Like any patriotic American, I celebrated the long overdue passage of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, or 9/11 first responders health care bill for short, last Wednesday. The bill “extend(s) and improve(s) protections and services to individuals directly impacted by the terrorist attack in New York City on September 11, 2001,” and, prior to its passage, had been heralded ... Read More
Well, I guess I underestimated my own state’s independence. In my blog post last month about independent gubernatorial candidates in today’s political climate, I crassly proclaimed that neither Massachusetts candidate Tim Cahill nor Maine candidate Eliot Cutler (’68) were considered by voters as “practical choices.” As Tuesday’s results reveal, I correctly predicted Cahill’s inability to garner significant support, but I ... Read More
When Sarah Palin’s first interview with Katie Couric aired, I laughed along with everyone else. I remember marveling at how inept a decision the McCain camp made in selecting Palin as his running mate. How could anyone take this woman seriously? Then when the Tea Party first emerged in early 2009, I thought, alright: there are some “punny” radicals out there who ... Read More
Massachusetts voters will, in fourteen days, express their satisfaction, or lack thereof, with the state’s leadership over the past four years. In a state where Democrats have learned no elections can be taken for granted, especially during the current tumultuous political climate, incumbent governor Deval Patrick ’78 has conducted a skillful ground game in the final weeks. This past weekend ... Read More
The Cambridge School Committee recently decided that, beginning in the 2011-12 school year, schools will close for one Muslim holiday each year. On the heels of two events that paint America as an increasingly Islamophobic nation, those being the controversial Ground Zero “mosque” and the lunatic antics of that pastor in Florida, the School Committee’s refreshingly tolerant decision couldn’t come ... Read More
It’s tough to be independent. Just ask Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Tim Cahill, whose running mate recently withdrew from the race and endorsed the Republican candidate. Or ask Maine gubernatorial candidate Eliot Cutler, whose unnamed opponents recently launched a website attacking his professional and personal life. Despite the strong anti-incumbent mood sweeping the nation, voters are still largely reluctant to support independents ... Read More
