Both Rogers and DeLeo have already been called out for ethics stuff, and they both represent far eastern constituencies. How about somebody who's sportin' a squeaky-clean record and maybe isn't so within-25-miles-of-Bostonish?

Dan? Don't wanna be Speaker? Too late to start jockeying for support?
 

Count me in in supporting Dan. (Of course, I'm not longer one of his constituents.)

WF
 

With either of the front-runners for the Speaker's spot, look for Casinos to move to the front burner. For that reason alone I can't really get behind either at this point.

If you've seen the folks who scrounge through gas station garbage cans hoping to find a discarded winning scratch ticket, just multiply that by 10 if you want to understand the sociological effects of casinos on poorer areas.

If the House could rally behind one of their "honest broker" members rather than the most connected and ambitious, I would have more faith in Beacon Hill.
 

If politics relied on honesty rather than ambition and connections, it'd be more like a national ham-and-bean-supper committee rather than politics as we know it....
 

I like ham and beans, but I understand. There is a culture in Mass politics that favors brute political will over intentions. Not all state legislatures are like this, but many are.

All I can say is that I am glad we are not Illinois. Our politicians have their faults, but they are not bat-shit crazy. (Wilkerson excluded)
 

I believe that casino's are one step above accepting toxic waste on the economic development scale and toxic waste may start to look good to the regional economy pretty soon.

"Windmill powered casinos on Greylock, NOW"

-A