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That'll teach him to not return a constituent's phone call
By adamg on Sat, 04/05/2008 - 7:31pm
State Rep. Mike Rush could face opposition this fall because he never returned a constituent's phone call.
Pamela Julian of Brookline says she called Rush to try to enlist his support for a bill that would let high-school and college students register to vote right at their schools; she's director of Associated Students of Massachusetts, which is pushing the bill. Rush never called her back and she says she started getting upset and looking at Rush's voting record and so she was down in front of the Starbucks on Centre Street in West Roxbury on Saturday collecting signatures to get on the September Democratic primary ballot.
Julian says her main issue is that she'd pledge to be a full-time state rep; she says Rush has the second-worst record in the House for missing roll call votes. However, she would also be a more liberal rep than Rush. Rush opposes single-sex marriage; Julian supports it.
Although she lives in Brookline now, Julian says she's familiar with the West Roxbury end of the district - she used to live there (and even helped run David Finnegan's local effort in a mayoral run against Kevin White).
Rush has represented the 10th Suffolk district in the House of Representatives since 2003.
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Comments
a duty
Pamela Julian raises an interesting issue:
State Rep. Mike Rush has "the second-worst record in the House for missing roll call votes."
I hope Pamela called Mike's office back at least a second time to request his support, nonetheless he certainly ought to explain why that's necessary in the first place.
When the Massachusetts DNC official showed up an hour late for a party meeting at the Corrib last fall, I wrote a scathing letter to the Democratic party offices. Our government and our party officials have to be diligent and on point because they have a duty to be.
Imagine the nerve of Mike
Imagine the nerve of Mike Rush, not being there to rubber-stamp the leadership's agenda! That's SO much worse than showing up for every vote and rubber-stamping the leadership's agenda.
A pox on all.
if yes = rubberstamp, then no is the alternative
The thing about voting is you can vote "yes" or "no" but you have to show up.
Ciampa-ning Rush
He sounds about as doornail braindead as Vinny Ciampa is. I wish Julian all the luck and good grace.
Ciampa got taken out by student campus energy directed toward Carl Sciortino - but not necessarily by the Tufts students themselves. I've heard word from canvassers that older women in neighborhoods full of Ciampa signs were quite sick of him and his lack of work ethic.
With enough shoeleather, there is probably hope to overturn yet another pol loathe to do his job. I'd bet that if she's ticked off, there are enough other ticked off folks quietly seething in the background. The trick is to convince them to get out to vote.
Yes, but ...
While I was there, some middle-aged Irish-American union guy was so impressed he took a clipboard with her petitions.
But I'm guessing that West Roxbury will be a harder nut to crack than Somerville: Rush is one of theirs (local boy, Catholic Memorial, etc.), there's no great volume of disaffected college kids/20somethings in the district, it's generally more conservative, etc. And he knows to campaign in front of Roche Bros. instead of Starbucks. Then again, coming out in favor of gay marriage didn't hurt Marian Walsh on Election Day.
how do you know he was an
how do you know he was an irish-anerican union member?
Self-admission
He made a joke involving families having seven kids - "that's what we Irish do," he said - and proudly showed off all the union buttons on his jacket.
Adam, Is this your own
Adam,
Is this your own reporting?
If so, good for you!
Doug
Yep
If you want to find out what's really happening in West Roxbury, you need to spend some serious quality time down at the Roche Bros. plaza - which, as the parent of a young girl, I wind up doing so she can check out the latest Webkinz at the Hallmark store :-).
Mike Rush
Mike Rush is good for his district, good for West Roxbury, and good for the City of Boston.
I have called Mike regarding numerous issues since he took
office and he has always returned my calls and has made every effort to help.
He is a good man. He also married over his head but we can forgive him for that.
iwe
Tall Wife?
Wife is the reason
Rush got married a couple months ago. While he was away on his honeymoon he missed a couple votes, and that explains his poor record this year. Check out his record for the past few years - it will be much better.
blame it on the wife
Who is this anonymous with reasons excusing Mike Rush from having second-worst record in the House for missing roll call votes? Just how long to honeymoons last these days... or are you trying to tell us the wife won't let him go to work?
as a supporter
As you are a supporter, do you want to say more about the numerous issues you have called Mike about and how he was helpful?
Had this guy as a teacher at CM
he was.......meh
Why Julian?
I think the more pressing question here is not how many votes has Rush missed, but what has Julian done that qualifies her to be a State Rep? I've never heard anything about her organization, and why does her being the director of this group qualify her to serve a district in which there are almost no students?
Maybe Rush has a reason for missing votes, maybe he hasn't- but she won't get my vote for being only "more liberal." I'm more liberal than a lot of people, but that doesn't make me more qualified.
Certainly
Maybe a clarification: This was not a be-all and end-all interview of Julian. I just happened to run into her in front of Starbucks while the other two-thirds of the family were in Hallmark checking out Webkinz and I only spent a few minutes talking to her.
I didn't even have a notebook or pen with me to write down what she said (although I did have my camera); obviously, I'm getting rusty as a reporter.
speaking of qualifications...
since it's an election and they start from scratch, why is HE more qualified? just because he holds the office doesn't mean he's qualified for it.
Qualifications For State Rep
What do you think they are?
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Qualification to be a State Rep? Easy!
Mistah Speakah, how am I supposed to vote on
this here bill?
Well...
I meant theoretically, as opposed to realistically.
Seriously, now. What qualifications do you, Anonymous, believe a person must have in order to be a state representative?
Suldog
http://jimsuldog.blogspot.com
Republican Party welcome
If this is the way Mike is going to be treated by Democrats, who get so upset so quick, he should go back to being a Republican. We would welcome him back.
Check out ASM
We have worked with ASM at my college and we were always unable to obtain financial records even though she would request dues from us every year. She has yet to account for the money, for someone whom says they care about higher ed money, she sure is stiffing students! She is not a good candidate for our governement. Her in your face attitude is unprofessional at best! I was shocked when I found out she was running and if it wasn't to late was planning on running agianst her just to spare our district!
HA
Maybe she should run for Capuanos seat with that online voting group maybe?
Ya know what sometimes politicians dont agree with you, and sometimes they are busy. If he didnt respond the first time, you call him back, then again, then again. If her group is so powerful then write some letters.
Im sick of hearing about people who think that just because they care about an issue the rest of us HAVE to care too. It is her job to convince us that we should agree with her.
If this woman couldnt get an answer from a state representative then maybe she isnt qualified to be a state rep herself. It doesnt sound like she tried very hard to get his attention.