Blue Mass Group

Thanks to all for voting.  I realize this was not anything close to a scientific poll, but the result are worth looking at.  It was closer than I thought it would be. While [ ]** 55% are against it in any capacity, 43% are OK with it in varying degrees (7% 12.5%* with no limitations, the rest with some limitations or concerns.) One person weighed in as not interested in talking about it. [commentary removed from post and included in comments, my apologies...l&ll] Poll How do you lean on the casino gambling /slot machine issue? * Against legalizing it, in any capacity. – 31 votes (55.36%) * OK with legalizing it, in any capacity. – 7 votes (12.5%) * No to slot parlors but OK with one resort casino. – 7 votes (12.5%) * No to slot parlors but OK with 3 resort casinos. – 5 votes (8.93%) * On the fence, OK with it, but have worries. – 5 votes (8.93%) * Don’t want to talk about it. – 1 votes (1.79%) Total votes: 56   Results   *corrected percentage error ** removed the term “a whopping” as potential commentary

Sarah Palin’s departure from the forefront of American politics is just part and parcel of the continuing kaleidoscope of chaos on the right. In my opinion, her selection as a Vice Presidential candidate was nothing more than a political stunt aimed at capturing the disappointed female supporters of Hilary Clinton. As the current article in Vanity Fair reveals, prominent McCain staffers say that her being picked as a running mate was the single biggest mistake that McCain made in his bid for the presidency. Her selection may have actually led her to think that she had the heft and substance to be a major player on the national scene, but her comments and analytical viewpoints show that she was clearly out of her league and well off of the mark in possessing what it takes to be Vice President of the United States, or Chief Executive. During the 2008 race, Fred Thompson lauded Palin for her prowess as a hunter, saying that: “She could field dress a moose”. That would be a great leadership credential if we were living in the Stone Age, but it is nothing more than an interesting personal anecdote in the twenty first century. Sarah Palin [...]

The mind boggles, but here it is: “Of course I’m not saying that Mark is gay,” Sanford said, “but he may as well be.  The moral decay in this country has claimed another victim and this time it was my family.  Our marriage was perfect until these laws started passing around the country. Clearly the slow dissolution of the sanctity of marriage in America seeped into Mark’s psyche until he no longer felt compelled to abide by our vows.” Social conservatives were quick to show their support for the first lady’s statement. “It’s finally happened,” said Rush Limbaugh, conservative radio personality. “America, I’ve been warning you for years that gay marriage would destroy the American family and look… there they are, a husband, wife, and four children – destroyed.  When is this going to stop America? When will the liberals be satisfied?  When all the marriages break up? This wasn’t Mark Sanford’s fault, this was Ted Kennedy’s fault.  Sanford didn’t cheapen the value of marriage, he was victimized by the cheapening of marriage.” NB: this is satire…

Sarah Palin has announced that she is resigning as the Governor of Alaska. She didn’t say why she decided to step down, but the surprise announcement stirred speculation that she would focus on a bid for the 2012 Republican nomination for president. The former Republican vice presidential candidate made the announcement from her home in suburban Wasilla on Friday morning. She said she would step down July 26. This is a great move – if she stayed Governor, she’d have a bunch of experience by 2012, and that would make her all insidery and stuff.  Now she can tour the country with likely running mate Joe the Plumber and talk about Bill Ayers.  You betcha! UPDATE: Oh my God.  I just heard a snippet of her press conference on NPR.  She’s babbling almost as incoherently as she did in the Katie Couric interview.  WTF??

with strong opinions about transparency and the budget making process

Who is Hecate?

Hecate is a Greek Goddess who served as a guide and coach at the crossroads of Hades, where after crossing the River Styx, Greek souls found themselves facing three choices: the Elysian Fields, abode of the great and heroic; the Fields of Asphodel, for all who had led a blameless but ordinary life; or to Tartarus, a sunless land of punishment for criminals.

Hecate's best known role in Greek mythology was guiding Persephone, the goddess of spring, on her annual journeys between Hades and Earth. In the Homeric Hymn to Demeter, Hecate is portrayed as a nurturing and protective guide for Persephone on those annual journeys.

Hecate's Blog:

Hecate knows how easy it is for ordinary citizens and experienced community leaders to be intimidated by imposing capital city buildings, bustling bureaucrats and puffed up politicians. Submit a question. Email Hecate at  Hecate@realclout.org, and if she thinks your question is particularly interesting and the answer might be helpful to a wide audience, she will post them.

In a story that ran in today’s Boston Herald, Mayor Menino’s campaign trashed a non-profit organization whose sole purpose is to provide voters with the resources they need for civic engagement. The organization, MassVote, works to increase voter education and turnout amongst communities of color, youth, the disabled and in ethnic communities where language is a barrier. Since its creation in 1999, MassVote has helped empower thousands of Massachusetts voters.

As part of their civic outreach, MassVote has scheduled three mayoral forums in advance of this year’s municipal elections – on September 3rd, September 17th, and October 17th, respectively. These forums will provide voters with the opportunity to engage with their elected officials and make an informed decision when heading to the ballot box. Three of the candidates – at large City Councilors Sam Yoon and Michael Flaherty, as well as Kevin McCrea, have already agreed to participate in the forums. Mayor Menino – however – refuses to participate.

Strange, you say. Why would legislators be cheering — albiet solely in their non-public cell phone calls to each other — this decision by two of the state’s biggest public employee union groups to challenge the upcoming pension changes? Shouldn’t they be angry at the brazenness of these unions, or nervous that their reforms will be erased? Technically, yes. But a court showdown is exactly what many legislators who worked on these issues anticipated and, in some instances, wanted to happen.   The decision by the state’s firefighters and police unions to file a class-action lawsuit is at best a win-win for the Legislature, and a lose-nothing proposition at its worst. Legislators have already won many brownie points back home in their districts by passing these reforms. They can return to their hometown and stand up at the 4th of July picnic, or the Labor Day pig roast, or some other Rockwellian public gathering and say “We listened to you, the taxpayers, and we ended these outrageous abuses.” (This of course ignores the fact these abuses have been known about and allowed to occur for years, but wasn’t worth fixing until the poll numbers from back home started to look [...]

We learned from a story in Monday’s Boston Globe that:

When state government faced an urgent cash crunch, an unexpected ally stepped forward to help raise money when it became impossible to borrow from Wall Street: Massachusetts residents.

Since September, individual investors have bought more than half of the bonds – some $1.2 billion worth – that the state has issued in four offerings to help pay for government services. That represents a sevenfold increase in the value of purchases by individuals during the prior year, state officials say.

Later in the piece, Mr. Cahill elaborates: “There was almost a war bond mentality to it”

What if we combined the “war bond” mentality with our apparent affinity for lotteries and gambling?

More below the fold…

It’s astonishing that this was ever under serious consideration. The [Washington] Post decided Thursday to cancel plans to charge lobbyists and trade groups $25,000 or more to sponsor private, off-the-record dinner parties at the home of its publisher, Katharine Weymouth, events that would have brought together lobbyists, business leaders, Post journalists and officials from the Obama administration and Congress…. A flier describing the events promised corporate sponsors conversation (“Spirited? Yes. Confrontational? No.”) at the Washington home of Ms. Weymouth. Sponsors were asked to pay $25,000 to attend an event, or underwrite a series of 11 for $250,000. The July 21 event, focusing on health care reform, “guaranteed” a “collegial evening” with health industry advocates, Post journalists covering the field and administration officials involved with its policies. At least WaPo had the good sense to cancel the thing when word leaked out. Drop your ideas for awesome BMG fundraisers in the comments!  ;-) UPDATE: This was not just a misguided marketing executive getting ahead of himself.  This came straight from the publisher, who is a lawyer and M.B.A. who apparently has no experience outside the business side of the organization.  She is also, coincidentally no doubt, the granddaughter of Katharine Graham, [...]