One week before their convention, Democrats have a lot more to worry about than Republicans. Possible terrorists, protestors, and the police union are among those who are making life difficult for the organizers of John Kerry's hometown coronation. In turn, locals claim that the Democrats have made life difficult for them.
Spending a few days in Boston made clear that although the convention hasn't happened, Bostonians have already proclaimed it a disaster.
The city will be in virtual lockdown during the four-day event. Next week I-93, the main artery leading into Boston, will be shut down from Medford to Braintree during the convention. This section of I-93 includes the newly opened Big Dig, a project Democrats had hoped to use for a national show-and-tell. North Station, the MBTA stop adjacent to the Fleet Center, will be closed. MBTA commuter rails will be disrupted as well.
Financially, the event will likely be a net negative for the city. Workers are being urged to take the week off. In some convention-area businesses that can't afford a week's furlough, business owners will be sleeping in their shops to stay open. Local talk radio is abuzz with landlords underwhelmed by the lack of interest in convention-week rentals--a financial windfall widely expected just a few months ago. The Democrats who control local government forced cab drivers to offer reduced fares from Logan Airport to area hotels for convention-goers. "It's forcing us to help subsidize the Democratic convention, which is illegal,'' cab driver Bill Ford told the Boston Herald. "I'm taking their advice: 'If you can, take the week off.'"
The Boston Police Department and Mayor Thomas Menino are currently embroiled in a labor dispute. Boston's police union has promised to picket all thirty of the welcoming parties for delegates hosted by Mayor Menino. This has put Democrats in a bind: cross the picket lines or boycott the parties. Either way, they alienate other Democrats. One anonymous flier further fueled the animosity by stating: ''Before Democrats respect the BPPA's protests, isn't it time the BPPA showed our party some respect." The union counters that they give 15 to 1 to Democrat candidates, leaving some to wonder what ratio would signify a proper level of respect by the union towards the Democrats.
Seventy-five new security cameras have sprouted up throughout the city. Random searches will occur with frequency on trains and buses. Boston Police are estimating as many as 2,500 arrests, which, if proves accurate, would be four times as many arrests as made at both the Democratic and Republican 2000 conventions.
What a complete mess!
Our elitist dem pols here in Beantown have the ‘let them eat cake’ attitude right down to our own mayor who could give a royal rat’s behind for how the masses handle the Boston lockdown of July 04’.
He advertised this fiasco as a $54M boon to the city, state and surrounding metro cities and towns. When it’s all said and done, with little unplanned for items like $34M to pay overtime for fed, local police and associated other security measures, they’ll be more like $54M in the hole.
Not to mention the fact that the paying public who supports these bums will pretty much have to stay out of the city for a little thing that we taxpayers like to call ‘work’. Some have opted to take vacation instead of fighting their way in.
No matter, you and I are paying for this party. Who cares what it costs. Right? And that’s all it is: a big party for a bunch of layabout pols who exist on the dole and largess of our tax dollars.
Our elitist dem pols here in Beantown have the ‘let them eat cake’ attitude right down to our own mayor who could give a royal rat’s behind for how the masses handle the Boston lockdown of July 04’.
He advertised this fiasco as a $54M boon to the city, state and surrounding metro cities and towns. When it’s all said and done, with little unplanned for items like $34M to pay overtime for fed, local police and associated other security measures, they’ll be more like $54M in the hole.
Not to mention the fact that the paying public who supports these bums will pretty much have to stay out of the city for a little thing that we taxpayers like to call ‘work’. Some have opted to take vacation instead of fighting their way in.
No matter, you and I are paying for this party. Who cares what it costs. Right? And that’s all it is: a big party for a bunch of layabout pols who exist on the dole and largess of our tax dollars.
