the voters are the only entity that can change things for the better. it ain't probation , it ain't parole, everything and anything that is rotten in this once proud and great city and state goes straight back to beacon hill and or it's cousins at city hall. what we got is an entire city council, legislature, executive branch save for one and a mayor that are totally coopted, corrupted and gutless who have little or no life skills other than as political hacls. speaking of putting ones name on signs, bostons blithering nitwit ex bagman turned mayor puts his moniker on ANYTHING living, standing still or rolling down the street and i mean anything. btw speaking of coakley. the other morn the globe had a front page article on the taxpayers getting hit with another FIFTY-FOUR MILLION DOLLAR hit to their wallets in order to replace all the lights in the big dig tunnels. quite awhile back coakley was taking all sorts of bows for reaching a settlent with parsons bechtel whatever for about 450 million buckos for their part in the big dig debacle. i remember talking to christy mihos and him telling me that the settlement was a joke and that dewey, screwem and howe would have been thrilled to get away with a BILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT because of the problems that would be coming down the road. coakley should have taken these momzers to trial, but hey, that would mean exposing all sorts of crap going straight back to guess where and coakley being the gutless hack that she was and still is took the easy way out by protecting her own butt as well as her pals. the problem is that voters, taxpayers whatever don't listen to people like christy until it's way to late.ma

oh ya. speaking of menino. a couple of weeks ago, i'm standing on my street corner in southie hwaking my beloved papers when i look up and see a little white city of boston street sweeper with guess whose name on the front and the drivers side door. can you imagine this scenario if the sweeper got swiped. all cars, be on the lookout for a stolen city of boston vehicle, a white street sweeper with the name of guess who on the front and drivers side door. if apprehended please call dot joyce who will than make an announcement that this heroic capture was made possible by mayor thomas m menino's SNITCH TILL IT HURTS CAMPAIGN which was enthusiastically endorsed by the entire 13 person city council by a vote of 28-zippo. hey, it's the count that votes or as they use to say in germany A SNITCH IN TIME SAVES NEIN. ma

If the voters paid attention and didn't vote blindly, we could have more accountability in this state, I blame this on the media, they cover for their party. The only time this paper reveals anything is when it happens, then they still try to sugar coat it.

Wow a pro-patronage article! No show jobs. Double dips on pensions. Bloated pensions. What could possibly be wrong with that? It must be needed for effective governance?

I feel Keane is missing the point(s) in this column due to a lack of nuanced reasoning. I haven't heard anyone argue against all patronage or incidental self-promotion via one's office. I'm fine with a governor picking a cabinet without benefit of civil service rules or a mayor officiating at the opening of a public school. [NEW PARAGRAPH] As I understand it, the allegations against O'Brien and Cahill revolve around them flouting laws which put specific limits on their discretion. If they did breach those laws as alleged, they deserve to be held accountable. If they are guilty as charged, their "core" offense was trying to bypass laws they didn't like instead of making a public case to repeal them. Keane's piece almost leaves the impression he is comfortable with this modus operandi (or at least very understanding). If that's the case, what's the purpose of law?