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Quid pro quo: Wu says she has the votes to become next City Council president
By adamg on Sat, 11/14/2015 - 9:57am
Two years ago, then freshman at-large Councilor Michelle Wu agreed to help Council President Bill Linehan win a second term. Now, the Globe reports, Linehan is helping Wu take his place presiding over the council.
The move means Wu will decide which committees councilors sit on - and that she will become mayor should something happen to Marty Walsh.
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Comments
Not a single one of the young
Not a single one of the young progressive Councilors is supporting her. It's the same old school crew making up this 7. Hmm...
30 years old
2 years on the Council. A solid track record on "progressive issues."
How is Michelle Wu part of "the same old school crew?"
How?
By supporting and voting in accord with their agenda.
Not seeing it
Her voting record is progressive, other than her support of Linehan, which was a move to get her agenda on the table. Her signature item was paid parental leave, hardly an old school item. She opposed the pay raises, offering sensible means of dealing with the issue, which put her on the opposite side of Linehan. Her agenda is very pragmatic- open government and helping out small businesses.
But there is a point beyond this vague "progressive" term. How is a 30 year old not young? Look, we only know each other from here, but my bet is that you are closer to my age than 30, and it's been a while since I was that age. How old does a member of the Boston City Council have to be to no longer be young? Matt O'Malley is 36.
But whatever, politics is politics. Wu is some old school Boston pol who has been on the council too long, if you really want to think that.
Can't Ignore Linehan Vote
Wu's decisive vote to put in Linehan as Council president directly brought about two years wasted on a pay raise Linehan championed and Linehan's obstruction and delay of Boston 2024 oversight hearings. Those are two areas where the Council wasted an incredible amount of time and didn't do its job because of Linehan. Wu voted against the pay raise to her credit and was more active on Boston 2024 oversight than most councilors (other than Jackson), but you cannot separate the fact that her support of Linehan enabled both situations in the first place! Wu may have helped co-sponsor paid parental leave for a small number of city employees, yes, but that's something the mayor was pushing anyway but good on her there along with the other councilors who pushed it as well. Still doesn't make up for the absolute mess that Linehan was/is which she enabled to happen, and for which she is now being rewarded in the clearest quid pro quo one will find in local politics.
Wow. One issue defines a poltician
You just made a better case that she is not an old school pol, but rather one of the more progressive members. but then you say she is the opposite.
This reminds me of what is wrong down in Washington, DC. At one time, politicians actually worked with each other. Sure, they each had their own agendas, but they tried to find common ground. Linehan made a better offer to Wu, an offer that allowed her advance her agenda. That's kind of the most important thing she could do. She had no idea that the Olympics and pay raises would be the issues that would be the most prominent, and as you admit, she was opposite Linehan on those.
Disagree with her all you want, and perhaps O'Malley would have been a better President in your eyes, but I don't like the denial that she is one of the younger, more progressive Councilors.
You're of course entitled to
You're of course entitled to your opinion but don't downplay the point that numerous commenters here have made, which is that single vote for Linehan renders any claims of Wu to be a real progressive moot. She knew full well what that vote entailed, Linehan's agenda was not a secret. This quid pro quo now only solidifies that she voted for him strictly to secure his and the conservative bloc's vote two years later. Her support for Linehan last time did not result in the advancement of any progressive agenda. The only thing she can point to is that parental leave ordinance which was going to happen with or without her anyway - Walsh was the lead sponsor on statewide unpaid parental leave in the Legislature and had already indicated he would push for paid leave as mayor. You're entitled to not care about that vote, but a lot of people do and it colors her entire agenda and any "right" votes she later took, since again she enabled him to waste everyone's time on those things the first place.
Let's get back to the beginning
Not her support for Linehan, which technically the beginning, but rather to this comment-
My issue, purely, is that she is not a part of the "old school crew" being a one term councilor, and given her age and track record, aside from one very political vote, I think she qualifies as "one of the young progressive Councilors."
Hate her all you want for that one very political vote, but let's not distort things.
same old
because you yuppies don't know how to vote.
If you're defined by the
If you're defined by the company you keep, then we know all we need to know about Wu. She is no progressive and her husband's comments two year ago about "not needing progressive voters" made clear her family's disdain for her progressive supporters who she masterfully deceived. Somewhere Bill Linehan is chanting "two more years! two more years!"
Boston progressives
Evidenced by such elected officials as .... Steve Lynch, Mike Rush, Ed Coppinger, Marty Walsh.
I mean really? We're slagging Wu, a clearly popular candidate based on the past results, on the basis of one calculated decision? The City Council is largely useless anyways - why not focus on people who can actually make policy?
Really? That seems weird…
Really? That seems weird…
But I feel like she is never in their social media pictures so that explains that…
Bad Records Management. City Council, City Clerks Offices.
Which of the Council Members would be more likely to reform bad Records Management practices of Boston City Council/City Clerks Offices?
https://www.reddit.com/r/openbostoncitycouncil/comments/3rywz5/boston_ci...
Mayor Walsh's new Opponent
In office less than two years, move to John Conolly neighborhood, do well in his base and then be President Council… I see a Mayor's Race in two years. No reason to be Council President in this term
Walsh won by 5% vs another Irish Male and will go against a minority woman will be interesting
Bit of a correction
She moved to Roslindale, not West Roxbury - and part of Roslindale that's still Roslindale, as opposed to the part where Connolly lived as a kid that sort of seceded and became part of West Roxbury.
Bingo
She lives in the heart of Roslindale, not in some lofty highland that's really more part of Hyde Park.
I kid.
If the JP progressive council and people like Bob want to get mad because she didn't kiss their rings or whatever, fine with me. I judge her based on her record, not her interest level in playing footsie with the Ben Days of the world who solve nothing and complain about everything.
I hope she gets it this time
I hope she gets it this time and Matt O'Malley becomes Council Pres next time!
Ayanna Pressley should run
Ayanna Pressley should run for Mayor in 2017.
Michael Flaherty should run for District Attorney becuase if he stays on the council he will become the next Steve Murphy by usually coming in fourth place.
Matt O'Malley should run for City Council President in 2017.
Dan Conley should be a judge because he is a lousy DA.
2017 Potential Candidates for City Councils, Boston, Cambridge?
Who would be good potential Candidates for City Councils in 2017 ? Boston?... Cambridge?... other communities?
There's only one answer really
Don, you need to move across the river and reform the record keeping process from within. I'll give you $100 in campaign fund if you do. #zakforboston
Stephen Murphy
He has the experience.
I mean, come on. The last election was less than 2 weeks ago. The new council hasn't even met yet.
Hands down Michael Flaherty
Hands down Michael Flaherty should run for District Attorney!
Correct, because he isn't
Correct, because he isn't going anywhere by staying on the council until the day he loses his seat by coming in 5th someday! Who gives this guy campaign advice because he definitely has lost so much support in the past several years!!!!!