be staggeringly ignorant of all that is not run well at all, in fact is some of the worst in the region, starting with the schools and the water/sewer rate management. In fact there must be something injected in the local water that is contributing to the pervasive stupidity and arrogance of the supposedly college-educated and aspiring (often extremely pretentious) upper classes of our not-fair city. In well-run communities there is a more realistic and humble look at what is working and what isn't. Melrose is just so incredibly arrogant now, starting at the so-called top with the elected and paid officials, along with those who feel they simply must act as a constant cheerleading squad. Sycophants abound here, and that is not the mark of a successful community.
There's no faith in government. The election of Trump centered around a "throw the bums out""attitude. Trump has destroyed the USA in the eyes of the world, divided people more than ever and has no moral center. The Democrats also sold their souls. Democratic elected officials watched out for themselves first and played the political game only slightly better than the Republicans. The local lessons Melrosians who are on the ballot should take away is that people are fed up, have no faith in government, cannot afford more taxes, are tired of politicians who lie, are afraid for their children's subpar education in the MPS and are astonished that some seats weren't even challenged. There will be some new people elected, some incumbants will lose and we are still stuck with Tramontozzi and Infurna. Because I have no faith, I will not bother to vote for the first time in my life.
The reason many (most?) voters have lost faith is that politicians have destroyed trust.
What POTUS and his cabal of crooks have done goes far beyond and now threatens whether humankind will even survive his evil and foolishness (shame on any in the local Repug party who continue to support and/or espouse the stands of this nazi regime!).
What our local pols have done over many years is correctly analogous, just on a much smaller scale, obviously, though the consolidation of power and underlying arrogance/contempt for checks and balances are similar in nature. When Dolan, the SC, and the BOA gush endlessly about their wondrous so-called achievements, the locals (with a few known and notably praiseworthy exceptions--Gerry Mroz, CKK, to a smaller scale, JDLaRock, Phil Taymor, the late and courageous Patricia Wright, Ted K, Myron--if you can forgive his support of Morty...) have lined up behind the frauds and joined in the Bully Squad against those who dare to be critical. Instead of embracing those brave few who have selflessly stepped up and advocated for the greater good and challenged the truly sick status quo, the locals (those who vote and who therefore have a right to have an opinion, that is) have gotten meeker, more self-absorbed, more willing to join the mean-spirited mocking and shunning of dissenting voices, and refused to challenge the obvious fakery that passes for local governance.
When the bogus budgets are presented, there is no real public dialogue but instead the pre-answered "questions" on carefully censored note cards brought forward by the MEF Cabal, because, as Dolan as been heard to say publicly on numerous occasions, "we can't be seen--on tv, no less--having to answer questions that we haven't had a chance to ...." (the rest is obvious), because "we have to run for re-election, after all....") or as Casatelli said, "getting reelected is all the 'performance evaluation' we should need." Real dialogue in real time is fiercely rejected by officials (elected and paid) who are rightfully afraid that they will be asked questions that (1) they are too ignorant to answer and/or (2) they will be caught on-record lying or speaking in direct affront to the laws and regulations--something Mr. Taymor, Mr. Mroz, and Ms. Kourkoumelis proved time and again with their knowledgeable, factual, and brave inquiry, whether it was BOA or SC business at hand.
When it's time (every 10 years) to "review" the city charter, the committee that ends up being appointed is the very one that will guarantee that the sick status quo will be protected--by the officials and by default the voters who allow it with their disgusting passivity.
When water and sewer rates are supposed to be evaluated, instead the city puts up the same kinds of ridiculous trumped-up fake processes that makes sure to bury and try to discredit the actual data and instead rubber-stamps the same sick status quo over and over again, even though Melrose taxpayers are literally getting hosed with extortionist rates over and over again. The same sycophants rise up each time to praise the "wondrous" so-called process, even though the evidence shows that this administration (with the full help from a sick BOA) is padding its slush funds by robbing the taxpayers.
No one could blame a Melrose voter for being discouraged by the abysmal line-up of candidates. But not voting is not an answer.
Write in good people, even if they stand a slim chance. Show up and speak. Write letters to the editor. Be someone who does not join the Bullies but speaks up, not just another fraud who walks in the feel-good Walk, but someone who actually has the courage of conviction and stands up to the preponderance of Melrose bullying officials. Stand up at school drop-off/pick-up when the Cabal of Bullying Parents and administrators are misrepresenting a situation and/or actively bullying/shunning someone who might be different or bring another voice forward that doesn't conform to the MEF/McAndrew/Dolan Party Line. Step up and speak up when Morty (aided fully by the stunning shunning silence of the entire rest of the body) summarily bullies those who come before the BOA to voice criticism and concerns. Step up and correct the record when the babblers (GI, MBMM, FW, RB, ... etc) try to cloud any and all issues with fakery and ignorant support for what they want us to believe has been "well run" and thoughtfully voted on. Step up and demand ethical conduct and appropriate consequences with the CFO breaches all ethical rules in publicly and vociferously smearing an alderman raising legitimate questions. Step up and demand accountability about the perennial claim of "scant resources" in the trumped-up call for an override, during the same exact year as a 3-million-dollar-plus surplus is revealed, or when the mayor and SC approve spending "scant resources" on a PR/spin-machine agency instead of appropriate educational funding of so many things they had just cut in the same budget cycle--including multiple department chairs, school psychologists, textbooks, etc.
It doesn't take much to gather a few of yourselves and politely take the mic and ask questions or state legitimate concerns. If you're afraid to speak and rock the boat, remember not so long ago when a brave young girl in a wheelchair had the courage to speak to the entire room of cowardly officials to protest the unjust firing of a beloved high school art teacher who refused to "separate the students of color" from sitting together. If she can speak so bravely in the face of such organized ugliness, well-clad and supposedly well-educated adults should be able to gather themselves to question and speak before officials who are supposed to be representing and acting for the greater good but instead are flagrantly ignoring their oaths of office, and allowing the systematic disintegration of integrity in all Melrose public processes.
What we have is a textbook example of terrible leadership. For as long as he's been in office, our current Mayor has had as his number one priority convincing people that everything is hunky dory, and then in the next breath trying to convince everybody that whatever problems do exist are beyond his control and due solely to a shortage of funding. A real leader doesn't do that. A real leader recognizes whatever problems exist, publicizes them, and gives 100% effort to finding ways to make improvements. A real leader doesn't demonize anyone who dares to step up and point out deficiencies. This guy spends most of his time looking for ways to con people into believing he's actually working in their best interests, as opposed to his own interests, which is what he's actually doing, and his methodology is no more complicated than "if you tell a lie often enough, most people are dumb enough to eventually believe it".
The comparisons between the Mayor and the current President in one respect are valid. Both will lie whenever it suits them, neither is capable of admitting it when they are wrong, and neither can abide anyone saying anything critical of them. When that does happen, both respond by engaging in shockingly nasty personal attacks.
Pitiful.
"Trust" nails it. Thank you!
Listen She Lost You Moonbat.Our President Is Doing A Fine Job.Doing More In 6 Months Than That Idiot you Liberals Stuck Us With For 8 Years.Well Get Ready For 7 More Years Of This true American.You Liberals Who Screwed This Country Up With Your PC Bullcrap Can Keep Crying We Love It.So Fire Away I Need A Good Laugh Today....Mr Trump Keep Doing What Your Doing...Pissing Off The Left.
love it you go girl
This president knows his stuff even though he is wacky. More Dems crossed the line and voted for Trump. Like him or not he is trying to make America Great Again. He has done more than any other president in such a short time. [8-)]
The scary thing is that it's possible you really believe that!
So the candidates running for office to not seem to care that no political signs should be displayed on lawns . Political signs ,private school open house signs,no hate signs, speed limit signs, no text signs , contractor signs . Very distracting !
Oh for pete's sake, grow up! If signs are so "distracting," then you have much bigger problems. Maybe you should demand the absence of signs, or of a Free Press, or of any political process at all. Trump and Dolan (and Bannon and Karl Rove and all the other sick madmen behind the curtains) would love that. A democracy is predicated on the free flow of ideas, which clearly people like you find troubling. Just go along with our marvelous elected and paid officials and get some extra strong blinders to block out anything you don't want to see.
"It won't matter if you vote or not...Melrose Politicians operate the way Republican Congressional members act...no guts...never question....I regret my votes for Zwirko, DeSelm, Dugan and Lemmerman.....all became sycophants after elected and go along to get along. Will vote for Monica because of her leadership on the Water and Sewer bill issue but that's it.....I don't care who else wins or loses because it won't make a difference....."
Says it. There is no one other than Monica in the current lineup across both boards who is worth a vote. Even Don has been a perpetual limp noodle, always going with the flow, even though he brandishes his tough talk. Monica, like Mrs. K, takes her knocks like a mature adult and one who keeps fighting across all aisles for what's best for the community she represents regardless of the collective stupidity and arrogance she faces daily in this dumb town. The rest of them have their finger up testing the breeze, always. (Julie, not so much, but her rabid right-wing BS makes her too much of a liability to warrant my vote or trust.)
Anyone who votes for any of the SC candidates should have their heads examined. Really Jen? Is this town so dumb that it will vote in the nutjob who tried to shove a deceitful override down our throats (but fortunately was soundly defeated)? Does this city really need the Everett administrator perspective for our already disgraced school system (run into the ground by a mayor who's father was asst super in Everett, a notably lousy system for as long as anyone can remember? Or how about a know-nothing kid who's never shown up for a meeting or spoken articulately about anything?
Write in decent citizens, whether they're running or not. And next time, get off your butts and put forward some actually credible candidates!
"President Trump come to Melrose and clean the swamp we need someone with real ba!!s."
Newsflash: Melrose already has its own Trump, aka Robbie D, the miniMe DT minus the billions. He only has the buckets of putrid political patronage payola. He has turned Melrose into his own swamp, complete with felonious former chief of staff Godfather who stole cemetery plots (and who knows what else!), and sits with a convicted felon who stole from old people on the school board. He has many many failures (deceitful override attempts only being the most outrageous, but there are many more) and obvious areas of corruption. One close look at any area under his lying, cheating, tantrum-taking purview reveals a disgusting swamp that the locals continue to allow to fester and further putrify. Local voters are apparently content to let this abusive creep continue to degrade and disgrace the community rather than to stand up to him and his filthy cabal.
Who were the co-conspirators in the Robbie Godfather Cemetery Scandal? (remember that little problem? or did you forget already as Rump hoped you would?)
What is the real story in the Retirement Board filth?
How many lawsuits, complaints, and grievances have been "settled" during Rob's regime? What is the total dollar amount that has been paid out?
What was the verbatim quid pro quo with those alderpeople who took GIC in exchange for voting for that 26% pay increase? How many illegal conversations/meetings took place to nail down that filthy deal? (Melrose already knows--but clearly doesn't care--about the disgraceful and illegal--MAAV & MHRC were predictably and notably silent about the outright abuse--call from Rump to JLB in which he screamed and railed at her to try and intimidate her.)
DT has "balls"--GOLF balls. That's it. He's a raging, ignorant, inarticulate coward. He has zero moral authority. He is a white supremacist. He has damaged the credibility of the United States with all but his mentally challenged and hateful base. For starters....
Our local Rump has similarly damaged credibility except with his morally & ethically bankrupt base. He has zero moral authority, and each lie, each new temper tantrum, each new abuse of power only reaffirms this.
The primary differences between DT and his MiniMe is the color/insignia of their hats and the balance in their bank accounts. DT had the obvious advantage of inherited billions. MiniMe had the obvious disadvantage of an inherited Everett mentality negating the possibility of his being able to claim a "True Melrosian" Making Melrose Great mantra.
You may be right. The prior poster might be a whacko. He also may be a miserable effing pr1ck.
What he's not, however, is wrong.
I STILL want to know who the co-conspirators were in the cemetery scam, but am not holding my breath that it's continuing to be investigated.