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Mike Rush gets elected to the state Senate just in time to be deployed to Iraq

Wicked Local West Roxbury reports Rush, newly elected Suffolk/Norfolk state senator and longtime Naval Reserve officer, is being shipped out to Iraq as an intelligence officer in March.

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While I admire the service of all who serve in the military, I'm left wondering how Rush's deployment affects the state and federal investigations into the probation scandal, where Rush's name has surfaced so frequently. Not just being listed as sponsor of his 73 year-old father for a Chief Probation job that he "wasn't up to", but the alleged "payback" legislation filed by Rush that would have moved the Chief Justice's office to "dingy, cramped and hazardous" quarters in Charlestown. Does the statute of limitations stop when Rush leaves MA, like it did for some of the priests?

As for the link, there are puff pieces and then there's wickedlocal. Not even a reference to the noble decision by Rep. Jerry Parisella D-Beverly, who when recently activated for Army service, recognized the appearance of double dipping and promised to donate his salary to charity? Goose, gander?

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so that the people in the district can be represented in state government by another person of their choosing ... unless of course the state holds all debate and votes until he returns.

If not, we have taxation without representation. I can't imagine any elected leader with an appreciation of our countries' history - and Mike taught history! - would object to the premise and the solution.

Keeping the office, an office whose responsibilities and duties he would not be able to fulfill for the people in the district, would be putting his personal interests above the interests of all of the people in his district.

As a civic-minded public servant, I don't think Mike Rush would put his own interests above the interests of his constituents.

IMAGE(http://i279.photobucket.com/albums/kk143/nfsagan/USA-240-animated-flag-gifs.gif)

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So you think that active duty reservists should quit their jobs and let someone else have them?

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to get their jobs back when they return.

I don't think there are provisions for constituents to get representation from their chosen elected leader if their elected leader is unable to serve.

Mike put himself in a position where he would have to abdicate one duty for another.

His military commitment, if he were to be called up (and he was,) would not be a choice but an obligation, thus leaving his other obligation unfulfilled. No one knew better than he when he ran for the office that he was making two commitments that could not be satisfied simultaneously.

I'm glad he ran for office. He did not know whether he'd be called up but now he knows, and he should do the right thing for the people in the district so that they have a senator representing them in this legislative session.

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This is all Obama's fault.

If Obama had kept his campain promise then all of our troops would be out of the middle east. It is all his fault.

If that were the case then Obama should resign as well. Talk about taxation without representation.

No wait this is all George Bush's fault. We should never have gone into Iraq in the first place.

No wait this is Bill Clinton's fault. If he had just killed Bin Laden then we would never have gone to Iraq.

No wait this is George Bush Sr's fault. If he had just taken care of business the first time this wouldn't be happening.

Ok now I feel better. It is George Bush's fault. Let's blame him.

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So you want to punish legislators who serve in the reserves? The voters have elected him numerous times knowing he could be called up. Your suggestion would basically punish legislators who serve in uniform, that's very bad policy and pretty mean spirited I'd say. And I disagree with Rush on a number of issues but absolutely support his right to hold the office while on duty. His office can handle constituent service till he returns. He also faces reelection in 2012 so the voters can determine then if they don't like what he's doing. I highly doubt there are too many people in his district who would be upset with it though.

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that's not the question. The question is whether the people in the district who voted for him, (as well as the ones who did not, and the ones who didn't vote at all) are entitled to represenation in the Senate during the period of time he is unable to fufill his duty as a Senator.

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While your question appeals to the very point of representative democracy, and I respect that, there is also a long tradition of our legislators serving in the reserves. Asking any such reservist to resign upon being called up would effectively prevent any of them from serving in the first place, thus putting you in a position of asking them to choose between one or the other. That is not a choice private employees must make, in fact, it'd be illegal for any private employer to ask a reservist employee to resign upon being called up. Obviously this involves the added layer of the public trust, but again I would say the majority of voters have elected him numerous times knowing he is a reservist. His district has made clear it is not a disqualifier for them. If his district suffers while he is gone, he will be held accountable and not re-elected. And I say that as someone for whose taste Rush's politics are too conservative. While he is gone, his office can handle constituent requests and his other legislators will protect the district funding-wise if for no other reason than not wanting to look very bad screwing over a guy while he is in Iraq.

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He's never been called up before while serving in elected office. He cannot do this job from Afghanistan. It'd be great if he could but he cannot. I understand the parts he cannot do are not important to you. They are important to me.

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There's a self-telling joke in there somewhere. A whole cluster of them, actually.

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Share your wit with us.

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A Navy Reserve (A Sea Bee I believe)being called up to Iraq when the fighting is in Afghanistan just after being elected to the Senate, while at the same time being a person of intersted in the biggest scandal of 2010? Really, called up or volunteered. This is so questionable and both the Herald and Globe have taken a "duh pill" on Rush since the scandal broke.

I am all about service to the country, but Rush's service had all the intentions of providing photo opps to be used in campaigns later. Rush is more likely to shoot himself with his service weapon than anyone else.

I am sure he served in the military part of an assignment from one of his professors at Providence College, like he worked for the Pat Buchanan Campaign.

The sad thing is this move will work for him and help him avoid any charges from the probation scandal.

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John Francis,

Do you need a hug? Maybe some alone time? What color is the sky in your world?

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