There are still advantages to being an incumbent, and they were on full display last night as Governor Charlie Baker and Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez debated for the first time on WBZ. The advantages had little to do with the content of the debate, an informative back and forth between two nominees of substance. It…
We live in a democracy
We live in a democracy. It seems silly to have to remind each other of this, but I notice a trend on social media and elsewhere of snarky comments targeting those who raise concerns about democratic norms. It goes something like this: Commentator: “A President who lost the popular vote nominates a Justice for the…
Merrimack Opened a Policy Window. Will Policymakers Take Advantage?
A growing chorus of elected officials and reporters has sought to tie the Merrimack Valley gas explosions to inadequacies in the state’s natural gas infrastructure and regulatory regime. A number of state representatives have now called for hearings to explore the extent to which chronic shortages of state gas inspectors as well as a host…
Update on “Who exactly does the American Nurse’s Association represent”
A prominent ANA-MA member who thought she was anonymously trolling the comments section of my post about her organization (“Who exactly does the American Nurses Association represent?”) ended up providing compelling evidence to support the charge that her organization represents the interests of hospitals, nurse managers, and nurse educators, NOT working bedside nurses, and bolstering…
Issue 1: Showcasing Our Unhealthy Democracy
Issue 1 has me in knots. Not because it is confusing as hell (and it is). No, for me, Issue 1 is a woeful reminder of how our legislative institutions fail regular citizens and how even the promise of direct democracy does not save us. On the “yes” side of Issue 1, as my colleague…
Will the U.S. Attorney’s Office SPAM Massachusetts Politics?
On Saturday the Boston Globe published an article suggesting that the United States Attorney’s Office may be looking for a way to indict the just-resigned head of the State Police Association of Massachusetts for “true source” violations of state campaign finance law. Can this be true? If so, Mr. U.S. Attorney,…
Who exactly does the American Nurses Association represent?
“Nurses unions are split on the initiative. The Massachusetts Nurses Association has endorsed it. The larger American Nurses Association opposes it.” This line in a recent news story about Senator Warren’s support of nurse staffing ratios and Question One caught my eye. To me, this was an incredibly counter-intuitive claim. Are nurse’s unions really “split”…
What Is the Massachusetts Education Equity Partnership?
When anyone asks me why I follow so-called education reform groups in Massachusetts I tell them it’s for the same reason Willie Sutton robbed banks: it’s where the money is. So while I can’t say too much about the Massachusetts Education Equity Partnership (MEEP) only 24 hours after its launch,…
Rick Green Fumbles and Bumbles the Dark Money Question
Rick Green is doing something unusual. Wealthy individuals who run dark money schemes like Green’s Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance usually stay in hiding. Secrecy is the whole purpose of a dark money operation. Instead Green is running for Congress and thus having to answer questions about his furtive dark money front. It’s not going so well….
After Merrimack: What Comes Next?
Less than 24-hours after explosions rocked the Merrimack Valley, Massachusetts residents are struggling to make sense of the tragic incident that resulted in more than 60 fires, at least 25 injuries, and one death. The months ahead will pose an innumerable number of challenges for the residents of Lawrence, Andover, and North Andover. From rebuilding…