Blue Mass Group

Just a postscript – remember my posts about the Greektown Casino in Detroit, and the way it had sucked the life out of what was once a vibrant tourist area? Well, the latest is that it netted all of 2 million last year – and has filed for Chapter 11. You don’t have to take my word for it: http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs… Casinos are not only NOT a quick fix, folks, but slippery investments.

Here is the URL:  http://brianforsenate.com/ I don’t know why this race is not in the “races to watch” but think that it should be, and that both Brian Knuuttila’s website and Rep. Flanagan’s website should be linked to BMG. By the way, my “shorthand” for Brian Knuuttila is “BK”.  I am not on his campaign staff.  BK has never paid me for ANYTHING but he cares about the administration of justice, access to justice, child welfare, and separation of powers issues that I also care about. I know him as someone who takes personal responsibility, served his community and still serves on local nonprofit boards, such as at the community hospital in Gardner – and someone who has a better “head for numbers” than I have. Other than that, browse the website.  BK isn’t fancy, but he is honest, solid, and hard working.  You never have to guess where BK stands – whether a stance or position is “popular’ or not, I trust BK to be up front with what he believes. I am not comparing BK to other candidates for this office – nor attacking them – just talking about someone I know and like.

Hola from warm and humid Miami, the site of the US Conference of Mayors Annual Meeting (which will be in Providence next year …)  Big news was that the mayors would hear from Senator Obama for the first time and the lines to get in the Ballroom of the Intercontinental were long and a number of people who got in were then asked to watch on the monitors outside.

Barack Obama: 22 million John McCain: 21.8 million Cash on Hand: Barack Obama: 43 million John McCain: 31.6 million Trend notes: Barack Obama: This was his weakest month yet.  Look for June numbers to be significantly higher since he opted out of pubic financing. John McCain: 2nd consecutive month with an increase in numbers.  Look for cash on hand to not increase as steadily as general election Ad Campaigns rev up. source source

I am not a “DINO” as I think folk here know – neither do I claim to be an idealogically “pure” member of any faction within the Democratic Party.   I find “litmus test” politics repugnant.  I vote in large part because of decisions I have made about character, integrity, and perhaps personality as experienced by me.  I do not expect the public positions and later votes of my legislators to always agree with me. I do consider myself an educated, independent democrat.  I have chosen to become a member of the Democratic Party because it is the only party that upholds the United States Constitution’s Bill of Rights – or has continued to support the concept of democracy vs. oligarchy/plutocracy. I consider the rule of law, the Sixth Amendment right to counsel, and doctrine of Separation of Powers critical to democracy.  I have discussed these issues with Brian Knuuttila, and have known him well since 2003.   As a matter of disclosure, Brian Knuuttila was the first reprentative to support full funding and the first raise in 20 years for the indigent defense bar/independent contractors.  He suffered politically for that support.  He also understands and supports nurses in their [...]

It is important to remember that in Adoption of Marlene, the SJC held that to terminate parental rights does not terminate parental obligations.

On June 19, 2008, the SJC has held that where the father of an out of wedlock child dies without a child support order in place, the child has a right to seek and receive child support from their father’s estate.

It may have been helpful that this father did support this child during their life, and that there does appear to be a significant amount of money available.

You might not have thought this would be “the law” – but it is.  Most reasonable people would think that if a parent’s rights are terminated by the State – so are their obligations.  Not true.

In the same way, death does not end the obligation to pay child support.

The full opinion is below the fold.

Let’s get a box going for the “Races to Watch” State Senate seat being vacated by Robert Antonioni between state representative Jen Flanagan and former (DINO) state representative Brian Knuuttila.

The Worcester Telegram and Gazette described Mr. Knuuttila

as a state representative… he became known as one of the most conservative Democrats on Beacon Hill.