Is anyone else having any trouble posting?

As discussed here, Markey’s recent ad does not “blame” Gomez for Newtown. It says that one of the proposed responses to the Newtown shooting and other massacres has been to limit high-capacity clips, “like the one” used in Newtown. And it shows Gomez, on television in his own words, saying he does not support such a proposal. That’s it.

Likewise, it has been shown that the bin Laden claim is absurd. It refers to Markey’s May 2 video criticizing Gomez for his 2012 swift-boating of President Obama. That video (which is kind of awkwardly done) showed Gomez for a moment in a split screen with bin Laden, but also showed him in a split screen with three separate images of President Obama and with a fellow guest on MSNBC. Gomez did not call Markey “despicable” for comparing him to the President or the fellow guest. It takes a Professional Whiner to turn that video into a “comparison” of Gomez and bin Laden. (Making this claim particularly rich is that the footage of bin Laden in Markey’s video actually was taken from…the video Gomez and his Tea Party friends made to criticize Obama.)

Seems Gomez is hoping that voters will recoil from “Dirty Ed Markey’s” dirty tactics without actually watching and evaluating the ads in question. But the Globe, which I’ve not hesitated to criticize, has called Gomez on his bullshit. A piece by Michael Levenson yesterday states, straight up:

Despite what the ad says, Markey has not blamed Gomez for the Newtown shooting. Markey has released an ad that highlights Gomez’s opposition to an assault weapons ban and to limits on high-capacity magazines, “like the ones used in the Newtown school shooting.”

Markey has also released an online video that shows an image of bin Laden next to an image of Gomez. The Gomez campaign has demanded that Markey take down the video, saying that the juxtaposition is a disgrace since Gomez is a former Navy Seal.

The Markey campaign has pushed back by pointing out that the bin Laden image comes from a video produced by the Special Operations OPSEC Education Fund, a group that accused President Obama of trying to exploit the killing of bin Laden for political gain. Gomez was a supporter of the group, appearing on MSNBC in August 2012 to defend OPSEC and speaking to Reuters about its activities.

(emphasis added)

It is heartening to see the press, for once, doing its job rather than engaging in false equivalence and “he said-he said” with no attempt to identify the truth. Kudos to Mr. Levenson. (Sadly, no such critical evaluation from the Springfield Republican, which at least was nice enough to update its post to include the Markey campaign’s response to this new ad.)

Calling Gomez on his bullshit might become a trend on Morrissey Blvd. Levenson and Josh Miller also have a story in the Globe entitled “Markey hits back against Gomez attacks,” concerning the line (first tried by Steve Lynch in the last debate before the primary) that Gomez and his new pal John McCain have been peddling: that Markey’s soft on homeland security because he voted against resolutions to “honor the 9/11 victims” in 2004 and 2006.

In Gomez’s own words (uh oh, now I’ll be “Dirty Fenway49″ for quoting him):

“One thing that I just can’t understand is how my opponent, Congressman Markey, has voted more than once against a very basic Congressional resolution, to simply honor the victims of 9/11. To me it’s just unconscionable to have voted against something like that.”

The Globe piece allows Markey to rebut this absurd claim effectively:

Markey has emphasized that he voted for several similar resolutions commemorating the tragedy, but argues that those two attempted to politicize it.

“I voted eight times to honor the 9/11 ­victims,” Markey said. “When Dick Cheney and his allies sought to exploit a resolution by linking 9/11 to the war in Iraq, I voted no. And I would do it again.”

For a great takedown of this bullshit (sorry to keep using the word but no other applies), see David S. Bernstein in his new Boston Magazine gig. Bernstein takes no position on the resolutions, but he notes they were symbolic and voted on in “offered in the fall of highly contentious election years.” More importantly, he invites his readers to read them (noting that Gomez is always saying “read the bill”). Anyone who does so will see, in short order, that they were written less to “honor the 9/11 victims” than to cheerlead for the Bush-Cheney foreign policy and the pile of anti-terrorism legislation passed by the GOP Congress after the 2001 attack.

For example, the 2004 resolution reads, in part:

Whereas three years after September 11, 2001, the UnitedStates is fighting a Global War on Terrorism to protect America and her friends and allies; Whereas since the United States was attacked, it has led an

international military coalition in the destruction of two terrorist regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq…

* * *

Whereas to date United States Armed Forces and Coalition forces have killed or captured 43 of the 55 most wanted criminals of the Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq, including Saddam Hussein himself; Whereas the al-Zarqawi terror network used Baghdad as a base of operations to coordinate the movement of people,

money, and supplies;

The 2006 resolution contains this language:

Whereas in the days subsequent to the brutal attacks on the Nation, the Government vowed never to be caught off guard again, to take the fight to the terrorists, and to take immediate measures to prepare and protect the Nation against a new type of faceless, inhuman, and amorphous enemy committed to the death and destruction of the American way of life;

Whereas Congress passed, and the President signed, numerous laws to assist victims, combat the forces of terrorism,protect the Homeland and support the members of the Armed Forces who defend American interests at home and abroad, including the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001and its 2006 reauthorization, the Homeland Security Act of 2002, the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act of 2002, the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002, and the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004;

Whereas the House of Representatives in the 109th Congress passed the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005, the SAFE Port Act of 2006, and the 21st Century Emergency Communications Act of 2006…

So, Gabe, you call that “a very basic Congressional resolution, to simply honor the victims of 9/11?” I’d have less respect for Ed Markey if he HAD voted in favor of this dreck.

Gabriel Gomez likes to claim he’s a new kind of Republican. But he seems like a standard-issue one to me: demagogue on terror and 9/11, get rich by outsourcing jobs to child labor in China, file sketchy tax returns, treat the “little people” like crap, and, now, play victim at every turn.

Dear Friends,

This letter represents both an ending and a beginning.

I wanted to tell you directly about my decision to accept a new opportunity that will allow me to continue striving for the economic and community development ideals I have worked for over the past 15 years in public service. This unique new opportunity, however, means I must end my service as Lieutenant Governor of this great state.

In January, I wrote to you about the decision I made with my wife not to run for public office in 2014.  I said at that time the next chapter of my life needed to be focused primarily on family.  My wife Tammy and I are blessed with two active and beautiful daughters, Helen and Kati, who recently turned 8 and 7 years old.  We wanted to take advantage of this moment in our lives, since childhood passes quickly, and this is an important time for our family.

When I made that decision, I expected to finish my term as Lieutenant Governor, working closely with Governor Patrick on the priorities we have established to help Massachusetts. Of course, I did begin to think about what the future would bring when my state service was over, however I was not pursuing any employment opportunities. Then, I was approached by the leadership of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce with an intriguing idea.

The chamber’s long-time capable President, Dick Kennedy, is retiring and the executive committee asked if I would be interested in leading the chamber, growing its mission and economic impact.  This was not a post I had sought, and at first I dismissed the idea because the timing was too immediate. Then, as I gave the matter more thought and discussed it in depth with Tammy, I became increasingly interested about the unique opportunity it presents.

So much of what we have accomplished across the Commonwealth in the past six-plus years has been through public-private partnerships. I have always said that government can’t, and shouldn’t do it all, but through strategic public investments, directed by enlightened public and private leadership, we can foster the economic growth, job creation and community development that Massachusetts deserves. In my new role as President and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, I will work for these same goals, on the private sector side of the equation.

The city of Worcester is the economic anchor of one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas of the country, not only Massachusetts. With nearly a million residents, 30,000 college students and a diversified economy, the greater Worcester region contributes enormously to the economic and cultural vitality of the Commonwealth and central New England. I look forward to helping the chamber, its membership, and the entire region build a brighter future.

This has been a very difficult, yet empowering decision. You and I have worked together in so many ways that have improved the quality of life in this Commonwealth. It has been an honor to serve as your Lieutenant Governor. At the same time, however, I know that change is the nature of life. And as I imagine how best to keep working on the issues that I am passionate about, while being close to home and more present in the lives of my wife and children, the chamber post is the perfect fit. So I intend to submit my resignation as Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, effective at the end of the day on June 2, and will begin my new role as President and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce on June 3.

As I begin to close this chapter in my career, I especially want to thank my staff, past and present, who have worked alongside me to accomplish so many substantive economic policy and development initiatives across Massachusetts. The Bay State is a special place. I have loved learning about its history, its traditions, and meeting so many great people in every corner of this state while working on their behalf.

Most importantly I want to thank Governor Patrick.  He has been a friend, mentor and partner. He has led the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through some of its most tumultuous moments in modern times. Whether it was dealing with the Great Recession, the many challenges thrown at us by Mother Nature or most recently the marathon bombing, the people of Massachusetts have a captain who is steady during the storm and is leading state through to better days.

Finally, to all my friends, I will be forever grateful for the support you have shown me over the years. I know that we will stay in touch and find ways to work together on important issues and initiatives for many years to come.

With my best regards,

Tim

In case your are too young to remember, there was a drinking game for Bob Newhart, for any of his shows, in which you would take a drink anytime anyone said “Hi Bob”. If you used actual alcohol during the game, you would usually be hammered by the end of the show.

Last night, in response to nearly every single question asked of him, Mr. Gomez’s would reply “I have made this perfectly clear”, then immediately follow this up by speaking out of both sides of his mouth on every single issue. If memory serves, he did this on:
a) Manchin-Toomey compromise.
b) Reproductive rights.
c) Ed Markey’s campaign ads.
d) The Stupak amendment.
e) The debate schedule.

There may have been more, I don’t remember. My point is that on every single point, it is the fault of the person to whom he is speaking that they do not already know his position on every particular issue for even asking the question in the first place, because “He has made this perfectly clear”. As such, I do not believe he even needs Mr. Markey present to have a debate since he is on both sides of every single issue the voters may care about.

My point being, if I had taken a drink every time Mr. Gomez said “I have made this perfectly clear”, I would have been too hammered to drive by the end of the program.

The blog brings together leading voices in child advocacy and public policy research to present a fuller picture of the ways we can help children reach their potential. For instance…We know they need good K-12 schools. And to really benefit from those schools they also need good early education & care. And if they lack quality health care, they may not be able to fully participate in school or community life. And if their communities are unsafe or their families face economic insecurity, stress and danger may keep them from play and learning. These things are all interconnected in the lives of children.

Contributors to the blog have expertise—and long experience—across these areas: in early education & care, mental and physical health, K-12 education, children with disabilities, child poverty, juvenile justice, and beyond. Each has written a first post (listed below) introducing themselves and sharing some of the policy ideas they are currently pursuing. Future posts will address urgent policy challenges, new research, major events, and other things vital to children’s lives. We invite you to read the posts, join the discussion, and visit again (and again) as new posts appear in the coming days. If you prefer, you can also receive information about new posts via RSS, Twitter, or Facebook.

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez made headlines Monday for attacking his opponent, Democratic U.S Rep. Edward Markey, on national security.

But he also dropped a line he’s offered up several times of late: Markey, he said, hasn’t sponsored a single bill in the last 20 years that became law.

It’s a sweeping claim, designed to undermine the central rationale for Markey’s candidacy: that with experience, the Democrat has developed into an effective legislator.

. . .

Independent observers say the argument doesn’t hold up.

“It’s, at best, a shaky attack,” says Norman J. Ornstein, a resident scholar at the Washington-based American Enterprise Institute and one of the country’s most respected Congressional observers. “I’ve watched Markey since he came to the House and I’ve written many times before that he’s one of the most effective legislators” in Congress.

Mr. Ornstein clearly needs a dose of unique perspective.

I am interested in a pledge from any candidate, before I support them, that if elected, they will serve out their full term.

Photo taken by me when Marc and I marched with a Patrick/Murray contingent in 2010.  As many know, Marc died in September of 2012.  At least he did not have to see so many of those he supported walk away from elected office to have a greater income.

Lieutenant Governor Timothy P. Murray has accepted a private-sector post with a Worcester business group and is expected to resign from the administration next month, according to a senior administration official.

The move, contingent on a board vote later this morning, would make the former Worcester mayor president and CEO of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce.

Tim has been an outstanding Lieutenant Governor and public servant. I expect that this will give him some much needed time to spend with his young family.

OR

Would the Keystone Board decide it would be cheaper to clean up and repair rather than build it strong enough to withstand a catastrophic failure?

Note: Before claiming that the pipeline is not in Tornado Country, keep in mind that we have had tornadoes in New England in the not too distant past.

Dear

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to let you know about a friend and business contact who is making an exciting decision to run for State Treasurer. Barry Finegold is the State Senator from Andover. He’s represented the area for almost two decades as a town Selectman, State Representative and now Senator. Barry is also one of the founding partners of the successful Andover law firm, Dalton & Finegold.

One of the things I like about Barry is that nothing has ever been handed to him. He lived in government housing as a kid, and put himself through law school at night while working full time. Then he worked non-stop to build his law practice. He’s taken on tough election battles to get where he is and doesn’t take his job in the legislature for granted. That’s why I think Barry would be a great State Treasurer in 2014.

He’s part of a new generation of leaders that’s taking the tough votes to make the Commonwealth more effective and efficient. After all, the State Treasurer is essentially the CFO of Massachusetts—the position requires someone with both business and political savvy. Barry Finegold is that person. He’s said there is a distinct difference between being a legislator and a business owner—legislators make decisions and manage taxpayers money, while business people manage their own money.  When something goes wrong, it hurts their own pockets. Barry would treat every tax dollar as if it were his own. I think that understanding makes him uniquely qualified to be the next State Treasurer.

In the legislature, Barry worked in a bipartisan manner, and voted for what was best for his district, not what was politically popular. He hasn’t been afraid to take on the establishment and I’m sure he will continue to work in that fashion as Treasurer.

Barry is a hard working guy with big ideas that will make Massachusetts a better place to do business and raise a family. But we need your help to get him into a position where that is possible. The average State Treasurer’s race costs about $2 million from start to finish and the max an individual can donate to a state candidate is $500 per calendar year. Couples may donate $1000 per year. I’ve pledged to raise $X for Barry’s campaign before June 30 and I hope you would consider donating $500 (or another amount) to help me fill that pledge.

For your information, Barry’s campaign accepts secure online contributions at barryfinegold.com. In addition, personal or PAC checks may be mailed to The Committee to Elect Barry Finegold, 34 Essex Street, Andover, MA 01810. Couples may send one check if both names are listed on the checking account. If you would like to reach out to the campaign directly, please contact Autumn Gould at autumn@barryfinegold.com or at 339-832-2174.

I’ve attached more information about Barry for your perusal. I know Barry will make an outstanding State Treasurer in 2014 but to stay competitive in a wide open field, he needs to hit his fundraising goals prior to the June 30 deadline.

Thank you very much for considering this opportunity to help a quality candidate. Please let me know if you can contribute.

 

 

 

Barry Finegold is the State Senator from Andover who has years of public and private sector experience. He’s a father, husband, coach, business owner and public servant, but what makes him different from the rest?What does Finegold stand for?

Family man. Barry and his wife Amy have three children, Ava, Ella and Max. Barry is the coach of his daughter’s soccer team and cheers on his kids at each singing recital. Barry understands what it takes to be a parent, to keep kids safe, and to ensure they are getting a quality education.

Invested in public service for 20 years. Barry’s been a standout member of the House of Representatives and the State Senate. As the House chairman of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utility and Energy, Finegold authored landmark legislation to protect homeowners by increasing the accountability of public utilities in response to a severe ice storms that knocked out power for two weeks. He took on the House speaker on expanded gaming and continues to be an independent voice in the State Senate, where he’s fighting for increased access to charter schools for low-performing school districts.

Norm-breaker. Barry has never been one to tow the line. During senate debate on pension reform, Barry proposed to raise the retirement age of select state employees each year to help deal with the state’s unfunded pension liability, even though that move was not politically popular. He challenges the status quo when the change will bring about greater efficiency for taxpayers.

Education is his top priority. Finegold knows that the learning environment of our students is as important as the lessons they are being taught. Barry believes the Massachusetts School Building Authority, which falls under the office of the Treasurer, can be made more efficient by offering towns pre-designed options for their buildings, rather than wasting money on “reinventing the wheel” each time a school is built. This will save tax dollars and allow for more schools to benefit from the MSBA programs and financing.

Government reform. Barry has been a consistent voice against the establishment and for making the Commonwealth more efficient and accessible. Barry was a key player in recent state ethics reform that provides increased responsibility and transparency across state government. He also helped fight for a comprehensive Rules package to improve government, limit the power of entrenched interests and make government more responsive to taxpayers.

Opportunity for jobs. Barry’s always been a voice for small businesses in the legislature; in the Senate, he lead a bipartisan effort to freeze the unemployment insurance rate, saving small businesses over $200 per employee. As Treasurer, Barry wants to leverage a portion of the state pension fund to invest in venture capital companies in Massachusetts to grow jobs locally and keep talented young people graduating from our outstanding universities in the Commonwealth. The difference between a legislator and business owner is that legislators make decisions with tax payer money; business people make decisions about their own money—when a deal goes bad, it affects their own pocket. As a businessman, Finegold understands both worlds and that makes him uniquely qualified to be the next State Treasurer.

Listen… because politicians have the reputation for talking too much and not listening to the people they represent. And in that same vein, I am going to end this soon.

Dream. Barry believes the people of the Commonwealth can achieve something bigger than the American Dream—the Massachusetts Dream. Here is Massachusetts, we set the bar a little higher for our way of life. Affordable health care, banning smoking in restaurants, legalizing same-sex marriage and cultivating superb higher education options—all these ideals started in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts dream is growing jobs and the economy. Its children growing up safely and well educated. Its seniors growing old with respect and security. And its growing greater opportunity for every generation. Barry’s achieved the Massachusetts Dream but he wants to make sure his children and your children have the chance to do the same.

Imagine being a single parent of young children, facing serious illness, loss of employment due to that illness, the consequent loss of health insurance, and an eviction, all within a few months. Daniele Bien-Aime faced all of these issues in 2011. Missing work for breast cancer treatment cost her job. That meant not only losing her income, but also the health insurance that was essential to continue chemotherapy. With no income, she couldn’t pay her rent and her landlord attempted to evict her.

Luckily, Daniele obtained legal help from a legal aid organization called South Coastal Counties Legal Services (SCCLS). Her legal aid lawyer convinced her employer to rehire her and offer time off to finish chemotherapy. The attorney also successfully negotiated a settlement with Daniele’s landlord, who dropped the eviction lawsuit. Daniele and her daughters remain in their home; she has finished her chemotherapy; and is now cancer-free and back at work.

The Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation (MLAC) provides funding to SCCLS and other legal aid offices like it across the state.  Over the past several years, funding for civil legal aid has been severely reduced, even as requests for legal assistance have escalated to unprecedented levels due to the continuing economic crisis.  As a result, legal aid offices are forced to turn away at least half of the eligible people seeking their assistance .

The Senate Ways & Means FY14 budget proposal that was released last week provides only $12 million in funding for MLAC (line item #0321-1600).  This level of funding is simply not enough and will force these programs to turn away even more eligible people in desperate need of legal assistance while facing complex legal problems such as homelessness, domestic violence, elder abuse, child custody, consumer fraud and denial of government benefits.

Senators Katherine Clark and Cynthia Creem have filed an amendment to the senate budget (#93) which would provide $15.5 million in funding for MLAC.  The Senate begins debating its budget on Wednesday!  Please call or email your state senator TODAY and urge him/her to fully support Amendment #93, and to convey that support to Senate President Therese Murray and Senate Ways & Means Chairman Stephen Brewer.  Or just contact Senate President Murray and Chairman Brewer directly at Therese.Murray@masenate.gov and Stephen.Brewer@masenate.org.

Thank you for supporting civil legal aid!

Deb Silva, Director

Equal Justice Coalition

The state improperly reimbursed the May Institute, a corporate provider to the Department of Developmental Services, for hundreds of thousands of dollars paid to company executives in excess of a regulatory cap on their salaries, according to the state auditor. 

The auditor’s findings confirm concerns we raised in April and May 2011 that the state may have paid Walter Christian, the CEO, and other executives of the May Institute more than the state’s approximately $143,000 regulatory limit on individual executive salaries. 

The auditor also found that Christian was improperly paid roughly $140,000 for a home health aide for his wife, day care fees for a grandson, the use of a minivan in Georgia, and a separate vehicle that he used when visiting Massachusetts.  Christian, who retired in January, had been living in Georgia for a decade while running the Massachusetts-based company, according to the audit report. 

Our blog posts in 2011 specifically noted that the May Institute appeared to be under-reporting Christian’s and other executive salaries as well as the number of people receiving those salaries, on Uniform Financial Reports (UFRs) submitted to the state Operational Services Division.  

The two posts also noted that the same under-reporting of salaries appeared to be the case with Vinfen and Seven Hills, two other DDS providers.  The state auditor focused solely on the May Institute, however. 

The state auditor’s report noted that a state regulation capped state reimbursements to providers for salaries and other compensation paid to their executives at $143,986 in FY 2010 and $149,025 in FY 2011.  Providers can pay their executives more than those amounts in salaries and other compensation, but the state is permitted to reimburse the providers only up to the threshold amount in a given year.  The state attempts to keep track of those payments via the UFR’s, which the providers are required to submit to the Operational Services Division on a yearly basis. 

We noted in our April 2011 post that the May Institute’s UFR listed only Christian and one other executive as making over the state salary threshold in 2009.  Yet, a federal tax form, which was filed by the May Institute with the IRS for the same fiscal year, listed 13 individuals in the company as making over $150,000 each. 

An OSD official maintained at the time that the state agency allows the state to pay costs in excess of the salary limit for clinicians working for providers.  However, COFAR’s May 2011 post noted that all 13 May Institute employees who made over $150,000 were not listed on the IRS form as clinicians, but as executive-level employees, starting at senior vice presidents on up to the president and CEO.  

In its report, the state auditor also found that several May Institute employees who were paid over the threshold amounts were managers and not clinicians. 

We think this report by the state auditor lends strong support to our call for a comprehensive, independent study of outsourcing of care by DDS.  The auditor’s findings also support the need for more funding for state-operated group homes for the developmentally disabled as an alternative to provider-operated residences.

But as I noted in a previous post, House leaders last month rejected budget amendments that would have both authorized a study of the DDS system and restored cuts made by the House Ways & Means Committee in the governor’s budget for state-operated residences.  There is one more chance for these amendments coming up in the Senate, of course. 

We applaud the state auditor for examining the May Institute’s payments to its executives.  We hope, though, that Auditor Suzanne Bump expands her review to include additional providers in the wake of our concern that this is a potentially wider problem than just one company.

What else is he lying about in his biography? Was he ever really a Navy SEAL/pilot? Let’s see the proof before we believe it.

Ray Manzarek, keyboardist for the Doors, died today at 74. As as aspiring rock-and-roll musician of 17 in the late sixties, Ray Manzarek was an icon and an idol. Though I realized as I matured that he was at best mediocre, that made no difference in 1967 when I wore out my copies of the first two Doors albums learning every note of every solo.

RIP, Ray Manzarak. An age has passed.

Then he proceeds to glow over Sen. John McCain’s presence at his big-ticket fundraiser this morning.  Sen. McCain was first elected to congress in 1982.  That’s 31 years ago, only a few years after Markey was first elected.

Stones, glass houses, etc.

The Senate Budget Debate really starts tomorrow in separate Democratic and Republican caucuses, (or caucii?). Formal “debate” begins on Wed at 10:00 am. You can find the whole Senate Ways and Means recommendations for FY 14 here and with this site can actually monitor the debate. You can watch the live sessions here 

From Lew: 

Do you get tired of emails you get from our organization and myself about the year in year out call to do something about state budget cuts?

 

……YouthWorks, School to Career, Shannon, DPH Youth Violence Prevention Program and YARG, Safe and Successful Youth Initiative, let alone MAP, Youth Build…..

 

It can get tiring to have to fight these battles every year.

When a program, to use just one example,  like the state youth jobs program that was funded at $9 million only gets $2 million in this year’s House Ways and Means budget despite the need and despite all the meetings so many have attended with legislators, it can get discouraging.

We did get the full House to increase it up to $5 million….Senate Ways and Means recommended to $8 million….but now in this week’s Senate budget debate, we need $1 million more to just get back to level funding and then make sure this is the final level passed in the June House-Senate Conference Committee.

 

I wonder what goes on in the minds of the powerful legislators who decide these things….Do they think these programs are unimportant?  Are the proposed cuts used as bargaining chips to get the other branch to have to back what’s more important to them on some other budget program?  Are they mad at our or your organization or some person because they push for this?

 

I’m a little tired too, but I do believe that if we don’t do anything, that cuts would continue, so we do have to fight each year. Despite the terrible budget cuts, we have built back some restorations in part of the cuts to Shannon and DPH YVP and have added $1 M to what was in the past spent on YouthWorks. And on other terrain, we have a chance to increase the state minimum wage lawto help 580,000 low wage earners…

 

What you can do this week on the Senate Budget decision….

**You have between now and Wednesday mid-day, to ask your State Senator to co-sponsor these budget amendments and fight for them,

[see amendments below, the amendment number, and co-sponsors as of Friday afternoon....]

–Youth Jobs: YouthWorks   Amendment #703 of Senator Chang-Diaz and Amendment # 41 of Senator Wolf

–Youth Jobs: School to Career Connecting Activities   Amendment # 347 of Senator Brownsberger

—Shannon Anti-Gang Violence Grant Program    Amendment #436 of Senator Donoghue

–Safe and Successful Youth Initiative SSYI  Amendment # 695  of Senator Chang-Diaz

–DPH Youth Violence Prevention Program   Amendment # 700  of Senator Chang-Diaz

See also on amendments on Pathways from Poverty, Youth Build….further below

 

 Amendment 703 [YouthWorks] Youth At-Risk Job Programs    Senator Chang-Diaz

Ms. Chang-Diaz and Messrs. Donnelly, DiDomenico, Moore, Rush, McGee, Wolf and Knapik moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 7002-0012, by striking out the figure “8,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the figure:- “11,000,000”

 Amendment 41  Youthworks    Senator Wolf

Mr. Wolf and Ms. Chang-Diaz and Messrs. DiDomenico and Rodrigues moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 7002-0012, by striking out the figure “8,000,000″ and inserting in place thereof the figure: “11,000,000.”

Amendment 347  School-to-Career    Senator Brownsberger

Messrs. Brownsberger, Donnelly, DiDomenico, Rodrigues and Moore and Ms. Chang-Diaz moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 7027-0019, by striking out the figure “$2,870,000″ and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “4,100,000″

EPS 436

Amendment 436  Shannon Grants     Senator Donghue

Ms. Donoghue and Mr. Finegold and Ms. Clark and Mr. Rodrigues moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 8100-0111, by striking out the figure “$6,250,000″ and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “7,750,000″.

Amendment 695 Safe and Successful Youth Initiative    Senator Chang-Diaz

Ms. Chang-Diaz and Messrs. Donnelly, Rodrigues, Finegold, Moore and DiDomenico and Ms. Candaras and Messrs. Knapik, Welch and Kennedy moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 4000-0005, by striking the figure “4,000,000” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “10,000,000”

EHS 700

Amendment 700  Violence Prevention Grants   Senator Chang-Diaz

Ms. Chang-Diaz and Ms. Clark and Mr. Knapik moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 4590-1506, by striking out the figure “$1,501,220” and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “2,000,000”

Amendment 293  Pathways to Family Economic Self-Sufficiency  Senator Donoghue

Ms. Donoghue and Messrs. Donnelly and Knapik and Ms. Clark and Mr. Eldridge and Ms. Jehlen and Mr. Finegold and Ms. Chang-Diaz moved that the bill be amended by inserting after section __, the following new section:-

“Section __. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the comptroller shall transfer $2,000,000 from the General Fund to the Commonwealth Corporation, under contract with the Department of Transitional Assistance, for the administration of a three-year pilot program called Pathways to Family Economic Self-Sufficiency. 

(b) Said pilot shall equip low-income families for long-term economic stability by providing enhanced preparation for, increased access to, and support for success in education and training programs leading to employment in high-demand occupations. 

(c) Eligible individuals include adults and teens with responsibility for the care of one or more dependent children who: (i) are receiving or have within the past two years received Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children, or, (ii) who are receiving or have within the past two years received Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, or, (iii) are receiving or have within the past two years received Mass Health benefits on behalf of her or himself or one or more dependent children, and, (iv) who are determined suitable for participation in the Pilot based on an assessment of education, work experience, interest in participation and other factors; 

(d) At least 40 percent of the Pathways participants shall be recipients of Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children at the time their participation begins. 

(e) The pilot shall be administered by the Commonwealth Corporation under contract with the Department of Transitional Assistance; the Commonwealth Corporation will administer a request for proposal to select the pilot sites. Qualified respondents must demonstrate their capacity for and experience in supporting the efforts of low-income families to prepare for, obtain, and maintain employment. Commonwealth Corporation shall engage an independent evaluator for the purposes of documenting implementation to support replication and evaluating outcomes of the Pilot.

 

Amendment 374  YouthBuild   Senator Donoghue

Ms. Donoghue and Messrs. Rodrigues, Moore, Donnelly, Welch, Brownsberger and Kennedy and Ms. Candaras and Messrs. Montigny, DiDomenico and Knapik moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 7061-9626, by striking out the figure “$1,500,000″ and inserting in place thereof the following figure:- “2,770,000″.

Amendment 710 on 4590-1507  DPH Youth at Risk     Senator Jehlen

Teen Empowerment [earmark]

Ms. Jehlen moved that the bill be amended, in Section 2, in item 4590-1507, by striking out the words “that each organization previously included in the youth-at-risk grants shall receive in fiscal year 2014 a grant in an amount not less than that received in fiscal year 2013” and inserting in place thereof the following words:-

“that the department of public health shall award not less than $100,000 to the Center for Teen Empowerment, Inc.”;

and in said item by striking out the figure “$2,950,000” and inserting in place thereof the figure:-

“$3,050,000”.

This is Gomez defending his most recent position opposing the ban on assault weapons and limiting high-capacity ammunition magazines:

Gomez said he does not personally own guns but that he has a “unique perspective” on weapons, having fired many of them during his time as a Navy SEAL.

Gomez’s thoughts on the weapons ban in his letter to Deval Patrick just a few months ago requesting the interim appointment to the Senate:

Two main issues that will dominate the political discussion during this appointment will be Immigration Reform and Gun Control. Given my Latino and Navy SEAL background, I have credibility to contribute thoughtfully on these issues. I support the positions that President Obama has taken on these issues and you can be assured I will keep my word and work on these issues as I have promised.

Got it? Gomez has a “unique perspective” on weapons and opposes banning assault weapons, but he also has the credibility to contribute thoughtfully on the issue and supports Obama’s position to ban assault weapons.

Has Gomez addressed any question without talking out the side of his mouth?

I have some advice to Gomez, this is how you should address any question asked of you; Don’t know, don’t care. I just want to be appointed or elected to the Senate.

What I don’t understand, and what I didn’t understand in 2010, is why the Dems don’t make the GOP own every last rotten drop of their hostility to the uninsured, the sick, the less fortunate. The GOP voted against those who came up against “rescission”; those who went over their “lifetime limits” of coverage; those who had “pre-existing conditions”; those who couldn’t afford to see a doctor, and those who couldn’t buy insurance under any circumstances.

First of all … I know Obama has come to like the term “Obamacare”. Well, I don’t. People who think they don’t like Obama will not like the PPACA, even if they like what’s in it. It’s called the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act for a reason: That’s us it’s talking about; that’s us it affects — not him.

At last year’s convention, the Dems did a quite decent job of playing to the obvious strengths of the Affordable Care Act: They showed off families who would have otherwise been in dire straits, who had already benefitted from its provisions. I mean, the Republicans have voted against these people 37 times.

Shall there be no political price for that? Do you think you could make a pretty damn tough, accurate, and richly deserved political attack ad with these families? Isn’t it political malpractice – practically immoral — not to do so?

It was thought by many Democrats that once the benefits of the Affordable Care Act – regulatory and monetary – started to flow and become palpable to many Americans, that it would become self-evident to many Americans who was looking out for them. That may well be the case in the places where the Affordable Care Act is not being actively sabotaged: Oregon and Washington, for instance, have implemented their health care marketplaces and are seeing real competition with big benefits to consumers.

And as for the purportedly “up for grabs” voting demographic of the moment, it turns out that most Latino voters are quite protective of the PPACA.

“This is going to hurt Republicans,” said Matt Barreto, cofounder of Latino Decisions, a nonpartisan national polling firm. “When Republicans keep saying they will repeal the health law, Latinos hear the party is going to take away their healthcare.”

HELLO. There is nothing essential about Latino descent that makes one value health care. If the pro-PPACA message is working with this demographic, then why not beyond?

But – there will be the states that have refused to expand Medicaid. There are the states trying to kneecap the exchanges — self-sabotage in the end, but still. And indeed, there will be real challenges of implementation, even with good faith involvement from policy makers. All these will be used by the saboteurs themselves — and the ignorant enablers in the press — that it’s failing somehow.

But the reasons for the PPACA’s existence aren’t going away. And if not, then the GOP has a lot to answer for.

Since the GOP has positioned itself against Patient Protection and Affordable Care, why should we not agree in the strongest possible terms? I anticipated in 2010 that we’d make the opponents pay a price. How can we not do so in 2014?

CF proposes a national movement to ensure that no citizen be protected by a single union stifled Police Officer or Firefighter again. For too long the patrolman and firefighters unions have stifled innovation in our neediest municipalities. We need reform. We need to put citizens first, and not put the needs of adults before public safety.

Studies show that the US is not safe, and we rank near the bottom of international rankings as defined by the Public Safety Metric (PSM). Bold action needs to be taken.

CF, in conjunction with our affiliates at AEI, propose a trailblazing new vision of Public Safety Reform. Our lobbying networks have dubbed our reform efforts No Citizen Left Behind. Below is a synopsis of how our federal legislation will work to ensure national safety proficiency for all by 2025.

Firstly, we will track all police stations and fire stations in every municipality in the United States. We will collect public safety data and then grade all states, cities, towns, and municipal districts accordingly using our public safety metric (PSM) devised by public safety scientific experts. Underperforming police and fire stations will now be held accountable. As part of a “turnaround” plan these stations will receive a “fresh start”. All police officers and fire fighters will reapply for their positions. Department Chiefs at these stations will hire no more than 50% of the former staff. Certainly, accountability will shake up the status quo.

Through this “incubator of innovation”, new charter stations will rise from the ashes. These charter stations will create a board of directors, most notably bankers and politicians who have no experience in police work or fire. These stakeholders will create charters that will operate outside the jurisdiction of traditional stations. Police facilitators and Fire Stoppers will be non-union employees at will. Licenses, experience, pensions, and pertinent training will no longer be a barrier for stakeholders to create a culture of innovative transformation. The charter board of directors will ensure that the safety improvement plan is carried out. In this way real accountability will be realized on a national level.

In order that this bold, innovative, and trailblazing venture be realized a few earmarks must be incorporated into NCLB. Most notably a corporate enterprise tax credit must be adopted in order to stimulate reform “buy in”. Listen up hedge funders! After NCLB passes an enterprising tax loophole, which will benefit ALL citizens, will be enacted. Through venture philanthropy bankers can now raise money for their innovative charter stations. These monies can now be used as tax deductible donations for your “for profit” companies. Other benefits include real estate, building contracts, and inside knowledge of public safety buying trends. We encourage all police and fire related corporate enterprises to hop on board this gravy train. If you don’t, one of our subsidiaries certainly will and you may be on the short end of our free market! Remember, SAFETY FIRST!

PS: If this post doesn’t make any sense to you, research how education reform has “worked” since 2000. Hopefully, readers can make a connection.

Daniel Kurtzman:

“Since President Obama took office, the Democratic Party has lost nine governorships, 56 members of Congress, and two Senate seats. In his defense, Obama said, ‘Well, I did promise change.’” –Conan O’Brien

“Well, congratulations, President Barack Obama, Conspiracy theorists who generally can survive in anaerobic environments have just had an algae bloom dropped on their fucking heads, thus removing the last arrow in your pro-governance quiver: skepticism about your opponents.” –Jon Stewart on the IRS scandal

“President Obama said in his last press conference that he wants to close Gitmo. Gitmo? How about closing Dodger Stadium? How many people are being tortured there night after night?” –Jay Leno

“NASA is taking applications for people who want to live on Mars. Now here are the requirements: You have to be between the ages of 18 and 40 and insane.” –David letterman

“Hooter’s is letting mothers eat for free on Mother’s Day. What better way to tell your mother that she raised a cheapskate and a perv?” –Conan O’Brien

Borowitz:

G.O.P. SPLIT OVER WHETHER TO WASTE TIME INVESTIGATING BENGHAZI OR REPEALING OBAMACARE

WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—A deep divide has emerged within the Republican Party over whether to waste Congress’s time investigating Benghazi talking points or repealing Obamacare, G.O.P. lawmakers confirmed today.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Virginia), sounded the first discordant note at a press briefing this morning, telling reporters, “The time for wasting day after day investigating Benghazi is over. The American people are counting us to waste our time repealing Obamacare yet again.”

Onion:

Sasha Obama Suspicious After Doing A Little Digging Around On Benghazi

WASHINGTON—Saying that none of the facts quite add up, first daughter Sasha Obama, 11, reported being “highly suspicious” today after poking around the details of the 2012 Benghazi attack. “I’m sorry, but it just doesn’t make sense—first they blame the attack on a spontaneous demonstration, but now we find out the CIA talking points were secretly revised?” said the sixth-grader, sitting in the darkened White House library intensely scrolling through pages of articles about the controversy and classified Pentagon briefings. “Obviously, someone’s hiding something: the poor security; the al-Qaeda link; the leaked emails. All I’m asking for here is a simple explanation from the State Department and the White House, and I’m not getting one. I mean, who are they protecting here? And why?” Sasha went on to tell reporters she felt even more suspicious after former defense secretary Leon Panetta failed to respond to any of her 24 voicemails.

It accurately states that Ed Markey supports an assault weapons ban and limiting the size of magazines, the “kind used in the Newtown shooting”; and that Gomez does not.

Gomez is now complaining, “Markey blames me for the horrific Newtown shooting”. Garbage. It does no such thing. The ad is as simple and decent as a contrast ad can be: “I believe this. My opponent believes that. You have a choice.”

It does amply demonstrate that Gomez holds an unpopular position among MA voters — and one whose consequences are unfortunately fresh in our memories.

You know, Mr. Gomez, no one is making you take that position. If you think that an accurate description of your position makes you look bad … well, only you can fix that.

We thought it would be a normal Marathon Monday at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH). The Boston Marathon is always held on the third Monday in April and is a public holiday—Patriots Day. All state offices are closed, together with many businesses; but for hospitals, it is a regular working day. The MGH normally expects to receive about 15 to 20 marathon runners with hyponatremia and dehydration, many more are treated at the medical tents along the route of the marathon. For many this is a day that Bostonians look forward to each year as the unofficial start of spring.

It was not to be. At 2:50PM, an explosion rocked the area near the finish line, closely followed 11 seconds later by a second blast. Two minutes later, Boston EMS initiated a hospital ringdown; they contacted all of the Boston hospitals requesting disaster capability. Our answer is always the same; we have immediate capacity for 10 critical patients, 20 seriously injured, and we can accept unlimited “walking wounded.” I was paged as soon as the radio call came in; at this time we had no idea of the potential number of injured patients or of their severity. I looked at the current ED census—we were full and had one open stretcher bay in the entire department.

A key takeaway:

We worked with Boston EMS to hone our coordination and skills and performed numerous drills, often on a citywide basis. The simulated building collapse; the dirty bomb scenario at Logan airport and the repetitive activation of the MGH disaster response system—yes—on nights and weekends, all contributed to our learning and familiarity. This training and the iterative improvement in response by all involved made the difference on Marathon Monday. Our elected representatives who help fund these efforts have to be informed that this is money well-spent; this training made the difference and translated directly into lives saved.

Click here for the entire article.

Markey 48
Gomez 41

Public Policy Polling’s newest survey of the US Senate election in Massachusetts finds Ed Markey’s lead over Gabriel Gomez growing to 7 points at 48/41, up from a 4 point margin right after the primary election 2 weeks ago

Gomez favorables are going south as well, down 6 points.

You can find out more about the campaign at coalisstupid.org where there’s video archive of the beginning of the action and things you can do to help.  Also a good article from today’s Globe.  And find out more about upcoming Coal action that’ll be part of 350.org’s “Summer Heat”

Here’s our full statement below:

Our Statement: Coal is Stupid

Why we seek to close Brayton Point.

Ken Ward & Jay O’Hara

May 15, 2013 

“I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.”

-Genesis 9:15

God promised never another flood, and who would have thought we’d be stupid enough to do it to ourselves? We are breaking the first covenant — a three-part agreement, it should be remembered, between God, Noah and his descendants, and all living creatures.

Atmospheric carbon hit 400 ppm last Friday, May 13, 2013, at Manua Loa and global carbon emissions last year were nearly two-thirds above 1990. We are on track to achieve a temperature increase of 6°C / 11.8°F by 2100, at least, and on a steep upward trajectory thereafter. There is no question that without abrupt political change, a second flood of  biblical proportions will erase the conditions in which life remotely like that we know now is made possible.

The fact that we’re staring catastrophe in the face isn’t surprising. There have been plenty of warning signs that too much fruitfulness, especially in the rapacious manner which has been our practice, would prove impossible to sustain. What is surprising, is that we still aren’t talking about it publicly in any forthright and pragmatic way.

Decades of top notch PR work (bankrolled by a handful of people who value record profits above protecting their grandchildren from experiencing collapse first-hand) has a lot to do with the great silence on climate, but it isn’t the whole reason. The reality is so appalling that most everyone prefers to participate in a collective delusion that there is no problem.

And surely, who can blame anyone for that?

To lose the world on our watch is a miserable prospect. To lose the world when a solution is available is perverse. Denying outright that climate change exists is the most extreme response, but considering climate change to be anything other than the single most important matter facing humanity has the same effect.

What we need to do is relatively simple. Whether there is time to avoid the tipping point, we don’t know, but that shouldn’t prevent us from making the best possible effort.

First thing: stop burning coal.

We are doing exactly the opposite. Coal is experiencing a “renaissance,” increasing 5%, last year, to reach 30% of the global energy market. Coal emissions in the US have declined, it is true, but that isn’t because US coal is staying in the ground — exports broke previous records in 2012. Due to the natural gas bonanza brought about by fracking, existing US coal plants are being closed and few new plants are being built. Were natural gas prices to rise, coal might well experience a “renaissance” in the US, and some energy sector heavyweights, like Energy Capital Partners, the planned purchaser of Brayton Point, are betting heavily on this outcome.

As we said in our letter to Thomas F. Farrell II, President & CEO of Dominion Energy, current owners of Brayton Point, and Doug Kimmelman, Senior Partner, Energy Capital Partners, decisions which appear intelligent in a business context, such as the sale of Brayton Point, are actually quite stupid when viewed in the aggregate from a planetary perspective.

We are in uncharted territory, so far as global geo-physics goes, with new studies tumbling in almost daily delivering across-the-board dismal findings – increasing Antarctic temperatures, rising methane releases in peat bogs, rapid decline in snow cover, and so on. The only reasonable and ethical action is to call a halt to the ghastly fossil fuel experiment, starting with coal.

If Dominion Resources sells Brayton Point –– the single largest source of coal emissions in the Northeast – to Energy Capital Partners, the likelihood that this plant will continue operation is substantially strengthened. We don’t know the selling price, but market analysts, talking in terms of “fire sale” and “scrap value,” peg it around $100-200 million, peanuts compared with Dominion’s $1.5 billion investment, and so cheap that a well heeled outfit like Energy Capital Partners can afford to keeping it running for quite some time.

Nowhere in the decision-making process is there any means or mechanism by which the lunatic aspect of choosing to burn coal can even be raised, let alone factored into the decision. Not one of the measures taken (such as the Regional Green House Gas Initiative) and none of the measures contemplated (such as a carbon tax), has or would have any significant impact on the decision to keep coal plants like Brayton Point in operation. Nothing even remotely approaching the true costs of burning coal is included in the business calculus.

Yet Brayton Point should be shut down immediately – and by “immediately,” we mean today –– for more than one reason. First, every day of additional emissions is a terrible, immoral imposition on our children and, in ways we do not fully understand, on the other living things of God’s creation. Second, we do not need this power plant – efficiency measures alone can reduce demand by far more than the 6% of Massachusetts electricity generation supplied by the plant. Third, in order for the US to exert global leadership on climate, we must take decisive and difficult steps in the right direction for our own nation. The closure of all US coal plants, coupled with the sort of vigorous advancement of efficiencies and renewables that is much talked about but little acted upon, would create the political and moral basis for effective global leadership by the US, without which no global solution is possible.

We are faced with an imperative like none confronted by any previous generation; we are living in a society that is disavows responsibility for this greatest of crises, and lacks any process or means by which decisions, like that to extend the life of Brayton Point, might be affected. It is our choice to take direct, non-violent action – putting our bodies between the Brayton Point coal plant and its water-borne coal supply – in an attempt to achieve the outcome necessary for planetary survival; the immediate closure of Brayton Point Power Station.

Jay O’Hara and Ken Ward

Republican Massachusetts Senate candidate Gabriel Gomez was sued by his plumber over unpaid toilet repairs from 2007, according to court records.

According to the plaintiff, Lundy Plumbing, the case was brought in 2008 in response to two attempts to get Gomez to pay for repairs to a leaky toilet in Gomez’s home. Lundy Plumbing alleged that Gomez was billed in January of 2008 to which he did not respond. Lundy Plumbing then says they sent another bill and called several times before bringing the case.

The case was settled out of court according to court records.

Honestly, who does that?  Stated otherwise, if he can’t manage his own bills, how can we trust him with America’s?

It’s not a coincidence that this account was set up just before the upcoming fundraiser with John McCain, as reported by the Globe‘s Jim O’Sullivan. The top ask for that event is $37,600, which is an odd figure until you realize that the most one can give to Gomez is $2,600 and the most one can give to the NRSC PAC is $35,000. Apparently it’s too much to ask rich people to write the two separate checks, so the Victory Fund lets them write one…

The main advantage of this is that givers can feel certain that the NRSC will know to use that $35k on its campaign to get Gomez elected, rather than some other effort. Which, by the by, it can do because Gomez won’t sign the “People’s Pledge” to prohibit spending by outside groups.

The funny thing is that, when Deval Patrick set up a similar “Victory Fund” in 2009, on a much smaller scale (maximum contribution $5,500, less than 15% of the max one can give to Gomez’s fund), the Massachusetts Republican Party raised holy hell. Patrick and the Mass. Dems abandoned the idea, and the state legislature passed a bill banning such joint venture funds.

That ban, of course, applies only to state candidates. And so we’ve had the spectacle of Scott Brown setting up a Victory Fund in 2011, and Mitt Romney setting one up last year that gave almost $9.4 million to…the Mass. GOP.

Par for the course. The GOP howls about how corrupt the Democrats are. The Democrats cave, ceasing the activity in question and passing legislation to outlaw it (our state legislature is, after all, more than 80% Democratic). Then the Republicans do the same thing on a scale seven times bigger.

The most significant new investment in the Senate Ways & Means proposal involves Transportation, where new revenue would be used to fix and improve our roads, bridges, and transit systems. The budget proposal also increases funding for a variety of smaller initiatives, such as helping low-income seniors get in-home care and increasing the number of rental vouchers available for low-income families, as well as the elderly, and people with disabilities.

Overall, the size and scope of new investments in the Senate Ways & Means budget is somewhat limited—as was true in the House budget (even though the priorities were different.) The basic reason for this similarity is that the two budgets rely on a comparable amount of available revenue. As a consequence, the two bodies face similar constraints in terms of their ability to make the kind of forward-looking investments that would improve the long-term strength of our economy.

The Governor’s budget incorporated some broader investments in our families and our communities, including plans to give more kids access to high-quality early education & care, and to combine transportation fixes with more new transportation projects in coming years. To fund these investments, the Governor proposed a revenue package substantial enough to offset much of the long-term effect of the income tax cuts of 1998-2002—which continue to cost the state $3 billion each year.

Read More at MassBudget.org

Now, to the point of this post, which is the Globe story reporting reaction to a City of Boston report on the causes of bicycle accidents and recommendations on what to do.  Apparently, advocates for cycling are upset about the following:

In an effort to make the city safer for cyclists, police will ­begin to hand out $20 citations to cyclists who run red lights; and the mayor’s office may push for a law requiring helmet use by bike riders of all ages.  “We’re still blaming the victim,” said Dahianna Lopez, a Harvard doctoral student who worked as a consultant compiling crash data for the Boston Police Department.

Cycling advocates have objected that (1) a helmet law won’t prevent accidents; and (2) a relatively small number of accidents (12%, per the report) are directly traceable to cyclists running red lights or stop signs – by contrast, “twenty-two percent of collisions between cars and cyclists occurred when a vehicle door opened unexpectedly on a ­cyclist. Eighteen percent ­occurred when a motorist did not see a cyclist, and 12 percent occurred when a cyclist rode ­into oncoming traffic.”

Regarding point 1, I’d say the objection is true but irrelevant.  The argument for helmets is precisely the same as the argument for seat belts: it’s a common-sense safety measure that will almost certainly prevent a good number of serious and perhaps fatal head injuries, thereby reducing the number of shattered lives and also keeping medical costs down.  I find it hard to see the contrary argument.  So I think this reaction is off-base:

David Watson, executive ­director of the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition, a statewide bike advocacy organization, said he disagrees with the conclusions of city officials on bike helmets. Forcing helmets on the heads of cyclists won’t prevent accidents, Watson said.  “We need to focus on preventing a crash in the first place, not just providing protection when they crash,” he said.

Hey, here’s an idea: why not do both?

Point 2, on ticketing cyclists who run red lights, is more complicated.  Here’s a quote from the Globe story that I think is illuminating:

[Cyclist] Ira Kemp of Arlington said that cracking down on bike riders who run red lights, an ­offense that he admitted committing on occasion, would not address one of the biggest factors in bike crashes: the behavior of motorists.

“It’s a huge cultural issue,” Kemp said. “Most motorists don’t have an ounce of respect for people on bikes.”

In my view, Mr. Kemp is both exactly right and precisely wrong.  He’s right that many motorists don’t “respect” cyclists.  That is a problem that has to change for the city to become more bike-friendly.  But he is wrong that forcing cyclists to obey traffic laws won’t have any effect on that problem.  To the contrary, motorists – including myself – get frustrated with cyclists precisely because they routinely behave like scofflaws, darting in and out of traffic, running red lights and stop signs with barely a glance toward oncoming traffic, and so forth.  Be honest, now: how often have you seen a car intentionally run a red light?  It happens now and then, but it’s pretty rare.  In contrast, cyclists do it all the time.

Respect has to be earned.  If cyclists want it, they have to behave as though they deserve it.  And that means obeying the traffic laws.  Right now, too many of them don’t do that.  So a crackdown by law enforcement – in conjunction with other efforts, to be sure, such as the ongoing expansion of the city’s bike lanes and other efforts noted in the report – strikes me as an excellent idea.

When Republican US Senate nominee Gabriel E. Gomez was seeking a lucrative historical tax deduction for his Cohasset home, he rejected the first appraisal he received because it was too low and then refused to pay the appraiser’s bill, according to a claim filed this week.

That appraiser, Shaun Fitzgerald, said Gomez hired him in late 2005 to determine the amount he could deduct on his federal tax return in exchange for agreeing not to alter the home’s facade. But Fitzgerald said Gomez then failed to pay the $1,000 appraiser’s fee.

The appraisal amount? A measly $245,640.

Apparently, that’s not what Gomez was looking for. Note to appraisers you need to value the home exactly how Gomez wants you to value it or you don’t get paid.

After being granted the easement and tax deduction Gomez had work done on the exterior of the property anyway, it seems that the easement agreement for the tax deduction only covers areas that is visible from the street. Cohasset’s historical commission does get involved in the approval on any changes to the home. Gomez didn’t seemed to to have any issues getting approvals even though the renovation included the removal of “character-defining elements” of the historical home.

That construction included removal of a brick chimney, one of the two on the house. A survey commissioned by the Trust in August 2005 to evaluate the historic significance of the home had determined that the chimneys were “important character-defining elements’’ of the property.

Gomez’s wife Sarah serves on the Cohasset Historical Commission.

I am calling on the Boston City Council to offer a Home Rule Petition to change the requirements regarding signature gathering to qualify for the ballot in municipal elections. As it now stands, candidates for Mayor must gather 3000 signatures, and any registered voter from Boston can sign as many nomination papers as they want, but only the first signature certified will count toward the potential candidate’s total.

That’s not right. It’s an unfair barrier to getting on the ballot, and it mostly affects candidates of color, candidates who aren’t as well funded as others, and candidates without networks that take years to build. If you can get 3000 valid signatures, you should be able to get on the ballot. Boston’s rules should be closer to the Commonwealth’s rules.

To that end, I pledge my legislative support to any Boston Home Rule Petition that makes its way to the Massachusetts House floor.

Marty Walsh

BOSTON – The Young Democrats of Massachusetts (YDM) will present their 4th annual ‘Ladies in Blue’ awards at the Roosevelt After Dark fundraiser at Storyville on Thursday, May 16th from 8:30-11:00pm. This year’s honorees are Senator Elizabeth Warren as Woman of the Year, Representative Ellen Story as Legislator of the Year, and Dr. Harmony Wu as Activist of the Year. Half of the proceeds from the event will go towards a new scholarship for a YDM member to attend Emerge Massachusetts, a training program for women running for office.

Immediately following the Massachusetts Democratic Party’s Annual Roosevelt Awards, the Young Democrats traditionally host Roosevelt After Dark, a dessert and cocktail reception at which all are welcome. The event will also include the 4th annual ‘Ladies in Blue’ awards, which celebrate outstanding Democratic women named for their contributions to the Commonwealth. “This year YDM honors three remarkable women,” said Chair John H. Kleschinsky. “And I cannot think of a better way to honor them than with the establishment of YDM’s first scholarship program for young women interested in participating in the Emerge training program.”

For over 10 years, Emerge has recruited and trained Democratic women to run for office. Elizabeth Maynard, who is President of the Pioneer Valley chapter of YDM, graduated from Emerge in 2012. “Emerge Massachusetts is a program in which every woman leader who is considering a run for office should participate,” said Maynard. “The skills, tools, and confidence developed are invaluable resources for women with a desire to lead here in Massachusetts.” On the scholarship Emerge Executive Director, Taylor Woods-Gautier, commented, “Our goal is simple: to get more Democratic women elected. Thanks to the generosity of the Young Democrats of Massachusetts, we are thrilled to have this scholarship for young women to participate in our program.”

Who: Young Democrats of Massachusetts, interested members of the public. All are welcome.
Where: Storyville, 90 Exeter Street, Boston, MA 02116
When: May 16th, 2013 8:30-11:00pm

Host Committee: Barbara Lee, Evan England, Joe Caiazzo and Karen Cosmas of Knox Cannon Strategies LLC
Sponsors: Shawn Hartman, Josh Zakim, Harmony Wu, Suzanne Lee, Jay Livingstone

Tickets for this event are $20. Sponsors ($100), hosts ($250), and champions ($500) will be listed in the program. If you are interested in joining as a sponsor or host for this great event please contact YDM’s chair John Kleschinsky at jkleschinsky@ydma.org or (617) 544-7445.

Without any further ado, and with only a little trepidation, I present the TOP TEN latest and greatest Gabriel Gomez for Senate Campaign Slogans….

10) Watch me run!!

9) What part of preservation easement valuation contingent upon codification of facade appraisal in trust management for a federal tax deduction in contravention of local ordinance don’t you understand? Also, freedom.

8) When I found out that George Dubya Bushes’ Air National Guard duty was a facade… I just figured I had to have one of my own to be a Republican.

7) Hey, I NEED that $281,500! Do you have ANY idea how much a car elevator goes for these days?!?!?!

6) Everybody simmer down and just take an easement!

5) Yeah, right… Go ahead. Tell me how YOU never accidentally wrote off $281,500 on your taxes!!

4) Whatever your problem with money and taxes…my problems are greater!

3) Examine: Nothing up my sleeve.

2) Watch me run faster!!

And the number one new Gambriel Gomez for Senate SLOGAN:

1) Mitt Romney told me that 47% of the 1% completely fabricate their tax deductions anyways, so it’s all good.

Markey urged supporters in an email Tuesday to sign a petition his campaign has launched opposing chained CPI, a proposal in the president’s fiscal year 2014 budget that would reduce the cost-of-living adjustment related to senior and veterans benefits. Obama included the proposal as a compromise offer to Republicans, but Markey told supporters he disagreed with the tactic. The petition in Markey’s email redirects to a fundraising page.

“Democrats won huge victories in 2012. We reelected President Obama. We held the Senate and made gains in the House,” he said in the email. “We don’t need to roll over to the right wing when it comes to budget choices.”

So let’s go one step further: increase Social Security. If Ed Markey’s looking for a positive lefty agenda, there’s something to shoot for.

Also it’s worth reflecting on our Democratic president trying to slash Social Security and raiding the Associated Press.

I recognize that there are times when journalists might have to reveal sources—when a person’s life is at stake, say, and others. And remember, the Supreme Court has never recognized a journalist’s right to protect source confidentiality. But even with all that, it’s pretty clear that Obama has been waging a secret war and then pursuing journalists trying to dig into it with more zeal than even the Bush administration did. And it’s an extra irony that Mr. Process Liberal is presiding over all this.

So what’s he going to do now? I think we can predict. He’s going to stand by Eric Holder for now and let some interminable process play out. Just like he’s going to let some lengthy process play out at the IRS.

And while these processes play out, it’s going to be drip, drip, drip. Republicans will say anything they need to say to gain political advantage. And now, this is the kind of matter that’s going to get Democrats worked up too. I wrote yesterday that he needs to crack some heads at the IRS and crack them fast. And now, he ought to ask for Holder’s resignation. This week. Enough already. Holder’s rights here aren’t more important than Obama sending a strong signal that he is in charge and can make hard decisions. Holder will go off and make millions of dollars anyway, and there are lots of other people out there who can be attorney general.

Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie

The passage of a marriage equality law in Delaware last week leaves New Jersey the only Atlantic coast state north of Virginia to retain a discriminatory marriage law.

“[V]acationers this summer can travel anywhere from Portland, Maine, to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and all the way to Ocean City, Maryland, to enjoy the Atlantic coastline in destinations that treat all people equally — that is, only if they bypass New Jersey,” said Garden State Equality in a press release.

“It is a blight on our state’s record of leadership and social justice, and on our economy, that Governor Christie has vetoed marriage equality and that the legislature has not yet overridden that veto.”

The New Jersey state legislature passed a marriage equality bill in February, 2012.  Gov. Christie vetoed it immediately.  Since the bill wasn’t passed by a veto-proof majority, the race is on to secure 12 additional votes in the House and 3 in the Senate before the legislative session ends in January, 2014.

This is possible if Gov. Christie, who is known for enforcing party discipline, allows Republican legislators to vote their conscience.  It would be in his best interest to do so, because he’s giving New Jersey a retrograde reputation.

Since his veto last year, Washington, Maine, Maryland, Rhode Island and Delaware have doubled the number of marriage equality states to 11.  Minnesota is expected to become the 12th state on Monday, March 13, with Illinois following suit in the next few weeks.

In contrast, New Jersey keeps its loving, committed same-sex couples segregated into separate and unequal civil unions.  Thanks to Gov. Christie’s veto, New Jersey embraces a discriminatory past while the rest of the country moves on.  Eleven (soon to be 13) states plus the District of Columbia, President Obama, prominent Republicans including former NJ Gov. Christine Todd Whitman, Fortune 500 companies and the country as a whole have evolved on this issue.

Those so inclined can encourage Gov. Christie to get with the program by signing this petition sponsored by Garden State Equality and American Civil Liberties Union.

Cross-posted at Blue Jersey.

What was my crime in Kenney’s eyes? Daring to point out that Bill Koch, a billionaire Cape Cod estate owner and heir to a polluting energy fortune, is blocking New Bedford clean energy jobs by bankrolling Cape Wind opposition. I’m only the latest person Kenney has targeted for personal attacks. “Mr. Kenney has a history of not being able to disagree respectfully,” Yarmouth Planning Board Chairman Erik Tolley said last year.

What’s bizarre is that in Kenney’s op-ed, he claims I refused to take his call. I talked to him on April 23 for two minutes. Here’s my annotation of the phone record:

It was a short call. He immediately launched into berating me for supporting Cape Wind and accused me of taking bribes not to say anything bad about Cape Wind. I asked why he was calling since it didn’t exactly sound like there was much room to win him over. We said goodbye. That was it.

It’s not just Kenney – across Cape Cod in Falmouth, wind opponents are using similar bullying tactics. “As town meeting members spoke, turbine abutters Neil Andersen and Colin Murphy sat in the back of the auditorium, quietly heckling speakers at times,” Sean Teehan reported in the Cape Cod Times last month.

Falmouth has already voted against dismantling its turbines, but the anti-wind crowd has forced yet another vote on May 24. With Fox on their side, you have to wonder: Will the anti-wind folks will just keep forcing votes until they get their way?

More broadly, Massachusetts elected officials and news organizations need to decide how we’ll determine our shared energy future. Will we have a reasoned, fact-based dialogue and move forward together? Or will we let the loudest, harshest and most frequently raised voices dominate debate and shout down anyone who disagrees with them?

If you stand with clean energy, sign up and register your support at Cape Wind Now.

Cross-posted from The Green Miles

The current law allowing a referendum to take place only in East Boston is potentially unconstitutional and could prove divisive.  While East Boston will undoubtedly feel the greatest impact of a casino, its impact will not be limited to that one neighborhood.  The Boston City Council should vote to authorize a citywide vote.

In order to avoid many of the problems of the past, I also believe that the City Council should use the opportunity before it to make clear that the referendum itself should be read to reflect the support of the city only if it wins a majority of the vote citywide and in the host neighborhood.  In so doing, the referendum gives the people of East Boston a position of primacy, an important protection against others potentially imposing a casino on a neighborhood that may or may not embrace one.  Conversely, this two-part threshold prevents a single neighborhood from setting a course for the entire city that is so potentially momentous.

Finally, we should take whatever steps we can to ensure that the referendum itself is conducted on a level playing field.  Casino interests are clearly in a position to spend millions to affect the outcome of the referendum.  A campaign spending cap would be ideal.  Short of this however, any contributions and expenditures made in the referendum campaign should be completely transparent and fully and publicly disclosed.

We are one city, with one shared future.  If this statement is to be a matter of fact, and not merely a slogan, then the referendum itself must be citywide and its results read to reflect our shared stake in it.

Why is this of local interest? Patrick reached out to an Obama aide, creating at least the appearance of a request for financial assistance for the fishing industry.

Back in 2010, when Tea Party Republican Senator Mitch McConnell declared, “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president,” he was essentially declaring unlimited war against the first African-American President of the United States.  And to this day, even after President Obama decisively won a second term, Tea Party Republicans reject his Presidency and continue their scorched-earth tactics, no matter what the cost to nation.

The latest Tea Party Republican to lead the charge against Obama is Gabriel Gomez, the wealthy guy running against Democratic Congressman Ed Markey to fill John Kerry’s Senate seat.  During last fall’s Presidential election Gomez was the spokesman for Opsec, a group of former Navy SEALs and intelligence officers who ran TV “Swiftboat” ads criticizing Obama’s handling of the killing of Osama bin Laden.  Now, that same group is asking for donations for Gomez, saying his victory would be “a devastating blow to Barack Obama’s agenda.”

Well, yes, it would because Gomez would nullify Elizabeth Warren’s votes as well as all the work we did to elect her.  But, as Elizabeth’s big victory last fall proves, Massachusetts voters have learned a thing or two since Scott Brown caught lightning in a bottle back in 2010.  For instance, Gomez, like Brown, is hoping his good looks and life story will blind voters to his conservatism and lack of substance on the issues.  But that dog won’t hunt any more in Massachusetts.  After voters saw Brown in action they rejected him, along with his truck and his barn jacket, for Elizabeth Warren, who really does represent the values and voters of our state.  Voters determined rightly that Scott Brown was acting – and voting – like Kentucky’s third Senator.  And Gabriel Gomez is just more of the same.

Not sure?  Check out the “Issues” page on his website.  Gomez either misrepresents the issues, shows a profound lack of knowledge and depth, or just offers right-wing platitudes.

Let’s start with “Washington, DC has a spending problem.” – This is simply not true.  The deficit is fading – fast.  According to economist Paul Krugman, “as a medium-term (meaning up to 10 years) [the deficit] issue has largely gone away.”  The problem we have as a nation is not that government (state as well as federal) is spending too much, it’s that we’re not spending enough – on infrastructure, schools, etc – to make up for the lack of private-sector spending.  Very simply, we can’t shrink our way to prosperity, but you won’t hear that from Mr. Gomez.  Like Scott Brown before him, he reads from Mitch McConnell’s script.

Of course, the contrasts with Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren go even further.  Unlike Gomez and Brown, both believe in investing in our future and promoting clean energy.  While Gomez supports the Keystone XL pipeline, the dirtiest energy project in America, Ed and Elizabeth oppose it.  And Ed has one of the strongest – and longest – pro-environment records in Congress.  As Casey Stengel used to say, “You could look it up.”  And you would also find that Ed Markey is 100% pro-choice, supports women’s access to free preventive health services, and equal pay for equal work.  Gomez has no “women’s issues” page on his web site.

Oh yes, if you rely on Social Security and Medicare, don’t count on Gabriel Gomez for support, and don’t count on him for any specifics.  “Political leaders in Washington should have the courage to commit to reforming these programs,” he says on his website.  That’s Tea Party Republican code for cuts.  Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren don’t think it’s right to cut seniors’ benefits, and they don’t talk in code.  In fact, Ed Markey’s website says outright that “he opposes any changes to Social Security that would reduce benefits for our nation’s seniors, including misguided proposals to raise the retirement age or reduce cost of living adjustments.  And Ed will always fight against Republicans’ attempts to privatize Social Security.”

So, whom are you going to trust?  A “one-percenter” who speaks in code and platitudes about critical issues and whosebackers promise he’ll cripple the President’s agenda, or someone who will join Elizabeth Warren to give Massachusetts the most formidable duo in the U.S. Senate?  Vote Markey, help Warren … and yourself.

###

divestment is one thing, investment quite another…

… almost by definition =-)

Today, fossil fuel companies represent two of the ten largest investments in the both the Public Retiree Investment Trust (PRIT) fund’s $9.4b domestic and $8.2b international equity portfolios. An additional $780 million invested across three other portfolios means the Commonwealth invests around $1.3 billion in state assets in fossil fuels.

While “investing” in fossil fuels often carries with it less risk of loss of principle, and increased chance of returns and dividends, and thus makes it a good “investment”, when seen from a purely mercenary point of view, it really isn’t “investment” in the sense I think you mean: buying stock in Exxon is buying stock in the churn of drill, refine, burn, gasp and, you’re not really making anything better. In addition, there is unlikely to be any sort of multiplier. You might help Exxon pump crude out of the ground faster. You might fund another, bigger, tanker that’ll (hopefully safely) get the crude to the refinery). But you’re not investing in much progress. If anything, you’re working against the present state of things where most modes of conveyance, cars, boats, airplanes and trains are in a race to become more fuel efficient. The actual process of turning crude into petrol isn’t all that different from the cracking processes first invented in the 1890′s and refined in the 1920′s. It’s an industry in stasis and unlikely to change. The only thing that will change is the amount of crude available. I had hopes when British Petroleum tried to change it’s name to “Beyond Petroleum” but they suffer, distinctly, from the same issue described here: the lure of easy cash returns rather than real progress.

But specifically investing in renewables is specifically investing in progress: things will need to be built, problems solved, infrastructures built and maintained, and energy delivered. As such, it’s a real investment and, bonus, likely to have a more potent multiplier and a much longer shelf life. Personally, and for those reasons, I’d like to see that 1.3b spent chasing progress, perhaps even eventually being chased by it, rather than simply chasing more bucks in an ever diminishing spiral of diminishing returns. But I don’t think of it as ‘divestment’ in fossil fuels but ‘investment’ in progress.

Yeah. If you’re running the state’s investment fund and investing in fossil fuels, you’re betting against the state’s interests. You could invest that money elsewhere and get a decent return without directly hastening catastrophe. As a candidate Steve Grossman talked about using the state’s funds to invest in Massachusetts itself; we should keep this frame of reference in mind.

We all should be proud of our “traditional” public school – The Joseph Lee School.
Charters may claim superiority, while never admitting any fallibility. However, here are some facts oft not touted by corporate ed reformers.
“Successful” Charter schools do not backfill seats. (That means once a student leaves – they do not fill the empty seat with another student) Attrition rates at charter schools are obnoxious. One example is the ballyhooed Edward Brooke: suspension rate 25%; this “innovation” incubator started off with 47 sixth graders. In grade seven these 47 sixth graders became 36. By grade eight there were 22 left – all of course SOARED on the MCAS!
A 53% attrition rate, coupled with a 25% suspension rate, should be a violation of civil rights at this “so-called” “public” charter school. (By the way the ELL and SPED populations are virtually non-existent.)
In fact the ACLU sued the district of Fall River for its 18.4% suspension rate. Fall River is the only “public” district represented on the following list of top MA suspension factories:
▪ Roxbury Preparatory Charter: 56.1%
▪ Grove Hall Preparatory Charter: 50%
▪ City on a Hill Charter: 43.6%
▪ Up Academy Charter Boston: 38%
▪ New Leadership Charter: 36.6%
▪ Boston Preparatory Charter: 35.1%
▪ Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter: 32.1%
▪ Holyoke: 27.3%
▪ Edward Brooke Charter: 24.9%
▪ Hampden Charter School of Science: 24.7%
▪ Codman Academy Charter: 23.5%
▪ Spirit of Knowledge Charter: 22.8%
▪ Martin Luther King Jr. Charter School of Excellence: 22.5%
▪ Edward Brooke Charter 2: 22.4%
▪ Boston Green Academy Horace Mann Charter: 19.4%
▪ Community Charter School of Cambridge: 19.4%
▪ Fall River: 18.4%
▪ Berkshires Arts and Technology Academy: 18.1%
▪ Excel Academy Charter Chelsea: 17.9%
▪ Franklin County Regional Vocational Technical Institute: 17.6%
How is this “better” than us? If they want to “compete” they need to tell the truth and stop demonizing US! Where is the ACLU? Where is the outrage? We do a better job at educating EVERYBODY – the way a PUBLIC school is intended to do – bottom line!
Thanks,
I just thought everyone should know the truth,
Colum
P.S. BPS suspension rate is 5%

My letter to the staff was well received. I move to amend the current legislation at the statehouse. We should lift the cap on traditional public schools. We should support education for ALL, not for some. Lastly, the Bruins just scored the winning goal in the most exciting and dramatic comebacks that I have ever witnessed in any sport. Watch out charters – anything is possible!

Colum Whyte

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That’s 25% of the Country. Y’ALL. (Technically 24%, but what is a rounding error between “Friends”)
Hurray for Lake Wobegon!

Gabriel Gomez runs for unknown reasons. Photo credit: Gomez Facebook page

We know that Gabriel Gomez can run, because Rep. Ed Markey‘s Republican opponent for the open U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts spends a fair amount of his campaign time participating in road races. Based on photos posted to his campaign Facebook page, he’s run in no less than six since early April.

While it’s great to see a congressional hopeful modeling health and fitness, it’s also a convenient way for a low-information candidate to get positive public exposure without having to say anything substantive.

The special election is only 6 weeks away, and still Gomez’s Issues page is little more than a back-of-the-envelope doodle.

Almost two weeks ago, shortly after he won the Republican primary, I opined that Gomez was an unknown quantity regarding LGBT-related legislation beyond his support for the freedom to marry.  I wrote:

With the June 25 special election quickly approaching, it’s time for Mr. Gomez to tell voters how he would turn his opposition to “discrimination of any kind” into legislative action, should he be elected to the U.S. Senate.

Here we are two weeks hence and we know nothing more today about Gabriel Gomez’s position on LGBT issues than we did then.  We know that Gabriel Gomez likes to run in road races, but we don’t know why he’s running for U.S. Senate or what he would do if he got there.

Via ABC News

Gabriel Gomez’s incoherence on climate science and energy policy makes a lot more sense once you take a deeper dive into his personal finances, as Joshua Israel did at ThinkProgress:

A ThinkProgress review of Gomez’s personal financial disclosure filings reveals that a significant amount of his own money is invested, directly or indirectly, in dirty energy stocks and bonds. These include investments of between $1,000 and $15,000 each in:

1. Emerson Electric Co., which automates oil and gas operations for energy companies.
2. Exxon Mobil Corp., the world’s largest publicly traded international oil and gas company.
3. Occidental Petroleum Corp., an international oil and gas exploration and production company.
4. Schlumberger Ltd., a the world’s largest supplier of technology and project management services for the oil and gas industry worldwide.
5. Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc., a deepwater drilling contractor for the oil and gas industry.
6. DTE Energy Co., a Detroit-based electric and gas utility.
7. Dominion Resources, a Richmond-based electric utility.
8. Xcel Energy Inc., a Minneapolis-based electric and gas utility.
9. Gulf Power Co., a Florida-based electric utility.
10. Southern California Edison, a California-based electric utility.
11. Entergy Louisiana, a Louisiana-based electric utility

By doing the dirty work of his out-of-state polluting investments, Gomez is turning his back on the more than 71,000 people who work in Massachusetts’ booming clean energy industry. He’s also ignoring the impacts that climate change is already having on Massachusetts – stronger storms like Sandy, rising sea levels, deeper droughts, and deadlier summer heat waves.

As I’m knocking on doors for Ed Markey in the weeks ahead, this story speaks to the one thing I’ll be telling undecided voters: Gomez is so beholden to big money – polluters, national Republicans, shady tax breaks – that we just can’t trust the guy to do what’s right for Massachusetts.

Republican Gabriel Gomez lags Democrat Edward Markey by just three points in a new internal poll of the Massachusetts special Senate election released by Gomez’s campaign.

The poll comes at the end of a rough week for Gomez, one the underdog spent defending himself against questions about a tax deduction he took on his home that the IRS labeled one of its “Dirty Dozen” tax scams.

The poll, conducted by Republican pollster OnMessage Inc., gives Markey 46 percent support to Gomez’s 43 percent, with 11 percent of respondents undecided. Markey’s lead is within the poll’s 3.4 percent margin of error, indicating the race is a statistical dead heat.

Both Markey and Gomez have similarly high favorables overall, but fewer respondents view Gomez unfavorably than Markey, likely due to the fact that voters haven’t yet tuned into the race and still don’t know much about him.

But Gomez fares better among independents, a key voting bloc in Massachusetts, as more than half of the state’s voters aren’t registered with either party. Only 10 percent of independents view him negatively, while 44 percent view Markey negatively, putting Markey underwater with independents.

The internal poll was conducted among 800 likely special election voters from May 5-7.

http://thehill.com/video/campaign/299233-gomez-internal-poll-shows-him-trailing-markey-by-3-points

The release of internal polls are what they are – PR moves – and in this case I suspect an attempt to get the national GOP to focus on the race. Ground gaome is still the difference in a special election.

Daniel Kurtman compiles Mark Sanford:

“I remind all you conservative Christians celebrating Mark Sanford’s win that Leviticus commands you to stone adulterers.” -John Fugelsang

“Congratulations to newly elected Rep. Mark Sanford. Finally, the Congress will have an expert on foreign affairs.” -The Capitol Steps

“According to exit polls, Mr. Sanford held a three-to-one lead among voters who described themselves as liars, cheaters, or sleazebags.” -Andy Borowitz

“According to exit polls, voters felt that Mr. Sanford’s opponent, Elizabeth Colbert Busch, did not have the lying experience necessary to serve in Congress.” -Andy Borowitz

Daniel Kurtzman:

Obama at the White House Correspondent’s Dinner:

“Some folks still don’t think I spend enough time with Congress. ‘Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?’ they ask. Really? Why don’t you get a drink with Mitch McConnell?”

On the sequester: “Republicans fell in love with this thing, and now they can’t stop talking about how much they hate it. It’s like we’re trapped in a Taylor Swift album.”

On MSNBC: “Some of my former advisers have switched over to the dark side. For example, David Axelrod now works for MSNBC, which is a nice change of pace since MSNBC used to work for David Axelrod.”

On his charm offensive: “I’m taking my charm offensive on the road — a Texas barbeque with Ted Cruz, a Kentucky bluegrass concert with Rand Paul, and a book-burning with Michele Bachmann.”

On plans for the Obama Library: “Some have suggested that we put it in my birthplace, but I’d rather keep it in the United States. Did anybody not see that joke coming? Show of hands. Only Gallup? Maybe Dick Morris?”

Conan O’Brien’s Best Jokes from the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

On Fox News: “My prior experience has taught me how these dinners work. If the President laughs, everyone laughs. And if the Fox News table laughs, a little girl just fell off her bike.”

On print media: “The print media are here for two very good reasons: food and shelter.”

On Chris Christie: “I’d like to acknowledge that earlier this evening, there was some confusion with the seating chart. For a moment, someone accidentally sat Governor Chris Christie with the Republicans. That was awkward, and I apologize.”

On Marco Rubio: “The Republican Party has a new rising star, Marco Rubio, or as he’s known in the Republican Party, our black guy.”

Apparently, IRS officials in Cincinnati, responsible for reviewing applications for tax-exempt status, subjected certain groups with further investigations, that included words like “tea party”, “patriots” or stated issues included government spending, debt, or taxes.  IRS Director Lois Lerner has stated that only low-level employees were involved……..

Anyway, how would BMG’s feel if the IRS, under a Republican POTUS, targeted groups with the names that included “progressive”, or “brotherhood”, or “reproductive rights” or even “blue”?  I believe there would be an outrage, as there should be.

“The Tea Party groups were seeking tax-exempt status under a provision of the tax code for social welfare groups — so called 501(c)(4) organizations. Unlike other charities, these groups are allowed to engage in political advocacy as long as it’s not their primary purpose. ”  For instance, NARAL Pro-Choice America Foundation is recognized by the IRS under this section.

The additional information requested of Tea Party groups often included requests for donor lists, which the IRS later admitted was inappropriate and “troubling.” Tea Party groups who protested were told they didn’t have to submit the information, and those donor lists that were submitted have been destroyed,(que pic of Dr Evil above) IRS officials told the inspector general.

The Washington Post wrote an editorial, which said

“A BEDROCK principle of U.S. democracy is that the coercive powers of government are never used for partisan purpose. The law is blind to political viewpoint, and so are its enforcers, most especially the FBI and the Internal Revenue Service. Any violation of this principle threatens the trust and the voluntary cooperation of citizens upon which this democracy depends.

“So it was appalling to learn Friday that the IRS had improperly targeted conservative groups for scrutiny. It was almost as disturbing that President Obama and Treasury Secretary Jack Lew have not personally apologized to the American people and promised a full investigation.”  I concur with the Washington Post Editorial Board and hope you do as well.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/11/irs-tea-party-investigation-timeline/2153007/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/playing-politics-with-tax-records/2013/05/10/e36dfe5a-b9b7-11e2-aa9e-a02b765ff0ea_story.html

What you need for the free market to work properly:

Transparency — Consumers have enough information to compare suppliers;

Consumer ease of switching — If you don’t like one supplier, it’s pretty easy to make a change;

Sector ease of entry — If existing suppliers are not meeting consumer needs, it’s possible for others to enter the market within a reasonable timeframe.

Some sort of mechanism to handle abuses by suppliers.

So, there’s a difference between eBay sellers — a sector that meets all the requirements above — and local hospitals, where someone who calls an ambulance typically doesn’t have much choice as to what local hospital they’ll end up in (with the possible exception of high-density medical areas in Boston). This is why I am a big proponent of private-sector competition in, say, Internet retailing yet do not believe in for-profit local hospitals.

In fact, if there is a hospital sector where free-market private-enterprise competition might make sense it would be among world-class hospitals in Boston where consumers tend to have more of a choice and the ability to do research when deciding where to go for treatment of a serious condition that is not an immediate medical emergency. And, it’s rather telling that there are no for-profit entities that are trying to compete with Mass General and Brigham & Women’s. (I know the medical sector has its own enormous issues that I’m not addressing, but I’m trying to stick to free-market issues here).

Which brings us to education. Does primary and secondary education meet the free-market test?

Transparency? Trying to measure schools by median test scores is a joke, sorry all you MCAS fans. By definition, students in a charter school will, *on average*, have parents who are more engaged in their children’s educational outcome, and IMO that’s the single most important factor in a young student’s success. Not to mention the student body in a charter school often differs in substantial other ways with the student body in your average urban public schools. There are schools that constantly get an influx of new immigrant kids who are included in test scoring soon after arrival and other schools that have a more stable student body. And on and on. But finally, I personally do not believe that average standardized test scores accurately measure quality of education, although I suppose it does measure administration creativity in terms of how to classify students.

Ease of switching — in theory, I suppose parents can pull their kids out of one school and move them to another if they’re not happy. In practice, unless the student is remarkably unhappy and has no friends in the current school, how often is that going to happen?

Sector ease of entry — Nope.

Consumer redress for shoddy service — Not sure how that goes for parents. For those of us footing the bill — that is, taxpayers — there is some limited ability to affect direction and budgets for schools depending whether you live in a city or town; but for a charter school, it’s zero. The charter school gets to take my money and pretty much do whatever it wants; I’ve got no say at all. I’m not OK with that, period. If people think there are problems with the public schools, fix the problems in the public schools. Don’t ask me to fund a parallel school structure that decreases efficiency and gives me no say in how that parallel structure functions. My obligation is to make sure that children in my community get an education, but that does not extend to serving as an ATM for education experimentation.

If anything, post-secondary education has more of the free-market conditions in place than high school does: students & parents can better compare alternatives, and typically since the geographical area is wider there’s a lot more choice and college students are more likely to switch schools to find a better program than elementary school kids (at least the ones I know). How is the free market working out for that sector? College costs are rising way faster than the overall inflation rate. What does that tell me? The free market is not working all that well for post-secondary cost containment, even though there are public, private non-profit and private for-profit options that seem to meet some of the general conditions for a free-market solution. And *that* makes me rightly skeptical that charter schools are going to do anything to solve the problems of quality and cost for elementary and secondary education when those sectors have less of the needed factors in place than post-secondary.

At the time the IRS’s secret harassment of political opponents -long denied- comes to light, the good people of Quincy are subject to night overflights. Other than admission of the fact there are overflights, the government people are silent as to the purpose. Can this be good for those that are under these flights?

In light of the history of the government using its citizens as guinea pigs, should not the duly elected that tell us their love for the safety and security of their constituents before each election, get to the bottom of what this activity is all about?

Do you trust nameless government officials?

“Distrust and caution are the parents of security.”  –Benjamin Franklin

http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2013/roll137.xml

This missed vote doesn’t change my support for Markey – the GOP controlled House was going to pass the bill regardless if Markey was sitting on the floor of Congress Wednesday evening. I fully expect Senator Markey to vote against the bill when it reaches the U.S. Senate. But it does make it harder to make the case that Congressman Markey understands the issues facing middle class/ working class voters for this special election. A political mis-step IMO.

Given that, we have more to do here in Massachusetts – but what more can we do? I propose we need to stop investing in oil, coal and other fossil fuels with our public pension funds. We need to follow the call of college students on campuses nationwide, the faith community, progressive cities and towns, and others by divesting from fossil fuels. I’ve filed legislation to do this (S. 1225) and I hope you’ll lend your support to make Massachusetts a leader in this effort.

 

Chapter 6, Verse 21 of the Gospel of Matthew says “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” While, we are making historic  investments in clean energy, energy efficiency and conservation, we have maintained major investments in fossil fuels. Today, fossil fuel companies represent two of the ten largest investments in the both the Public Retiree Investment Trust (PRIT) fund’s $9.4b domestic and $8.2b international equity portfolios. An additional $780 million invested across three other portfolios means the Commonwealth invests around $1.3 billion in state assets in fossil fuels.

At the same time, Massachusetts has invested nearly $2 billion in energy efficiency improvements through the 3-year efficiency plans and reached unprecedented levels of investment in incentives and credits to promote clean energy installation. We’ve been recognized by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) as the top state for energy efficiency. We’ve hit our ambitious solar energy production goals (a 125X increase) 4 years early and have embarked on a significant new goal. However, our heart is split in two, because our wealth is split in two. Maybe more importantly, the success of our efforts around efficiency, conservation and clean energy is stunted, by continued investment of pension funds in companies whose profits depend on continued greenhouse gas emissions.

At some level, divestment of pension funds from the fossil fuel industry is imminent.  No matter how stagnated, if not backward, the politics of climate currently are in Washington, the impacts of climate change – more severe, unpredictable weather events – will necessitate action.  Bill McKibben & others have rightly labeled this the “Carbon Bubble.” For as long as we invest in fossil fuels and ignore the science of climate, we will enable the bubble to grow. It will pop and when it does, the pain it produces is entirely dependent on how fast we act.

Perhaps the most egregious part of our current investment in fossil fuels is this – they don’t need the money. In 2012, Exxon Mobil nearly set a company, and by extension world, record for profit. Earnings of $44.9 billion fell $300 million short of the 2008 record of $45.2 billion set by the company. Personally, I don’t begrudge them. We have failed to change our policy priorities to the degree necessary to combat climate change. Exxon Mobil is just responding to the market as it currently exists (while admittedly joining with most other fossil companies in seeking to keep it that way through political lobbying and influence peddling). That is why, more so than ever before, it is incumbent on us – those who care deeply about the future of our communities and this planet – to do everything in our power to change the market, the politics and the dynamic of our current debate about climate.

I, like many others, have watched the increased activism on climate since the 2012 elections with great hope and promise. Seeing 40,000 marchers of diverse backgrounds gather in Washington, D.C. to call on the Obama Administration to reject Keystone XL, along with countless other protests, has given me hope that our national leaders will no longer turn a blind eye to the challenge our of times. However, if we have learned anything from the recent past, it is that we cannot wait for Washington to act.  That is why I chose to file this legislation. As Bill McKibben notes regularly in his recent speeches, at least now we will be able to tell future generations we did not go down without a fight. My hope is we will be able to tell them, this is where we started to stem the tide. I hope you’ll join me in this portion of that effort.

Divestment Campaigns

Ed Markey is calling for the “People’s Pledge” to keep unlimited, undisclosed funds from shady SuperPACs out of this election – thus preserving a more transparent election. Gabriel Gomez rejects the People’s Pledge, although he previously decried out-of-state fringe group negative ads on behalf of one of his primary opponents.

For more information, watch the video from the Markey campaign at: http://youtu.be/XMoKLkchLec or read Markey’s blog post here: http://www.edmarkey.com/blog/2013/gabriel-gomez-should-take-the-peoples-pledge/.

Please speak up and take action to help preserve the integrity of this special senate election.

Brown Leads in Race for Massachusetts Governor

A new Public Policy Polling survey in Massachusetts finds former Sen. Scott Brown (R) leads every potential challenger in the Massachusetts gubernatorial race.

The poll might suggest to Brown he would be better off running for governor than challenging Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in New Hampshire, a possibility he’s hinted at in recent weeks.

Be afraid.  Be very afraid.

Let us review: Gabriel Gomez has a house in Cohasset. This house is located in an historic district and, indeed, the house itself is ‘historic’ (read: old). As such, the historically minded brahmins of Cohasset[1] have deemed it worthy of statis: legally forbidding owners, in this case Gabriel Gomez, from making exterior changes. In apparent reply to this Gabriel Gomez has agreed to abide by the law, that is to say he agrees to do nothing to the exterior of the house, and, simultaneously, valuing the changes he wouldn’t make to the facade in the amount of $281,000. Rather than leaving it at that, Gomez’ takes the easement that is valueless, per the local ordinance, and donates it, wholesale (sic) to a Washington DC historical trust, at a value of, you guessed it, $281,000. Gabriel Gomez gave an utterly valueless piece of paper to a Washington DC trust fund and claimed that the value represented by the piece of paper was 281,000 dollars. The trust fund did not receive so much as one dollar. Gabriel Gomez turned around and deducted $281,000 from his tax liability for the honor of handing over a valueless piece of paper to the trust…

Wow. He must possess Rmoney-esque powers of wealth creation as he, apparently, can create wealth out of… well… nothing. One day it can’t be changed. The very next day, changing it would cost well over a quarter of a million dollars. The mind, it reels. The gob, it is smacked. The head, it is scratch mightily…

The IRS frowns upon this sort of caper, classifying it as “charitable contributions fraud”. On a side note, one has to wonder if, A) the IRS has a particular animus to Gabriel Gomez and is thus calling him out alone or 2) the practice is particularly widespread enough, amongst (that is) those both able enough to afford antiquities in historical contexts and able to make large scale donations to obscure (out of state) trusts. Cynical minds might be tempted to believe that this particular trust was created, in Washington DC no less, for the sole purpose of furtherance of said capers across the nation…

It is reminiscent of George Dubya putting on a flight-suit and declaring “Mission Accomplished” when the mission was muddled and nowhere near accomplished. The reality, in spirit and deed, was distinct in its separation from the facade, but that didn’t seem to matter in the slightest: The real cost of the war, the bulk of which had yet to be paid in 2003 when the banner reading “mission accomplished” was flown, was nowhere in relevance.

It’s also redolent of the contextual and cognitive dissonance needed to both support a coward and draft dodger like George W Bush by engaging in rank calumny of a war hero like John Kerry by the donning of ‘purple heart bandaids’: slight the battlefield injuries of one in order to slight the cowardice of the other; facade torn asunder and facade erected and nothing, ever, real is touched.

I could go on: Citizens United, flagrant handwaving in naked pursuit of corporate interests: Eric Fehrnstrom and the famed “Etch-a-Sketch” comment whose subtext was to be able to present anything to anyone: Scott Browns’ viciously racist and sexist campaign that said if Elizabeth Warren was other than what she appeared, she was less than a pure white woman; The attack in Benghazi looks like something therefore it must be something… on and on the relativism puts on and havoc follows.

The deeper point is the manifestation, clearly exhibited here, of blatant manipulation of the facade and of rank contextualism: changes Gomez doesn’t, and cannot, make are worth nothing to Cohasset and… yet… are worth $281,000 in the context of federal tax deductions; it’s all about appearance and appearance is all about with whom it is you are speaking… and the appearance can change as quickly as you can change to whom it is you are interacting with… It is the new version of the ‘etch-a-sketch’: in Cohasset it’s one thing, but on the tax form, shake and clear, it’s a complete other thing. Such is the very basis of ‘dog whistles’ and ‘whisper campaigns’. A myriad of tactics, and their clear opposite, can reside in the same strategy and the same strategist. The Republican party is fast approaching an apotheosis of relativism and context switching that threatens to overwhelm us all.

Gabriel Gomez, it seems, really is a Republican, through and through.

[1] “Cohasset” is an Algonquin word mean “nothing to see here, move along… ”

Here is the story .  Fast food workers walked out all over Detroit today – at McDonalds, Popeyes, Long John Silver, and more.  If you want to support their unionizing effort, here is the petition.  These service workers receive $7.50 an hour, and are mostly kept below full time.  These are not children, but fathers and mothers trying to support families and instead, supporting CEOs who make 400 or 500 times what they earn.  Least you think this is Detroit only, this is in fact a national movement.

Just wanted to bring it to your attention.  Income inequality is alive, kicking, and in fact, affecting a very large number of people.  Because of off shoring, automation, loss of manufacturing jobs, and more these are no longer teen jobs.  In fact, there may well be a teen generation that hits parent hood never having worked any job.  But that is another problem.  Or is it?

Over the years, as he’s been thwarted on various aspects of his education agenda, I’ve prodded Mayor Menino to support more Commonwealth charters. After the mayor testified against raising the charter cap this week, I queried him about a new study by Stanford University’s Center for Research on Education Outcomes, which shows Boston charter students making significantly larger learning gains than their counterparts in the traditional Boston schools.

“I’m not going to get into a debate about charters,” his honor grumped. “You like that study, I don’t like it, OK?”

But why doesn’t he like it? Beyond quipping “because you read it,” the mayor wouldn’t answer.

Inquiring minds want to know: why doesn’t Mayor Menino like the so-called CREDO study? Perhaps I can be of some assistance, Mr. Lehigh…

Mayor Menino Hates Walmart
Mayor Menino was a staunch opponent of Walmart’s plans to open shop in Boston. And he’s rightfully suspicious of the fact that Walmart money is paying for virtually every aspect of the campaign to eliminate the cap on charter schools in Massachusetts. In fact, the Walton Family Foundation, which is funded by Walmart profits, even paid for the CREDO study of which Lehigh is so enamored. (See page 2, “acknowledgments.”) As for whether the Waltons flew the CREDO expert into to testify at this week’s Statehouse “hearing,” I suppose we’ll never know…

The Mayor Actually Read the Study
I happen to know that Mayor Menino finds reading academic studies relaxing, and that he poured over the CREDO report. Menino found page 13 of particular interest, when the study’s authors acknowledge that Massachusetts charter schools enroll a smaller percentage of English Language Learners than the public schools. He understands that this is a particular issue in his city, where the percentage of students who are still learning English in the Boston Public Schools has risen from 19% to 30% just since 2009. And while the Mayor is a regular reader of Scot Lehigh so knows that charter schools are outstanding and are achieving miraculous results with the exact same kids who attend the public schools, Menino also knows that a full 1/3 of charters in Boston enroll virtually no English Language Learners at all.

The Mayor Is a Critic of CREDO’s Methodology
While some of his would-be replacements might not know the difference between “crudo” and CREDO, they don’t call Mayor Menino ‘the professor’ for nothing. Menino has serious methodological questions about CREDO’s approach of matching up real charter school students with fictional amalgamations of statistically similar students in the same area. For Menino the issue is one of control: he “gets” that while the CREDO study controls for  the charter students’ individual characteristics, it can’t sort out whether attending school with an entirely English-speaking student body affects their performance, or whether it makes a difference that the charter students have parents who opted to enroll them in a charter school.

The Mayor Is Worried about the Future of His City
An avid student of education reform, Mayor Menino has observed with interest the experiments with charter schools in other cities. He sees that in many cities, the public school system has been reduced to the schools of last resort, with a far higher percentage of non-English speakers and special needs students than the charters with which they now compete for resources. Also, Mayor Menino is incredibly proud of the fact that under his watch, more students in Boston are attending college than ever before. He knows that Success Boston and other initiatives to help all of the city’s kids are unlikely to survive the coming era of budget slashing and public school closures that will inevitably result from the elimination of the cap on charter schools.

The Mayor Knows that TFA Recruits Don’t Vote
Menino is troubled by the fact that teachers at Boston’s charter schools are both whiter and younger than the teachers they are replacing. Transforming Beantown into Greentown is one thing, but Mayor Menino doesn’t share Scot Lehigh’s enthusiasm for replacing the city’s teaching force, diverse in age, race and experience, with fresh, young teachers who are en route to law school. He sees how high teacher turnover is at Boston’s charters and wonders about the long-term political implications of replacing the city’s teachers with smart temps. Do they even vote?

The Mayor Recognizes the Sound of a Cash Register When He Hears It
Mayor Menino is an old-school pol and he still remembers the days when local politicians padded their pockets with no-show public sector jobs. But these days Mayor Menino can’t help but observe that an awful lot of people seem to be getting rich in the name of helping young minority students achieve. And Menino would really like to know: what is up with all of the rich white people flocking to the boards of the city’s charter schools? Is it really a good idea for an entirely minority charter in Roxbury to be run by an all white cabal of bankers? And why does that particular member of the Board of Directors of UP Academy sound so familiar?

Here are a couple of the highlights – these are direct quotes from Hiller:

It isn’t clear whether Gomez broke the law, but it’s crystal clear he got a giant tax break that doesn’t pass the smell test….

Memo to Gabriel Gomez: this is not something to be proud of, if you’re running for political office.
Why?
Because it makes you look like a rich person taking advantage of tax laws very few people know about.
Because it can make voters wonder about your values and ethics.
And because it sounds like a scam, even if it’s not.

Oof. Add to that the ongoing hilarity of Gomez’s refusing to release any information about how much financial benefit this tax break gave him, and you’ve got a serious political problem brewing. Why won’t he release the information from his 2005 tax return? Because “I have nothing to hide.” Aha.

Newbie candidates like Gomez never seem to believe that the old “cover-up is worse than the crime” maxim (and no, nobody’s alleging a “crime” here, it’s just an expression so lighten up) applies to them, just like it does to everyone else. But it does. If Gomez had any sense, he would immediately (a) release the information showing how much the deduction benefited him, and (b) request that the IRS review the details of his deduction, and promise that if they found it improper, he would repay the benefit plus interest. He can afford it, and it’s the right thing to do.

The final results reflect a dramatic shift in the political landscape. Linda is positioned to become the first woman of color and the first Senator from outside South Boston to hold the 1st Suffolk District seat. If elected, Linda will also be the first state Senator from this district who champions women’s health and comprehensive sexuality education. Based on last November’s elections, it’s clear women’s health is a defining issue for voters, and 1st Suffolk District voters are no exception.

Leading up to the primary, Planned Parenthood Action Fund ran a robust volunteer-driven voter education program to turn out South Boston and Dorchester voters who supported Linda’s agenda for women’s health and economic security. Our volunteers knocked on 1,300 doors and made 13,000 calls in support of Linda.

Unlike her predecessors, Linda Dorcena Forry will be a strong voice for comprehensive sexuality education and access to health care. With apologies to Bob Dylan, she is proof that times really are changing. And that’s a good thing.

Marty Walz

Planned Parenthood Action Fund

* The Planned Parenthood Action Fund is the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

In recent months, the Senate, the House, and the Governor have all committed to raising various amounts of new revenue to support some new investments. “Comparing Revenue Proposals for Transportation, Education, and Other Investments” outlines the differences between their plans—both for next year and for FY 2018, when the plans are fully phased in.

• The House and Senate proposals focus largely on transportation, particularly in later years. This is in contrast to the Governor’s plan, which raises significantly more revenue to increase funding for college scholarship programs and to expand access to high-quality early education & care, among other things.
• By FY 2018, the House and Senate would devote less money to fixing and repairing our roads, buses, bridges and other transportation networks than the Governor’s proposal.
• The House and Senate proposals would raise comparable amounts of new revenue, and both count on similar funding support from transportation agencies (likely including user fee increases). The two proposals differ in that: 1) the Senate version includes an additional $38 million in new revenue and; 2) the Senate dedicates $77 million to transportation that the House would leave unrestricted.

“Comparing Revenue Proposals for Transportation, Education, and Other Investments” is part of a series of MassBudget briefs analyzing key elements in the budget proposals for FY 2014.

Republican US Senate nominee Gabriel E. Gomez claimed a $281,500 income tax deduction in 2005 for pledging not to make any visible changes to the facade of his 112-year-old Cohasset home, a concession so valuable that it is classified as a charitable contribution under a federal law designed to protect historic homes.

But Gomez and his wife, Sarah, were already barred from making any changes to the exterior of their home under the bylaws of the local Historical Commission, raising the question as to whether their donation — the price of which is based on the loss of value in their real estate — had any monetary worth.

The Gomezes, whose 59 Highland Ave. home is located within the Cohasset Common Historic District, gave the historical easement to the National Architectural Trust, a Washington-based organization whose marketing of tax-deductible easements to homeowners has been targeted by the US Department of Justice.

Five weeks after the Gomezes claimed the deduction, the Internal Revenue Service listed programs such as this — that involve the “contribution of a historic facade easement to a tax-exempt conservation organization” — as one of its “Dirty Dozen tax scams.”

…

One specialist in conservation easement law, Scott Knott, a tax partner in The Ferraro Law Firm in Washington, D.C., said that if easements mandated by local laws are already in place, homeowners have nothing to claim as a tax deduction.

“The key is the valuation of the easement and if there is already a restriction on the property, the value is not diminished by the easement,” said Knott. “The value of any easement that has the same restriction already in place is zero.”

…

Dean Zerbe, former senior counsel for the Senate Finance Committee, who investigated abusive tax breaks, asserts the deduction for facade easements is “unconscionable” because it is almost exclusively for the “one percent…. It is wealthy people playing fast and loose.”

…

A Senate Finance Committee inquiry, which led to some reforms in 2006 in the program and tightened up procedures, prompted criticism on Capitol Hill of the nonprofit historic preservation firms that were marketing the tax deduction.

“It is very discouraging to find yet another example of snake oil salesmen misusing tax-exempt status and abusing the tax laws intended to encourage charitable giving, all for the purpose of making a fast buck,” [Republican Senator Charles] Grassley, then chairman of the Committee on Finance, said in a December 2004 press release.

Of course, the notion that someone should receive a tax deduction of nearly $300,000 for promising not to do what they can’t do anyway is absurd on its face, and that’s why the IRS targeted this particular tax scam as one of its “dirty dozen.”  And the fact that Republicans like Chuck Grassley hate this particular deduction is further evidence of how sleazy it is.

Mike Sullivan and Dan Winslow must be kicking themselves over this.

Besides the usual suspects (Lukas’s “Common Ground” and the Thomas O’Connor catalog), here’s what I’ve got for books that either look specifically at politics/policy in Boston or use Boston to illuminate broader themes (a partial list in no particular order):

• Pierre Clavel, “Activists in City Hall: The Progressive Response to the Reagan Era in Boston and Chicago” (2010)
• Mel King, “Chain of Change: Struggles for Black Community Development” (1981)
• James Jennings and Mel King (eds.), “From Access to Power: Black Politics in Boston” (1996)
• Lawrence Vale, “From the Puritans to the Projects: Public Housing and Public Neighbors” (2000)
• James Green and Hugh Donahue, “Boston’s Workers: A Labor History” (1979)
• Alan Lupo, “Liberty’s Chosen Home: the Politics of Violence in Boston” (1977)
• Alan Lupo, Frank Colcord and Edmund P. Fowler, “Rites of Way: The Politics of Transportation in Boston and the U.S. City” (1971)
• Hillel Levine and Lawrence Harmon, “Death of an American Jewish Community: A Tragedy of Good Intentions” (1993)
• Gerald Gamm, “Urban Exodus: Why the Jews Left Boston and the Catholics Stayed” (2001)
• Dick Lehr, “The Fence: A Police Cover-Up Along Boston’s Racial Divide” (2009)
• Lawrence Kennedy: “Planning the City Upon a Hill: Boston Since 1630″ (1994)
• John Mollenkopf, “The Contested City” (1983)
• Herbert Gans, “The Urban Villagers: Group and Class in the Life of Italian-Americans” (1982)
• Rachel G. Bratt, “Rebuilding a Low-Income Housing Policy” (1989)
• George Higgins, “Style Versus Substance: Boston, Kevin White and the Politics of Illusion” (1984)

Others?

Take this with a biiiiig grain of salt: Suffolk is showing Markey with a 52-35 lead over Gomez. Not sure what to make of that, since PPP just showed Ed up by 4.

Maybe it means that polls don’t mean much between two candidates that haven’t been thoroughly introduced to the general public yet – particularly Gomez. Or perhaps it reflects the difference in enthusiasm and unity between the Dems and GOP at this point.

In any event, better to be up than down. Now we gotta do the grunt work – as does Ed.

Presidential Proclamation — National Charter Schools Week, 2013

NATIONAL CHARTER SCHOOLS WEEK, 2013

- – - – - – -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

America’s success in the 21st century depends on what we do today to reignite the true engine of our economic growth: a thriving middle class. Achieving that vision means making sure our education system provides ladders of opportunity for our sons and daughters. We need to equip all our students with the education and skills that put them on the path to good jobs and a bright future — no matter where they live or what school they attend.

Charter schools play an important role in meeting that obligation. These learning laboratories give educators the chance to try new models and methods that can encourage excellence in the classroom and prepare more of our children for college and careers. In return for this flexibility, we should expect high standards and accountability, and make tough decisions to close charter schools that are underperforming and not improving. But where charter schools demonstrate success and exceed expectations, we should share what they learn with other public schools and replicate those that produce dramatic results. Many charter schools choose to locate in communities with few high-quality educational options, making them an important partner in widening the circle of opportunity for students who need it most.

Our children are ready to write the next great chapter in the American story. As parents and teachers and citizens, it is up to all of us to provide them the tools they need to keep our country moving forward — from a degree that leads to a good job to the critical thinking skills that make our democracy thrive. This week, we recognize charter schools that are advancing those goals, and we recommit to helping our Nation’s children go as far as their talents will take them.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 5 through May 11, 2013, as National Charter Schools Week. I commend our Nation’s charter schools, teachers, and administrators, and I call on States and communities to support charter schools and the students they serve.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Seriously, the leap from simply buying TV ads during a statewide campaign to “must be running scared”, is so insipid, DFTT – Do Not Feed The Troll is the only appropriate retort IMHO. Please ridicule at your convenience.

The Massachusetts Democrat introduced a bill Tuesday which would let students pay the same interest rate on their government loans as banks.

Student loan interest rates are set to jump from 3.4 to 6.8 percent in July. Warren said banks can borrow from the Federal Reserve at an interest rate of less than 1 percent.

The degree to which our political culture, business culture, and educational culture has abandoned young adults is just obscene. Banks know they’re an easy mark. Politicians have left them with austerity budgets and an austerity economy.

Colleges jack up prices, leveraging the dream that an – their extra-premium education – is worth any cost; and use their financial aid to attract the wealthy rather than the best qualified:

U.S. colleges such as Boston University are using financial aid to lure rich students while shortchanging the poor, forcing those most in need to take on heavy debt, a report found.

…

The research analyzing U.S. Education Department data for the 2010-2011 school year undercuts the claims of many wealthy colleges that financial-aid practices make their institutions affordable, said Stephen Burd, the report’s author. He singled out schools — including Boston University and George Washington University — that appear especially pricey for poor families.

Thanks to our new Senator for starting to chip away at this corrupt edifice of student finance.

In case you missed Dan Winslow’s very pointed Primary night remarks – Dan attempted to reachout to Lynch supporters and sway them to Gomez. Winslow said the Democratic Party leaders in Washington DC “sole” this election from Steve Lynch and encouraged Lynch supporters to jump on the Gomez bandwagon.

To Steve Lynch’s credit he stood with Ed Markey the morning of the Unity event and will stand with Markey again today to encourage the core of Lynch’s support – Organized Labor – to vote for Ed Markey on June 25th.

So let’s use this election to send a message to the Koch brothers, and to Karl Rove, and to Republicans all across the United States: your money doesn’t work in Massachusetts.  Let’s not just send Ed Markey to the United States Senate.  Let’s beat Gabriel Gomez so badly that the next Republican, and the next, and the next can’t make the case to outside Big Money that their contributions will help them win, and tell the Koch Brothers and Karl Rove: Your money won’t work in Massachusetts.

Mara Dolan is the host of “Twilight Talk” on WCAP and the Co-Chair of the Policy Committee of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee.  Write to MDolan@MaraDolan.com, and follow on Twitter @MaraDolan

http://bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/howie_carr/2013/05/its_ed_markeys_election_to_lose

Tucked neatly in the middle was a vignette about Markey at a Framingham Democratic Comm. event in January.

Supposedly Markey misspoke while introducing the Lt. Gov. calling him Murphy instead of Murray…according to Carr, Markey repeated the mistake over and over during the event. Anyone who was there can attest that that did not happen. Markey corrected himself almost immediately and the Lt. Gov. laughed at the single slip.  Clearly, Carr was not there. So he was either lying deliberately or reporting someone else’s misinformation. But, which Democrat would try to weaken his fellow Democrat by passing that put-’em-down to Howie Carr?

I am sorry as a Democrat to say that the enemy is within. There appears to be only one viable suspect. The one Democratic statewide officeholder who has NEVER been vilified, libeled or slandered by Carr…the Prince of Darkness. A best friend with benefits. More than a coincidence that whenever the Prince shows up at a Dem. event that includes statewide officeholders, some form of misinfo./slurry will turn up in a Carr column shortly after to cut them down. The Prince is the common denominator.

And speaking of Carr, I hope every BMGer is following former prosecutor Matt Connolly’s blog on the Whitey Bulger trial…he is a fountain of REAL facts on the courts, press and lawyers…He exposes Howie Carr as the fiction writer he is, pointing out one fantasy after another in Carr’s new book.  Take a look:

http://thetrialofwhiteybulger.com/howie-carrs-new-bulger-book-based-on-lies-66220/

Carr’s books are based on lies and his columns are based on lies…but he’s laughing all the way to the bank while others pay the price. Please Bill, stop feeding the vermin…he’s laughing at you, too!

We did, after all, manage to bury Lee Harvey Oswald. Had Timothy McVeigh not been cremated, we’d have buried him too. This fiasco makes our so-called leaders look inept and ridiculous.

So we have protestors saying that the body should be dragged around for dogs to eat, as if we were in Mogadishu or Falluja. There’s a public health prescription for you.

Sorry, Governor, but yeah it is your job to do something with a dead body that no one wants. And the washing of hands by you, Cambridge City Manager Healey, Ed Markey and everyone else is not punishment for the dead bomber. It’s punishing the people who have tried to do the right thing: Funeral director Peter Stefan and Uncle Ruslan.

None of this not-my-problem attitude is going to bring back the dead victims, or punish the perpetrators. It’s not going to help a single bombing victim.

Tamerlan Tsarnaev is dead. Bury the body. Honor the dead and help the living. Step up and stop acting like children.

Good ideas and thoughts here from WBUR.

Lessons of the Gloucester Charter Collapse
By Peter Dolan

Last month’s collapse of the Gloucester Community Arts Charter School warns us that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is not adequately supervising Commonwealth Charter Schools. The school’s failure in the middle of its third year shows that it is time for a moratorium on the granting of new Commonwealth Charters, and not the time to lift the charter cap, and not the time to allocate an additional million dollars a year to the DESE to support the creation of more charter schools.

Many of the problems at the Gloucester charter school might have remained out of sight if concerned local residents had not called attention to them. It should not have fallen on private citizens to ensure that this public school was adhering to the same standards and following the same rules that apply to any public school. That it did is a clear sign that granting more Commonwealth Charters does not make sense in light of the alternatives offered by locally supervised Horace Mann Charters and Innovation Schools.

The school’s chaotic mid-week closing in early January of its third year, abruptly sending over one hundred students in search of new schools, capped a history of political meddling when the charter was granted, failure to hold the school accountable for what was promised in the school’s charter application, massive turnover of staff and students, failure to meet enrollment targets, and failure to deliver special education services.

Right after accepting an offer from the DESE — surrender their charter in return for accelerated funding — that on its face was intended to allow the school to stay open until the end of the school year, the school abruptly closed its doors. The agreement between the school and the DESE did spare the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) from having to vote on Commissioner Mitchell Chester’s recommendation that the school’s charter be revoked. However, the school’s implosion three weeks after the agreement was reached leaves us wondering how carefully the DESE looked at the school’s desperate financial situation before it proposed the “deal.”

The Commissioner recommended that the school’s charter be revoked after the release of a scathing report on conditions at the school, along with the discovery of embarrassing lapses in supervision by the DESE. Despite the school’s high profile (the granting of its charter remains the subject of ongoing litigation), midway through its third year of operation the school did not have an Accountability Plan approved by the DESE. That plan is supposed to be finalized by the end of a charter school’s first year. For the school’s final site visit evaluation, the DESE engaged only two “outside” evaluators, both charter school employees. One of the evaluators, Diana Lam, had an undisclosed financial relationship with the school (an investigation of the school by the State Auditor’s Office is also ongoing).

A year before the school opened, public records requests revealed that DESE evaluators had determined that the proposed school failed to satisfy minimum legal chartering criteria. This was concealed from the BESE when it voted to grant the school’s charter. After it opened, the school was cited for failing to provide special education services as well as for violating public bidding and open meeting laws. There was a cyclone of staff and trustee turnover: When it closed, only two teachers remained from last year, none remained from the prior year, the principal was the third in as many years, and only one founder remains on a board that has struggled to maintain the legal minimum number of members. Yet the school was allowed to continue lurching along despite mounting evidence that it was not delivering on its promises, culminating in a stunning list of failures in its final evaluation.

For three years in a row the school’s “pre-enrollment” figures grossly overstated actual enrollment. For example, the school cited a pre-enrollment of 212 for the current school year in its August 2012 annual report to the Department, but reported actual enrollment of 124 when it opened in September. While state payments to the school eventually reflected actual enrollment, these pre-enrollment claims were used to determine the year’s first payment from the Commonwealth to the school. This provided the school with an interest-free loan and distorted municipal budgets as officials were forced to address the diversion of hundreds of thousands of dollars of state aid to the charter school for what turned out to be nonexistent students.

The recent revelations about the Gloucester charter school form a constellation of flashing red stop lights, warning us that it is time to pause, stop approving new Commonwealth Charters, and not rush forward to raise the charter cap.

The conventional wisdom in campaigns is often that policy doesn’t matter – message does.  Keeping policy meat off the table is the safe route forward.  But while such wisdom may work for a policy-lite newcomer like Gabby Gomez, it will not work for a long-term experienced Congressman like you.  Your strength is policy so you have to make the race about it.

The way to do this is by calling him out – every morning – holding a press conference in a different city or town in the Commonwealth – and asking “what does Gabby believe?” You start each morning off with a different policy theme.  You state where you stand, your record and you ask Gabby where he stands, for his solutions, relentlessly for the next few weeks through May.  The goal of such an exercise would be to expose Gabby Gomez for 1) not being clear about what he believes and 2) believing things that most people in Massachusetts find anathema.

So for example, how about tomorrow you go down to Quincy (which you need to focus on given you got destroyed there by Lynch) and you speak about education and the sequester cuts that are devastating education programs across the country – cuts that will result in 70,000 kids being kicked out of Head Start programs, and how programs on the South Shore are being effected.  You tell local and Boston press that you want these cuts overturned immediately and that you would pay for it by ending tax breaks that allow hedge fund managers to pay less in tax on their income than everyone else.  Then you ask – what does Gabby believe?  What is he going to do about these cuts?  Would he do anything?  How would he pay for it? Is he for his hedge fund private equity buddies keeping their tax breaks at the expense of these kids?

Because you know what you are talking about – you know how things get done – and you have ideas about fixing problems because you have fixed problems in Washington, you should expose Gabby Gomez as not only a lightweight on policy, but also a confused and conflicted light weight. Every time you raise a different issue – the assault weapons ban, choice, corporate tax breaks, the minimum wage, labor laws, funding for infrastructure, climate change – you force Gomez to respond or look empty.  Call him out and he will be put on the defensive and have to answer – but his answers will be vague and shaddy because Republicans in Massachusetts have to find some way of saying what they believe without scaring people – and that will further drive the “Gabby is Empty” meme.

The more you ask “What does Gabby believe” – the more the press and people will too.  The more the issues come out, the more press and people will remember why this election matters.  The more the base hears you talking about the issues, the more it will rally to your cause.  The more you are clear and detailed about where you stand and your strong record – the more people will understand there is only one real choice to represent Massachusetts in the Senate – you!

The best candidates focus on their strengths as a means of overcoming their flip-side weaknesses.  You can do that by making the race a contest of ideas and experience – not running from yours but embracing it and calling the other guy out for having none.

Good luck – we will be out there with you – backing you on the issues.  I mean “What does Gabby believe” anyway?

AP reports:    “‘I think that the people of Massachusetts have a right to say that they do not want that terrorist to be buried on the soil of Massachusetts,’ said Democratic U.S. Rep. Edward Markey.”

During the last election cycle, the Mass Dems started the Dem Doors Diaries. Democrats win when we organize precinct by precinct, knocking on our neighbor’s doors, which is why every weekend Democrats disperse around Massachusetts to make personal contacts with voters and discuss the issues that really matter. Dem Doors Diaries is a way for canvassers to share their thoughts and the experiences they had while knocking on doors and talking to voters.

By sharing your experiences, you push others to start canvassing and help new organizers feel more comfortable about going out on their own or with a friend! Don’t forget to tweet and use the hashtag #DemDoors! Spread the word and make the excitement about canvassing last beyond the weekend!

Chairman Walsh’s new sneakers are broken in and ready for canvassing and he will be joining Democrats across the state to knock on doors for Ed Markey! He’s more ready than ever so hopefully you’re ready to join him!

If you wrote about your experience and would like to share, please email me early in the week at shooper@massdems.org.

June 25th is much closer than you think so let’s get to work!

Thank you,

Samantha

	Republican Mitt Romney	Republican Gabriel Gomez
Harvard MBA led to career in private equity that hasn’t received nearly as much scrutiny as it deserves
Played both sides of the abortion issue	Yup.	“Gomez said he is pro-life, but would not attempt to change Roe v. Wade, the landmark U.S. Supreme Court case legalizing abortion.”
Changes his positions on issues based on the audience he is addressing	Hall of Fame Flip-Flopper	Have you read Gomez’s letter to Governor Patrick? (PDF)
Has Karl Rove-wannabe Eric Fehrnstrom cheering him on from the sidelines		Fehrnstrom advised the pro-Gomez super-PAC “Committee for a Better Massachusetts”
Trying hard to convince the right-wing GOP base that he is shoulder-to-shoulder with them	“I was a severely conservative Republican Governor”	“I’m a firm Republican, I’m a conservative Republican”
Dishonest criticism of President Obama’s response to terrorism	Please proceed, Governor.
Everywhere and nowhere on climate science	Uh-huh.	Uh-huh.
Relying on outside groups to do their dirty work	“Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney was supported by outside groups that outspent allies of President Barack Obama by $260 million. And yet he still lost.”	“GOP Senate hopeful Gabriel Gomez rejects ‘people’s pledge’”
Nothing says “common touch” like the swanky upgrades to their chateaus	Quadrupling the size of his house, installing a car elevator, you get the picture	Boston Globe Magazine profiled the redecoration of his 6,500-square-foot Cohasset Common estate

Some people may suggest a Gabriel Gomez-Scott Brown comparison; but, at Gomez’s core, he really is just a Mitt Romney re-tread.

Eliminating the cap on charters in Massachusetts is a key priority for the Walton family, whose Walton Family Foundation is funded by Walmart profits. You see, the Walmart heirs, who now control as much wealth as the bottom 40% of Americans combined, understand that there is nothing we can do about the low wages that cause poverty. What we can do, however, is “infuse pressure” into the K-12 education system in order to give poor people a “choice” of education options, much like local businesses are infused with pressure when a Walmart Super Center opens its doors nearby.

But what kind of schools does the Walton family want low-income parents to choose from? Excellent ones! The single largest beneficiary of Walmart $$$ in Massachusetts is an organization of which you’ve likely never heard. Building Excellent Schools, which has received close to $6 million from the Walton Foundation since 2011, specializes in urban “no excuses” charters where minority youth are inculcated with the skills and values they’ll need to flourish in the 21st century workplace. But don’t take my word for it. Check out this day-in-the-life excerpt submitted by Building Excellent Schools as part of their application to open a “college prep” school in Fall River, MA. (Note: excerpt starts on page 144).

These excellent schools also have the added benefit of being completely union free. The teachers, overwhelmingly young and white, are employees at will who work on one-year contracts and can be fired at any time. Which is another excellent lesson for the students who will soon be enjoying lots of choice courtesy of the Walton family. You see, much like Walmart and the 1% of the US population it employs, the workplace of the future will also be union free.

The irony is, of course, that Walmart recently canceled plans to open stores in Boston, Watertown and Somerville rather than agree to demands to meet minimal workplace and purchasing standards. Yet Walmart $$$ is rapidly reshaping public education in the Commonwealth. If there’s a brand new poll showing that the majority of Massachusetts residents believe that the Walton heirs should determine the future of their public schools I haven’t seen it yet. Of course it’s only Monday…

Now is the time to start blocking out time to help. Build volunteer time into your schedule now. Don’t think of it as something you do when you don’t have anything else to do.

A good plan is to block out one afternoon or evening every week, and a few hours on either Saturday or Sunday to help. Make this a priority. Is going to the gym taking up your time? Canvassing is an exercise in Democracy with the emphasis on EXERCISE. You need to spend some time with friends? Invite them to join you and then go out afterwards.

Some people may not be in a position to block off time to volunteer twice a week, but for seven weeks you can make it a priority to block off ONCE a week to help out. Something might come up causing you to cancel once or twice. Try to makeup the day. When someone calls me to cancel a volunteer gig, I ask when do you want to make up this time. More often than not, people will.

Think of how people felt when we lost the U. S. Senate seat back in 2010. We don’t want that to happen again.

Contact your local leader or call the campaign at 617-286-4147. I’ve had good luck reaching people at this number. If for any reason you have difficulty reaching someone, try again or call me at 508-404-8531.

Her family compounded their wealth through a series of trusts that are not available to anyone of this generation; she pays less tax as percentage of income than Buffett.  Unlike Buffett, she was handed her wealth through the birth canal lottery . She did not earn it.

I am sure she is a nice and inteligent person but President Obama has gone on about fairness time and time again. Appointing a Pritzker just does not seem fair.

Like watching Susan Lucci lose year after year on the Daytime Emmy Awards, they watch the Republicans lose elections.  They think it just doesn’t seem fair.  All those Democrats, marching in lock step.  It’s the Machine!, they think.  The God-damned machine has done it again!

But the Massachusetts Democrats are not some machine with a switch you can flick to elect people.  If it were, Martha Coakley would be a United States Senator.  Unlike  the Yankees, who really do suck and who really do just buy their victories, the Massachusetts Democrats win for two reasons: we’re right on the issues, and we work harder.

We start by listening, and understanding the concerns of most Massachusetts voters, like jobs, education, health care, transportation, climate change, and campaign finance reform.  Then we develop evidence-based policy to address those issues.  We send our people to knock on doors armed with the facts, and explain what we stand for and how our candidates will make a difference when elected.

Gabriel Gomez hasn’t done any of that. He’s a one percenter who equates speaking English as a second language with growing up underprivileged.  He thinks deregulation will create jobs, even though there is no evidence to support that, and Mitt Romney just lost big time trying to pitch that one.

But as long as the Democrats keep listening, using facts and evidence to build their case, and the Republicans don’t, we’ll keep winning even if we don’t spend the most money.  Why am I not worried about giving away all the tricks of the trade to the Republicans?  Because if they really listened to the voters of Massachusetts, and developed evidence-based policies to address their concerns, they’d turn into Democrats.

Mara Dolan is the host of “Twilight Talk” on WCAP and the Co-Chair of the Policy Committee of the Massachusetts Democratic State Committee.  Follow me on Twitter @MaraDolan

Well that was easy! According to Democrats for Education Reform’s patented endorsement process, which seems to involve googling a candidate’s name together with “charter schools, support for,” there was only one education reform candidate in this race. Here’s a clue: Linda Dorcena Forry never even mentions charter schools and their outstandingess or their excellence on her campaign website. Instead, she only wants to make college more affordable for low-income students and who did that ever help??? Meanwhile, DFER pick Nick Collins is a founding member of the board of local miracle charter, UP Academy, where he is joined by other bold  innovators like the VP of Bain Capital, the head of equities for Columbia Management and Michael Kineavy, chief of staff for Mayor Menino.

Poll dancing
Alas the DFER kiss and a crew of energetic young business students banking the phones wasn’t enough to propel brother Collins past Dorcena Forry and her support from minorities, immigrants and gays and lesbians, a coalition that political observers say heralds a new day for Boston politics. Which is ironical in the extreme because if there is any organization that has the backs of Boston’s people of color community it’s DFER. In fact, DFER cares so much about voters of color that it recently placed this op-ed in the Bay State Banner, reporting on the results of a DFER “poll” in which support for charter schools among people of color was found to increase as these voters were told more and more great things about how great charter schools are. OK, so the op-ed doesn’t mention that the number one concern of voters was budget cuts in the public schools which are absolutely not related in any way to the expansion of charter schools that is DFER’s sole policy objective.

The white way
The point is, that win or lose, the brothers of DFER (and I’m referring to actual fraternity brothers) bought it brought it . And while some haters may be relishing the opportunity to point out the group’s almost comical lack of knowledge about Boston, their well-funded quest to remake the public schools they never attended has won them at least one new BFF: hot-for-charters Boston Globe columnist Scot Lehigh. In this “column,” Lehigh reports on the results of DFER’s “poll” and drools at the prospect of the DFER boyz playing a significant role in the upcoming mayoral contest. But which of our excellence loving candidates will be lucky enough to receive the DFER magic???

Note: the California Democratic Party recently passed a resolution criticizing Democrats for Education Reform as a hedge-funded front for corporate interests and Republicans. Similar efforts are underway in several other states, although Massachusetts isn’t one of them.

StopRush Contributes to Worst Drop in Advertising in Radio History

These foks have set up an easy web-based database to use for finding Rush’s sponsors in your area – just type in your zip code and a search radius on this page and you’ll find a list of advertisers and several easy contact methods:

StopRush Database Search

I found 12 advertisers within 25 miles of my zip code, so I clicked through to their Facebook pages and posted this on their walls:

Did you know your ads are playing on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show on WRKO? Did you know he made pressure cooker jokes on the air the day after the Boston Marathon bombings? Are you ok with your brand being associated with the hateful invective Rush spouts on the air every single day? Please contact WRKO and tell them to pull your ads from Limbaugh’s brand of hate radio.

I also sent it to them through the Facebook message system, to make sure they see it. Some of the advertisers had removed their Facebook pages, but the database provided a customer service email address, so I sent the message that way. All in all, it took me about ten minutes, and I felt a whole lot better after I did it!

Here’s some more links if you’d like to join the effort to defund Rush Limbaugh:

Join: The Flush Rush Facebook community
Visit: The StopRush sponsor database
Tweet: #stoprush Twitter campaign
Fact Check: Limbaugh Lie Debunking Site
Install: ThinkContext StopRush browser extension–notifies you as you browse which companies advertise on Rush

Donations poured in as Brown’s role grew
With vote near, financial sector delivered $140k

Campaign contributions to Senator Scott Brown from the financial industry spiked sharply during a critical three-week period last summer as the fate of the Wall Street regulatory overhaul hung in the balance and Brown used the leverage of his swing vote to win key concessions sought by firms.

And this?

Senator Brown sought to loosen bank rules
OK’d overhaul, then called for leeway, e-mails show

Senator Scott Brown has trumpeted his role in casting the deciding vote in favor of the 2010 Wall Street overhaul, but records show that after he voted for the law, he worked to shield banks and other financial institutions from some of its tough provisions.

E-mails between Brown’s legislative director and US Treasury Department officials show that Brown advocated for a loose interpretation of the law so that banks could more easily engage in high-risk investments.

Wall Street lavishly lined Republican Scott Brown’s campaign coffers to the tune of over $3.3 million, and Brown used his office to do Wall Street’s bidding.  Now, the same big money investor class is using its financial clout to fund the bulk of Republican Gabriel Gomez’s Senate campaign.  David Bernstein reports:

At least 57 percent of all itemized contributions reported by the Gabriel Gomez campaign before Tuesday’s primary came from people who make their living, as Gomez does, by managing investments.

That includes $309,850 from individuals who list private equity or other investment-related occupations, and another $44,550 from their spouses who listed no occupation of their own.

Close to $60,000 came from employees and their spouses of the last two firms where Gomez has worked, Advent International and Summit Partners. Boston private-equity firm Berkshire Partners accounted for more than $40,000. [...]

Gomez, in addition to $900,000 of his own money he loaned the campaign, raised $582,249 through April 10, the end of the pre-primary reporting period. All but $47,000 of it came in increments large enough to require itemizing. Another $86,400 of itemized contributions were included in so-called “48-hour contribution reports” after April 10.

The contribution reports also show that Gomez was funded primarily by large contributions from a relatively small number of people.

Of the $582,249 reported by the campaign in its pre-primary report, $354,350 — just over 60 percent — came from individuals who gave at least the maximum $2600 allowed for the primary campaign.

To start, Republican Gabriel Gomez is, hands down, the Big Money candidate.  The majority of his campaign donations appear to come directly from his colleagues in the investor class. Even more plutocratically, it appears that the majority of his campaign funds, aside from the $900,000 in personal checks that he has written to his campaign, come from about 130 or so finance pals all maxing out.  Not exactly a grassroots-fueled campaign.

We sent Senator Elizabeth Warren to the U.S. Senate, in part, to rein in the economically dangerous excesses of Wall Street.  To that end, she has been kicking butt.  Meanwhile, based on his fundraising, Republican Gabriel Gomez is shaping up to be just another tool for Wall Street.  I don’t think Massachusetts really wants to send to the U.S. Senate someone who will simply undermine Senator Warren’s impressive leadership in taking on Wall Street.

Gomez is starting out as a pretty popular candidate, with 41% of voters rating him favorably to 27% with an unfavorable opinion. Beyond having good numbers with Republicans he’s at 42/24 with independents, and actually seen narrowly positively even by Democrats at 33/32. Voters meanwhile are more divided on Markey, with 44% holding a positive view of him to 41% with a negative one. He’s at 31/50 with independents….

The good news for Markey in the poll beyond the obvious fact that he’s in the lead is that Barack Obama remains pretty popular in the state. He has a 53/41 approval rating. Obama was at only 44/43 when Brown won in 2010 and the President’s lack of popularity was a big contributor to the upset. He’s in a much better position this time around. The pool of undecided voters also sets up well for Markey- they voted for Obama by 18 points in November, 32% are liberals compared to only 25% who are conservatives, and 61% of them are women. Those are all demographics that ought to end up favorable to him in the end.

As I said a couple days after Gomez won, he will be the flavor of the week for a while, and that is IMHO almost certainly reflected in these poll numbers – particularly with Lynch voters who may need a while to shake off the primary campaign.  But make no mistake: at least at first glance, Gomez is an appealing guy and must be taken seriously.  Here’s hoping the media actually do their job, which in this case I’d say is to force the candidates to explain what they actually think about things, rather than letting them get away with the usual bromides.  If they do that, it seems unlikely to go well for Gomez.

He asked that people spread the word “quietly”. So can we get our own Todd Akin disaster going right here and once and for all shame the Republican Party out of Massachusetts? Let him be in the debates! Please let him be in the debates!

John Howard

Happy Friday!

Ours:

Amendment II]
A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Theirs:

A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Though there are no changes per se, Second Amendment scholars in the US have long argued over the significance of the punctuation in this clause. The CSA’s version gets rid of a few commas, which makes the language closer to what gun control advocates believe the amendment was supposed to say, namely that the right to keep and bear arms only exists if one belongs to a militia.

Interesting. I am really interested in why they made this change and if we made this change would it really make a big difference. I leave it to my fellow scholars and progressives to answer.

He also helped grow smaller, regional businesses into national, household names – like apparel company Lululemon. He experienced how onerous taxes and excessive regulation are barriers to job creation. He also learned what it takes to help businesses and employees prosper and thrive.

Sounds good to me. Gabe helped take a small American mom-and-pop shop national, ensuring that its employees get something approximating a living wage, and otherwise helping them to “prosper and thrive.”

Except that that isn’t the story. According to the Wikipedia entry, “Lululemon has its main factory in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In 2004, production expanded outside Canada and currently takes place in factories in the United States, China, Israel, Taiwan, India, Thailand, Peru, and Indonesia.” In fact, while “until recently, Lululemon produced most of its clothing in a non-union shop in East Vancouver,” now, “in response to … its growing market, Lululemon hopes to produce half its merchandise in China by the end of the year.” Or, as the Lululemon web site has it, “Global economic forces … have shifted manufacturing to more cost-attractive locations and resulted in closures of some domestic factories.” Oh. The Advent web site explains it this way: “Advent International’s partnership with the company is a classic example of how we can support management in achieving their goals of international expansion and product growth. “Classic example,” indeed — Advent has nothing on Bain. So this is Mr Gomez’s poster-company for the new economy? (BTW, Advent dumped most of its stock in lululemon as soon as the contractual lock-up period expired and share prices plunged).

Why is this important? Because it goes beyond the non-union and non-US location and right to the heart of the matter of those pesky regulations — you know, like the ones regarding child labor–and exporting jobs to what Lululemon’s CEO quaintly refers to as “The Orient”: Lululemon founder Dennis “Chip” Wilson is also a champion of child labor. Yeah, you read that right — Chip not only defends his company’s use of child labor, but even suggests that 12-year olds in Canada should be working in factories.

But this is no suprise, seeing as how Chip’s business practices were inspired by — you saw this coming? — Ayn Rand. The company’s blog boasts that he first read Atlas Shrugged whe he was 18, and that “Only later, looking back, did he realize the impact the book’s ideology had on his quest to elevate the world from mediocrity to greatness (Lululemon’s company vision)….”

In “Atlas Shrugged,” Ayn Rand describes a society where people work and reside in government-controlled environments that are tightly regimented. Without realizing it, this control created a society of mediocrity; propagating a cycle of listless, uninspired existing as opposed to living. The character John Galt encouraged all of the world’s innovators and intelligent minds to go on strike from the increasingly controlling government in order to create a vacuum of brilliance, proving that independent creativity and free-will is critical for quality of life… Our bags [Luluelom sells a bag emblazoned with that exhausted "Who is John Galt?" slogan] are visual reminders for ourselves to live a life we love and conquer the epidemic of mediocrity. We all have a John Galt inside of us, cheering us on. How are we going to live lives we love?”

Wilson, incidentally, is personally worth 3.5 billion.

Let’s go to re-write:

He also helped grow non-unionized Canadian businesses – like apparel company Lululemon -into national brands. He experienced how taxes and regulation are barriers to job creation, which led to Lululemon exporting most of its manufacturing jobs overseas, primarily to China. He also learned what it takes to help businesses thrive, as explained by Lululemon’s child-labor advocate and Randian disciple CEO

Of course, it could be that I’m attributing too much to Mr Gomez. Or rather, that he is. It was, after all, Advent exec and former Reebok CEO Robert Meers who “joined lululemon in December 2005 and was instrumental in establishing the strategic platform for the lululemon brand and its growth throughout North America and internationally. He assembled the senior management team and, under his leadership, led the Company through its IPO in July 2007.” As CNN reports, “But here’s the thing about Gomez: In nearly nine years at Advent, he appears to have led only one deal and represented Advent on just four boards of directors (three of which were investments that predate his 2004 arrival at Advent). The only private equity deal mentioned on Gomez’s campaign website is apparel company Lululemon (LULU), where he was involved on sourcing but was not one of two Advent investors who joined its board…”

But, hey, if Lululemon is your blueprint for the way companies ought to work, run with it, Gabriel.

As an amusing aside, Lululemon’s founder also has some very interesting thoughts, directly related to his company’s “mission” and “marketing,” on the relationship between the Pill, smoking, women wearing suits with big shoulder pads, divorced fathers, and fashion. As a result of the Pill having “immediately transformed the sex lives of anyone under the age of 40, particularly teenagers,” “the 1980′s gave way to Power Women dressing like men in boardroom attire with big shoulder pads. They went to 3 martini lunches and smoked because this is what their `successful’ fathers did in the business world.” Meanwhile, “Girls raised by Power Women knew that education was essential because when they got divorced they too would need enough income to manage a house and a job at the same time. I term the daughters of Power Women `Super Girls,’ who “spent weekends with a divorced father who had no training on how to be with a daughter for two straight days.” What does all this have to do with selling high-end yoga pants? “This sexy, powerful and equal woman became an icon to Super Girls who were doing what most teenagers do – dressing opposite to their mothers. They did not have the same need to look like boys or men to compete with them. In the early 1990’s, girls abandoned the grunge/skateboard/snowboard/male dominated sport look and moved towards tighter tops and more feminine colors.” End result: “Ultimately, lululemon was formed because female education levels, breast cancer, yoga/athletics and the desire to dress feminine came together all at one time. lululemon saw the opportunity to make the best technologically advanced components for the Super Girl market.” (This blog post is worth reading in its entirety, as are some of Chip’s other reflections on “greatness,” etc).

(Wilson has also noted that Chinese seamstresses “get angry” when you only allow them to work 8 hour shifts; and he wanted a company name with three “L’s” because, in his view, Japanese people have difficulty pronouncing the letter “L,” which thereby enhances its cachet as a clearly “American” brand, never mind that the stuff is all produced just across the East China Sea; he also noted that “It’s funny to watch them try and [sic] say it”

Hoping to see the Markey campaign steal a page from Obama–remember?: “[Romney's] experience has been owning companies that were called ‘pioneers’ in the business of outsourcing jobs to countries like China. He made money investing in companies that uprooted from here and went to China.”

So here’s my map of victory margins by raw vote total, not percent, per community. If you click on the map it will take you to an interactive version on Google where you can click on a city or town and see the details. Sorry about the map legend showing a maximum of 80K difference — that’s the total margin of victory in the state, not one community, but I don’t want to re-do the whole map to fix that. Color scheme goes from purple (Lynch) to green (Markey) — no reds and blues

Gabriel Gomez, the Republican opponent of Democrat Ed Markey in the U.S. Senate special election to fill John Kerry’s seat in Massachusetts, is working hard to be all things to all people, and nowhere is that more evident than his positions truthiness on climate and energy policy:

Climate change is real. However, while science says climate change is real, addressing the problem must be done rationally. Unfortunately, many solutions offered by politicians in Washington are not rational, and would put America at a competitive disadvantage. We need a serious energy agenda that promotes private sector innovation in both the United States and in other countries around the world.

Oh, I get it. He supports confronting climate change with a national policy to spur clean energy projects like Cape Wind, right? Not exactly:

Gomez, however, said [Cape Wind] is an issue that should be decided at the local level, and that the local authorities have been pretty much excluded from the process. Gomez made it clear his is opposed to Cape Wind.

So, local control all the way! Then he must oppose Keystone XL tar sands pipeline because of strong local opposition, right? Wrong again:

The Obama administration is wrong in stopping the Keystone pipeline, a project that will create jobs, drive down our energy costs, and help us to become energy independent.

Worth noting: Gabriel Gomez thinks that for some reason TransCanada is dramatically lowballing the benefits of its own Keystone XL tar sands pipeline. TransCanada doesn’t say Keystone will drive down energy costs – it knows Keystone won’t lower gas prices anywhere in America and would actually raise gas prices in the Midwest. TransCanada doesn’t say Keystone will make America energy independent – it knows Keystone is an export pipeline that’s being built to get tar sands to the Gulf Coast and the international market so Canada doesn’t have to dump tar sands oil in the Midwest anymore.

To sum up, Gabriel Gomez says he understands climate change is threatening Massachusetts with extreme weather like superstorm Sandy, rising sea levels, and deadly summer heat waves – he just doesn’t want to do anything about it. And Gomez thinks we need a national energy policy, except in cases where the mansion views of Republican donors are threatened, or if those donors really want a polluting project built even if it’s not in America’s national interest.

What’s the reason for Gomez’s incoherence? With the U.S. Senate’s antiquated disclosure laws, we don’t know yet where Gomez is getting his money. But given his refusal to sign the people’s pledge to reject big-spending special interests, I’d suspect he personally knows exactly what climate change means, but he knows the implications of that truth are far too inconvenient for today’s fossil fuel money-addicted Republican Party.

Cross-posted from The Green Miles

Congratulations to Chris Joyce, the new Executive Director of the Democratic Party. Please see the message below from Party Chair, John Walsh.

Upcoming events on the schedule include: Communities of Color Event with Governor Patrick and Senator Cowan, Marty for Mayor Kickoff, Saugus DTC Breakfast, Gloucester Democrats Annual Brunch, Ed Markey Reception in Salem, Tony Lafuente Cinco de Mayo Party, Katherine Clark events, Dr. Donald Berwick Meet and Greet, Suzanne Lee Kick-Off, Katjana Ballantyne Event, Salem Unity Party, Melvin Edwards Kickoff, Ayanna Pressley Fundraiser, Belmont Democratic Town Committee Fundraiser, Cory Booker Fundraiser, Election Reform Forum, Tom Conroy Reception, 3rd MAD Spring Honorees Breakfast, Mansfield DTC “Joe with Joe” Breakfast,
North Shore Communities of Color Picnic.

Details on the above events are found in the calendar section in Donaghue’s Democratic Dispatch. Subscribe by sending an e-mail to DDemDispatch-subscribe@yahoogroups.com . It is a more or less weekly e-mail newsletter of Democratic events across the state.

I want to take a minute today to encourage all of you to think about the importance of community in campaigns. A friend who has moved out of state came back to Massachusetts and stayed with me for a few days while she helped in the primary. She connected with a friend who had moved to Westborough. They hadn’t seen each other in more than ten years. But the bond of community and friendship formed over campaigns was still strong. Think about calling a friend from a campaign in the past just to say hi!

I’ve asked before and received enough of a positive response to keep posting the Dispatch here occasionally. Is this useful?

Talk about a dose of reality, no?  Billboards like this are up in Colorado, have any of you seen this in the news?  When I first saw this and verified it was real, I checked my temporary sign-on and it was still active, so I wanted to share this with my peeps on BMG.   For the first time, I went on to learn how the U.S. Cavalry, first disarmed the Lakota Native Americans at Wounded Knee, and then massacred 300 unarmed men, women, and even children.  Man’s inhumanity to man, that is for sure.  As a kid, I recall reading about Little Big Horn and admiring how Sitting Bull defeated Gen. Custer.   But this billboard really hit home with me.  We really need to carefully and methodically consider, with a skeptical eye, any type of further gun restrictions that are being proposed, that would prohibit law-abiding U.S. citizens from having a weapon they believe is necessary for self defense/protection.  I am not saying no new legislation, just not ram through anything with a nice title on the bill.  As you know, Waltham residents were told to stay inside, during the terrorist manhunt.  All I will say is I felt at ease, knowing I had more than anthracite coal rocks, to protect the family, if the terrorist had wormed his way through the police perimeter, and infiltrated my neck of the woods.

Yes, I watched both Gomez and Markey’s victory speeches Tue night as I drank my American-made Schlitz beer.  I was one of the 1,499 Lynch voters in Waltham, and proud of it.  Gomez mentioned my favorite movie, Rocky, and Markey wants to go to war with the NRA (why I am writing this post).  46 years of real world experience for Gomez VS. 37 years of D.C. experience for Markey.   Markey links Gomez to Mitch McConnell and Pat Robertson, Gomez said Markey is the poster boy for term limits. Slight advantage to Gomez Tue night.  Markey yelled too much, looked like a Republican (old white guy) while Gabriel started off his victory with something like “Me llamo es Gabriel Gomez”.   In the end, I hope the Republicans don’t turn the tables, and say any criticism of Gomez is a “dog whistle” like some here did, when I criticized Obama last summer.  I will never do that, trust me.

If it is OK with you folks, if I end up supporting Gomez, would you be comfortable if I ask questions, post comments and/or give an alternative viewpoint?

Lastly, thanks to those who mentioned me, and kept mentioning me, since I was gone. I know, I know, you can’t quit me. You guys and gals are fun too.  Do you think EB3 is a real person?  Remember Duane Ingalls Glasscock?   He was Charles Laquidara’s alter ego way back in the WBCN days.  EB3 is someone’s alter ego, IMO.  Nobody can be as crazy as EB3 and last for such a long time.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/29/17976890-pro-gun-billboard-featuring-native-americans-causing-controversy-in-colorado?lite

Based on a transcript I saw over at Red Mass Group, Gomez Tuesday night claimed that in 1976 (when Ed Markey started his career in public service), “the Internet did not yet exist.”

Interesting.

Like many people who have been following the tech industry for several decades, I consider “the Internet” to be a somewhat gradual evolution from ARPANET (late ’60s) to the Internet. Open-architecture “Internetting” work started in the early ’70s. ARPANET and email were demonstrated publicly in 1972.

Tech folks out there: When would you say the Internet first existed? Am I just nitpicking here? (If so, sorry, but I do love computer history.)

Maybe he thinks it’s not the Internet until, oh, it switched protocols to tcp? I think that was sometime in the early ’80s. Or, as I’m now starting to wonder, does he not know the difference between the Internet and the World Wide Web? 

In any case, I’m also curious as to why Gomez thinks it wise to ridicule the fact that someone has had a lengthy career. Is it really good strategy to piss off a whole bunch of voters over the age of 50 within hours of winning the nomination?