Blatant hypocrisy is not exactly a new concept in the world of professional politics, but you’d have a hard time finding a more abject example than the one Gov. Charlie Baker gave us this past week.

From almost since the day he took the oath, Baker has been crisscrossing the state preaching about the need for the government to get serious about battling the drug epidemic. He even went so far as to classify opioid abuse as a “medical”— not law enforcement — problem, a reality that has long been acknowledged by doctors but largely dismissed by policy makers.

Baker also pledged to committing serious money toward the effort, pointing out in increasingly flowery terms how this crisis has impacted families of all economic walks of life, including a few he knows personally.

But words are words and actions are actions, and the action Baker took was to use his line-item veto power to wipe all of the money for the Franklin County and North Quabbin Opioid Task Force out of next year’s budget.

“His veto message didn’t really make it clear why he chose to do this,” said Stephen Kulik, 1st Franklin District state representative and House Ways and Means vice chairman. “But it’s short-sighted and wrong move, and we’re going to fight for this funding.”

Kulik believes the vetoes are doubly puzzling since the Legislature had already taken great pains to plug a projected $750 million budget gap caused by a recent large dip in state tax receipts.

“The budget we sent him was balanced, so this doesn’t make much sense, especially when you consider how effective that task force has been, and how it has served as a model for similar efforts around Massachusetts and the nation,” Kulik said.

Even more puzzling than the vetoes was the reaction to them from the delegation’s most powerful member. When contacted by The Recorder for a reaction, a spokesman for Senate President Stan Rosenberg said the leadership would “take a look at it” if the House were to pursue an override — a pretty anemic response from a guy who has never been shy about facing down Republican governors when they give short shrift to the western region. But that was before he became Senate president, a promotion that seems to have altered Rosenberg’s approach to certain hot-button issues, as evidenced by his somewhat lukewarm initial reaction to the now-defunct proposed western Mass. natural gas pipeline.

The chances are good that the funding will be restored, and it remains to be seen whether Baker’s latest “austerity push” will ruin whatever good will he’d managed to cultivate with area Democrats during his first two years in office. But I, for one, am going to have a hard time believing anything Baker says on this issue moving forward, and I’m betting I’m not alone on that score.

New HRC chairman

Greenfield has a new “diversity sheriff,” so to speak.

Human Rights Commission member and GCTV associate producer Philippe Simon was commission chairman this week, replacing long-time chair Lew Metaxas. Philippe takes the gavel at what may be the most active period in the commission’s history, and I think it’s a good choice, because you aren’t likely to find many people in this community more passionate than he about advancing the cause of social justice.

What I will be curious to see is how this “changing of the guard” ends up impacting the commission’s approach to the Dan McCarthy-Confederate flag issue. Metaxas made it clear at a recent meeting that there would be more discussion of the incident moving forward, fueling speculation that this was becoming an increasingly personal issue for him. Lew’s never really indicated that to me, but it will be interesting to see if the commission’s perspective on that case changes with Phillipe at the helm.

Mr. Mark goes to Philadelphia

Hillary Clinton won’t be the only one fulfilling a lifelong dream when she accepts her party’s presidential nomination in a couple of weeks.

Watching from the Massachusetts delegation will be 2nd Berkshire state Rep. Paul Mark, who will be one of only a handful of Western Mass. residents, and the only one from Berkshire County, officially in attendance.

“This is one convention I’ve always wanted to attend,” Mark said. “This goes all the way back to when I was a kid and Dukakis was running.”

Mark was the first Massachusetts official to endorse Bernie Sanders, and heads to Philly as a pledged Sanders delegate — a vote he says he will still be proud to cast, even though it will be largely in vain.

“I admit that it would be a little more exciting for me if Bernie were to be the nominee, but it’s still going to be a huge moment that I’m never going to forget,” Mark said.

And even though his guy didn’t win, Mark has no intention of sitting out the fall campaign.

“I’m going to support the Democratic ticket no matter what,” Mark said. “Whomever the candidates end up being.”

I would expect nothing less from a party loyalist like Mark, but I wonder how many of his fellow “Bernie-bots” will feel the same way when summer turns into fall?

Chris Collins, who worked in local radio in a number of capacities, has observed political life in Franklin County for years. He also is a former staff reporter for The Recorder and a Greenfield native.

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