Blue Mass Group

Hi All:     After seeing the grandiose commercial for www.massvacation.com several times, I decided to check it out.     It appears that they are lying about freshwater fishing in Massachusetts. I quote from their website, “For freshwater fishing, you’ll enjoy more than 500 lakes, ponds, rivers and streams stocked annually with trout, bass, herring, salmon and many other varieties. Venues range from the ice-cold streams of the Berkshire Hills to the mighty Connecticut and Merrimack Rivers.” As an avid fisherman, and after having my fishing license for every year since 1996, I know that the Commonwealth stocks neither bass or herring in Massachusetts. Shame on the  Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism. Sincerely, Wayne Wilson Roslindale

 If I were the Secret Service I would keep an eye on this individual of questionable mental health to see if he or his henchmen would attempt a coup or try to use extreme prejudice on the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Believe he is putting into action individuals who might want to do harm at all costs. God Save Us From Dick Cheney’s insanity !

In the words of his own website (click on the image to enlarge): Hardly inspires confidence. Let’s see how long the original lasts: free BMG mug to whoever guesses closest. UPDATE: We have a winner! The Urban Mechanic leapt into action at approximately 8:25 p.m., securing a BMG mug for JimC., who guessed 7:15 p.m.

Hello BMG’rs, I’d like to personally invite you, on behalf of the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus, to our upcoming Commonwealth Commentary breakfast on April 30. We are fortunate to have Leslie Kirwan, Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, as our guest speaker at this breakfast. She is expected to discuss her career in state government and her perspectives on the role of women in politics today. We are looking forward to a great morning, and we’d love for you to join us. The breakfast will be held at the Harvard Club of Boston (374 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston) on Thursday, April 30th from 7:30-9:00 a.m. Individual tickets are $25 each, and proceeds benefit the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus Education Fund. To RSVP, please e-mail info@mwpc.org. And while I’m here, I would like to remind you that MWPC is still accepting nominations for our annual Abigail Adams Awards through April 30. The awards, which recognize six Massachusetts women leaders who have demonstrated through their work and/or their community activism an outstanding commitment to the realization of equal political, economic, and social rights for women, are given out in September. To nominate someone for an award, please visit our Web [...]

With little fanfare, the SC ruled yesterday in “Arizona v. Gant” that vehicle searches following an arrest are legal only if the suspect has access to the vehicle or if officers reasonably believe the vehicle contains evidence related to that arrest. In other words, police are now required to have an actual reason to justify the vehicle search, instead of being allowed to do it automatically. Thomas, Scalia joined the liberal Souter and Stephens, with Ginsburg i a strange coalition. The case argued involved a motorist (Rodney Gant) who was arrested for driving with a suspended license, handcuffed, and locked in the back of a patrol car, police officers searched his car and discovered cocaine and a gun in the pocket of a jacket on the backseat.The police found cocaine and a gun, and Gant was convicted on drug charges and sentenced to three years. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that the search of Mr. Gant’s car had violated the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches and suppressed the evidence against him. I think this ruling will be a big setback for law enforcement who routinely stop motorist for motor vehicle related incidents but then find guns, dead bodies, kidnap [...]

Cross-posted from Blue News Tribune. I haven’t read this MassINC piece yet, so if I hit on similar themes, it’s coincidental. I remember, a long time ago when Mike Barnicle was a Globe Metro columnist, and he got frustrated with the Legislature. He said something to the effect of, “Don’t try and find a more complicated reason for it. They are stupid.” In retrospect, that column was a warning. Barnicle no longer had the patience to do the reporting required. That kind of bitter cynicism has to be fought. But was he right? Are they just dumb? For the moment, I am going to assume that is impossible. Many of them are lawyers, law school is hard, etc. So let’s assume that they’re smart. Why do they suck? A few thoughts: 1. There are too many of them: 160 reps, 40 senators. The Senate number feels right, but the House number is absurd. 2. Leadership positions are too desirable. There is money tied to committee chairmanships and vice chairmanships. This means members compete for such jobs, making them more dependent on currying favor with the Speaker, who completely controls committee assignments. 3. There is NO accountability. I honestly can’t tell [...]

The Democratic State Committee is meeting on Saturday in Bridgewater.  Interested Democrats are welcome to attend.  Of course only members can vote and address the meeting, but many non-members attend on a regular basis.  People who I have encouraged to attend have always found it interesting.  I particularly urge people to attend who are looking to get more involved and thinking of some day running for the DSC.  It takes the mystery out of what “they” are doing to see it in action.  We really are a very welcoming group.  

There are a number of items on the agenda. The Platform Committee will present the proposed Party Platform.  The DSC does not vote on this.  There will be a vote on a proposal from the Rules Committee on the procedure for amending the platform at the Convention.  

More below the flip.