Massachusetts
updated
2:49 p.m.
The Washington Post is reporting that the wife and daughter of Senate Majority leader Harry Reid were seriously hurt in an automobile accident. The vehicle they were riding in was rear-ended. They were taken to an Washington D.C. area hospital for treatment. Reports unclear on extent of their injuries. Breaking news here: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2010/03/reids-wife-and-d...
Richard Howe - 2:39 p.m.
There are only 6 women currently serving as state governors -- 3 Dems, 3 Repubs -- after Obama grabbed a couple for his cabinet and Sarah Palin resigned for... whatever the hell her reasons were. But there are lots and lots of opportunities this year: 37 states will hold gubernatorial elections, with the majority of those seats open due to term limits, retirements, or seeking other office. Two ...
Talking Politics - 2:08 p.m.
Here's an interesting bit of trivia, culled from data kept by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers: no woman has won a GOP primary for an open US Senate seat since 2002 (Elizabeth Dole). This streak will be tested this year, thanks to a whopping 11 open Senate seats -- five with departing Dems, six GOP. The hopes appear to rest on two women; the other 9 races have just a co...
Talking Politics - 12:23 p.m.
Hey, he's got his book deal and a cushy new job. Why should he care about Massachusetts families who are hurting: they are not the out of state conservatives who funded his campaign and will try to push him through again in two years. As to health care, Senator Brown continues his long march to the Republican villages of Too Bad for You and Sorry, I Can't Help You. Link to H.R. 4213. DNC email: ...
Blue Mass. Group - 11:22 a.m. - 3 clicks 
Dear BMG, We have a crisis on our hands in Massachusetts. Every day as a doctor in the emergency room, I see that people are struggling. They are struggling to find affordable health care. They are struggling to find good, sustainable jobs. They are struggling to find some hope of recovery in a recession that is weighted on the backs of working families and has taken from those who already have ...
Blue Mass. Group - 11:05 a.m. - 2 clicks
Shira Toeplitz of Roll Call has a good piece up about House Republicans' failure to recruit female candidates, which gives me the excuse I've been looking for to blog some more about one of my favorite pet topics, the extinction of the elected female Republican. As Toeplitz points out, there are quite a number of women running as Republicans, but mostly as also-rans or in hopeless race...
Talking Politics - 10:04 a.m.
The WNEC news site has a photo of the cast of The Laramie Project , taken before Friday's performance. I think one of the things about performing in a play is the spirit of camaraderie, the feeling of working together toward a common goal of a performance. I would suppose it's a lot like team sports in that way. Now that the show is over, I find I miss the cast....
Flash & Yearn - 9:24 a.m. - 2 clicks
This is very good, and quite unexpected news -- yet another item in the Governor's current winning streak . A staunchly pro-free enterprise business group yesterday embraced price controls for the state's health-care industry, saying sykrocketing medical expenses have reached a "crisis point" that's financially crushing small businesses. The surprise move by the Associated Industries of Ma...
Blue Mass. Group - 7:48 a.m.
I think this is fabulous news. Gov. Deval Patrick says he's "open" to doing battle in the lion's den of conservative talk radio.... [Said Patrick:] "I'm proud to be a Democrat. But I didn't run to be governor of the Democrats. I'm not running to be governor of the Democrats this time." A Patrick aide said the governor's advisers are even considering putting him on with Howie Carr, the Herald ...
Blue Mass. Group - 7:09 a.m. - 2 clicks
HIT HIM annuder sockodoggler Deval! Bash him a good one right in the kisser!!! That stiff Charlie Baker said nothing as the Commonwelth was denuded of it's Federal Highway funds and as a HMO CEO he has been naught but a "Robin Hood in Reverse", rob from the sick to the pay the shareholders, an appalling record of "accomplishment" all told. Bloody him up good I say, let Baker know early t...
Chimes at Midnight - 6:21 a.m. - 2 clicks
Governor Deval Patrick yesterday directly called out his opposition on the cost of health insurance premiums, going to Beacon Hill to testify in support of a cap on the rates that the health care industry would be allowed to charge annually. The Governor appears more willing to step out and ......
Bill Manzi - 6:21 a.m. - 2 clicks
I post below the Building Committee presentation on Methuen High School to the Methuen School Committee. We visited and presented the project to the M.S.B.A. sub-committee in Boston yesterday, and our reception there was warm, with high praise given to the project. My thanks to Suzanne Lamoureux, the Building Committee ......
Bill Manzi - 6:21 a.m. - 2 clicks
Here’s another poem from Tom Sexton’s book of Lowell poems, A Clock With No Hands (Adastra Press, 2007). With Nomar back in the news and in the fold, this seemed like a good day for this poem.—PM . The Red Sox Tree . It seemed to take all morning to go around the massive trunk of that ancient beech. Almost eight, [...]...
Richard Howe - 5:30 a.m. - 2 clicks
The Boston Globe yesterday reported on the unusually large amount of pine cones everywhere this year. I noticed this phenomemon in my family’s back yard and across the street at the South Common. The explanation has to do with regular cycles of production, this one being the culmination of the most recent three-year cycle. Read [...]...
Richard Howe - 5:30 a.m. - 3 clicks
Yesterday workers set up scaffolding on the exterior of the Lowell Superior Courthouse. This work is actually the first step of the installation of an elevator on the Elm Street side of the building. Contractors plan to attach the elevator to the side entrance of the building by the parking lot. The structure will be [...]...
Richard Howe - 4:09 a.m. - 2 clicks
There's shock in both the mainstream media and the Twitterverse this morning: Deval Patrick practiced politics in the Statehouse! The decision by Patrick to stop being a punching bag and jabbing back at his opponents was immediately characterized by the head of Charlie Baker's political team as somehow desperate. The local TV media pundit who recently made the governor a pinata saw, horror ...
Massachusetts Liberal - 2:50 a.m. - 2 clicks
In testimony this afternoon, and in a press availability immediately afterward, Governor Patrick strongly urged the legislature to pass his jobs bill that would (among other things) control health insurance premium hikes and provider costs -- and called out Charlie Baker and Tim Cahill for failing to propose anything constructive on these crucial issues. In case you missed it, the Gov's bi...
Blue Mass. Group - Wed 10:40 p.m. - 2 clicks
This was a great write-up about what a casino would do to Downtown Worcester and other Downtown areas like it, written by the founder and exec director of The Hanover Theatre, which is largely seen as the spark that gave Downtown Worcester a rebirth in recent years. Today, The Hanover Theatre, and other wonderful venues like it, face a critical threat from resort casinos. The performance venues...
Ryan's Take - Wed 6:04 p.m. - 6 clicks
Sue Tucker’s recent announcement that she would not be a candidate for reelection to the Massachusetts State Senate pushed the campaign in that district to the forefront of local politics. As we head into the week of St Patrick’s Day and all the associated activities, it might be appropriate to review the history of [...]...
Richard Howe - Wed 5:04 p.m. - 5 clicks
Following is the eighth section of the long poem “The War Place.” Section seven was posted March 8.—PM . 8. Invasion of Grenada, 1983 A Marine jet whines, Its slant chalk scratch On an otherwise flawless ceiling. Even L.A.’s smog blown off By night desert winds. Scruffy palms, roasting, Outnumber the faithful at Capo Beach This bright autumn noon. One bather treads, Light in th...
Richard Howe - Wed 5:04 p.m.
In this week's issue of the Boston Phoenix -- in print tomorrow, online now -- I take the measure of Governor Deval Patrick as he begins in earnest his re-election campaign. The Phoenix was granted an hour-long interview with the governor last week, on policy issues from his first term and looking ahead to a possible second. The interview was conducted by me and executive editor Peter Ka...
Talking Politics - Wed 3:47 p.m. - 6 clicks
Email from Democracy for America (no link): With 40 Senators on the record in support of passing a public option by majority vote, we've proven that the majority of Senate Democrats are ready to get the job done. All it takes now is leadership. It only takes one senator to offer an amendment from the Senate floor to bring the inclusion of a public option to a vote this year. It would be a tru...
Blue Mass. Group - Wed 9:21 a.m.
An interesting development . Patrick told the Herald he would reject a compromise that would allow slots at racetracks up until the first resort-style casino is built in the Bay State. "I don't think we will ever get the destination resort casinos if we have slots at racetracks," he said. "The slots are a cash cow for the developers, and a destination resort casino can be very prosperous too, ...
Blue Mass. Group - Wed 9:06 a.m. - 4 clicks
Didn't get a chance to post on this when it was first announced last week, but it's still excellent news. Press release (no link): Governor Deval Patrick today announced that the Commonwealth's bond ratings have been affirmed by the three major rating agencies, all of whom cited the Governor's responsible and proactive stewardship of the Commonwealth's finances during the current economic ...
Blue Mass. Group - Wed 8:24 a.m. - 4 clicks
I think this is a feather in the cap of both the unions involved, as well as the Governor. I wonder if his (eventual) Republican opponent in the race will give him any credit for this negotiation which yielded the state tens of millions savings and will stave off some ......
Left In Lowell - Wed 7:26 a.m. - 8 clicks
Sean Murphy reports something in the Globe today that could be a big important thing for municipal government in Massachusetts: a plan by a group of mayors to file a ballot initiative to expand local government's power to reduce employee benefits without collective bargaining. Here's the immediate issue at stake, as the Phoenix described it in an editorial two we...
Talking Politics - Wed 6:23 a.m. - 5 clicks
It didn't take long for Senator Brown to morph into a rather irritating specimen of DC Drama Queen .... Good grief, whatever happened to that olde rule "Freshmen Senators are seen and not heard"? I would argue that The President and the Senate Democrats (after the usual two weeks of hand wringing) have internalized well the lessons of Scott Brown's election in January. Scott and GOP have ...
Chimes at Midnight - Wed 6:00 a.m. - 5 clicks
Mike Barnicle once used a throwaway line (I assume he didn't "borrow" it from someone else) that if you take the Massachusetts Legislature out onto a barge and sank it, all you would lose is the barge. In the case of the United States Congress, you'd probably need to lose two or three. Witness the case of Eric "Tickle Me" Massa, former Democratic congressman from upstate New York, who wove a t...
Massachusetts Liberal - Wed 2:43 a.m. - 5 clicks
The full schedule of activities for Jack Kerouac Day (he was born on March 12), which has become a “Kerouac Weekend,” is available at www.lowellcelebrateskerouac.org This Thursday at UMass Lowell, music and movie producer Jim Sampas, who grew up on Wilder Street, will be on campus to offer a master class/listening session at which he’ll tell the [...]...
Richard Howe - Wed 2:28 a.m. - 5 clicks
It's gotten so bad on Beacon Hill that people would be advised the wear safety lenses before venturing down the marble corridors to avoid getting a flying finger of blame in the eye . Mayors are blaming legislators for the burden of municipal health care contracts. Senate President Therese Murray fires right back with Speaker Robert DeLeo watching her back, saying it's their own damn fault. Thi...
Massachusetts Liberal - Wed 2:03 a.m.
We've been watching the mini-series, John Adams, off and on for the past few weeks. We watched the final episode tonight. It's a little sad to see Paul Giamatti's Adams fret over his legacy, worried that posterity will favor Jefferson and forget him. Jefferson looms large, yes, but there was a necessary tension with Adams and Jefferson -- Pound wrote about it in his Cantos. And of the conservative...
Flash & Yearn - Tue 8:26 p.m.
Following on akloftus's post about Charlie Baker's ignorance of what's actually been happening on Beacon Hill recently, the Patrick administration announced today that it has reached agreements with a number of public employee unions that will save the Commonwealth tens of millions of dollars and will allow the administration to protect key services. The Patrick-Murray Administration has reach...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 8:26 p.m. - 6 clicks
Lt. Gov. Tim Murray has called out Charlie Baker for his perpetual dishonesty on the campaign trail, while responding to a story that first appeared here on BMG about a state employee named Erica. For those who haven't heard it, here's the original audio of the call from Erica, who talked to a very condescending Charlie Baker on WBZ radio March 4. Read the LG's response bel...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 6:48 p.m. - 7 clicks
March Madness is again upon us . Let's name the BMG Sweet 16! Apologies in advance for misclassifications, errors, and omissions. Off top of my head. Criteria: Quality 70%, Quantity 30% (else we wouldn't have much to read). Eb3 Top Seed - Bye to Finals ACTUALLY CARES ABOUT FOREIGN POLICY BRACKET (only 2 competing) Sabutai vs KBusch BROOKLINE BRACKET BrooklineT...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 6:48 p.m. - 5 clicks
Why do I ask, you might wonder? Well, here's the first line of Michael Graham's Herald column on Mitt Romney and his health care problem: How do you say "chutzpah" in Mormon? Hmm. I didn't realize "Mormon" was a language. But apparently it's OK to ask how you would translate certain Yiddish words into different faiths. And I think it's certainly fair to call "wingnu...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 5:08 p.m. - 3 clicks
Central Catholic became the Eastern Massachusetts Division 1 Boys Basketball Champion last night, defeating Madison Park 59-50 at the TD Garden last night. Central was led by senior Carson Desrosiers, who turned in a huge performance on both ends of the court. Congrats to coach Rick Nault and a superb ......
Bill Manzi - Tue 4:03 p.m. - 6 clicks
As I understand it, a few days ago Sarah Palin, the GOP's 2008 VP candidate, confessed that when she was younger, her family used to go to Canada for healthcare because it was the only decent healthcare available to them where they lived. (not far from Alberta) I was not too surprised to see almost no coverage about it in the media. Not many Americans realize this, but according to FAIR, the MS...
DailyKos (Massachusetts) - Tue 3:21 p.m.
better reason to pass comprehensive health care reform than this ... Honestly, all you freepers out there don't worry your pretty little heads about it, even if Rush carried out this entirely empty threat, he'll be back as soon as he runs out of cheet-ohs and canned cherry pie filling. The man can barely get out of his seat without setting off EKG alarms he isn't going to Costa Rica for anything...
Chimes at Midnight - Tue 3:21 p.m.
While we unfortunately have to wait several years to replace Senator Brown as a US Senator, thankfully there's already an ongoing special election to replace his seat in the State Senate. Today, LeftAhead spoke with Dr. Peter Smulowitz, a progressive running as a Democrat in the primary. His resume is impressive -- a physician in the ER and deeply involved in forming health care policy acros...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 2:48 p.m.
The Lawrence Eagle-Tribune is reporting on breaking news that Embattled school Superintendent Wilfredo Laboy has been indicted on seven counts of fraud and embezzlement and one count of possession of alcohol on school premises. Also indicted: …his son Wilfredo Laboy II, his former special assistant Mark Rivera, and failed mayoral candidate Israel Reyes. Rivera stands charged with seven [...]...
Richard Howe - Tue 1:26 p.m. - 7 clicks
Tonight’s City Council meeting has three motions from the CC that are of major interest: 1. From CC Patrick Murphy (the innovator): “City Council observe City Council Rules” If you watched last week’s meeting, you will know why Murphy is asking his colleagues to stick to the rules. I have to ......
Left In Lowell - Tue 12:28 p.m. - 6 clicks
Local Playwright Jack Neary writes about Oscar Night in this entry cross posted from his own blog, Captain Show Biz. A few random thoughts after watching the Oscars last night… How did I ever watch this show before DVRs? Commercials and uninteresting (to me) awards are skimmed over effortlessly, or with only the effort it takes to [...]...
Richard Howe - Tue 11:06 a.m.
The front page of today's Herald blares , in its usual 143-point type, "Buyback Bonanza - Cash me if you can: Even Deval's staffers took advantage of vacay perk." The article goes on to report that the Gov's top strategist and 21 other exiting staffers cashed in more than $90,500 in unused vacation days last year. Three of Patrick's ex-staffers, including former chief of staff Dou...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 11:05 a.m. - 13 clicks
I believe we need to be able to protect our kids and protect jobs in Massachusetts. Here is what I am doing to do both. First, I have written to Senator Kerry, Senator Brown, and Rep. Olver asking them to aggressively push for passage of S. 593, the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009 . I appreciate Senator Kerry & Rep. Markey's leadership on this issue and firmly believe that a national ban is...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 7:24 a.m. - 5 clicks
Health Care For All has released a powerful new video in support of national health care reform. Massachusetts patients, doctors, students, consumer advocates, and representatives of small business and labor come together and talk about why we need national health reform and why it is good for the Commonwealth . We understand that Massachusetts members of Congress are not hearing e...
Blue Mass. Group - Tue 7:24 a.m. - 5 clicks
the bigger the moocher. Ever noticed that some of the wealthiest people are at the same time the biggest welchers & chiselers? Well, what they and by extension Christy Mihos are telling us is that they didn't get rich by writing a lot of checks. True dat...But it is a hard road to getting elected Governor of Massachusetts unless you lay out some long green. Mihos doesn't get that, but ...
Chimes at Midnight - Tue 6:06 a.m. - 10 clicks
Yesterday’s mail brought a short note from the U.S. Census Bureau informing me - or RESIDENT AT my address - that I will receive the 2010 Census form by mail in about a week and asking me to promptly fill it out and mail it back. It goes on to say Your response is important. [...]...
Richard Howe - Tue 5:24 a.m.
Methuen resident Jeff Paolino, the head groundskeeper for the Lowell Spinners, has been honored as the groundskeeper of the year. Jeff recently attended a Methuen City Council meeting, where we recognized his excellence with a mayoral citation. Congratulations Jeff! The Spinners press release is below. The Lowell Spinners, Class-A affiliate ......
Bill Manzi - Tue 4:20 a.m. - 6 clicks
... because you probably can't afford to pay the bill. The drip, drip destruction of Christy Mihos' campaign for governor continues with the latest installment of Deadbeat Candidate . Does this guy really think anyone will trust him with the state's tax dollars? More blogs about Politics . var sc_project=1947180; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_partition=17; var sc_security="083b12b0"; ...
Massachusetts Liberal - Tue 3:21 a.m. - 2 clicks
Two interesting -- and some might say politically tinged -- looks at the dollar drain from state government in today's Boston papers. The Herald's payroll crusade looks at cashed out vacation time and singles out former Deval Patrick chief of staff Doug Rubin, who cashed out $11,000 in unused vacation pay. I know Rubin stops by here occasionally so I'd be happy for a comment. On the other sid...
Massachusetts Liberal - Tue 3:21 a.m. - 8 clicks
Can't offer a lot more in response to this billboard that's a centerpiece of a Stanley Fish blog post in the New York Times. More blogs about Politics . var sc_project=1947180; var sc_invisible=1; var sc_partition=17; var sc_security="083b12b0"; ...
Massachusetts Liberal - Tue 3:21 a.m.
Pete Sepp of the National Taxpayers Union (NTU) was good enough to respond to my post from last week , in which I puzzled over the fact that NTU gave Democrats harsh marks for their American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) votes, which included very large tax cuts. I wrote: I realize that NTU would say that the heavy spending included in ARRA could, in theory, lead ...
Talking Politics - Mon 8:25 p.m.
Sounds great , right? For proof, head to Bensalem, where Parx - formerly called PhiladelphiaPark Racetrack - made $400 million last year. Impressive for a not-spot plopped among strip malls. Inside the smoke-filled slots box, much of what casino bosses took for granted has changed. Gone are the days of wooing "whales" and dissing grannies in fanny packs. Parx president Dave Jonas says his r...
Ryan's Take - Mon 8:25 p.m. - 4 clicks
A quick follow up to my post on 2 March about Governor Patrick's laudable effort to ban the sale of baby bottles and spill-proof cups made with the chemical Bisphenol-A, a substance viewed with "some concern" by the FDA for very young children, that has been declared a toxin in Canada and banned from such products -- and the otherwise-excellent-in-many-respects Senator Benjamin Downing's start...
Blue Mass. Group - Mon 8:05 p.m. - 6 clicks
Anyone friends with me on facebook knows that lately, I have been bemoaning the outage of our new TV for the last couple of weeks. Boy, is that a trying experience. Yeah, yeah, I know that everyone should cut down on it and there’s a lot of life outside of ......
Left In Lowell - Mon 7:41 p.m.
Hey Big Mike , you wanted to run for Congress on a zero budget to prove a point. But you have also thought of running for state rep or senate too. Fist things first Mike. You cannot run on zero dollars. But you can run cheaply. You have to step up to the plate and show you are serious. Did you attempt to go to law school on a zero budget? When you got the full boat to Duke you earned that bu...
Blue Mass. Group - Mon 7:01 p.m.
Sorry, couldn’t help the Bushapropism reference there. Via Dick Howe, we’re alerted to the new Lowell Public Schools Blog. Keen! I think a blog is a great way to communicate with the city’s parents and residents. Duly added to the growing list of official blogs in the city, among the not ......
Left In Lowell - Mon 6:41 p.m. - 6 clicks
Since the bygone days of the "Massachusetts Miracle" the Auditor's office has been held by Joe DeNucci, the self-styled "watchdog for the underdog". Elected in 1987, he's done a good job, without fanfare, of identifying wasteful spending. Of equal importance, he's been a staunch advocate for the interests of the vulnerable, clearly seeing the Auditor's job as more than a bean counting ...
Blue Mass. Group - Mon 6:08 p.m. - 8 clicks
Who will run against Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) in 2012? Don't know? Me neither. And apparently neither does anyone else. So along came Jon Hite, who launched a Facebook page suggesting that MA resident and MSNBC broadcaster Rachel Maddow consider running. In a few days, more than a thousand people have signed on at Rachel Maddow for US Senator from Massachusetts in 2012 . B...
DailyKos (Massachusetts) - Mon 4:05 p.m. - 5 clicks
Yesterday, I posted a diary about how MSNBC broadcaster Rachel Maddow's name is being floated as a possible candidate to challenge Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA)in 2012. Maddow, who is from Northampton, MA has given no indication that she is even remotely interested. However, at this writing 819 of us have signed onto a Facebook page Rachel Maddow for US Senator from Massachusetts in 2012 to ...
DailyKos (Massachusetts) - Mon 4:05 p.m. - 5 clicks
Martha Coakley didn't make history as the first female U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. And while I am sure that there are many pols itching to take on Scott Brown in 2012 yesterday, MA political activist Jon Hite floated a different idea. He wants to encourage MSNBC broadcaster Rachel Maddow, (whose hometown is Northampton, MA) to consider running. At this writing, there are 623 of us who hav...
DailyKos (Massachusetts) - Mon 4:05 p.m. - 5 clicks
Nothing against Brian Mooney's fine article in today's Boston Globe . Just sayin', it leads with: Of all the daunting challenges facing Deval Patrick this reelection year, there is one that would have been especially difficult to imagine more than three years ago when he became the first Democrat in 16 years to assume the governor’s office: unrest in the ranks of organized labo...
Talking Politics - Mon 3:21 p.m. - 4 clicks
Senator Brown may have won a seat in the US Senate, but that meant he had to give up his old position in the State Senate. The door may have been shut, but we can safely call this an open window. Peter Smulowitz , a medical doctor living in the district, in Needham, was campaigning to replace Brown since even before Brown defeated Martha Coakley, and now he finds himself an established candidate...
Ryan's Take - Mon 3:21 p.m. - 5 clicks
News flash: Massachusetts public employee unions are unhappy with Deval Patrick , who they accuse of trying to balance the state budget on the backs of their members. Old news: labor rank and file votes far more conservatively than leadership, dating back to the days of the hard hat supporters of Richard Nixon, to the Boston Police Patrolman's Union endorsement of George H.W. Bush over Michae...
Massachusetts Liberal - Mon 3:05 p.m. - 5 clicks
There, anyone offended? Seriously, is that the best sort of columnist the Sun can come up with? I’m offended, yes…by the poor writing and the lack of thought behind it, as well as the pathetic faux outrage. And people wonder why I don’t go read the Sun on a daily basis (even ......
Left In Lowell - Mon 3:05 p.m.
anyone can rise in our society given time and talent and perseverance, anyone . And if you hate liberals to the point of homicidal dementia, are a misanthropic loudmouth in general and most importantly weight over four hundred pounds , don't worry, never fear, WTKK has an on air job just waiting for you . Honestly where do they find these bloated mesomorphs? And more importantly what kin...
Chimes at Midnight - Mon 3:05 p.m.
The extreme difficulty of the political position of Governor Deval Patrick is readily apparent from reading the poll numbers, which have been consistently bad for some time. Today's Boston Globe story on the Governor's real problems with some public sector unions is reflective of the political problems he faces. The ......
Bill Manzi - Mon 3:05 p.m. - 5 clicks
The American Future Fund has launched a TV ad targeted towards 18 House districts currently occupied by Democrats. The Fix over at the Washington Post tells us that 11 of those 18 districts were carried by John McCain in the last Presidential election. As the President keeps up the pressure ......
Bill Manzi - Mon 3:05 p.m.
Politico broke a great story last week detailing the Republican National Committee's latest fundraising appeal. In addition to insulting major Republican donors the document shows Republican efforts to drive fundraising by painting the Obama Administration as socialist, and included slides showing President Obama as "the Joker" and Speaker Nancy Pelosi ......
Bill Manzi - Mon 3:05 p.m.
The students of California are in open revolt ...Over cuts in education along with irksome fee increases mandated by that state's ruinous financial meltdown. Far be it for me to mock the demand for a better education, but as far as Humble Elias is concerned those college students would be better off picketing their own parent's homes. Lets face it, California sets a low bar for access to Ballot I...
Chimes at Midnight - Sun 12:41 p.m. - 2 clicks
One or two occasional bad apples is unfortunate. Several cases of rot in a short amount of time becomes a pattern. It looks like DPW and Parks and Rec may be the last bastion of small-scale GOBism - favors given to certain people in the city from city employees. Probably ......
Left In Lowell - Sun 11:20 a.m. - 5 clicks
The leading candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination is known almost universally as Charlie. But today's Globe profile suggests candidate Baker is really more of a Charles, and he needs to make some adjustments if he hopes to really connect with voters -- particularly those expecting another free-speaking Scott Brown. I've had a few personal encounters with Baker and I find him an ...
Massachusetts Liberal - Sun 7:05 a.m. - 18 clicks
per the President of Iran's latest outburst ...Then why did Iran routinely rat out Al Queda operatives to the CIA prior to the US invasion of Iraq? If the whole thing was a conspiracy of war mongers and rootless cosmopolitans then why did Iran routinely round up Al Queda's best and brightest whenever they could lay on hands? I get it, their shoes were too garish and secular....That must b...
Chimes at Midnight - Sat 7:49 p.m. - 2 clicks
The President stays on health care, calling on Congress to schedule an up or down vote on health care reform. He takes heavy aim at the insurance companies, hitting them on the steep hike in health care premiums being seen all over the country. Some real issues being raised on ......
Bill Manzi - Sat 7:24 a.m. - 4 clicks
One governor resigned in disgrace and the second is hanging on by his nails -- facing investigations into alleged tampering with a domestic violence charge against a top aide and getting World Series tickets for free. Meanwhile over in the Legislature, dysfunction would be viewed as a step in the right direction . After a coup in which Republicans hijacked two Democrats to take control of th...
Massachusetts Liberal - Sat 5:42 a.m. - 4 clicks
The week of the show is now over. All the rehearsals and the two shows, complete. But I thought I'd share what I tapped out on my iPod Touch as we were getting ready to go on Thursday night: It's 6:30 pm and we're in the green room, waiting for our call. Some are eating, some are sewing costumes, some are sitting around. The room is the first classroom I ever taught at here at WNEC. Nerves. Singi...
Flash & Yearn - Sat 5:28 a.m. - 2 clicks
The Tim Cahill for Governor campaign hired the core of the John McCain political team, including the very big name of John Weaver, announcing the additions yesterday. The Cahill campaign has the most cash on hand, but is still trailing in monthly receipts, falling behind both Charlie Baker and Deval ......
Bill Manzi - Sat 4:40 a.m. - 8 clicks
That's the headline over at the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. Suffice it to say, DeLeo's drive to benefit the well-oiled interests in his district makes it a much more difficult sell for him to get his own bill passed across state government, not that I'm complaining. How tough would this vote be? Well, at least 30 people would have to switch their votes on a major issue after voting the oppo...
Ryan's Take - Fri 6:07 p.m. - 5 clicks
The Patriot Ledger , the newspaper of record for Quincy, Massachusetts is reporting that Norfolk County District Attorney William Keating will enter into the now open race for the 10th Congressional District in Massachusetts. Keating has a long record of public service and served as a state Senator for nearly two decades before becoming Norfolk County's DA. There are other candidat...
DailyKos (Massachusetts) - Fri 6:07 p.m. - 8 clicks
Just in case you missed it, State investigators probing Lowell’s DPW and Parks Department. According to the Sun’s web site “state investigators spent Thursday interviewing city employees in an effort to weed out wrong-doing in the Department of Public Works and Parks and Recreation Commission. The [ten] investigators, assigned to the office ......
Left In Lowell - Fri 4:48 p.m. - 7 clicks
"Clueless blatherskite, stiff, closemouthed functionary, lackey" a host of epithets come to mind. To which we can add "Effin' tool" to the list based on this excerpt from his appearance on WBZ's "Nightside" program last night. Apparently, Charlie was "surprised" in an arrogant and dismissive way at the pay cuts imposed on caller "Erica" an otherwise unidentified state worker. You can tell from t...
Chimes at Midnight - Fri 10:45 a.m. - 2 clicks
Perhaps Baker's biggest "issue" of his campaign thus far is his claim that we need to cut state jobs -- 5,000 to be exact. Not only can Massachusetts do this, he says, but he actually has the gall to say this will make Mass government work better. Chutzpa, you got to give him that. His only appeal thus far has been to people who want to drown government in their bathwater. Well, it's easy to thro...
Ryan's Take - Fri 9:27 a.m. - 6 clicks
Thanks to Workforce Magazine for publishing an excellent piece on the great cover up on healthcare affordability under the "insurance"-centric (and troubled) Massachusetts program that the Obama administration has made the model for our "to be troubled in four years" national insurer mandate/bailout. They also again bring up a number of very important points that are rarely brought up here (an...
DailyKos (Massachusetts) - Fri 7:27 a.m. - 7 clicks
In today's Clinton Item , I came across a column asking whether the Apocalypse was near: Recent events may draw one’s attention to the two apocalyptic prophecies from the biblical Book of Revelation: the Fourth Horseman of the Apocalypse (apocalypse being the ultimate extermination of mankind) and the sixth prophetic seal of Revelation, which predicts a great earthquake. (Source: Revelation 6)...
No Drumlins - Fri 7:09 a.m. - 2 clicks
Big development in the Massachusetts guv race today, according to the Atlantic 's Marc Ambinder: Tim Cahill is hiring big names from the John McCain team, John Weaver, Mark Salter, and Michael Dennehy. I'll have more to say later, since right now I don't know exactly what role they'll be playing in the campaign. But it's certainly got my interest. ...
Talking Politics - Fri 5:49 a.m. - 10 clicks
Early riser that I am, my eyes sometimes play tricks on me when I scan the online headlines looking for daily fodder. I thought that was the case when I spotted "Brown answers McCain's call for help" and saw our junior senator of one-month tenure was taking a campaign swing in Arizona. Nah, couldn't be. Our wet-behind-the-ears, still waiting for a formal office to work out of senator is sticki...
Massachusetts Liberal - Fri 2:44 a.m. - 4 clicks
Hey, I've explained to The Spousal Unit many many times that our kitchen has cabinets for a reason. Why is it only Cheerios? She puts all the other items away after using them, and does quite a lot of cleaning around the house in general. I think the box of Cheerios finds it way onto the counter every day just to mock me. So I had to take matters into my own, uh, Photoshop. ...
1 Smoot Short of a Bridge - Thu 5:20 p.m. - 2 clicks
Laramie on the Rock There is a rock on the WNEC campus that is used for a bulletin board of sorts, painted over and over again with some event or campus activity or timely message. It's currently advertising the Laramie Project. ...
Flash & Yearn - Mar 4 - 2 clicks
In the new, March edition of Boston Magazine, Paul Kix dissects the final few weeks of the disastrous Martha Coakley campaign that gift-wrapped the Massachusetts Senate seat for Republican Scott Brown. ...
DailyKos (Massachusetts) - Mar 4 - 9 clicks
Democrat Dave Freudenthal announced today that he will not run for a third term as governor of Wyoming; he is term-limited this year, but had been talking about passing a law that would let him run again. Guess he changed his mind. This comes days after embattled New York Governor David Paterson announced that he will not run for re-election, should he somehow survive that long. That ma...
Talking Politics - Mar 4 - 4 clicks
It's long been clear that Republicans don't like Democrats. What has become blatantly obvious is that the don't like democracy, the kind with the small D. Barack Obama got to the heart of that issues by demanding a "straight up or down vote" on health care reform. “I believe the United States Congress owes the American people a final vote on health care reform,” Mr. Obama said during a 20-m...
Massachusetts Liberal - Mar 4 - 4 clicks
Like a phoenix rising from the ashes (or a vampire rising from the crypt) the issue progressives love to hate is about to return. In the midst of a deep recession that has defied all efforts at bringing new dollars to state coffers, gambling is moving back to the front burner. And this time the debate won't be about whether we should expand it but only about where and how. House Speaker Robert D...
Massachusetts Liberal - Mar 4 - 6 clicks
Whether you agree with me, in that slot machines would be very bad policy for Massachusetts, or not, I'm sure everyone can agree that it's generally a good idea to do a comprehensive, nonpartisan study, that doesn't come from the industry or those who have been paid by them, on any potential major change to the state before we go ahead and do it. That's why I'm here to ask you to sign onto a peti...
Ryan's Take - Mar 3 - 6 clicks
In this week's issue of the Boston Phoenix -- in print tomorrow, online now -- I write about the newly-formed Cultural Caucus in the Massachusetts state legislature, and its unexpected first big issue: gaming. The group of about a dozen legislators (so far) is co-chaired by senator Sonia Chang-Diaz and representative Smitty Pignatelli. They plan to advocate for arts-related funding, projec...
Talking Politics - Mar 3 - 12 clicks
Brian McGrory still can't figure out if Charlie "Ziplips" Baker is a Moderate Republican or not . Read it, never has an apostle so closely examined his savior... Of course to me, the basic question is, how does Charlie Baker get all these bona fides as a wizard manager and an Economic Man on Horseback having nigh bankrupted the transportation system in this state and stood mute as t...
Chimes at Midnight - Mar 3 - 2 clicks
There must have been some changes in math since I went to school because I'm getting confused. How does subtraction equal addition? Here we are with the state running a budget gap north of $2 billion for the upcoming fiscal year and all I see are proposals to cut taxes: foreign firms ; homegrown firms ; Hollywood firms protecting previous cuts. OK, there's the $5 break on Registry counter...
Massachusetts Liberal - Mar 3 - 3 clicks
Public Hearing that the Citizens were Heard and Made a Major Difference 1. The Dog hearing where The Mark of mrmillcity.com made his public debut 2. City Stat 3. Establishment of Cultural Affairs and Special Events Dept. Major Winners Tonight 1. City of Lowell 2. Bernie Lynch 3. Technology Not on the Winning Side Tonight 1. Those who spoke ......
Left In Lowell - Mar 2 - 9 clicks
Really ? Embezzling grows from addiction to casinos Ex-union treasurer latest to be convicted by Dan Herbeck NEWS STAFF REPORTER Thomas M. Pokrywczynski's downfall was his addiction to gambling at local casinos. The former union treasurer admitted this week to stealing $71,000 from Transit Workers Local 1342. He stole an additional $183,000 from a statewide lobbying group representing the r...
Ryan's Take - Mar 2
Well, a little more than nigh. I'm done here. Most of you have probably already figured that out, due to my relatively long absence from blogging here. Or you might have seen this . Essentially, I put this blog on indefinite hiatus in mid-December, figuring I'd at least leave myself the option to come back if something really interesting and/or motivating happened. Nothing did. So I'm goi...
Progressive Fitchburg - Mar 2
'Tis the season for congressional vote ratings based on 2009. The latest is from the National Taxpayers Union, which as you might guess hates taxes. Every member of the Massachusetts delegation scored a solid 'F', which requires a score of 16% or lower; John Tierney came closest to passing with 5%. Turns out, the median score for Democrats was 4% in the House, and 6% in the S...
Talking Politics - Mar 2 - 6 clicks
I was working on my last line as I walked the dog this morning. "Laramie sparkles, doesn't it?" Since we're cutting the last moment, our performance of the play will end on my line. I think I have just about all of Doc O'Connor lines memorized. I'll read the Dennis Shepard statement from a piece of paper. So that leaves Murdoch Cooper. That part is only a couple of lines. We are rehearsing every ...
Flash & Yearn - Mar 2
The Fence This is the fence that a student built for our production of the Laramie Project at WNEC. ...
Flash & Yearn - Mar 2
Oh thank goodness, this is a good start to catching up with the rest of the first world, who are all taking serious steps to ban Bisphenol A. Some other states are doing the same. My problem is, it’s all well and great to ban it in baby bottles, and certainly ......
Left In Lowell - Mar 2
With a visible sigh of relief, the Boston Globe has once again taken the bait from the Former Viceroy and proclaimed him a nice safe milk & water family friendly GOP moderate . I can just see Scott Lehigh moping his brow and blubbering "Oh Thank God!" Of course, what is unintentionally funny is Mitt's newly minted status as a "Policy Wonk", just like the current President Romney likes ...
Chimes at Midnight - Mar 2 - 2 clicks
It's been rumored off and on, here and there, but now it's for real: South Boston state rep Brian Wallace will not run for re-election. Walsh is the fourth Boston rep not running for re-election, along with Marie St. Fleur, Willie Mae Allen, and Michael Rush -- who is running for the open seat of state senator Marian Walsh, who is not running for re-election. You can add to that turnove...
Talking Politics - Mar 2 - 5 clicks
Whenever a politician on Beacon Hill says that they didn't know about a fee hike like the Registry of Motor Vehicles' five-dollar charge to do business in person, the siren on my BS detector wails like a fleet of engines headed to a five-alarm blaze. The fact is, the state legislature is so powerful that a selectman in Montague needs to have a home-rule petition passed in order to sneeze at ...
No Drumlins - Mar 2 - 3 clicks
OK, pop quiz time: who likes going to the Registry of Motor Vehicles? The harsh lights, the long lines, the cheerful friendly help. You can put you hand down now Registrar Kaprelian. Now, what if you could save $5 by doing your business with the Registry by mail or online. Any takers? And oh yeah, at the same time you would be doing an ever small part to close a potential $5 billion budget ga...
Massachusetts Liberal - Mar 2 - 9 clicks
What the hell are those lines in the road on Longwood Ave headed west from the Riverway toward Trader Joe's? [Artist's rendering. Thanks, art.com .] ...
1 Smoot Short of a Bridge - Mar 1 - 3 clicks
Presidential Mad Libs, Education Edition. Fill in the blanks: Speaking today on education, Barack Obama said that in order to deal with the problem of (1)______ in the public education system, it is necessary to make it easier to (2) ____ . This is an approach that is (3) ____ conservative approaches. The answer to #3 is "similar to", "indistinguishable from", or another synonym. The answer ...
Quriltai on the Shore - Mar 1 - 3 clicks
Scary - and telling - numbers . The amount spent by firms, unions and interest groups hoping to influence the gambling debate has grown from just more than $800,000 in 2006 to more than $2 million in 2009, according to an Associated Press review of records filed with the secretary of state's office. The vast majority of the lobbying dollars are being spent by groups hoping to get a piece of...
Ryan's Take - Mar 1 - 3 clicks
Friday, the Boston Herald screamed the headline " Poll says race is between Cahill & Baker ." It's safe to say that a Herald reader that didn't get into the article would believe that Governor Deval Patrick was getting trounced, or at least was losing. Funny, that's not what the poll said: Gov. Deval Patrick’s standing with voters is so weak that this year’s race for governor is shaping up as...
No Drumlins - Mar 1 - 3 clicks
I’ve been doing these rankings every two months since right after the last Presidential election ( here's the last one ), and every two months I get a bunch of messages about how Ron Paul is obviously going to win the GOP nomination, and how I’m obviously an idiot or part of the vast anti-Paul conspiracy. I expect those messages to increase in number and self-assurance now, thanks...
Talking Politics - Mar 1 - 3 clicks
My brother, Jonathan Bernstein, is a polisci academic, whose blog you should read if you want to actually understand how things work in national politics. And this week, he has been plucked from obscurity to help fill in as a guest-blogger for Andrew Sullivan at the Atlantic web site. Check him out. ...
Talking Politics - Mar 1 - 2 clicks
then certainly another is the inherent disposability of GOP Officeholders. Consider this, Governors Weld & Cellucci resigned before the end of their terms, Jane "Jingle Money" Swift shoved aside by Mitt Romney who then declined to run for a second term as a means to demonstrage his Massachusetts-phobia to Presidential constituencies. On the congressional side we've had Peter Blute and Peter To...
Chimes at Midnight - Mar 1 - 6 clicks
A bill is making it's way to the floor of the United States Senate after considerable debate. The majority party knows it won't be able to secure the 60 votes necessary to win passage opts to use the Senate rule that allows a 50 percent-plus one vote to secure passage. “Is there something wrong with ‘majority rules’?” Senator Judd Gregg, Republican of New Hampshire, once said of the reconcilia...
Massachusetts Liberal - Mar 1 - 6 clicks
apropos of Black History Month: "It's not bragging if you can back it up." Muhammad Ali Doesn't seem like much, but it is an aphorism I often repeat to myself. ...
Chimes at Midnight - Feb 28 - 3 clicks
I've been giving some thought to how to address The Laramie Project with my students. I looked around and found this collection of archived stories from the New York Times about the Matthew Shepard murder. I also found this PBS Frontline website on "The Assault on Gay America." That website referred to this series of open letters from the ghost author of Jerry Falwell's autobiography to ...
Flash & Yearn - Feb 28
