Arthur Schaper: Massachusetts Needs Governor Bradford or Coolidge
Friday, August 16, 2013
A pattern emerges
Masschusetts Democratic governors are never good. That Dukakis guy held office for decades (not concurrently), and he did not support prisoners staying in their cells concurrently, either (Horton killed a who? Dukakis' Presidential election chances in 1988)."Mister Governor" Patrick has been a disappointment. His Democratic state legislator colleagues channeled their inner Bill Clinton and demanded welfare reform. Patrick decided it was too much work.
Yes, Massachusetts does so much better with a Republican in the corner office. Weld, Celluci, Swift (yeah, a lady Republican governor!), and Romney: RINOs to some, but better than "Heck No!" Democrats, IMHO.
Romney may have been no good as a national candidate in 2012, but he was a smidge better than McCain in 2008, and from 2003-2007 Romney was a breath of fresh air for Massachusetts (except for Romneycare). Republican governors can veto really bad legislation. Romney was the king, cutting down 800 bills, although 700 of them still passed over his "No!" President George W. Bush had more fun as President in the White House during his last two years, since getting Democrats from Montana to New York to override him was much harder than stateholders from Lynn, Wakefield, and Boston.
(By the way, with Republican Governors should come more Republican state legislators, too! Think about it Massachusetts. Do you want to pay more for your skittles, your gas, and your computers, and your healthcare?)
But let's focus on the governor angle, shall we?
A good example
Massachusetts has had two very strong, well-renowned limited government, conservative governors in her past (not Samuel Adams, or John Hancock, mind you), one way back when, and the other closer to the beginning of the Twentieth Century.
Let's talk about William Bradford, who would definitely be a Republican today.
We celebrate Thanksgiving, and everyone in Massachusetts gives thanks, because Governor William Bradford led the Massachusetts Bay Colony from religious persecution in England and then from amoral banality in the Netherlands. At first, he and his Separatist congregation decided to join a ship headed for Virginia. They were more radical than the Puritans, who just wanted to make the Anglican church better. Bradford and company wanted out for good, and so badly that they took over their ship and headed North, outside of any royal colonial authority. Onto Plymouth Rock, and Bradford's settlers settled in.
The first year was really bad. The winter did not kill them, nor did the Indians (Liz Warren's great grandma was less radical). The Pilgrims died because of...socialism!
That's right: the same policies advanced by the tax-and-spend, spread-someone-else's-bacon Beacon Hill Democrats today almost wiped out the entire Plymouth settlement the first year. Forget EBT, forget food stamps: Bradford attempted to govern his colony based on "from each according to his ability, to each according to his need." Most people decided that their needs far outweighed their ability, and the industrious, resentful of working for others, did nothing. Famine cleared out Massachusetts faster than tax hikes, and one hundred plus dwindled to around forty in one year.
"Enough!" shouted Bradford. Instead of "forced sharing and caring", Bradford permitted private property and market reforms (never heard of them, Patrick might mumble). Every man would grow his own food and profit from whatever he did not eat. There was so much food the next year, that Bradford threw a great feast. Bradford rejected socialism, and Massachusetts society survived and thrived. A Republican Governor who channels William Bradford would ensure much more for all.
Corner Office to Oval Office
And speaking of conservatives, let's talk about the only Massachusetts Governor who later became President. Not Romney, of course, but Republican Calvin Coolidge. What's his claim to fame as chief executive of the Bay State?
As the President of the state senate (take notes, Scott!), he declared in a speech called Have Faith in Massachusetts:
"Don't hesitate to be as reactionary as the multiplication table. Don't expect to build up the weak by pulling down the strong. Don't hurry to legislate. Give administration a chance to catch up with legislation."
Coolidge's philosophy of anti-socialist governance: "Don't!" Makes sense, don't it?
He also stood up to public sector unions (take that, Wisconsin!) When the Boston Police force went on strike in 1919, endangering public safety, Coolidge called up the national guard and fired all the derelict police. He also had some not-so-cool words for the criticizing Labor leader Samuel Gompers:
"There is no right to strike against the public safety by anyone, anywhere, any time."
Republicans like Bradford and Coolidge take down the government and take on public sector unions. Massachusetts, it's time for a Republican Governor on Beacon Hill once again!
Arthur Christopher Schaper is a teacher-turned-writer on topics both timeless and timely; political, cultural, and eternal. A life-long Southern California resident, Arthur currently lives in Torrance. Follow him on Twitter @ArthurCSchaper, reach him at [email protected], and read more at Schaper's Corner and As He Is, So Are We Ministries.
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