Memo to Maura.
Call Joe.
Ask the large man up entrance for the promised $2 billion to switch the functionally out of date Cape Cod Bridges—the Bourne and the Sagamore.
Gov. Healey, if the state’s anemic Congressional delegation, all Democrats, can’t get President Biden, a fellow Democrat, to provide you with the funds, perhaps you are able to do it for them.
Tell him it’s for local weather change. Or fairness.
Remind him of how as soon as highly effective Massachusetts politicians—Ted Kennedy, Joe Moakley, Tip O’Neil and Mike Capuano– as soon as dominated Washington and no matter Massachusetts needed, it received, irrespective of the fee.
Mention the billions for the Big Dig, the Red Line Extension, the Green Line Extension and the Moakley Courthouse.
Well, perhaps it’s higher to not point out the Big Dig. It nonetheless rubs individuals in Washington the unsuitable approach. Starting out at an estimate price of $2.8 billion, it ended up in 2007 costing $14.8 billion. It was the most costly freeway undertaking in US historical past, and no one went to jail.
And it additionally would remind individuals that cash to assist pay for the boondoggle, which made Boston visitors worse, not higher, was diverted from the MBTA, which then helped wreck the transit authority.
Before calling the large man, although, discuss with former U.S. Rep. Mike Capuano of Somerville to learn the way he was in a position to wrest $1 billion out of the federal authorities to finish the stalled extension of the Green Line to Medford final 12 months.
And he didn’t even run the House Ways & Means Committee, like US Rep. Richard Neal of Springfield. The distinction is that Neal by no means rode the T. Nor did the Western Massachusetts solon drive to the Cape.
But don’t name Capuano’s successor, Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Boston, who defeated Capuano within the 2018 major, except you wish to speak gibberish about white supremacy. The bridges don’t discriminate.
Nor do you have to trouble Barack Obama or John Kerry both, regardless that they each have mansions on Martha’s Vineyard, an enormous one for Obama and a smaller one for Kerry. Size issues as a result of one grew to become president, and the opposite didn’t.
Still, each males are so wealthy that they needn’t drive over the bridges to get to the Cape and take the ferry from Hyannis. They come and go by personal jet.
Besides, the Cape is full, they usually are not looking for any extra mainlanders coming down, and this contains unlawful immigrants from Venezuela. They couldn’t get the final batch off the island quick sufficient.
Remind the large man, who historically spends the Thanksgiving vacation free loading on Nantucket, how, when he was a person of average means, he used to drive his household over the bridges to take the ferry to Nantucket. That was enjoyable. He used to satisfy individuals.
Now, like Obama and Kerry, he flies out and in, as he did this previous Thanksgiving. That’s a drag as a result of he doesn’t speak to anybody however himself.
Still, inform Joe that’s fairly acceptable to jet out and in. He is president, in any case, though you needn’t point out that the out of date bridges are as outdated and decrepit as he’s, extra so. So perhaps it’s too harmful to drive over them.
Biden is 80. The bridges are 88, which can be Biden’s age if will get to finish a second time period. You wouldn’t need an outdated man driving over an outdated bridge, would you?
Tell the large man that you’ll prepare a Cape Cod political extravaganza for him when he comes to the Cape after approving the $2 billion essential to construct the new bridges, and the way you’ll line the roads to the bridges with 236,000 cheering Cape Cod everlasting residents, all shouting “Run, Joe, Run” in gratitude. But he should do it earlier than one, or each, of the bridges collapse.
And don’t trouble to name US Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Eddie Markey or Rep. Bill Keating, who represents Cape Cod, except there’s a picture op.
Finally inform the large man that you’ll identify each bridges after him.
Please burn after studying.
Peter Lucas is a veteran Massachusetts political reporter and columnist.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”