Monday, November 20, 2006
'There is good patronage and bad patronage'
Alan Lupo looks at the good and bad types of patronage Deval must confront. ... Not to harp on the issue, but I wonder if Alan is aware that patronage in lower-level positions is unconstitutional. It's no longer just about competent vs. hack hires. It's also about legal and illegal hires. Clearly, Deval has the legal right to hire hundreds of manager-level employees who will reflect and implement his philosophical vision for government. But it's not his right -- or any other elected official's right -- to inject politics into lower-level hirings. Pols in Massachusetts just don't get it -- or, if they do, they just don't care. I assume, this being Massachusetts, it's the latter. ...
Alan Lupo looks at the good and bad types of patronage Deval must confront. ... Not to harp on the issue, but I wonder if Alan is aware that patronage in lower-level positions is unconstitutional. It's no longer just about competent vs. hack hires. It's also about legal and illegal hires. Clearly, Deval has the legal right to hire hundreds of manager-level employees who will reflect and implement his philosophical vision for government. But it's not his right -- or any other elected official's right -- to inject politics into lower-level hirings. Pols in Massachusetts just don't get it -- or, if they do, they just don't care. I assume, this being Massachusetts, it's the latter. ...
