House Republicans may have a rare opportunity to flex their muscles on Beacon Hill.

The Bay State’s few Republican lawmakers, mocked for their dwindling membership and influence, may have the last laugh if they emerge as power brokers with a decisive block of votes for the next speaker of the House.

Representatives from both Rep. Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop) and Rep. John Rogers (D-Norwood) have put feelers out to House Republicans for support as neither can tally a clear victory in the Democratic caucus.

“Because of the closeness of this battle, a block of 19 votes could put one candidate over the top,” said one Republican lawmaker, who asked to remain anonymous.

Sounds nice that Republicans could have such influence, particularly with their dwindling numbers in the State House, but what do they have to gain by getting involved? What kind of promises can be made (or kept)?

Rep. Kevin Murphy (D-Lowell) said while the Republicans could put either candidate over the top, he would be shocked if Republicans voted for a Democratic speaker. “What are they going to get in return? That’s what I wonder,” Murphy said.

Rep. Murphy is exactly right. What can Republicans gain except a "thank you" followed by "go screw."

A while back, CQ Politics declared MA-05, the congressional seat now held by Niki Tsongas, as 'Safe Democrat' since no GOP challenger has emerged in the race. This is unfortunate, as her time in Congress since barely winning the special election hasn't exactly been noteworthy, and despite her solid promises that a vote for her was a vote to get us out of Iraq, lo and behold, we're still there.

A few weeks ago, Jeff Beatty, who is running for the GOP nomination for the U.S. Senate, called on fellow GOP candidate Jim Ogonowski "to think of the interests of the Party and run for Congress." Beatty offered support for Ogonowski if he chose to challenge Tsongas again.

Looking at the situation now, I believe it may have been wise for Ogonowski to have taken him up on the offer. Congressional approval hasn't gotten any better since Tsongas skimmed out her victory. In the GOP U.S. Senate primary race, Beatty has done significantly better than Ogonowski in fundraising.

Who has a better chance at defeating John Kerry? I can't really say, but I would have liked to have seen a situation where we had a possibility of seeing and end to one-party representation from Massachusetts in both the U.S. House and Senate.

Apple has big plans for its latest retail store and its first in downtown Boston—literally. The new brick-and-mortar outlet, opening Thursday on Boston’s tony Boylston Street, will be the largest Apple Store in the United States with three floors of retail space.

“Apple has exploded in growth,” said Apple senior vice president of retail Ron Johnson during a Wednesday preview of the Boylston Street store. “Boston is also redeveloping…there’s so much growth in Boston, combined with growth for Apple, that it’s time to build another large store.”

While the Metro Boston area already features eight stores, the Boylston Street store is the first in the city itself. Johnson noted Wednesday that Apple has had its eye on the site for eight years—before the company even opened the first of its retail outlets. And its plans for the Boylston Street outlet have expanded over time.

“If we had opened this store in 2001, it would have been one level,” Johnson said. “If we had opened it in 2005, it would have been a two level store. But in 2008, it’s the largest store in the U.S.”

The Boylston Street Apple Store opens tomorrow.

Governor Deval Patrick has repeatedly claimed he will be running for reelection in 2010...though apparently he will do this concurrently with a 'vigorous media campaign' for his book, due out in 2010. This vigorous media campaign is reported to include "a nationwide book-signing tour, multiple speaking engagements, and efforts to persuade big corporations to buy the book in bulk."

How does the Governor plan to run a reelection campaign while doing his "vigorous media campaign" for his forthcoming book? For someone who has made a lot of missteps since the inauguration, it is going to take more than a catchy "together we can" slogan to try to run two separate campaigns in different places, at the same time.

in a state known for corruption, one would think that the House Ethics Committee would be not only be very busy, but regularly finding unethical behavior in government. One might think that, but when the government is controlled by one party that has a virtual monopoly of power, you get an ethics committee that magically hasn't found any unethical behavior in nearly 20 years.

A female lawmaker's allegation that a male House colleague told her, "I could really hurt you if I wanted to," is providing a rare public glimpse into one of the most secretive panels on Beacon Hill.

The House Ethics Committee is investigating the complaint by Rep. Jennifer Callahan, D-Sutton, but members of the committee are prohibited not only from discussing the case publicly but also from disclosing any information about any matters before them.

Nor can they reveal even the most basic details of the committee's operations — such as how many complaints they deal with in any given year.

One thing is known about the Ethics Committee's work, however: It rarely finds anything unethical about the behavior of any member of the House, even when those members admit to, or are convicted of, wrongdoing.

If the committee does recommend disciplinary action against Jennifer Callahan's colleague, it will be the first time in nearly two decades it has held a state lawmaker accountable for violating House ethics rules.

As the article indicates, there's been plenty over the years to keep the ethics committee busy:

While the committee has not disciplined a single lawmaker since 1991, a number of prominent legislators have committed what could be considered ethical breaches and have been punished for them outside the Legislature.

Two House speakers have stepped down: Charles Flaherty after pleading guilty to federal tax evasion and Thomas Finneran prior to pleading guilty to obstruction of justice, a felony, in a federal voting rights case.

In 1994, a judge ruled that then Rep. Kevin Fitzgerald, a Boston Democrat who acted as an attorney to a mentally ill "bag lady," manipulated the woman into leaving him and an aide a $400,000 inheritance.

If the Ethics Committee considered those cases, it took no action.

Nor did the Ethics Committee take any action after Rep. Marie St. Fleur, the vice chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, admitted to owing thousands in federal taxes. The revelation did force the Boston Democrat out of the 2006 race for lieutenant governor.

The ethics of some committee members also have been questioned.

Rep. Eugene O'Flaherty, D-Chelsea and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, is also a defense attorney who is among lawmakers blamed for watering down a 2005 law cracking down on drunken drivers.

Another member is Rep. Thomas Petrolati, D-Ludlow, who has accepted campaign contributions from known felons, according to published reports. Petrolati, speaker pro-tempore, ranks second only to the House speaker.

And perhaps ironically, DiMasi, who ordered the probe into Callahan's allegations, is the subject of four complaints Republicans have filed over whether his business and personal connections have affected major legislation.

So, will the people of the Commonwealth demand real accountability from our elected "leaders?" I'm not confident they will. When you think about the corrupt politicians who get reelected in this state (Gerry Studds ring a bell?) I am sure that a majority of Massachusetts voters (in other words, registered Democrats) don't particularly care about corruption in the state government, since the party with all the power is their own.

I was particularly annoyed with this story from the Herald about the rise in so-called "hate crimes" against homosexuals.

A spike in the number of reported hate crimes against gays, lesbians and transsexuals in Suffolk County spurred District Attorney Daniel Conley to appoint the DA office’s first victim-witness advocate for the community last week.

“When people are targeted because of who they are, it can’t be stood for,” Conley said.

I'm sorry, I missed the part in the law that said that a crime against me, a heterosexual white male, is somehow more tolerable than a crime against a homosexual or a minority.

Looks like Tim Cahill won't be going to Denver for the Democratic National Convention...

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.

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.

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."

He's probably right. But I would also add that in any election amongst Democrats, Jesus Christ wouldn't win.

Rob Willington, executive director of the Mass GOP, released the following statement today.

"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."

The Massachusetts GOP filed a complaint with the State Ethics commission today in response to yesterday's Boston Globe story which detailed how Speaker Sal DiMasi "may have helped fast-track legislation on behalf of a friend who extended him a $250,000 line of credit at a low rate."

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.

  Continue reading "Mass GOP Files Ethics Complaint Against Speaker DiMasi"

While Democrats across the country are being taken in by Barack Obama's message of "hope," Massachusetts voters have learned relatively quickly that hope is currency not nearly worth its weight in words. Recent polls are showing Deval Patrick with a disapproval rating of 56% -- undoubtedly reflecting fallout from his casino plan blunder.

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.

Jon Keller notes the downward trend of Deval's poll numbers, and concludes that he's unlikely to turn them around.

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.

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%.

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.

The infamous David Ortiz "cursed" jersey recently unearthed at the new Yankee Stadium has brought in quite a few dollars for the Jimmy Fund.

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.

A recent poll of Massachusetts shows that in a head to head matchup, Senator McCain and Senator Obama are tired.

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.

To continue on with the celebration of John Kerry's anniversary of not having done anything in the Senate in the past 9 years, we present to you a list of John Kerry's Claims vs. Reality:

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. Sponsor: Rep Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [WI-9]
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. Sponsor: Sen Grassley, Chuck [IA] Also, Kerry was not one of the 12 co-sponsors of this bill.  In addition, Kerry voted against passage of S.256 on March 10, 2005 (CQ Vote #44)
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. Sponsor: Rep Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr. [WI-5]
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. Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]
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. Sponsor: Rep Skelton, Ike [MO-4] 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. Sponsor: Rep Obey, David R. [WI-7]
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. Sponsor: Sen Reid, Harry [NV]   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. Sponsor: Rep Talent, Jim [MO-2]
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. Sponsor: Rep Lewis, Jerry [CA-40]
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. Sponsor: Rep Lowey, Nita M. [NY-18]
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. Sponsor: Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52]
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. Sponsor: Rep Rahall, Nick J., II [WV-3]
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: 101-465

S.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: 102-149

S.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: 102-186

S.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: 102-518

S.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: 102-373

S.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: 103-238

S.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

Karol from Alarming News brought my attention to this amusing video..

...I'm also no fan raising taxes, even on cigarettes.

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.

Teachers are often referred to as having the most important job of all--making it all the more preposterous that the State Senate has approved a bill that would lower the bar for aspiring teachers.

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"?

Mayor Menino was a nominee to be the next chancellor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. Apparently, the mayor is not interested in a 260% raise.

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?

While us regular citizens are already cringing at gas prices, there are some Beacon Hill pols who are entertaining the idea of raising the gas tax.

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.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Deval Patrick was out of state as the legislature was voting down his casino proposal in order to shop around a proposal for his autobiography to New York publishers.

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.

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.

The Massachusetts GOP is asking for suggestions for book titles... You can submit your own by clicking here.

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.

...and they didn't see it coming.

Boston police officials, surprised by intense opposition from residents, have significantly scaled back and delayed the start of a program that would allow officers to go into people's homes and search for guns without a warrant.

The program, dubbed Safe Homes, was supposed to start in December, but has been delayed at least three times because of misgivings in the community. March 1 was the latest missed start date.

One community group has been circulating a petition against the plan. Police officials trying to assuage residents' fears have been drowned out by criticism at some meetings with residents and elected officials.

Officers may begin knocking on doors this week, officials said yesterday, but instead of heading into four troubled neighborhoods, as they had planned, officers will target only one, Egleston Square in Jamaica Plain, where police said they have received the most support.

Police would ask parents or legal guardians for permission to search homes where juveniles ages 17 and under are believed to be holding illegal guns. Police would only enter homes into which they have been invited and, once inside, would only search the rooms of the juveniles.

The goal, said Elaine Driscoll, spokeswoman for the Boston Police Department, would be getting weapons off the streets, rather than making arrests.

But critics say that the searches are unconstitutional and that police will not guarantee that residents would face no criminal charges if guns or drugs were found.

Commissioner Edward F. Davis has been taken aback by the criticism. Davis promoted Safe Homes as a voluntary program that would help overwhelmed, frightened parents and guardians by removing guns from their homes without fear of prosecution.

Why should this be surprising? Democrats oppose the surveillance of terrorists... was opposition to warrantless searches of teenagers' rooms really something Menino and the Boston Police Department couldn't have figured out?

U.S. Senate candidate Jeff Beatty called out John Kerry for his hypocrisy over comments he made on the Don Imus show we reported on yesterday. While on Imus's show, Kerry criticized those who use our troops as “props” for photo-ops. A press release from the Beatty campaign notes that Kerry "exploited unfounded sensational allegations about American service members gaining him national TV exposure in 1971 during the Vietnam War which helped launch his political career."

Beatty says, “Kerry voted to send our troops to war in Iraq, because it served his 2004 Presidential ambition. Now, despite urging the President to cut and run from Iraq, Kerry continues to use our troops and our veterans for his own political purposes. He is making the rounds of troops in the field and veteran centers at home posing for photos and using our veterans and troops as 'props.' It’s another example of his incredible hypocrisy.”

It is also worth noting that when John Kerry announced his 2004 presidential campaign, he chose to make his announcement at Patriot Point’s harbor in South Carolina, against the backdrop of an aircraft carrier, and spent his entire campaign reminding people that he was in Vietnam. John Kerry is the master of exploiting not just the military, but his own military experience for political gain.

I suspect that Deval Patrick did not anticipate the rabid opposition towards his casino plan that he has been getting. Especially from Sal DiMasi, who once again ripped on the proposal.

House Speaker Sal DiMasi this morning blasted a controversial proposal that would legalize casinos, setting the stage for a key State House hearing today on the issue.

DiMasi, who has been critical of Gov. Deval Patrick’s three-casino plan, offered his most impassioned attack yet, warning, in a speech to members of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce, that “casinos will absolutely cause human damage on a grand scale.”

“We will absolutely have increased bankruptcies, foreclosures, divorce, broken families, increased property crimes, domestic violence and on and on and on,” DiMasi said.

And while he stopped short of calling Patrick’s plan for a trio of resort casinos dead on arrival, DiMasi warned that “time is running out” for the govenor’s proposal.

I have no problem with casinos... but I am not convinced that they would be a good idea in Massachusetts, and certainly not three of them at once. Deval's proposal is simply ludicrous, and what's really disappointing is how little play Deval's conflict of interest in his pushing for casino gambling is getting.

Senator John Kerry was on Don Imus's radio show yesterday, and reportedly didn't pull off a very convincing performance:

Pulitzer-winning historian Doris Kearns Goodwin gave it back to radio blabber Don Imus as good as she got today. "Why do I only get in trouble when I'm on your program?" Goodwin said during the annual "Kiss Me I'm Imus" show at the Ritz-Carlton, Boston Common. The four-hour show, which usually airs from New York, was hosted by WTKK-FM (96.9) and included local Irish rockers Gobshites and a parade of local politicos and WTKK hosts. John Kerry didn't fare as well. During a soliloquy about Barack Obama's virtues, Imus shot the senator down. "You're overselling the guy," Imus said but added that he's an Obama fan. When the subject of Obama's minister came up, Imus wondered aloud how the Illinois senator could have missed some of the more controversial remarks made by the Rev. Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. Kerry joked that maybe Obama had slept through a sermon or two.

To which Imus retorted: "How many interviews have I slept through?" If you want some more conversational stuff: after Kerry's time on the show he worked the room and was even conducting interviews in the lobby of the hotel for about 30 minutes after he was off-air.

As a Senator who has endorsed Obama, it seems kind of strange that Kerry had no better defense of Barack Obama in regards to the situation with his pastor. Perhaps Obama's campaign has no talking points on the subject... Either that or Kerry was too stupid to come better prepared for the interview.

As for Wright's comments, Kerry said, "that's not Obama." And Kerry also went on a long stretch of Obama's credentials, such as how he'd be older than Jack Kennedy if elected and that Obama has more legislative experience than Hillary Clinton.

I also didn't realize being older than JFK was a credential.

I admittedly didn't hear the interview, but it sounds as if either John Kerry came ridiculously unprepared to act as a surrogate for Obama's campaign, or Obama's campaign really has no defense for the junior Senator from Illinois 20 year relationship with a black supremacist pastor who preaches anti-Semitism, and anti-Americanism.