Bellicose Bumpkin

Some times when opportunity knocks the best choice is not to answer it but to exit the back door.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

No Casino, with or without Adam Bond!

Bumpkin,
I tend to agree with you. Bond did and said a lot of things I didn’t agree with and I criticized him for it. Lately though, he did seem to be working to get a better deal for Middleboro. I don’t want a casino at all but out of towners have to understand, if a casino IS built in Middleboro, I want my town to get the most out of it that we can. The remaining selectmen are incapable of accomplishing that. Like I said before, they’re all as dumb as a box of rocks.

Bond now knows the frustration residents feel with the current BOS. Maybe he can be more effective as a private citizen since he is no longer bound by the IGA to be a cheerleader for the Tribe. I invite Adam to come clean with everything he knows about backroom meetings, and secret dealings between town officials and casino lobbyists and investors. Now is the time to blow the lid off this debacle once and for all Adam.

Now more than ever it is important for residents to pay attention to town politics. There will be two BOS seats up for grabs. This is a chance to strike while the iron is hot and vote for real change in our town government.

I am sorry to see Adam leave. I hope people will remember and appreciate his willingness to serve our town. Those too myopic to see beyond the casino issue are failing to acknowlege his good efforts. I would have thought some of the bloggers and commenters would be more graceful in allowing him to exit without continuing to harp on his “sins”. Their booing and hissing at this point is most unbecoming. I have to agree with you Bumpkin that Adam’s resignation is not a good thing for the anticasino movement. In looking at the BOS we are left with I now see no possibility of any real effort to revisit the IGA. To those now jumping for joy: You may be biting your tongues in the future because there is much to come out that may throw Middleboro into further turmoil, especially if we are left saddled with the $7M-$9M deal.

I don’t know what’s coming down the highway at us, but I suspect things to get a lot worse before they get better. Shame on the remaining seated Selectmen for failing to see this.

I also believe we will lose many potentially good candidates for the two open seats. Who would want to subject themselves and their families to such microscopic inspection of their personal and public lives?

My best wishes to Adam in any future endeavors.

The remaining BOS is like the “Poseidan”, a sinking ship of fools. Adam, whatever one’s personal opinion of him, was the only one with the savvy to recognize the ramifications of the indictments and ongoing investigations.

The dust will settle and Adam will be free as a private citizen to speak plainly and loudly. There have been many points that I have disagreed with him on, but I do understand that in the end he found himself in an untenable situation. I believe some compassion is due him.

Bumpkin, I agree with you completely. I understand why people feel the way they do about Adam Bond. However, we are supposed to be fighting a casino, not each other.

So Adam is gone and this is our victory? That’s a crock. What we have left is a board who (collectively) could not out-score single cell amoebas on an IQ test. And we’re supposed to celebrate that?

We ALL need to take our big boy/girl pill, shed the petty differences, and work on solving some problems.

This is a man who knew about the land deal and secret meetings with Healey and Perkins. Why didn’t he speak up at that time? Because it would have killed the deal

This is an opportunist.

This is a man who started and supported a recall of the same people who he is now calling idiots.

Why did he changed sides on the recall when it seemed that the recall would be a referendum on the casino? Because it would have killed the deal.

This is an opportunist.

He knew of the call between Ms Duphily and Mr Graham weeks before it was disclosed. HE knew of the connection between Casino friends and the investors. What took so long to bring out this information? Because it would have killed the deal if done earlier.

This is an opportunist.

Do not be fooled by his sudden concern for our community. He is just trying to save his reputation for he is the one who negoiated it and now realizes the deal stinks. He has a concern that he will be tangled in the scandal that is coming. HE WILL.

Middleboro will never get back to being ONE town until this man leaves the stage.

I know some say that this BOS cannot handle this. I disagree. We as a town can handle it by drawing in our most experienced leaders and working together to stop this deal now before the land goes into trust.

This cannot happen as long as Mr Bond is involved. Screaming from the outside? Haven’t we had enough of that?

We need a public discussion on this and I call on our selectmen to let this happen to reunite the town.

I encourage all residents to contact the selectmen and let them know we NEED a public discussion.

Those who are guilty should be punished.

This is a good start to the healing that must happen.

No Casino,

I hate to tell you, but you’re going to be sorely disappointed in the remaining Selectman if you think they are going to start entertaining any conversation let alone conversation about the 5 STAR RESORT(that happens to have a casino).

I suggest you talk to Adam before you crucify him.

Some of your points are fair but some are not. I’ve been talking to him pretty much all along and his story hasn’t changed.

Like many people involved in this affair, Adam hasn’t been perfect. He was far and away the best of BOS bunch – and we are not better off with him gone. We are worse off.

To NoCasino:

I, too, am anti-casino.

But I am also a rational human being, and anyone who gives AB the kind of power that the anti-casino movement does is foolish.

HE was not the only one who knew what was going on.

HE was not the one who (a few years back) said that they would never consider a casino without asking the people in the community.

HE was not the one who wouldn’t allow dissenters to speak at meetings. (who had the gavel then?)

HE is one of five on the BOS.

HE didn’t do anything to us that wasn’t condoned by the rest of the board.

HE more than anyone else in Middleboro, knew and understood the likelihood of this casino deal going through. (Which as slim and none).

HE kept silent when doing so wasn’t going to make a difference in whether or not we get a casino.

HE behaved badly. Along with a lot of other folks on both sides of this issue.

HE is maligned by many, but a few of those people enjoy making themselves victims in order to further thier own interests. (And I say that because I know some of them and have seen it first hand).

HE is, and has always been, wrong about the casino being good for Middleboro. (And there are scores of other faults I could attribute to Adam Bond’s actions as a selectman.)

HE IS an opportunist? He aspires to political office – so why should he differ from any other politician?

HE resigned. So what?

YOU are showing your true colors. It almost embarasses me to admit that I’m anti-casino, lest I am associated with people who have (and continue)to behave badly.

I AM ANTI-CASINO. But, I am so happy to say, I am not like YOU.

Now step aside and let the thinking people get some work done. We all need a break from the hatred and bitterness that the anti-casino people still seem to generate.

Signed,
An anti-casino person without blind hatred.

Bumpkin-
You are a voice of reason standing out from the vultures on both sides of the casino issue who are ripping into Adam’s carcass.

We are all flawed, and we all make mistakes. It is entirely possible for a person to redeem themselves, and over the past year he has made the attempts to do so.

I am sickened by much of what I am reading on other blogs. I am not for the casino, but I am also not for such blatant cruelty.

You are a voice of reason standing out from the vultures on both sides of the casino issue who are ripping into Adam’s carcass.

You can see how far we’ve degenerated when I become a voice of reason …..

I think that the deepest level of Dante’s inferno is preferable to the climate of hate in Middleboro. How could the Bonds not be living in fear considering what is being written about them. Do any of the zealots on either side even understand the concept of compassion.

I have never agreed with Adam about the casino. But I respect him for have the guts to stand up and do the right thing, regardless of his method of delivery.

We’re all flawed and make mistakes. What’s the point in crucifying Adam? He was after all working to get a better deal for the town while the rest of our BOS resisted his every effort. We should be pointing fingers at those with speed dial to tribe reps.

Like I said on Gladys Kravitz’s blog.

Now that Adam Bond is off the BOS, we are exactly where we were yesterday, just with one less selectman.
This issue is not about Adam Bond and trying to get him removed from the BOS.

Frankly I don’t give a rat’s ass about Adam Bond, “plain clothes detectives” , his license to carry, or who is holding the gavel. Maybe anti-casino folks have been so focused on Bond that we’ve lost some of our focus.

Wake up folks! This is still about a casino coming to Middleboro!

I will say that when you speak to someone at length, you tend to have a different take on things.

Adam is not working on an exit strategy or running scared of indictments, or jumping off a sinking ship. Nor does he think that he is too good for Middleboro or moving. If all the learned anonymous posters would take the time to speak with him, they might just be surprised by what they hear. But we wouldn’t want to let pre-conceptions and anti-casino mythology be spoiled by a little reality.

The comments being made about him are way over the top and embarrassing. I’d be willing to bet that none of the anonymous posters have ever had anything resembling a real conversation with him. Regardless of whatever ridiculous conspiracy theory you subscribe to, Bond spent a minimum of 1 night per week for FREE working on behalf of the town as selectman for FIVE years. That’s way more than I’ll ever do and more than most people in this or any other town will ever do.

Is there anyone gracious enough to thank him for that and not dwell in the past – a past that 90% bullshit anyway? He’s off the board. Let it the @#*! go people.

Bumpkin,

I hesitate to comment on your post for I have no wish to escalate the argument. I respect your opinion and thank you for your efforts during this whole process.

However, I am interested in what part of my comment is not fair or true. I have no reason to lie or exagerate and try to only state what I believe are facts.

I am willing to apologize for any misinformation I have put forward.

Anonymous 11:37 Please relax. Sorry if you disagree with me, but I have my opinion and you have yours. I will not attack you because you do not agree with me.

NO CASINO

This is a man who started and supported a recall of the same people who he is now calling idiots.

He didn’t start the recall, he helped Jessie get going. I will agree that he probably flip-flopped on supporting it based on the recall’s effect on the casino.

He knew of the call between Ms Duphily and Mr Graham weeks before it was disclosed. HE knew of the connection between Casino friends and the investors. What took so long to bring out this information? Because it would have killed the deal if done earlier.
I think it is unfair to criticize the timing. He did eventually disclose the info after exhausting other options IMO.

Do not be fooled by his sudden concern for our community. He is just trying to save his reputation for he is the one who negoiated it and now realizes the deal stinks. He has a concern that he will be tangled in the scandal that is coming. HE WILL.
This is unfair and just opinion. In my many conversations with Adam, my judgement tells me that he has zero concern about being implicated in something illegal. I will be very surprised if he is.

Middleboro will never get back to being ONE town until this man leaves the stage.
While Adam may be the supervillain to some, he is far from the only problem this town has. I don’t think his departure will help anything.

NoCasino – I think you and I basically agree on a lot of things and I don’t want to argue. I criticized your post, you asked for clarification, and I have supplied it.

Smoking Owl, I always enjoy your posts. They are thoughtful, to the point, and blunt when appropriate. I must say though, as an out of towner, I want the same things for my town as you do for yours. With that said, I cannot agree that Middleboro is worse off without Adam Bond. I say this because, I remember him saying he didn’t care where the trash went, as long as it didn’t stay in Middleboro….meaning, out of town. I remember him saying that there was plenty of water….water that out of towners also rely on. I remember a lot of things that have been said that affect me and my town – and all the other people who live in the surrounding towns.

My point is, that this has never been just about Middleboro…it has been about the best interests for an entire region. A region that Adam Bond and the Middleboro BoS never even thought about. Is Middleboro better off without him? I guess I would have to say….maybe….because in my world, when you really, really care about something (say….the community you live in and you want to get them the best deal for a project you fully support – or you want to squash it)…then you don’t walk out when the going gets rough. You fight. Fight for what is right – not walk away because others won’t listen or don’t agree with you, or say they want to rip your face off. You stand strong, you stand tall and you stand proud because you are fighting for your convictions.

I guess that is the difference of those of us who fight this casino ….we don’t give up. Not when the Middleboro BoS doesn’t listen, not when the Governor doesn’t listen, not when some of our own representatives don’t listen. We keep fighting – and yelling even louder.

Carl has it right….no casino – with or without Adam Bond.

Bumpkin,

It was an error on my part for not stating that the comments were my opinion. I apologize.

In my opinion you are wrong on this issue, however I thank you for all you have done to fight the casino.

I would welcome an opportunity to buy you a pizza and further discuss.

We’re good NC.

I usually hit the Flat Iron every Tuesday around 5 with the kids.

Carverchick,

I understand where you’re coming from. Let me clarify the point I was trying to make. I do not want a casino in Middleboro and will resist it until it is either dead or built. Hopefully it will die and we’ll all be very happy. But what I’m saying is, what if by chance it DOES go through? An IGA that will provide the town with enough funds to mitigate the potential negative impacts would at least make the casino more palatable if it ever opens. Adam Bond seems like the only selectman who recognized that and was trying to do something about it. He was at least open to the suggestion of discussing the IGA with the Tribe.

Middleboro has a different situation than the surrounding towns. We do not want the casino but at the same time, we have to plan for it coming if by chance we fail to beat it. We have this crummy IGA that will probably still leave the town with a deficit. Renegotiating the IGA could at least leave Middleboro in a better financial position IF the casino is built.
The surrounding communities unfortunately were left out of the plans from the beginning, and do not have any kind of mitigation agreement with the Tribe. I know they will face impacts as severe as Middleboro. Your best recourse is to fight tooth and nail to kill the casino so it never gets built.

This whole situation sucks. Instead of squabbling over Adam Bond’s resignation, let’s all keep working together for everybody’s benefit and make sure the casino project goes down in flames.

I agree with what you said about not walking away from a fight. I don’t know Bond’s motivation for quitting the way he did but it does sort of seem like he wasn’t getting his way so he took his ball and went home. I do think the BOS is worse without him. The remaining stooges are firmly behind the Tribe and casino investors. Bond was the sole voice on the BOS that wanted to discuss corruption charges with the Tribe. With Bond off the BOS who is going to divulge information like Mimi Duphily talking on the phone with Stephen Graham? Nobody on the existing BOS will be forthcoming with that kind of information.

I believe in the saying “keep your friends close and keep your enemies even closer”.
With Bond on the BOS at least we knew what they were up to. Now they can carry on secretly with the Tribe and investors without fear of someone spilling the beans. We were in a bad situation before and I think with Bond’s resignation, it’s about to get worse.

Don’t let Adam Bond divide us! Let’s move on and keep working together to defeat the casino once and for all.

As paraphrased from 95.9fm this morning, DeLeo, the new Speaker of the House, was asked if he was for casinos. His response was “I voted for the slots and you know what comes after the slots…casinos”. DeLeo was then seen with Patrick who replied “Bring on the games”.

Our problems are so much bigger than Bond. I will never be swayed by that man-but our goals need to be set beyond him.

Bottom line- We have 3 divisions of anti-casino:

1. NO CASINO – no deal, state wide
2. NO CASINO in Middleboro
3. NO CASINO (but if it’s coming, we need to get the best deal for the town)

Until we figure out how to fight strongly as a group, we’ll be three separate groups distracted in 3 separate directions-accomplishing much of nothing.

FYI: Martha Coakley will be on 96.9 anytime from 12-3p.m. taking calls on any topic.

Jacquie,

You said it much better than me.
I guess I fall into NO CASINO category 3.
But the one thing that binds us together is our desire for NO CASINO at all.

Good summary Jacquie.

I’ve expended about as much energy as I care to advocating for a better deal.

The casino is NOT coming to Middleboro. There is no conceivable scenario that puts a class three casino on Precinct Street.

Here’s an absolutely best case pro-casino, Easter Bunny meets Santa Clause scenario.

1. Carcieri v. Kempthorne is decided in favor of the tribes
2. BIA takes land into trust
3. Massachusetts resists a class 3 compact based in Kickapoo v. Texas
4. Pro-casino forces catch a lucky break in the shifting political sands and pass commercial slots at the race tracks.
5. Massive gambling money flows in and passes full blow casino legislation similar to Patrick’s plan from 2008.
6. Massachusetts is loaded with casinos from stem to stern.
7. The Middleboro land continues to linger until it is either commercially unfeasible to open up a casino due to market saturation
8. Against all odds, Mass decides to give the Mashpee, a tribe with many problems a casino license in New Bedford – a commercial license that is.

I think all of this is very unlikely especially number 8. Given the problems the Mashpee have had, I can’t imagine a universe where the state would allow them to have a casino.

Smoking Owl,

I think the distractions are actually overpowering the NO CASINO that binds us together-

We all have to find a common ground here to fight this- because this fight is going to get a lot harder.

Jacquie,

You’re right, we do think a lot alike. You said in a much more concise way exactly the point I’ve been trying to make.

Well said! ;o)

Smoking Owl,

I totally understand where you are coming from and I agree that we need to focus our energies on fighting this casino. Given some time to take in all that has happened, I wonder if Adam Bond will be able to fight his battle more effectively as a private citizen. Maybe he isn’t really running away, or taking his ball and going home….maybe he is just changing strategy. Either way, I really wish he could see the forest for the trees (literally) and finally understand that this Tribe, this casino has already done much irrepairable damage.

We will fight this thing to the bitter end. No Casino in Middleboro – and No Casinos in Massachusetts!

Carverchick,

Now we’re back on common ground.

You go girl!

Keep up those excellent blogs of yours and let’s keep fighting casinos and legalized gambling in Massachusetts.