Rasmussen: Massachusetts’ spirited gubernatorial contest remains largely unchanged this month, with incumbent Democratic Governor Deval Patrick holding onto a small lead. A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of Likely Voters in the Bay State finds Patrick with 38% support, while Republican Charlie Baker picks up 32% of the vote. Democrat-turned-Independent candidate Tim Cahill continues to trail with 17%. Twelve percent (12%) are undecided. Here’s a quickie comparison between today’s poll and Rasmussen’s last one, which came out about a month ago: Today (June 23) Patrick: 38% (41%) -3 Baker: 32% (34%) -2 Cahill: 17% (16%) +1 So Patrick and Baker have both dropped a few points; Cahill picks up one; everything’s within the margin of error. There’s modest improvement in the job approval ratings. Job Approve/Disapprove today (June 23) Patrick: 50/49 (48/50) net swing: +3 Not a lot of movement, but hitting 50% job approval is significant – it’s been a while since that happened. So, overall, could be better, but sure could be worse. Considering that Patrick is the one candidate not on the airwaves yet, the Patrick team can’t be too unhappy about this.
Northeast Biodiesel Groundbreaking August 3, Greenfield, MA
Dear Co-op Power Members and Supporters,
Join us Tues., Aug 3rd, 11 am, for the Grand Groundbreaking for Northeast Biodiesel at our land in the Greenfield [MA] Industrial Park – Silvio Conte Drive (at the end of the road near the Coke plant).
After five years of development, everything has finally aligned so that we can build our recycled vegetable oil biodiesel plant and make a clean fuel alternative to diesel fuel that can be used in any diesel engine or oil heat system.
DREAM Now Letters: Wendy
The “DREAM Now Series: Letters to Barack Obama” is a social media campaign that launched Monday, July 19, to underscore the urgent need to pass the DREAM Act. The Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, S. 729, would help tens of thousands of young people, American in all but paperwork, to earn legal status, provided they graduate from U.S. high schools, have good moral character, and complete either two years of college or military service. With broader comprehensive immigration reform stuck in partisan gridlock, the time is now for the White House and Congress to step up and pass the DREAM Act!
President Barack H. Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President,
My name is Wendy and I am a daughter, a friend, a student, and, most importantly, a dreamer. I came to this country in 1999 from Peru when I was seven years old, accompanied by my mother, father, and sister. Getting on the plane, I did not know that words like “undocumented” and “dreams” would play such a major role in my young adult life. Growing up in New York, I began to embrace the United States and the feeling of being an American; I learned to balance this country’s traditions with my own without difficulty. I came to notice that the people around me, regardless of their different ethnic backgrounds and customs, were not so different from me after all.
Its Jobs, Jobs, Jobs! With poll!
Workforce development updated its page July 23 and seems to indicate that if you were receiving unemployment, but were cut off after 26 weeks and before 99 weeks you should “expect a letter”. Note that there is a phone line, though, to answer questions: 1-888-998-8418. the link above is where to get updates and “how to” information as it becomes available. Will the reinstitution of extended unemployment benefits stem the 25% jump in bankruptcies and 57% increase in foreclosures so far this year? I know one thing; that level of bankruptcy, albeit a lagging indicator, and doubling in completed foreclosures is NOT good news for a sustained, healthy recovery which would require at least stabilization in real estate values. Rep. Bowles, Rep. Sannicandro and his colleagues are to be commended for over riding the veto of Workforce Development Training Funds for that very reason. There is no better bang for the buck then training Massachusetts workers for Massachusetts jobs. Employed citizens mean drops in bankruptcy, drops in foreclosure and stabilizing real estate prices – and healthy tax rolls. And the fact is that Massachusetts has had to “import” workers for many jobs that require training; there was a shortage [...]
What will happen to the Bush tax cuts?
This is one of those what “should” happen vs. what “will” happen. Maybe the answer is the same… maybe not.
First, what are the Bush tax cuts?
Currently we have 6 brackets…
Tax Income
rate range
10% – $0 – $8,350
15% – $8,350 – $33,950
25% – $33,950 – $82,250
28% – $82,250 – $171,550
33% – $171,550 – $372,950
35% – $372,950+
If we go back…
15% – $0-$27,050
28% – $27,050 – $65,550
31% – $65,550 – $136,750
36% – $136,750 – $297,350
39.6% – $297,350+
Apparently, some of Deval’s critics will stop at nothing
Really, this garbage from the Herald is beyond belief. I’d expect it from Howie Carr, but not from one of the alleged reporters. Silly me. Gov. Deval Patrick was under fierce fire yesterday returning from his politically beneficial, taxpayer-funded trip to the Middle East as lawmakers and critics blasted him for being missing in action as a job-creating casino bill hit a massive roadblock and other crucial legislation hangs in limbo. “The state is looking for leadership from the governor’s office, and he was thousands of miles away,” said state Treasurer Tim Cahill, who is running against Patrick as an independent…. Patrick, who promised to be heavily involved in casino negotiations, hit the road Tuesday for a tour of battle-pocked Afghanistan and Iraq – a junket paid for by the U.S. Department of Defense, according to spokeswoman Kathleen Kesler. OK, a couple of things. First, I find it truly astonishing that anyone – whether or not of the same party, or running against him – would seriously criticize the Governor of Massachusetts for traveling to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit Massachusetts troops. That goes for Tim Cahill, “reporter” Hillary Chabot, carping legislators who don’t agree with Patrick’s position on slots [...]
