In Boston, Beverly Scott Finally Is Put To The Test, And Demonstrates Her Total Incompetence

Beverly Scott has a “Ph.D.” in political science (wouldn’t you like to know what she wrote her thesis on? don’t you have some idea already?), which degree is irrelevant to the running of a large urban transportation system. She started out in Houston as an Affirmative Action officer.That would have been the right position for her, if such a position must exist at all, at Boston’s MBTA. She rose steadily in the bureaucracy of urban transportation systems in southern cities — Houston, Atlanta — presumably in the kind of position that is akin to the “Vice-President for Community Relations” position that many hospitals and universities now feel they must have. There is nothing in her background to suggest a Fred Salvucci — the excellent transportation secretary in the administration of Michael Dukakis. Deval Patrick, who just ended his second term as governor, became famous for his private affirmative-action program (he appointed his own aide, a perfectly amiable and nondescript fellow, to serve out  the last few weeks of John Kerry’s term as Senator, thereby ensuring that that that aide would receive a senator’s pension for life), thought Beverly Scott would be just perfect for the job, and appointed her two years ago. Few dared to oppose her. Her first real test came during the last week. She failed, completely. During the last few days, now and then she would make a brief appearance, floppy hat on head, seemingly oblivious to the seriousness of the situation, trying to see if a cheerful mien would allow her to brazen out the display of her incompetence, the obvious total failure of preparation and organization. The public was not impressed. Nor, more importantly, was the stolid and solid new governor of the often ill-run state of Massachusetts, who is certainly going to replace her. That’s the end of her career in transportation; no doubt she’ll find somewhere else, possibly in the Federal government, to be cheerfully iincompetent.