Politicians may not have the insight of Buddhist monks but is anyone less self-aware than Republican 3rd CD nominee Rick Green? He keeps announcing how he will protect democracy in the district, actively ignoring that his dark money front Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance’s mission is to emasculate democracy. A dark money shop like Mass Fiscal operates…
Democratic Primaries Showed the Route to Beating Baker
Charlie Baker is likely to win re-election this November, just like every elected Massachusetts governor who has sought re-election has in the last 34 years. Re-electing governors, regardless of party, is what Massachusetts voters do. However, Baker’s re-election isn’t a sure thing. There is a scenario wherein his chances could plummet. It’s a scenario that came…
Will Progressive Newcomers Reshape the Legislative Agenda?
Last Tuesday’s primary has been deemed a watershed moment for Massachusetts progressives. From Ayanna Pressley’s defeat of 10-term incumbent Michael Capuano to Nika Elugardo’s victory over Ways and Means Chairman Jeffrey Sánchez, progressive candidates notched a host of impressive wins. For context, 15 out of the 30 candidates endorsed by Progressive Massachusetts won their primary…
American Presidents and Their Removal From Office.
One of the most studied tenets in comparative politics is the inherent instability in presidential systems. First proposed by Juan Linz, the basic insight is that in a system where the main actors have contrasting sources of legitimacy, deadlock is not just more likely, but the norm. This, in turn, leads to governmental incapacity, public…
In MA, progressive generational change (not ideological insurgency) is underway.
Massachusetts Democratic primary voters signaled on Tuesday that it’s time to start updating their office holders with younger (but not inexperienced) professional politicians. The Democratic establishment isn’t under attack in Massachusetts. It is being fortified for changing times as the next generation of skilled political practitioners begins to take its place in high office. The upset…
Can Geoff Diehl Bring the Pot to a Boil?
When I want to know what’s about to happen in Massachusetts politics, there’s no better place to turn than my colleague Professor O’Brien. Her August 2 post, Ayanna Pressley: Harbinger of Change to MA Democratic Party really stands out. But I’ve been thinking even more of her July post, Massachusetts Senate Race Diehls-In Trump Immigration…
In defense of legislatures
The following is a guest post by UMass, Amherst political science professor Ray La Raja. Jeff Jacoby’s commentary, “Short Live the Legislature”, in The Boston Globe is a mix of flawed assumptions and hazardous conclusions about state legislatures. He perpetuates a harmful myth about the superiority of citizen legislators. Does anyone want a part-time surgeon repairing…
Primary Election Day 2018: Sorry, the Commonwealth Is Hungover
Summer is in the home-stretch. Winter in these parts is cruel and none of us get enough sunlight. Every New Englander who has the luxury is thus basking in the last ten days of summer before its unofficial end the Tuesday after Labor Day. Sharks be damned! Beach, cookouts, festivals, porches, lakes, and libations –…
Complex political calculus would complicate a Maggie Hassan candidacy
Today’s guest post is from Christopher J. Galdieri, Associate Professor, Saint Anselm College Add Maggie Hassan, New Hampshire’s junior senator, to the already-large list of Democrats doing the sorts of things people planning to run for president to. Hassan is headed to Dubuque, Iowa, to speak at a Democratic Party event on August 26. Iowa, of…
Ranked Choice Voting: If Maine can do it, why can’t Massachusetts?
Interest in election reform seems to have spiked recently around here in the wake of two significant developments, Maine’s first election cycle with ranked choice voting and the enactment of automatic voter registration in Massachusetts. The ability of our northern neighbors to enact ranked choice voting, (a more ambitious electoral reform than automatic voter registration…