"We're From The Government, And We're Here To Screw You Over"

How, how, HOW can the lefty establishment of Massachusetts continue to urge us to give more money and power to the 4th-rate government incompetents who run this state? And why do Bay State voters continue to put up with it?

Jeff Jacoby in the Boston Globe-Democrat--the bright spot of the BG-D columnist crew--offers this unanswerable indictment of the corrupt political culture of our state. He makes the point that every rational observer knows how badly Massachusetts is run, but few people appear to be bothered by it, even when the corruption is as blatant as this:

Then there are all the other public employees milking the Massachusetts pension system. Dozens collect payouts of more than $100,000 a year - former state Senate president William Bulger, for example, rakes in more than $197,000, a fitting cap to a long career spent gorging at the public trough. Scores of "double-dippers" retire early on full pensions, then get themselves hired back on the public payroll at full salaries.

When ex-Big Dig director Michael Lewis retired last year, his pension was tripled and became immediately payable under a nutty state law that rewards government employees whose positions are eliminated. For the rest of his life, Lewis will receive more than $72,500 annually, despite the fact that he is only 46, and is making $130,000 a year as Rhode Island's secretary of transportation.

Everybody knows but, apparently, nobody cares. And that's the apathy that Gov. Patrick, Sal DiMasi and the gang are counting on. You keep saying "whatever," and they'll keep throwing your money at their pals.