Posted on 01/06/2007 6:43:08 AM PST by A. Pole
Nearly every (printable) thing one hears about John Kerry these days is that he's a liberal from liberal Massachusetts where liberal people are constantly doing the most outrageously liberal things, liberally. So how is it that a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruling in favor of gay marriage has caused such furor in the state legislature, where there's now a determined effort to ban gay marriage once and for all?
A general answer is that while Massachusetts is indeed a very liberal state overall, it's not entirely composed of Harvard Square and Back Bay. The state is also home to hundreds of thousands of blue-collar, culturally conservative Catholics--traditionalists who can't fathom two men kissing at an altar. A more specific answer is that perhaps the most powerful figure in Massachusetts state politics today is the state house speaker, Thomas M. Finneran, who is an embodiment of the culturally conservative Massachusetts Democrat.
It was Finneran who, in a special joint session of the legislature last week, introduced a hard-line measure that would ban gay marriage and make no provision for civil unions (as even many gay-marriage opponents suggest doing). And with the legislature having temporarily deadlocked at the end of last week, it is Finneran who will again be at center stage when the issue comes up next month.
That's terrible news for Massachusetts liberals, who detest Finneran almost as much as Washington Democrats loathe Zell Miller. A short, wiry son of South Boston and later Boston's gritty Dorchester neighborhood (just like voodoo-working John Kerry aide and Dorchester-native Michael Whouley), Finneran is a devout Roman Catholic who opposes abortion and has never cared much for gay rights.
No Harvard professors lived in the neighborhoods where Finneran grew up, and there were no "alternative" bookstores or coffee houses. Instead there were tightly-knit blue-collar communities that were heavily oriented around their churches. Indeed, Finneran is religious enough to carry an index card with Bible scripture in his pocket, something you might associate with a legislator from, say, Mississippi.
Given that cultural conservatives probably constitute a minority in Massachusetts, how does a man like Finneran hold such power? Thanks to Republicans. After the last state house leader resigned in disgrace in 1995, Finneran sought the speakership against Richard Voke, a more liberal rival who was the favorite of most Democrats. But Finneran pulled a dastardly brilliant move: He rounded up the support of the legislature's small minority of Republicans. They more than made up for Voke's popularity among Democrats, and Finneran was elected in an atmosphere of extreme liberal bitterness.
That was eight years ago. Finneran has gone on to be one of the most powerful and controversial legislative leaders in state history. Displaying a Machiavellian streak, he has consolidated his power the old-fashioned way: by appointing his allies (often mediocre ones) to important committee chairmanships and banishing his rivals to windowless basement offices and do-nothing panels.
And on big issues, he has constantly infuriated liberals. For instance, Finneran seemed to do deliberate damage to the Democrats' 1998 gubernatorial nominee, Scott Harshbarger, by publicly fretting that Harshbarger would run a "loony left" campaign and then showing little enthusiasm for him. (Harshbarger lost.) A budget disciplinarian, Finneran seemed to relish stifling new social-services spending. He spent years stubbornly (and often mendaciously) fighting to kill off a state campaign finance reform law beloved by the left. And when narrower gay-rights issues--such as a push to grant benefits to same-sex partners of Boston municipal employees--have come before the legislature in the past, Finneran has shot them down.
The media has grown to loathe Finneran, as evidenced by Boston Globe columns with titles such as "IGNOBLE DAY FOR FINNERAN," "IN FINNERAN'S HOUSE, IT'S ALL ABOUT POWER," and "FINNERAN AT HIS WORST." But thanks to his mastery of power politics, Finneran stubbornly hangs on. And no matter how much people harangue him for his strong-arming and legislative chicanery, he does as he pleases. And so last week Finneran once again shocked his fellow Democrats: Exploiting what was only supposed to be a chance for him to make some general remarks about the marriage debate, Finneran used his floor time to introduce a flat ban on same-sex marriage--one that included no provision for civil unions.
That measure failed, as did every other proposal offered last week. Many legislators support banning gay marriage, many support banning gay marriage but creating civil unions, and a few support legalizing gay marriage. But there aren't enough people in any of these groups right now to pass a proposed constitutional amendment (which would then have to be approved by voters via statewide ballot).
Given the unappreciated extent of Massachusetts's cultural cleavage, that's hardly a surprise. Further proof of that cleavage can be found in the ugliness of the marriage debate at the street level. Last week, for instance, The Boston Globe's Yvonne Abraham reported a stomach-turning clash between dueling protesters outside the State House. When a black teenager with a church group called a gay protester a "faggot," the irate man shot back with the word "nigger," adding: "How do you like it?" To which a ten-year-old girl replied: "Let him burn in hell!" Ugh.
Bitter clashes like that will no doubt take place again next month when the legislature tries to solve the gay marriage dilemma. And, unfortunately for those favoring gay marriage, no one will have more power in that debate than Tom Finneran.
Somebody said the "N" word! Somebody said the "N" word! Somebody said the "N" word!
And it wasn't a straight white guy.
Compare:
Ex-Mass. lawmaker spared prison term
BOSTON // Former Massachusetts House Speaker Thomas Finneran, once considered the most powerful man in the Statehouse, pleaded guilty yesterday to obstruction of justice in a deal that spares him prison time for misrepresenting his role in a redistricting plan that diluted the clout of minority voters. Federal prosecutors agreed to drop three perjury charges against Finneran in exchange for his guilty plea to a single count of obstruction of justice. Under the deal, Finneran will pay a $25,000 fine and be placed on 18 months of unsupervised probation. He has also agreed not to seek political office for at least five years.
Thomas M. Finneran The Democrat?
Wasn't he just indicted (or convicted) or reprimanded for some kind of criminal activity just this past week??
I vaguely recall something about Finneran as part of a plea bargain, would not be able to run for a public office for 5 years.
I may be wrong, but the name brings some recent form of political scandal to mind.
I believe Tom Finneran is no longer the senate president.
The outrage here was that our newly elected Gov'nor encouraged the legislature to violate the state consitution by encouraging them to NOT vote on the issue...despite the petition that had well over a 100,000 verified names. We in Massachusetts are in for a long 4 years with this bozo as president. Welcome to the Massachusetts monarchy.
BTW....we call Finneran "Tommy Taxes" or "Tommy the Felon Finneran" because he recently was busted for re-districting and then proceeded to lie to the Grand Jury. Yesterday he pled guilty to charges of "Obstruction of Justice" (which was a charge reduced from "Perjury"). He received 2 years of un-supervised probation and a $25,000 fine.
You answered my question. Thanks!
The a-hole blubbered like a baby to the judge when he recieved his 'handslapping' as well. Lousy crooked, MA-Democrat hack! I just pray they don't let this POS get his pension.
For gerrymandering - a thing being practices all over America and in other countries as well. You do not get prosecuted for that UNLESS you step on someone toes.
I may be wrong, but the name brings some recent form of political scandal to mind.
Well, yes. But I wondered how long it will take before they nail him for something after he took non PC position.
But the democrat party is a big tent....
You mean, "bozo as governor"?
Also, it will be a VERY good 4 years for future (and past) rapists in Massachusetts.
All will have protection, and future pardons, from BOTH the gov. and lt. gov.
especially if they are "eloquent".
His real guilt was his opposition to "gay marriage". Read the tagline.
LOL!
Interesting read...That the old Democrat guard is still up to shenanigans in Massachusetts. I am interested in that area since it is very historical but I am glad I don't live there.
Finneran was a two-bit, MA Democrat-hack who perjured himself in a redistricting investigation. He did nothing exceptional in trying to stop the gay-marriage agenda in MA.
Have you read the article? Have you read my tagline? Do you support "gay-marriage"?
FMCDH(BITS)
New Republic=leftist rag
That is why this article is more reliable - Finneran is not a leftist, certainly not on the issue of "gay marriage".
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I didn't realize that. I guess it just goes to show that sometimes God chooses an unlikely man to do his work. Good for Finneran.
Thanks for the ping.
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