State Treasurer Tim Cahill suffered an intra-party political defeat yesterday, getting trounced in his bid for a coveted delegate’s seat at the upcoming Democratic National Convention in Denver.Will this embarrassing defeat for Cahill play a role in his decision to run for governor? Time may heal all wounds, but this may force him to rethink his short term political plans. Of course, party officials downplay the significance of this embarrassment of Cahill. According to former MassDem Chairman Phil Johnston, “It’s not anything against Tim. I think if Jesus Christ were running against a state committee member, the committee member would win."Cahill’s loss to Arthur Powell, a Democratic State Committee member from Beverly, is a blow to the treasurer, who has one of the state’s largest campaign war chests and is widely expected to make a future run for governor. He’s the only top-tier Democrat who ran but didn’t win, and he will be forced to watch from the sidelines as a slew of movers and shakers head to Denver to represent Massachusetts.
“He wishes Arthur Powell, the Clinton organization and all the delegates the best,” Cahill spokeswoman Alison Mitchell said in a statement.
He's probably right. But I would also add that in any election amongst Democrats, Jesus Christ wouldn't win.
]]>"Attorney General Martha Coakley needs to start acting like a General and start her own investigation into the serious ethics allegations leveled against Speaker DiMasi, and also the charge of 'Phantom Voting' which violates the civil rights of the people of this Commonwealth. Her inaction on these issues speak volumes about her leadership - she makes Tom Reilly look busy."]]>
Rob Willington, Executive Director of the Mass GOP, released the following statement:
"Once again Speaker DiMasi has shown that when it comes to the Democrat party, ethics are optional. I won't hold my breath waiting for the Democrats to do anything about it, because they have shown a complete unwillingness to do the right thing, even when blatant violations are staring them in the face. The voters will remember their arrogance this November, and Republicans will be there to remind them."A copy of the letter to the ethics commission is posted in the extended entry.]]> April 28, 2008
State Ethics Commission
Enforcement Division
One Ashburton Place, Room 619
Boston, Massachusetts 02108
Dear Commissioners
On April 27, 2008, the Boston Globe published a newspaper article entitled “Just The Ticket for Brokers.” The story details how professional ticket brokers hired a man named Richard Vitale to lobby House Speaker Sal DiMasi on legislation pending in the Massachusetts General Court. According to the article: “At the urging of the group's leader, James Holzman, the president of Ace Ticket Worldwide, the brokers paid Vitale what two members in attendance at the meeting that day described as many thousands of dollars to help their cause. Months later, legislation to lift regulations on the ticket resale business glided through the House of Representatives with DiMasi's support. After passing the House, the bill got bottled up in the Senate, where it remains today.”
According to records publicly available at the Secretary of State’s office, Richard Vitale is not registered as a lobbyist with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as required under the General Laws. In addition, according to the records publicly available with the Suffolk County Registrar of Deeds, Speaker DiMasi receivied a $250,000 line of credit from an entity called Washington North Realty Corp, which according to the Globe article was “created in the 1980s by Vitale to engage in consumer lending.”
Chapter 268A of the General Laws governs conduct of state employees and prohibits public officials from seeking anything “of substantial value” from people they oversee or vendors whose business they could help or hurt.
Based on this information, I ask the commission to investigate whether House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi violated the states conflict of interest law. In addition, I ask the commission to assess whether the activities engaged in by Vitale on behalf of Mr. Holtzman violated the states rules governing lobbyists, specifically if Vitale ever received more than $5,000 in exchange for lobbying House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi. If so, I urge the commission to consider taking appropriate action.
I have attached the Globe article to this communication.
Sincerely,
Robert Willington
Executive Director
Gov. Deval Patrick rode into office 16 months ago on a wave of hope and optimism, but the public's patience for change in the politics of Beacon Hill appears to be waning.A new poll released yesterday shows that Patrick's approval rating is at an all-time low, with just 41 percent of adults over 18 saying they approve of the job Patrick is doing as governor.
Another 56 percent of responders said they disapprove, just a month after those numbers were reversed with 53 percent approving of Patrick's work from the corner office.
The poll, sponsored by WBZ-TV and conducted by Survey USA, surveyed 600 adults earlier this month and has a margin of error of 4.1 percent.
While Democrats still have faith in the governor, the poll shows that 60 percent of Independent voters are unhappy with the results they are seeing from the Patrick administration, and even self-identified liberals are evenly split on the governor's job performance.
The second week of April was, by the roller-coaster standards of the Patrick era, a pretty good one for the governor. He won legislative approval for some of his long-sought corporate tax hikes, touted progress on several job-development initiatives, and won plaudits for a widely-covered speech on the economy. But when Survey USA went into the field the weekend of April 11 for its regular tracking of the governor's job approval rating, the results marked an all-time low.I don't know if he has a chance of seeing his numbers improve in the near future. Deval Patrick seems determined to push forward with his casino plan despite fierce opposition... even from within his own party. Given Deval's campaign rhetoric about leadership and unity, it is ironic to see that when it comes to working with the legislature, his predecessor Mitt Romney was far more successful at not only reaching out across the aisle, but to actually getting things done.]]>Here are the numbers, just reported to us by Survey USA today. They show Patrick winning approval from an anemic 41% of registered voters, while an astonishing 56% give thumbs down.
A special survey we commissioned with a smaller sample on April 9th had the spread at 41-49%. But it's probably better for direct comparison purposes to match these results up with the last 600-adult tracking poll taken in mid-February (before Bookgate).
Back then, Patrick's approval/disapproval was 47-45%, not great, but not that bad. But now, his disapproval is off the charts, especially among men: 61% of them now disapprove of his work, up from 47% in mid-winter. All age groups are markedly less satisfied with Patrick's performance now than they were two months ago, none more so than the 35-54 demographic, where his approval has collapsed from 44% to 30% and his disapproval has jumped an eye-popping 18 points to 68%, George W. Bush-like numbers. Democrats are losing patience, too; his 61-31% spread of February has dwindled to 53-44%. In the ideological categories, moderates continue to desert Patrick. And get this: even liberals, who approved of his work by a whopping 70-25% spread back then, are now evenly divided on the topic. And one final note: with the warning that they're only about 20% of the sample in each survey, a relatively small slice that could skew the numbers somewhat, voters in southeastern Massachusetts (including the Cape) seem to be especially alienated. His rating there was 47-44% in February; now, it's 31-66%.
David Ortiz’ shirt may have been “cursed,” but a Red Sox [team stats] fan’s brilliant practical joke on the New York Yankees has fetched $175,100 at auction for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute’s Jimmy Fund.“We’re absolutely thrilled,” Jimmy Fund spokesman Janet Haley Dubow told the Herald.
A week’s worth of fever-pitch bidding on Ebay - that began last Thursday at $511 - to snag the storied Major League Baseball jersey ended at 12:30 p.m. today.
Bronx cement mason Gino Castignoli entombed it in two feet of concrete last year in the Yankees’ new stadium to doom his home team to decades of bad baseball, but upon finding out, the quaking Evil Empire dug it up April 13 with jackhammers.
The Yankees may suck, but they did a pretty good thing.
]]>Massachusetts is one of the bluest states in the country, so it's quite remarkable to see a Republican running neck-and-neck with any Democrat, but the fact that McCain is tied with Obama is really significant. Obama's candidacy is a larger version of Deval Patrick gubernatorial candidacy: An unqualified candidate with a knack for having good speeches about "hope" who not only runs for office, but allegedly against the status quo.
Massachusetts voters clearly see the parallels and have no desire to be fooled twice. The question I have is when are Democrats across the country going to realize that there's less to Barack Obama than meets the eye ... or the ears.
John Kerry Claims … |
… But Reality |
Passed Legislation to Combat Money Laundering: In 2001, Senator Kerry’s legislation, the International Counter-Money Laundering and Foreign Anticorruption Act, was enacted as Section 311 of the USA PATRIOT Act. It provides the tools the U.S. needs to crack down on international money laundering havens and protects the integrity of the U.S. financial system from the influx of tainted money from abroad. The legislation gives the Secretary of Treasury the discretionary authority to take targeted action against specific international money laundering threats including restricting or prohibiting their access to the U.S. financial system. [PL 107-56] |
PL 107-56 is H.R.3162 : To deter and punish terrorist acts in the United States and around the world, to enhance law enforcement investigatory tools, and for other purposes.
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Helping fishermen gain access to bankruptcy protections: In 2005, Senator Kerry successfully passed an amendment in the Bankruptcy Reform Act to make Chapter 12 of the Bankruptcy Code -- which originally applied only to family farmers -- applicable to fishermen. The amendment helps ensure that fishermen have the flexibility under Chapter 12 of the bankruptcy code to wait out the rebuilding of our commercial fish stocks. [PL 109-8] |
PL 109-8 is S.256 : A bill to amend title 11 of the United States Code, and for other purposes.
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Stopping Child Exploitation: Senator Kerry’s child exploitation bill (S. 2155, introduced in the 109th Congress) – entitled Masha’s Law – became law in the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. The Kerry legislation, inspired by the tragic story of a 13-year-old girl who was sexually-exploited by her adopted father, will help prevent child exploitation by increasing the civil statutory damages available to a victim of child exploitation and ensuring that victims of child pornography whose images remain in circulation after they have turned 18 can still recover when those images are downloaded. [PL 109-248] |
PL 109-248 is H.R.4472 : An act to protect children from sexual exploitation and violent crime, to prevent child abuse and child pornography, to promote Internet safety, and to honor the memory of Adam Walsh and other child crime victims.
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Fighting for Massachusetts’ Fishermen: Senator Kerry secured $13.395 million in federal disaster assistance for Massachusetts fishermen as part of the Omnibus Appropriations Bill signed by the President in December 2007. This funding will provide assistance to the Massachusetts groundfishing fleet, which is struggling to survive in the face of significant cuts in fishing effort. [P.L. 110-161] |
P.L. 110-161 is H.R.2764 : Making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.
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Assisting the Military and Our Veterans: In 2007, Senator Kerry’s legislation was included in the FY 2008 Department of Defense Authorization Conference Report to authorize the construction of a joint Department of Defense/Veterans Administration military eye injury center of excellence. This “center of excellence” will allow those that have suffered from one of the more common injuries from Operations’ Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, to receive seamless care and treatment. [PL 110-181] Also in 2007, Senator Kerry secured an additional $19 million for the Department of Veterans Affairs readjustment counseling services in the FY 2007 Supplemental Appropriations Conference Report. This funding provided for additional outreach efforts to those transitioning from military to civilian life from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom [PL 110-28]. |
PL 110-181 is H.R.4986 : To provide for the enactment of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2008, as previously enrolled, with certain modifications to address the foreign sovereign immunities provisions of title 28, United States Code, with respect to the attachment of property in certain judgements against Iraq, the lapse of statutory authorities for the payment of bonuses, special pays, and similar benefits for members of the uniformed services, and for other purposes.
PL 110-28 is H.R.2206 : Making emergency supplemental appropriations and additional supplemental appropriations for agricultural and other emergency assistance for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2007, and for other purposes. |
Ethics Reform: Senator Kerry’s bill - the Congressional Pension Accountability Act - passed as part of the Honest Leadership and Open Government Act of 2007. The Kerry law denies pensions to any current or future Member of Congress who is convicted of serious ethics crimes such as bribery. This legislation is based on the 2005 case of Representative Randy “Duke” Cunningham who kept his federal pension of approximately $40,000 per year after pleading guilty to bribery and tax evasion charges. [PL110-81] |
PL 110-81 is S.1 : A bill to provide greater transparency in the legislative process.
Also, Kerry was not one of the 17 co-sponsors of this bill. |
Addressing the Humanitarian Crisis in Burma: In October 2007, the Senate passed S. Res. 339, a Kerry resolution regarding violence in Burma. As the military crackdown intensified in early October, the Senate resolution called on the Burmese authorities to bring an end to violence, release political prisoners, and open dialogue in order to solve the crisis. Passage of this resolution put Congress on the record in opposition to the atrocities occurring in Burma. |
S. Res. 339 was Passed/agreed to in Senate.
“Simple resolutions are designated H.Res. and S.Res., followed by a number. A simple resolution addresses matters entirely within the prerogative of one house, such as revising the standing rules of one Chamber. Simple resolutions are also used to express the sentiments of a single house, such as offering condolences to the family of a deceased member of Congress, or it may give "advice" on foreign policy or other executive business. Simple resolutions do not require the approval of the other house nor the signature of the President, and they do not have the force of law.” (Source) |
Assisting Reservist Called to Active Duty: The Veterans Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development Act of 1999 included Kerry’s Military Reservists Small Business Relief Act (S. 918). The legislation created a program at the Small Business Administration to allow reservists who own businesses who are called to active duty, or business owners who have a key employee called to active duty, to access low-interest disaster loans in order to mitigate financial hardships or ruin, as happened to reservists during Desert Storm. [PL 106-50] |
PL 106-50 is H.R.1568 : To provide technical, financial, and procurement assistance to veteran owned small businesses, and for other purposes.
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Boosting the Economy Following September 11th: The Department of Defense and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Recovery from and Response to Terrorist Attacks on the United States Act of 2002 included provisions of Kerry’s American Small Business Emergency Relief and Recovery Act (S.1499). The provisions provided $75 million to lower fees on 7(a) loans in order to use the private sector to make loans to companies across the country that were adversely impacted by the terrorist attacks of 9-11. The legislation pumped approximately $3 billion into local economies. [PL 107-117] |
PL 107-117 is H.R.3338 : Making appropriations for the Department of Defense for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2002, and for other purposes.
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Holding the TSA Accountable to Contracting Laws: In 2007, Kerry passed legislation to increase contracting transparency at the Transportation Security Administration by ending the exemption from Federal Acquisition Regulations it was granted in the aftermath of the September 11th attacks. The legislation mandates that the TSA meet the government-wide 23 percent small business contracting goal. The bill was included in the Consolidated Appropriations bill that was signed into law on December 26, 2007. [PL 110-161] |
PL 110-161 is H.R.2764 : Making appropriations for the Department of State, foreign operations, and related programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2008, and for other purposes.
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Providing Aid to Small Business Owners Affected by Drought: Senator Kerry passed legislation to make non-agricultural small businesses hurt by drought eligible for SBA disaster loans, ending SBA’s practice of letting non-farm businesses fall through the cracks in years past, giving all small business-owners in drought-stricken areas access to low-interest disaster assistance through the SBA. The bill, the Small Business Drought Relief Act of 2005 (S.1463), passed as an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill. [PL 109-163] |
PL 109-163 is H.R.1815 : To authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2006 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year.
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Working to Increase Small Business Energy Efficiency: In June 2007, Kerry passed two amendments to the CLEAN Energy Act to help small businesses (S.A. 1706). The provisions create loans for small firms to invest in renewable sources of energy, create incentives for greener business operations, and hold the Bush Administration accountable for implementing energy efficiency programs that Congress established in 2005. The provisions were based on legislation Kerry introduced in July 2007, the Small Business Energy Efficiency Act of 2007. The bill was signed into law on December 19. [PL 110-140] |
PL 110-140 is H.R.6 : An Act to move the United States toward greater energy independence and security, to increase the production of clean renewable fuels, to protect consumers, to increase the efficiency of products, buildings, and vehicles, to promote research on and deploy greenhouse gas capture and storage options, and to improve the energy performance of the Federal Government, and for other purposes.
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Helping Veteran-owned Small Businesses: In February 2008, Senator Kerry’s bill - the Military Reservist and Veteran Small Business Reauthorization and Opportunity Act, S. 1784 - was signed into law. The bill improves outreach and assistance programs for veteran-owned small businesses. This legislation increases the funding authorization for the Office of Veteran Business Development from $2 million today to $2.5 million over three years, creates an Interagency Task Force to improve coordination between agencies in administrating veteran small business programs, and permanently extends the SBA Advisory Committee on Veterans Business Affairs. [Public Law 110-186] |
PL 110-186 is H.R.4253 : To improve and expand small business assistance programs for veterans of the armed forces and military reservists, and for other purposes. Sponsor: Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] Freshman Member of the House of Representatives |
So even when John Kerry says he's done something, he hasn't.
But maybe it's better this way.
]]>Even sadder than the fact that Kerry hasn't done anything in 9 years, in his entire career in the Senate, he's been the lead sponsor of only 8 bills:
S.J.RES.158: A joint resolution designating October 22 through 28, 1989, as "World Population Awareness Week".]]>
Introduced: 6/16/1989
Latest Major Action: 10/25/1990
Law No: 101-465S.J.RES.160: A joint resolution designating the week beginning October 20, 1991, as "World Population Awareness Week".
Introduced: 6/13/1991
Latest Major Action: 10/30/1991
Law No: 102-149S.1563: A bill to authorize appropriations to carry out the National Sea Grant College Program Act, and for other purposes.
Introduced: 7/25/1991
Latest Major Action: 12/04/1991
Law No: 102-186S.J.RES. 318: A joint resolution designating November 13, 1992, as "Vietnam Veterans Memorial 10th Anniversary Day".
Introduced: 6/18/1992
Latest Major Action: 10/24/1992
Law No: 102-518S.J.RES.337: A joint resolution designating September 18, 1992, as "National POW/MIA Recognition Day", and authorizing display of the National League of Families POW/MIA flag.
Introduced: 9/15/1992
Latest Major Action: 9/30/1992
Law No: 102-373S.1206: A bill to redesignate the Federal building located at 380 Trapelo Road in Waltham, Massachusetts, as the "Frederick C. Murphy Federal Center".
Introduced: 7/1/1993
Latest Major Action: 4/14/1994
Law No: 103-234
S.1636: A bill to authorize appropriations for the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and to improve the program to reduce the incidental taking of marine mammals during the course of commercial fishing operations, and for other purposes.
Introduced: 11/08/1993
Latest Major Action: 4/30/1994
Law No: 103-238S.791: A bill to amend the Small Business Act with respect to the women's business center program.
Introduced: 4/14/1999
Latest Major Action: 12/9/1999
Law No: 106-165
Senate President Therese Murray says a proposed $1 tax hike on a pack of cigarettes has strong support in the Senate.]]>Murray says the extra revenue will help cover the higher than expected costs of Massachusetts’ landmark health care law.
House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi proposed the cigarette tax increase. Gov. Deval Patrick said he wants to see the bill before deciding whether to sign it.
The cost of the health care law is soaring in part because more people than expected have signed up for subsidized care.
Republicans are planning a news conference Tuesday to oppose tax increases, including the cigarette tax hike. Murray, DiMasi and Patrick are all Democrats.
The state Senate has approved a bill that would allow aspiring teachers who flunk the certification test three times to possibly teach anyway.The law would provide a waiver that could lead to certification,
The teaching candidates who failed three times would have to have come close to passing at least once.
Are they serious? If someone who couldn't pass certification--three times--is allowed to teach, that will diminish the credibility of the entire teaching profession in the state of Massachusetts. This bill is such an insult to teachers across the Commonwealth, and should offend teachers everywhere. So many talented instructors work very hard and get a good education so they can get certified to do something they have a passion for, and the State Senate has effectively devalued their efforts and their profession.
In my area of study, there are reasons why there are such rigorous standards in place for licensing--it's a matter of life safety. Same goes in the medical profession. Just because having a person who clearly can't teach be permitted to stand in front of a classroom and instruct doesn't directly put anyone's life in danger, doesn't mean there aren't consequences.
Senate Republicans ridiculed the legislation, which still needs approval from the House and Governor Patrick.Senator Bruce Tarr asked how the state can expect students to have a minimum level of knowledge when they don’t expect the same from teachers.
As politicians continue to lower the bar for everything, where will the motivation be for aspiring teachers and other future professionals to strive for better than "close to passing"?
]]>I find it hard to believe if anyone had the opportunity to earn an additional $275,000 a year that he or she wouldn't take it. Could you imagine Mayor Menino in academia?
]]>With gas prices well over $3 a gallon and the country veering toward a possible recession, the idea of hiking the state gas tax continues to linger just out of sight on Beacon Hill.And while no Statehouse leaders have embraced the idea publicly, few also seem ready to reject it entirely as they struggle to close a $1.3 billion funding shortfall.
Just this week, Gov. Deval Patrick again refused to rule out the possibility of imposing a new tax at the pump as one way to help close the state’s spending gap.
"I have never opposed raising the gas tax. What I have said is that it is not my first choice," Patrick said in response to reporters’ questions Wednesday. "I think I would be right in saying that it is not the first choice of most consumers in Massachusetts, especially in these times."
It's not the first choice, second choice, third choice... you get the idea. I'm not left with a feeling of confidence that lawmakers will keep a gas tax hike on the way back burner--despite their claims.
Senate President Therese Murray, rolling out a package of transportation reforms on Thursday, also refused to reject talk of a higher gas tax or increased tolling, although she said nothing was in the works."Those things, if they happen, will come last. The first things we’re going to see is do we have savings in the system and how we manage the system we presently have," Murray said. "We know there are savings."
The reforms outlined by Murray include replacing some police details at roadside construction cites with civilian flag men and requiring new Turnpike and MBTA retirees to pay health insurance contributions in line with other state workers.
Like we can expect that lawmakers will take away the police details? These guys live for those details, and they will put up a good fight to keep them. If they could have done that by now, they would have.
What else do you got, Senator Murray? Any ideas that could actually happen?
UPDATE 4/4/08: Law enforcement unions have put the kibosh on getting rid of police details... Back to square one.
]]>Governor Deval Patrick traveled to New York last week to shop a proposal for an autobiography among New York publishing houses, departing the state to pursue the book contract just hours before the House voted down his high-profile casino legislation on Beacon Hill.The Massachusetts GOP is asking for suggestions for book titles... You can submit your own by clicking here.Disclosure of the trip's purpose cleared up a mystery that has lingered since last Thursday, when Patrick aides said he had left Boston on unspecified personal business and repeatedly and firmly declined to discuss any details.
Patrick's book would recount his dramatic rise from the streets of Chicago's South Side to the governor's office. Such a tale would draw comparisons to books written by his friend and political ally, Senator Barack Obama, whose "Dreams From My Father" and "The Audacity of Hope" have been longtime bestsellers.
Patrick's absence last Thursday raised eyebrows at the State House, where union members and a number of the governor's legislative allies on the casino issue remained throughout the day to follow through in their support of the bill.
Here are some of my ideas.
The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama Deval Patrick
Together We Couldn't
Thoughtful and Eloquent:
Letters To Ben LaGuer
The Man Behind The $10,000 Drapes
No matter what it's called, or what it says, I can't imagine it getting god reviews or selling big... After all, Deval just recently got a bad review of his own governorship from the New York Times.