Posted in Massachusetts politics, State issues, Taylor Armerding on Jun 18th, 2008 View Comments
Question: When is a tax break for the wealthy not a tax break for the wealthy? Answer: When a Democrat calls it an “economic stimulus plan.” Of course, it’s still a tax break for the wealthy – calling it by another name doesn’t change the reality – but most Democrats are loathe to give even [...]
Posted in Massachusetts politics, State issues, Taylor Armerding on Apr 15th, 2008 View Comments
Gov. Deval Patrick, in yet another example of political courage, has allowed a bill to become law that would hit employers with triple damages if they lose wage disputes with workers. The governor didn’t sign it, saying he had “concerns” that it could be “unfairly punitive.” But those alleged concerns didn’t prompt him to veto [...]
Posted in Massachusetts politics, Municipal meltdown, State issues, Taylor Armerding on Apr 4th, 2008 View Comments
I don’t blame cops for wanting to make more money. Heck, I want to make more money. But I do blame them for constantly cloaking their desire for more money by pretending to be altruistic. Their frenzied efforts to protect their monopoly on road details, as the Legislature considers transportation reforms that would take some [...]
Posted in Massachusetts politics, Nelson Benton, Uncategorized on Mar 26th, 2008 View Comments
Opinions are decidedly mixed over whether Massachusetts should allow casino gambling. But a new program put forward by the Massachusetts Lottery Commission could turn every pharmacy and convenience store into a gaming outlet. It’s called “Keno-to-go” and would greatly expand the number of locations at which one can buy Keno tickets. These outlets had been [...]
Posted in Massachusetts politics, Nelson Benton, Uncategorized on Mar 18th, 2008 View Comments
Those annual St. Patrick’s Day roasts can be dangerous affairs for Bay State politicians who, nevertheless, seem to relish the opportunity they provide to tell bad jokes and sing off key. For years legislative leaders used to poke fun at the taxpayers for allowing them to play fast and loose with their money. But they’ve [...]
Posted in Massachusetts politics, Taylor Armerding on Mar 14th, 2008 View Comments
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick’s surrogates are starting to sound like Capt. Renault in “Casablanca” who was “shocked, shocked to find gambling going on,” in a gambling room of Rick’s Cafe Americain – just as an employee handed him his winnings. The governor’s aides are professing shock and outrage to hear that poor, helpless, rank-and-file state [...]
Posted in Massachusetts politics, Nelson Benton on Mar 11th, 2008 View Comments
A vote on Gov. Deval Patrick’s proposal to license three resort casinos in Massachusetts could be taken by the House of Representatives early next month. A hearing on the proposal has been scheduled for March 18 at which there will be a full airing of the pros and cons of allowing casinos in the Bay [...]
Posted in Massachusetts politics, Municipal meltdown, State issues, Taylor Armerding on Feb 20th, 2008 View Comments
George Orwell may be gone, but his prophetic vision lives on, in our continued quest to name things in ways that will obscure their real intent. You know, if you want to let union advocates intimidate workers by forcing them to “vote” for or against a union in front of them, instead of the privacy [...]
Posted in Local politics, Massachusetts politics, Municipal meltdown, Taylor Armerding on Feb 6th, 2008 View Comments
Newton state Rep. Ruth Balser’s bill to exempt senior citizens from the impact of Proposition 2 1/2 overrides (something she has tried before) is not only a very bad idea. It is transparently disingenuous. It’s not about helping seniors, who already have more than enough help available to them if they really can’t pay their [...]
Posted in Ken Johnson, Massachusetts politics, Presidential race on Feb 5th, 2008 View Comments
Barack Obama was supposed to win the Democratic primary in Massachusetts. Gov. Deval Patrick endorsed him. Sen. John Kerry endorsed him. And the Elder Statesman of the Democratic Party himself, Ted Kennedy, endorsed him — as did a good chunk of the Kennedy clan. Everyone was for Obama — except the state’s Democratic voters. By [...]
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