Olver: Not So Fast

For 12 years, the message for the state congressional delegation -- all 10 House members Democrats -- was "Just wait. Someday we're going to be back in the majority, and when we are, think of all the power and leverage and leadership we'll have."

Well, here we are (well, not yet, but in a few months), and already U.S. Rep. John Olver -- whose district includes fair Fitchburg -- is saying everyone needs to hold on.

Olver will be chairman of the transportation committee come January, and hold the pursestrings on untold billions of road and highway money. Hey, maybe that Fitchburg Connector plan should be dusted off. Maybe that Route 2 exit floated last month should get put on the front burner.

Um, no. Olver's message is the country's in debt, we're running an expensive war, and there's hundreds, if not thousands, of requests for federal funding. So, remember that 12-year message of "just hang on, our time will come"? Well, it might not be the party time it was trumped up to be.