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After the election of Scott Brown, the Democratic Party immediately began backing away from their health care bill.  Even this watered-down and ineffective bill is too much for them to stand up for.  The Democratic Party online fundraising organization, moveon.org, has taken note.  They are organizing a rally at Senator’s Kerry’s office in Boston.  In an alert titled “Tell Dems to fight!” they say

“Instead of backing down after last week’s election, Democrats in Washington need to deliver on the promises that got them elected, starting with the passage of real health care reform. But they won’t do it on their own-it’s up to all of us to demand bold leadership. So we’re holding an emergency rally – part of a nationwide day of action – urging Democrats in Washington to show some backbone and fight for working families!”

I wish them luck. They will need it.  All their rallies up to now haven’t succeeded in getting the Dems to “fight for working families”.  If they had any backbone, they would have pushed for single-payer health care.  But they even abandoned any meaningful public option.

And I’m also thinking “I’m glad I belong to a party that doesn’t need these kind of rallies to get its leaders to stop backsliding.

Continue reading Show some backbone!

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Off to the polls the people go,

all to vote for Mike Capuano,

and with Wednesday’s rising sun,

the papers tell them who has won.

Beside his smokey, golden hookah,

sits our friend, Steve Pagliuca.

He says, “All this money I have here

could not buy a seat so dear.”

Alan Khazei is wonky and wise,

so his loss comes as no surprise.

Her candidacy was historic and bold,

but Martha Coakley was just too cold,

and on her face she wore a frown,

all the way back to Boston-town.

So, who’s that up on Capitol Hill?

Why, it’s the man from Somerville

taking an Oath or Affirmation,

O, to protect this mighty nation,

to uphold and defend the Constitution,

framed by heroes of the Revolution.

By Article One, Section Three,

United States Senator, I pronounce thee.

Continue reading Mike Capuano Primary Victory Anthem
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    Monday’s (1-25-10) column by New York Times op-ed regular and Nobel economics laureate Paul Krugman reminded me of something: He, like many a mainstream commentator, seems to disregard the importance of the idea that finite resources are finite. The economy is down, unemployment is way up and not showing signs of improving, and the stock market has declined yet again, and Krugman cites the danger of “a second Great Depression,” yet he writes of that potential event as if it would last only a decade or two.

   Krugman: “We have avoided a second Great Depression, but we are facing mass unemployment – unemployment that will blight the lives of millions of Americans – for years to come.”

 

Continue reading Thoughts on reading Paul Krugman Monday

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Former Labor Sec and MA gubernatorial candidate Robert Reich adds his name to those of Cornell West (video) & NYT pundits Bob Herbert and Paul Krugman among this week’s enrollees in the Legions of the Disaffected, Disappointed, and Disenfranchised.

And what with this crap, they’re only gonna get madder.

Reich’s ultimate paragraph serves as both a caveat and, I think, a genuine sign of hope for the Green Party in MA and across the republic:

If the Mad-as-hell Party helps get money out of politics it will do a world of good. I might even join up. But if it just fulminates against the establishment, forget it. Wrecking balls are easy to wield. Rescuing our democracy is hard work.

It’s a growing movement, and they’re looking for the folks with the constructive solutions.

This is a good start:

Continue reading Robert Reich is Mad-as-Hell

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How the story in today’s Globe should have read:

Kerry, Brown Announce Agreement on Pelt-Trading Iniative, Coal-Drilling-Nuclear Subsidies

(WASHINGTON Jan 23, 2010-Michael Horan)–Senator John Kerry announced yesterday that in the wake of Scott Brown’s election as junior Senator from Massachusetts, he’d be withdrawing his support from the Kerry-Boxer climate bill and, instead, promote a raft of new legislation “which will constitute a comprehensive, long-term plan capable of supplying America with its energy  needs well into June.”

Kerry called for “The re-vitalization of the centuries-old trade in animal pelts–that’s an industry which shows real growth potential. Oh, yeah, and subsidizing of coal mining, drilling for offshore oil, and building the most expensive nuclear power generators the world has ever seen–because we stand second to no one when it comes to cost-overruns. No more shall we allow self-centered concerns with the survival of the planet to get in the way of the will of the American people. Mining, drilling, and generating radioactive waste–that’s what makes this country great.”

Surrounded by the CEO’s of various companies including Exxon, ShellOil, and BPL and flanked by Newt Gingrich, Sarah Palin, and James Inhofe, Kerry went on to declare that “no more shall the American people be held hostage by the chains of the past or the arrogant claims of `science.’ The election of Mr. Brown has made it clear that the weak legislation we were jerking around with needs to be watered down further so as to ensure that the fine corporate citizens with whom I stand here today can top the record-breaking profits they showed last year. Americans have spoken: science is hard. Money is easy.” At that, he was interrupted by the assorted dignitaries, who uncorked champagne and broke into applause and cries of “hear, hear!”

Continue reading Kerry, Brown Announce Agreement on Pelt-Trading Iniative, Coal-Drilling-Nuclear Subsidies

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It is easy for a neophyte candidate running to get caught by surprise on this Massachusetts election law. If the candidate was not registered as an un-enrolled voter 90 continuous days before the deadline for nomination papers submission, the candidate cannot run in the General Election.

Green/Rainbow candidates must have been an un-enrolled voter (meaning not a registered Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian). This is because, under the present law, the GRP does not achieve the legal status of “party”, but is a “designation”.

The nomination papers deadline is the last Tuesday of May, for state representative or state senator.  Hence, it’s desirable for those presently registered to vote via a major party, to have become un-enrolled. So if the candidate is presently registered as a Democrat or Republican or Libertarian, the candidate must become unenrolled by mid-February. Earlier is better.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth describes the standards that apply to “non-party” candidates.  Here are the details: How to Run as a Non-Party Candidate

And in comprehensive PDF form: A Candidate’s Guide to the 2006 State Election (Secretary of the Commonwealth. January 2006.)

Continue reading Potential GRP Candidates: be an Un-enrolled voter by mid-Feb., 90 days before May filing deadline
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It is easy for a neophyte candidate to get caught by surprise on this law. If the candidate was not registered as an un-enrolled voter 90 continuous days before the deadline for nomination papers submission, the candidate cannot run in the General Election.

Green/Rainbow candidates must have been an un-enrolled voter (meaning not a registered Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian). This is because, under the present law, the GRP does not achieve the legal status of “party”, but a “designation”.  

The nomination papers deadline is the last Tuesday of May, for state representative or state senator.  Hence, it’s desirable to have become un-enrolled, if the candidate is presently a Democrat or Republican, by mid-February. Earlier is better.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth describes the standards that apply to “non-party” candidates. The Green/Rainbow party is a “designation” and not a party, under present law and regulations. Here are the details: How to Run as a Non-Party Candidate

And in comprehensive PDF form: A Candidate’s Guide to the 2006 State Election (Secretary of the Commonwealth. January 2006.)

Continue reading Candidates: be Un-enrolled voter by mid-February

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It is easy for a neophyte candidate to get caught by surprise on this law. If the candidate was not registered as an un-enrolled voter 90 continuous days before the deadline for nomination papers submission, the candidate cannot run in the General Election.

Green/Rainbow candidates must have been an un-enrolled voter (meaning not a registered Democrat, Republican, or Libertarian). This is because, under the present law, the GRP does not achieve the legal status of “party”, but a “designation”.  

The nomination papers deadline is the last Tuesday of May, for state representative or state senator.  Hence, it’s desirable to have become un-enrolled, if the candidate is presently a Democrat or Republican, by mid-February. Earlier is better.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth describes the standards that apply to “non-party” candidates. The Green/Rainbow party is a “designation” and not a party, under present law and regulations. Here are the details: How to Run as a Non-Party Candidate

And in comprehensive PDF form: A Candidate’s Guide to the 2006 State Election (Secretary of the Commonwealth. January 2006.)

Continue reading Candidates: be Un-enrolled voter 90 days before deadline

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It is easy for a neophyte to get caught by surprise on this one.

Green/Rainbow candidates must have been an un-enrolled voter (meaning not a registered Democrat, Replican, or Libertarian) for at least the 90 days before the deadline for submitting nomination papers (that deadline is the last Tuesday of May, for state representative or state senator).  Hence, it’s desirable to have become unenrolled, if the candidate is presently a Democrat or Republican, by mid-February. Earlier is better.

The Secretary of the Commonwealth describes the standards that apply to “non-party” candidates. The Green/Rainbow party is a “designation” and not a party, under present law and regulations. Here are the details: How to Run as a Non-Party Candidate

And in comprehensive PDF form: A Candidate’s Guide to the 2006 State Election (Secretary of the Commonwealth. January 2006.)

Continue reading Candidates: be Unenrolled voter 90 days before nomination deadline