Governor Deval Patrick recently signed a state budget that imposed painful cuts on education, social services, and the environment. But he says it was the best that he could do, so don’t blame him. Jill Stein makes a compelling case that the cuts were – in fact – avoidable, and that the choice of where the pain would fall was deliberate. This is a debate that needs to happen.
Continue reading Stein Says State Budget Shows “Misplaced Priorities”jandrews
Let me make this perfectly clear: A full scale attack has been launched against public education in America. The so-called education reform bill that was passed in Massachusetts in January – and welcomed with great fanfare by Governor Patrick and Mayor Menino – is part of this attack.
Continue reading Public Education is Under AttackLast week Governor Patrick and the Democratic Party leadership came a step closer to realizing their dream of bringing big gambling operations into Massachusetts. After concerted arm-twisting by the Democratic Party leadership, the House of Representatives voted by a 120 to 37 margin to pass a bill authorizing two casinos and 750 slot machines.
Continue reading The Casino VoteAs we enter political fund-raising season, Speaker DeLeo and Governor Patrick are pushing hard to bring government sponsored predatory gambling into Massachusetts. If they succeed, it will be a BIG WIN for casino lobbyists and a BIG LOSS for the people of our Commonwealth.
Disturbingly, Speaker DeLeo has declared there will be no public hearings on his bill – shielding this latest boondoggle from desperately needed public scrutiny and debate.
They claim casinos will create jobs. But the facts show that casinos are jobs killers and community-busters. We need a secure green economy, not more of the failed predatory casino economy of the past.
Have you heard about the speech given this morning by Speaker of the House Robert DeLeo to the Boston Chamber of Commerce? Sounds like it’s going to be a very good year on Beacon Hill for the business lobbyists. But the news isn’t so good for the rest of us. Here are some highlights of the speech:
1) Remember all that talk about how casino revenues would be devoted to worthy purposes like education? Now DeLeo has a different idea: the priority is doling casino revenues out as gifts to corporations. You know, building infrastructure for businesses. It’s NOT graft – it’s economic stimulus. The recent Supreme Court decision allowing corporations to spend unlimited money in campaigns seems to be having its effect already. The politicians aren’t even waiting for the money to appear before they sell out.
Continue reading DeLeo’s Speech: A Disturbing Vision for MassachusettsAfter 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!WHAT REALLY HAPPENED ON TUESDAY?
Thanks to greenmassgroup for providing a counter to the spin that the defeat of Martha Coakley represents a sudden turn to the right by Massachusetts voters. The reality is this: The progressive voters who turned out in 2008 to endorse Barack Obama’s message of hope stayed home, or cast votes for Brown to protest the health care monstrosity that Congress is on the verge of passing. Coakley’s defeat was a long overdue revolt of progressives against Democrats, not a sign of conversion to Republicanism.
This view is backed up by a poll taken by Research 2000 which showed that 18 percent of people who voted for Barack Obama in 2008, supported Scott Brown in the Senate race. Of that group an overwhelming majority – 82 percent – favored a public option health plan, while just 14 percent oppose it. Of those who stayed home, 86 percent support a public option, while just seven percent oppose it. They didn’t turn conservative. They just turned against the Democrats.
Continue reading Now is the Time to Stand Up for Your Values