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Chris Christie agrees that climate change is real, and that humans are causing it. Well gosh, in a non-bizarro world that shouldn’t be such a big deal. In GOP world that puts him at the uncool-kids’ table with Mitt and Jon Huntsman. The solution they all put forth? Nothing. Do nothing. Kind of like, “I have cancer. And in response to this clear and present threat to my life, I’m refusing all treatment.” it’s really getting more and more embarrassing, no matter how the GOP wants to slice it. UPDATE: stomv adds: It’s more than even that In PJM, the multi-state electricity market which serves NJ, the generators bid 1/3 of the supply three years out each year. This means that the generators have already included the RGGI cost into their bid. Since they don’t have to pay it, they keep the difference, much like airlines and the FAA non-tax. NJ citizens will pay for RGGI in the short run, but they won’t get any benefit to energy efficiency or the NJ budget. Slick, Gov. Christie.  

Paul Ryan, a darling of the gut-government crowd, charges $15.00 for his rare “Town Halls” – and had his staff call the cops and seek to have jobless protestors at his local office arrested, see  http://www.usnews.com/preview/7-119437-Paul%20Ryan’s%20Office%20Calls%20Cops%20On%20Jobless%20Protesters One of the ways the Lesser Depression differs from the recessions of the past is that 42% of the unemployed have been unemployed for more than 6 months, and 33% for more than a year, see  http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2011/08/04/dems_warn_long_term_jobless_could_derail_recovery_1312477850/ The reality is that there is discrimination against the long term unemployed, even when jobs and training are available.  See http://www.stltoday.com/business/columns/job-watch/article_1efa4354-1686-5c9a-855c-e379a2cd527b.html Advertisements for current openings state that only the currently employed will be considered, and, in fact, long term unemployment means no interviews!  As if the unemployed person is themself to blame when jobs are outsourced to Mumbai or Singapore, or elsewhere.  The actual ratio of unemployed workers to jobs is said to be 4.5:1 in the above-cited article.  There are at least 6.2 million people in this situation – while legislation was filed, namely the Fair Employment Act of 2011 to block discrimination against inverviewing the unemployed, not only has this legislation not passed, just how would it be enforced? I know if I get a [...]

Borowitz: Rick Perry Promises Universal Hair Care: Would Establish Cabinet-level ‘Hair Club for America’ HOUSTON (The Borowitz Report) – Spelling out what is likely to be a key theme in his bid for the Presidency, Texas Governor Rick Perry told an audience in Houston today that as President he would establish universal hair care for all Americans. In his first major policy address, Gov. Perry singled out “bad hair” as the principal cause of the country’s problems, from jobs to crime to the national debt. “Let’s say you try to get a job,” Mr. Perry told his audience. “The first thing the employer will notice is if your hair is droopy and lifeless, and the next thing you know we have nine percent unemployment.” “Since you didn’t get the job, you then go out and steal stuff and don’t pay taxes,” he said.  “And so we have rising crime and debt, all of which could have been fixed with a simple shampoo and cut.” … Gov. Perry’s hair-driven solutions to the country’s problems drew praise from audience members, including car salesman Tracy Klugian from Beaumont. “I think Gov. Perry definitely has the hair to solve our country’s problems,” he said.  “I didn’t feel [...]

Press release (email no link) from the Setti Warren campaign: On the campaign trail this week, I took my message directly to voters and the media.  I am the best candidate to go toe to toe with Scott Brown on the campaign trail in diverse communities across Massachusetts.  I’m an Iraq war veteran, a hometown mayor with a successful track record, and I can connect with working people throughout the state. Followed by a list of links to press coverage. So, there you go.

See, this is the shit I was talking about in my last post. Now I don’t claim to be an Edward Bennett Williams or Hale Boggs, Jr. when it comes to Washington politics. So, perhaps there is some “this is how it is done” reason out there for Elizabeth Warren to have listed on her official federal election filings the Washington law firm/lobbyist Perkins Cole as her contact person. Okay, they were hired to keep her out of trouble with the Federal Election Commission But there are many lawyers and firms that can do that. Ones that don’t have clients paying them to fight Cape Winds like Cole Perkins. So there’s Scott Brown’s come back to everything. And a T.V./radio ad. ‘The first thing that Elizabeth Warren did when considering a run was to hire Washington lobbyists. Lobbyists who clients include blah blah blah”. This was dumb. Every move has to be vetted. You see, one thing we can say about Scott Brown is he is not in the bag. And, like Puddy from Seinfeld, he’s likable to most people. Dumb, honest, and likable. Sure he has a few flaws, who doesn’t? But for the most part he’s an alright [...]

Wow, MGH just gives the best ultrasounds!! Zowie! Now 5x better! Really? Well, they certainly charge like it. ‘BUR’s Rachel Zimmerman actually called around to three Boston-area providers to find out the costs. My Ultrasound: Three Tests, Three Pricetags | CommonHealth. –Mass. General: $2847 or $2563 (more on this later) –Mt. Auburn: $971.96 –Diagnostic Ultrasound Associates: $516 All three quotes were for the imaging only and did not include professional services or other additional costs, I was told. So, is it just me, or is a five-fold difference in price for the same procedure at three greater Boston facilities kind of shocking? I called MGH back to make sure I heard right. Weirdly, on Wednesday, the ultrasound price was $2,847, but on Thursday it was $2,563. (Do I hear $2,000?) I called the hospital’s PR office for a comment on why it costs so much more. Here’s the statement they sent me from Sally Mason Boemer, Senior Vice President of Finance: “MGH typically benchmarks our gross charges with like institutions and find our charge levels to be consistent with other urban medical centers that have a significant amount of complex care, teaching and research missions, and a high uncompensated care [...]

REDISTRICTING: With redistricting almost upon us (Globe), focus shifts from Western Mass. to south of Boston and a possible Lynch vs. Keating primary.(The Hill) WARRENS: Elizabeth Warren gets her explore on (PI, AP, T&G) Does Setti care? (Herald) Not really (WL). WHO’S AFRAID OF DAN WINSLOW?: The state workers’ union, apparently. (Sun Chron.) PHOTO OF THE DAY: The Secret Service is too cool for helmets. Read the rest of the MASSterList, including the Mitt Monitor, today’s legislative headlines, transportation news, new health care headlines, today’s Best of the Blogs and more by signing up for daily email alerts.  

Is http://elizabethforma.com. Right now it’s just a splash page with the options to sign up for updates and donate. I did both.