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  • NECN, Gloucester and Tap Water

    Watching NECN this morning. They discussed the media at 8:20am today in relation to the Tiger Woods story -- showing how one paper reported one thing, another reported a completely contradicting story, and another reported something similar (but slightly different) than the first. Basically, they just pointed out how ridiculous [...]
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    Posted: December 04, 2009, 8:24am EST

  • Obama's Bush Problem

    It used to be that the biggest problem Obama faced was the eight years of havoc George Bush, Dick Cheney and Karl Rove wreaked on this country. After a year in office, while this country is still reeling from the policies and practices of the George W. Bush administration, it's' [...]
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    Posted: December 03, 2009, 9:37pm EST

  • The BMG Surprise

    I have to admit, the BMG endorsement of Alan Khazei surprised me. I thought David supported him, but I didn't actually think the three of them would be able to come together on it. Kudos, Team Editors, for joining me on the Khazei train.

    Anyone else looking' [...]
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    Posted: December 01, 2009, 3:23pm EST

  • People Forget, Coakley is a Progressive

    Alternatively, I could title this piece, "The Path to Senate Victory." It has become clear to me that people don't understand the dynamics of this race. With my endorsement of Khazei yesterday, some people have inevitably said, "Ryan, you're going to split the vote!" In most elections, I probably [...]
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    Posted: November 30, 2009, 10:49am EST

  • My Endorsement for the Senate: Alan Khazei

    When there's four candidates running to be the next Ted Kennedy, it's certainly understandable that the choice should be difficult. For the record, this is the first major race in which I have purposefully tried to stay uninvolved in a long time, wanting to glimpse this race like a regular [...]
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    Posted: November 29, 2009, 2:52pm EST

  • What we "lose" to Connecticut

    Kathleen Conley Norbut, head of United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts, wrote the following as part of an open letter.
    The recapture of the estimated $700 million dollars that goes out of state with people gambling plus an additional $200 million more that Massachusetts residents are projected to lose with [...]
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    Posted: November 23, 2009, 6:36pm EST

  • Foxwood Defaults

    Senator Murray and Speaker DeLeo's biggest and best example of the industry that's quickly become their #1 priority just defaulted. If ever there was a time to take a step back and really study this issue before we rush out after fool's gold, now's the time. It's time to [...]
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    Posted: November 17, 2009, 7:07pm EST

  • Musings: Stupak, Star Trek and Hulu

    The thing about Stupak: If it's okay to discriminate against women for one medical choice, why shouldn't it be okay to discriminate against men for ED? Or come up with other stupid ideas like "no tax credits for fat people." There are thousands of ways we could legislate morality into' [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 7:37pm EST

  • Boston Herald Goes off the Deep End

    In what should be a shocker to no one, today's Herald editorial jumped off the deep end, coming out strong against a UMASS Dartmouth Law School, with the kind of hyperbole rarely out seen outside of tabloid "journalism." Saying the "skids are greased," they launch an attack at Chancellor [...]
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    Posted: November 16, 2009, 5:20pm EST

  • Who's Blocking Transgender Rights?

    Next week is Transgendered Awareness Week. The Massachusetts Trans Political Coalition is hosting a whole bunch of different events, ranging from advocacy to education to fun. I'm hoping many people will attend. Given next week's events, it's a good time to take a look at where we're at [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 10:08pm EST

  • Tax and Spend Liberals

    national debtSaw this graph and it was too awesome not to post. Click on the image to see it in full.



    Hat tip goes to Math4Barack, over at dkos. [...]
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    Posted: November 13, 2009, 3:38am EST

  • Town Democratic Websites

    I have to say, having spent an hour or so looking at the various town committee websites across Massachusetts, I'm most impressed at how our party's base activists have quickly taken to technology. I've been fairly involved with the development of my town dem committee's website (at least insofar [...]
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    Posted: November 11, 2009, 12:06am EST

  • Legislative Bigotry

    Thankfully, this video isn't from Massachusetts, but it still pains me to watch it (along with the news that marriage equality is again delayed in NY, though that's much better than defeated).



    Here's a woman who speaks at length about how she can't get legally [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 5:46pm EST

  • Today's LeftAhead Podcast: MA-Sen, Health Care

    It was a lively one, today, especially after Lynne joined us (she was a bit late).

    [...]
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    Posted: November 10, 2009, 4:27pm EST

  • Expanding at the Worst Time?

    For any state elected leader who votes to allow an expansion to predatory gambling through slots, they're going to be doing it at the absolute worst time imaginable. Why? The state's authority to treat gambling addicts -- the Mass Council on Compulsive Gambling -- has just had it's budget' [...]
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    Posted: November 09, 2009, 5:58pm EST

  • The Hypocrisy of Republicans

    No group in America has fought against the "government take-over" of health care harder than Republicans. Though what they have to say has absolutely no merit, they spread the lie that this effort to reform the health insurance industry is nothing less than government deciding each and every individual's health' [...]
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    Posted: November 08, 2009, 3:38am EST

  • The Real Cha-Ching

    It is almost a travesty that there's a giant portion of our state without broadband or cable internet access. This is costing those regions jobs, keeping the kids in those schools in the digital stone age (dial-up). From Governor Patrick's daily briefing:
    Governor's Briefing
    November 5, 2009
    Expanding Broadband[...]
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    Posted: November 05, 2009, 4:56pm EST

  • SHNS: Casinos "not a done deal."

    From Friday's State House News Weekly Roundup ("The Citizen Advisers"), from Jim O'Sullivan. I'm just getting this now, otherwise I'd have posted it sooner.
    Last time, December 2007, Gov. Deval Patrick walked into the capitol auditorium armed to the teeth with casino enthusiasm, and lots of people in red T-shirts [...]
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    Posted: November 02, 2009, 4:53pm EST

  • Videos from the Casino Hearing

    Cross-posted at BMG.

    As promised in Thursday's rundown of the casino hearing, I put together a video diary of the event, featuring a lot of the videos I took throughout the day. Take a look at the videos, pick a few and get a sense of what's going [...]
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    Posted: November 01, 2009, 7:10am EST

  • What Links Casino Proponents Together?

    In the fight for casinos, there's one thing that links all of the proponents – all the different partners in the effort to bring slots of some kind or another to Massachusetts. As little as any of the parties would like to admit it, several of the speakers seemed to' [...]
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    Posted: October 29, 2009, 11:45pm EDT

  • Thoughts, Announcements and Casino Stuff

    There was literally tons and tons of casino info that came out today, but I was too busy to get to any of it. Look forward to plenty of news on polls and other items in the days ahead.
    I'm going to the casino forum at the State House tomorrow,' [...]
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    Posted: October 28, 2009, 11:09pm EDT

  • In the Globe, Again

    They quoted me on their VoxOp for my comments on CLT. Welcome, Globe readers. [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 8:30pm EDT

  • Health Insurance Reform: The Human Cost

    Big Bad news today in the health insurance reform effort -- Joe Lieberman's threatening to be the one person in the Democratic Caucus to kill health care reform. As far as I'm concerned, I hold him complicit in the deaths of the 45,000 people in America who die every [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 4:48pm EDT

  • Interesting Local Candidates From Around Massachusetts

    Elections will be popping up all around Massachusetts in the days ahead. At Ryan's Take, I don't normally make endorsements in elections I can't vote in -- and nothing will change this time around. However, I do find a few candidates particularly interesting and hope people will give a them' [...]
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    Posted: October 27, 2009, 12:34am EDT

  • Khazei Came Out Against Casinos -- Why it Matters

    A lot of people may not think being against casinos at the federal level really matters, including Representative Capuano, but I'd like to disagree. Here's two reasons why it matters:

    1. The Supreme Court recently ruled against the ability of native tribes to have the wide latitude of [...]
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    Posted: October 26, 2009, 7:27pm EDT

  • Casino Addiction Can Ruin Any Life

    If Antoine Walker can blow through the $100+ million he's made in his career, imagine what can happen to someone who makes a far more modest salary? Casual observers wonder why opponents of casinos say that casinos don't 'help' the economy. This should make a good example.

    That [...]
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    Posted: October 25, 2009, 10:01pm EDT

  • Did you catch my podcast with Capuano?

    The first 20 minutes is a review of all the goings-on of the Special Election race. Capuano jumps on after that to talk about his candidacy and to talk about his record and positions (you can fast forward to Capuano, but I highly recommend listening to the whole thing). We [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 9:17pm EDT

  • Intimidation?

    Barrow's very angry over those who have detracted from his consultant gigs and methodology across the blogosphere, so much so that he's now publicly threatening to sue. Perhaps I'd be a target, but it's not because I've actually committed libel. Nothing I've ever written was ever meant to be [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 6:06pm EDT

  • Clyde's Lies -- including a $20,000 gem

    Clyde's at it again. This time, UMASS Professor, head of the Center of Policy Analysis and industry consultant Clyde Barrow has claimed that "I am not, and never have been, employed by, retained by, or paid by, a casino or gaming company," as if that was the complaint. It's [...]
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    Posted: October 23, 2009, 10:31am EDT

  • The Demise of Citizens for Limited Taxation

    I made a comment over at BMG that I'd like to post here. I don't think it's one of my most eloquent comments and there's little wit to be had, but I'm posting it because it's true.
    [CLT] was a great thing... if you consider it an example of [...]
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    Posted: October 22, 2009, 2:44pm EDT

  • Clyde Barrow Arrested

    Clyde Barrow, who essentially designed Governor Patrick's casino plan last year and is the #1 resource for casino proponents, was just arrested in Fall River and has relinquished his post as head of the Center of Policy Analysis at UMASS Dartmouth.
    FALL RIVER — Dr. Clyde W. Barrow voluntarily' [...]
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    Posted: October 21, 2009, 10:21pm EDT

  • Clyde Barrow Took *Another* Casino Consultant Gig

    Don't worry, Senator Pacheco, I don't blame you for being wrong. Even today, he's not being completely honest about his monetary connections to the industry, but at least he's admitting to the fact that they exist. From today's Herald:
    A University of Massachusetts professor, who has billed himself' [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 5:05pm EDT

  • Question for Readers

    I'm thinking about changing the comment policy so that people have to sign up for some kind of a name before they post. It doesn't have to be their name, it could be a complete pseudonym. It will just make it much easier for me so I don't have to' [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 4:44pm EDT

  • Capuano on Thursday, Not Tonight

    Sorry all, for some strange reason I thought we had Rep. Capuano on LeftAhead tonight to talk about the Senate race and answer the essential questions, but it's actually Thursday night. Oops.

    As always, the best place to check for upcoming show information is LeftAhead.com. Furthermore, as always, once' [...]
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    Posted: October 20, 2009, 4:40pm EDT

  • Murray and DeLeo Throwing State Under Bus for Casinos?

    Anyone looking at the casino debate can sense a strategy that's glaringly bad for the state of Massachusetts, taken up by the Speaker and Senate President.

    They're starving the beast to get casinos. From the SHNS (Jim O'Sullivan, Weekly Roundup, 10/9/09) -- an extremely friendly paper to the casino [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 7:57pm EDT

  • Capuano Coming to LeftAhead.com

    Mike, Lynne and I will be hosting Senate candidate and current U.S. Representative Mike Capuano on our LeftAhead podcast next week. The likely date is on Tuesday, though not at the regular time -- the show is more likely to start around 6pm. Check out LeftAhead.com over the next few [...]
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    Posted: October 16, 2009, 5:19pm EDT

  • Talk About Being Against Your Own, Best Interests

    Why is Salem's Mayor, Kim Driscoll, schilling for the Massachusetts casino lobby? On behalf of the casino lobby's Massachusetts website, she sent out this letter today:
    Dear XXX,

    Thanks to you, our campaign is picking up speed.

    On October 29, the Massachusetts Legislature's Joint Committee on Economic Development [...]
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    Posted: October 15, 2009, 6:24pm EDT

  • Has DeLeo Lost it Already?

    From today's Patriot Ledger, the Speaker's plan for saving Massachusetts is gambling and the film tax credit. No, this is not a joke. The two biggest state gimmicks in town are what the Speaker views as the two most important aspects to combating our tough budget picture -- not [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 8:54pm EDT

  • I'm With Kos

    Couldn't agree more:
    I'll take a Chuck Schumer-run Senate with 57 Democrats (bye bye Reid, Lieberman, and Lincoln) than a Harry Reid-run one with 75 Democrats.Harry Reid could quite possibly be the least competent person alive -- and he's the #3 person in our entire government.

    Quite possibly [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 5:38pm EDT

  • Did you catch the latest podcast?

    Mike and I chatted for about a half hour on the Human Rights Campaign and President Obama -- and whether either party will actually get something done on GLBT rights. Hop on over at LeftAhead.com to check it out, or listen to it directly on this website on the [...]
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    Posted: October 14, 2009, 3:33am EDT

  • HRC is Useless and SHOULD GO AWAY!

    Seriously, it's time to end this money-siphoning, zero-progress, horrible organization. It's worse than useless; it's getting in the way. [...]
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    Posted: October 11, 2009, 5:46pm EDT

  • Mike on Mike (Capuano)

    I didn't log on the Capuano blogger chat because I had some longstanding plans tonight I knew Mike would cover the call far better than I could. And so he did. As Mike says on his write up, we're looking to get Capuano on our LeftAhead Podcast -- so [...]
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    Posted: October 10, 2009, 2:50am EDT

  • Not So Inevitable

    From today's SHNS (sorry, can't link).
    GAMBLING FOES DOUBT S.P. MURRAY’S ‘INEVITABLE’ CLAIM
    Casino opponents are speaking out against Senate President Therese Murray’s assertion that casinos are “inevitable,” saying proponents are trying to oversimplify and paint the introduction of expanded gambling as foregone. “It’s all over the map,” said Kathleen' [...]
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    Posted: October 09, 2009, 2:43pm EDT

  • Get Out the Popcorn

    This looks like a great event:
    I'm inviting you to a debate on the issue on Thursday October 15 from 7:00 – 9:00 at Century Bank, 400 Mystic Avenue in Medford. The forum will feature speakers representing both sides of the gambling debate.

    Senator Sue Tucker represents the' [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2009, 9:32pm EDT

  • Boston City Council Candidate Kennealley Podcast

    He's on today at 2:30pm, live. Find out how to listen (or catch the archive anytime after) at LeftAhead.com.

    We're in talks with several of the other at-large campaigns, as well.

    Check out LeftAhead.com archives for interviews with the candidates in the Mayoral race. We had both Flaherty' [...]
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    Posted: October 06, 2009, 10:41am EDT

  • The Media's Digging its Own Grave

    The important thing for people to remember is that, when the old dogs (like the Globe) start to die off, they dug their own graves. Bloggers didn't and don't want to see these institutions go, we've even tried to warn them before, but newspapers just don't want to listen. Joan [...]
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    Posted: October 05, 2009, 9:33pm EDT

  • Hey Joan, Your House is Glass

    Here's what you said in today's op-ed, discussed at length at Blue Mass Group.
    But the issue is also the Internet's ability to give cover to critics who don't have to do what Carr does - own their opinions. The blogosphere opened up the public conversation to new,' [...]
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    Posted: October 04, 2009, 6:14pm EDT

  • The Nerve of These People

    First, let's read one of SHNS's recent tweets.
    Despite law ending dog racing, Raynham-Taunton files for full racing schedule next year. statehousenews.comThen read a quote from an earlier SHNS story today (can't link to it, sorry).
    MOHEGAN EYES REDUCED LICENSING FEES, TWO-YEAR WINDOW UNTIL OPENING

    By Jim O’Sullivan[...]
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    Posted: October 01, 2009, 10:18pm EDT

  • A Sign of Progress

    An important frontier in the battle for equality and broader understanding is sports, especially male sports. While most women in this country support glbt rights, most men lag far behind. There's numerous reasons for that, but many of them can probably be better understood through the context of sports.

    [...]
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    Posted: October 01, 2009, 8:04am EDT

  • The Public Option Will Save You Money and the Government

    There's tons of focus on government costs associated with the health care bill. However, lost in the argument is cost to individuals, which is probably the more relevant question to most Americans. There's good news on both fronts: According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Public Option will [...]
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    Posted: September 27, 2009, 9:48pm EDT

  • Dear Clyde Barrow,

    You recently did a cable access show with Senator Pacheco. On it, Senator Pacheco asked if you were ever paid by the casino industry and you said no.

    I was, in fact, emailed a quote with exactly what you said on the show. You said you were
    "...not on" [...]
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    Posted: September 24, 2009, 4:46pm EDT

  • LeftAhead Podcast on Thursday

    We, at LeftAhead, decided to hold off on our regular Tuesday episode due to all the municipal elections taking place today. We'll have the episode on Thursday, instead, focusing on local elections. Boston will come up, probably Lowell too and I'll definitely bring up the exciting results from Lynn, last [...]
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    Posted: September 22, 2009, 6:18pm EDT

  • Quoted in the Globe

    It's from today's VoxOp, where they search the interwebs to find their favorite, opinion-gamut spanning quotations on relevant topics of the day. Here's where they plucked it from and here's what they quoted.
    “DeLeo has not one, but two racetracks in his district - horse and dog. Is [...]
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    Posted: September 22, 2009, 3:33pm EDT

  • Senator Pacheco is Wrong About Barrow

    First off, let me just preface all of this by saying I have an enormous amount of respect for Senator Pacheco. I consider him an ally on many issues. He was essential, for example, in passing several bills last year to help combat Global Warming and grow green jobs, making [...]
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    Posted: September 21, 2009, 7:20pm EDT

  • Will Beacon Hill Make an Informed Decision on Casinos?

    As important as preventing casinos in Massachusetts is to me, I could honestly be happy if whatever decision is made were made by a group of legislators making informed decisions. The fact is, though, most of the talking points and studies out there on casinos come from biased sources, even [...]
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    Posted: September 20, 2009, 2:46pm EDT

  • Not Quite Buying DeLeo on Casinos

    The Globe and others are reporting on DeLeo's recent public statements, saying he's in favor of a bill legalizing casinos in Massachusetts. This differs from his past stance because he was previously in favor of allowing casinos only if slots were allowed at the tracks. Color me a skeptic.
    [...]
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    Posted: September 19, 2009, 5:39am EDT

  • Aloisi Gone

    This is a blessing. Please, please, please, Governor Patrick, get someone who can do this job without writing a gazillion embarrassing emails, who won't piss off everyone who lays eyes on him and who can actually institute some kind of reform. Bonus points for hiring someone who has absolutely,' [...]
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    Posted: September 11, 2009, 1:33pm EDT

  • SHNS Needs to get Facts Straight

    From today's State House News Service:
    STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, SEPT. 10, 2009……Less than four months before a voter-approved ban on dog racing is scheduled to wipe out 1,300 jobs at racetracks and affiliated businesses, lawmakers on Thursday pleaded with their colleagues to permit dog racing for two more years or' [...]
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    Posted: September 10, 2009, 5:45pm EDT

  • The Case for the Insurance Industry



    Link. [...]
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    Posted: September 10, 2009, 1:57pm EDT

  • Would You Shop Here?

    I've been thinking of creating a website to sell airline tickets at reduced prices. We're going to call it Club Ryan. I'll sell tickets to LA for $150 round trip, tickets to Florida for $100 round trip and tickets to NYC for $50 round trip. These are amazing prices, right?[...]
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    Posted: September 07, 2009, 1:58am EDT

  • Talked to Senator Kerry's Office on Health Care

    Just called Senator Kerry's office, describing myself as a constituent and blogger. I was shipped between three different people, but I got some answers. I was particularly concerned after reading this article, which I found over at Americablog, in which Senator Kerry says he "would not throw the'" [...]
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    Posted: August 31, 2009, 4:13pm EDT

  • Polling Results on Interim Senator Appointee

    Fairly surprising results -- apparently conventional wisdom was wrong. Even before Senator Kennedy's passing, a majority of the state supported an interim appointment.
    Under Massachusetts law a special election is held to fill an open senate seat. While waiting for a special election should the governor appoint an interim [...]
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    Posted: August 28, 2009, 1:01am EDT

  • Share Your Memories

    The Kennedy family's set up a site for people to browse at pictures of Senator Kennedy, read speeches and his biography, as well as share memories. Sharing memories is perhaps the best thing to do when someone passes and, with Senator Kennedy, there's a lot of memories to [...]
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    Posted: August 27, 2009, 10:22am EDT

  • The White House Pool Reports

    For some reason, the White House has me signed up for the pool reports that have to do with Massachusetts. While it's kind of neat for someone to have taken the time to sign me up for this at the White House (without me requesting it), it's not nearly as [...]
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    Posted: August 25, 2009, 9:18am EDT

  • Mass Stands to Gain Most from Health Insurance Reform?

    With the most expensive health insurance premiums in the country, despite the fact we're the only state that forces (nearly) everyone into 'the pool,' it certainly looks plausible. Given the revolutionary choice -- and competition -- public insurance would provide, it's going to drive the cost of insurance down,' [...]
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    Posted: August 23, 2009, 12:11am EDT

  • More than 75% of people support public option

    Great news. Here's the Q.

    Question: In any health care proposal, how important do you feel it is to give people a choice of both a public plan administered by the federal government and a private plan for their health insurance--extremely important, quite important, not that important, or [...]

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    Posted: August 20, 2009, 9:03pm EDT

  • Don't Give Up on Health Care

    Just got back from a liberal group exec meeting tonight that I'm apart of. We got to talking about whether we wanted to do anything next meeting about health care... since it looks like this whole debate will linger until then. The conversation devolved into a discussion about DC health' [...]
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    Posted: August 17, 2009, 9:38pm EDT

  • The First Sign of the Apocolypse?

    Was just at OCPF, looking at recently created committees. Beware Skynet.
    80820 Robot Party Political Action Committee 9/23/2008 [...]
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    Posted: August 13, 2009, 2:01pm EDT

  • The Globe's Horrific Drivel on Cyclists

    Will someone please explain to me why this vapid, POS anti-cycling article made the print on the Globe's Op-Ed page today? Taking the entire piece to actually say anything concrete about what we should do differently about cycling in this state, here's what it comes up with:
    You know [...]
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    Posted: August 13, 2009, 10:56am EDT

  • The T Debacle

    What a weird and strange situation. While Aloisi was publicly calling to hold off T fares and secretly pushing for them, Grabauskas was publicly pushing for the fare hike, but privately trying to avoid it as long as possible. Huh? JohnK is right; something's gotta give. Despite what a [...]
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    Posted: August 12, 2009, 9:03am EDT

  • Charlie Baker's Sandy Tennant Problem

    David posted a blog today on Charlie Baker's Sandy Tennant connection, basically highlighting some comments included in a Matt Viser/Frank Phillips piece today. Sandy Tennant, for those who don't know, is a longtime Republican operative, fundraiser and lobbyist, with a "colorful past," as Frank Phillips describes it. Booze [...]
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    Posted: August 10, 2009, 10:02am EDT

  • Obama's "Nazi" Health Care Plan

    Seriously, that's the shit a very, very small & crazy minority are peddling on the streets. Some goofy, off-balanced prick asked me if I wanted to know more about Obama's "Nazi" health care plan when I was walking into one of the state house office buildings today to file some [...]
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    Posted: August 07, 2009, 4:40pm EDT

  • Baker's "Turnaround"

    I forgot a lot of the details, which the Globe summed up nicely. Weird stuff -- and not terribly inspiring. Looks like Harvard Pilgram definitely would have died if the state didn't essentially take it into receivership -- Charley Baker didn't just come riding in and heroically save the [...]
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    Posted: August 05, 2009, 5:33am EDT

  • Economic Prosperity for All?

    Today, Lynne and I had Ben Forman on our LeftAhead podcast. It was a great show. I think one of the things that becomes clear is that while Greater Boston, especially the 128 bubble, has seen a large amount of economic growth over the past few [...]
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    Posted: August 04, 2009, 5:27pm EDT

  • Fighting Over Rail Scraps

    One of the most significant hurdles in getting off fossil fuels is in creating an infrastructure that would allow us to do so. New England, as a region, has a solid first plan.
    Described as the first regionwide passenger rail agenda, the New England system would speed up trains, [...]
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    Posted: August 04, 2009, 11:06am EDT

  • News and Notes

    Whew! In case no one noticed, took a few days off from blogging. My vacation mainly consisted of catching up with friends, going to see Jay Brannan in concert and watching (a lot of) cheesy Smallville episodes -- what a guilty pleasure! Hope everyone's having a nice summer, especially now [...]
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    Posted: August 03, 2009, 2:09pm EDT

  • Big Patrick Victory

    From a Patrick presser, something like this should be huge news. Unfortunately, it's overshadowed by all the silly, pesky issues.

    BOSTON – July 24, 2009 -- Governor Deval Patrick and legislative leaders announced today that the Commonwealth has saved $190 million in transportation-related costs as a direct result of sweeping [...]
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    Posted: July 24, 2009, 8:54pm EDT

  • Gitmo's Closure is an Empty Victory

    I have to admit, I'm not feeling so great at the closure of Gitmo - something Vice President Biden's promised will happen by January. While it's great that the prison will be closed, we're shipping those in Guantanamo Bay out all over the world, including into small countries where [...]
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    Posted: July 23, 2009, 6:24pm EDT

  • Curious Choice by Globe

    The President had a prime-time speech on health care, perhaps the most important issue facing this country, and that gets second billing to the President's relatively brief comments at the presser about the Gates situation in Cambridge. If you just looked at the Globe's front-page briefly today, you'd' [...]
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    Posted: July 23, 2009, 9:06am EDT

  • Education Numbers that Make you go Wow

    Here's an absolutely imperative blog to read from Common Cause. I could not possibly give it justice without copy/pasting the whole thing, but here's the relevant fact.
    The average Gateway district went from less than half low-income students in 1992 to nearly two-thirds in 2008 (see table below). These [...]
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    Posted: July 21, 2009, 8:10pm EDT

  • Great Show on why "Casinos are a Bad Bet"

    [...]
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    Posted: July 20, 2009, 4:52pm EDT

  • Mohegan Not Paying Its Taxes in Palmer

    They bought property trying to force a casino down Massachusetts's throat, but didn't bother to pay their taxes to the town of Palmer for an entire month -- stripping the town of $16,000 in these bleak budget days. Sound familiar?' [...]
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    Posted: July 19, 2009, 8:57pm EDT

  • My Concern with the Transgender Bill

    What about the XX and XY electric field bathroom generators? Does it mandate turning them off, so XX can cross the streams? And vice versa?

    And if that should happen, will the Stay Puft Marshmellow Man appear and attack everyone in the bathroom? Or if the Gatekeepers cross the threshold [...]

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    Posted: July 17, 2009, 2:20am EDT

  • Liveblogged MA-Healthcare Discussion on MSNBC

    It was only a short segment, but crazy interesting. Sen. Scott Brown, Ezra Klein and Elliot Spitzer together. What a weird grouping. Start from the bottom and work your way up ;)
    Problem with Scott's argument is that more than 70% of America wants public option. #liveblogScott: Mass is a [...]
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    Posted: July 16, 2009, 10:21am EDT

  • Pike Just Doesn't Get It

    It doesn't matter how much the Pike tries to defend using tolls for paying off the Big Dig, they just are no longer allowed to do it. They can hope and pray the current lawsuit gets dismissed, but Jan Schlictman has won tougher battles. He's going to win this' [...]
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    Posted: July 16, 2009, 9:40am EDT

  • Different Perspectives on Charlie Baker

    Here's what a former member of the Board of Education, who served during Charlie Baker's BoE days, thinks about Charlie Baker:
    This moment has been years in coming.

    One of my biggest fears about a Charlie Baker candidacy is the fact that his resume boasts extensive experience in these [...]

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    Posted: July 15, 2009, 2:59pm EDT

  • Wrong 'Tude on Renewables

    Attacking renewable energy because, um, it's not an instant fix or something, this op-ed, written by Eleanor Tillinghast, is a lame excuse at NIMBYism, but let's analyze it anyway, so people can get past the malarky. The main gist of the peice is coming from an "environmental" group in [...]
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    Posted: July 14, 2009, 4:16am EDT

  • Gearing Up for the Casino Fight

    We have about 60 days until the pro-slot legislators in the State House start ramping up their efforts to legalize slot machines in Massachusetts. Nothing is inevitable, but certainly this fight will be harder than it was just a year ago. Some good news -- the Speaker and Governor are [...]
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    Posted: July 13, 2009, 9:59pm EDT

  • Toll Fraud

    [Note: Please read the important update below. The Pike's still in the wrong, but for a slightly different - and not quite as bad - reason. The Herald article was a little bit confusing, so I apologize for getting some of this wrong originally. Went offline today to learn more' [...]
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    Posted: July 13, 2009, 11:03am EDT

  • RyansTake.net

    Just a little note: "RyansTake.net" will now get you to my site. A lot of people assume I'm super-tech savvy but, while I'm not completely incompetent with a computer, I can confess it took me six months to realize, figure out how to fix and then fix the fact that [...]
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    Posted: July 12, 2009, 9:24pm EDT

  • DeLeo on Slots

    Can't say I don't understand the dynamic. From the State House News Service (sorry, can't link):
    DeLEO CALLS RACETRACK SLOTS ‘THE INITIAL THRESHOLD’
    An expanded gambling package bringing resort casinos to Massachusetts must include slot machines at the state’s racetracks, House Speaker Robert DeLeo said Friday. “That’s going to' [...]
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    Posted: July 11, 2009, 1:58am EDT

  • Not Sure I'm Buying David

    David's questions yesterday were intended on finding out if Charlie Baker can win on being the anti-casino candidate. Here's what he added today, to explain himself.
    CLARIFICATION: Apparently, I was less than clear about why I want to know the answer to these questions, as readers both here and [...]
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    Posted: July 10, 2009, 3:37pm EDT

  • Deval Wins?

    While my head says Sab is right, the numbers look fantastic for Patrick; My heart says "I'm worried."

    He should win. He deserves to win. I'll work my ass off to help make him win, but I'm not going to be overconfident. This is going to be a' [...]
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    Posted: July 10, 2009, 2:18am EDT

  • Why Should I Take the T?

    With the newest hikes, the T's really going to lose the remainder of my business. The T, months ago, begged the legislature for funds. It said that they needed $160 million to avoid major cuts to services and fee hikes. The legislature gave them $160 million. What do they [...]
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    Posted: July 09, 2009, 5:39pm EDT

  • The Always Impressive Eileen Donoghue

    Thanks to the always-impressive blogging of the great Lynne Lupien, I've been introduced and reintroduced (at least electronically) to the wonderful Eileen Donoghue. Today, Eileen took a courageous and politically risky choice to wade into the murky waters of one the ugliest of Lowell political battles yet, which is' [...]
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    Posted: July 07, 2009, 11:15am EDT

  • Too Early to Tell

    I honestly have no idea whether or not Tim Cahill running as an independent will hurt or help Deval Patrick. Some seem to think it helps him (assuming Baker's in), others seem to like Cahill's chances. Sab just seems to think everyone loses.

    I could think [...]
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    Posted: July 07, 2009, 9:04am EDT

  • One Problem with the HMO Industry

    One problem with the health insurance industry (among many) is the fact that what costs them a little money may actually save society a great deal of money, but what does an HMO care about beyond its bottom line?

    Take today's Globe story on the state's expansion of [...]
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    Posted: July 06, 2009, 10:12am EDT

  • Caught EaBoClipper in a Lie

    It deserved some snark -- and attention. It's for these reasons why "bipartisanship" and pandering to Republicans is dangerous. Republican operatives, unlike Democrats (most of the time), will lie, cheat and -- in this case -- completely distort the truth, if it helps them in anyway whatsoever. (Nat'l Democrats,' [...]
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    Posted: July 06, 2009, 9:52am EDT

  • MassPolitics Twitter Label: #BeaconHill

    Painfully obvious, but not really used: My future State Politics Twitter items will be marked #BeaconHill -- others should use it, too. This will make Mass politics news much easier to find on Twitter. (I can't actually claim to be the first person to use it -- I'm the third, [...]
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    Posted: July 01, 2009, 4:28pm EDT

  • Painful Because it's True

    A heart-rending column today by Yvonne Abrams. The following quote is the point she tries to make, but it's actually the least significant part of her words -- how she got there is far more important. So, please read it. She's absolutely right about what will happen should we [...]
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    Posted: July 01, 2009, 2:39pm EDT
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