Blue Mass Group

Let’s begin this series on the lies of Mitt Romney by looking at his lying about his own biography. When was he born! To win Michigan votes, Mr. Romney decided to change the date of his birth: When Mitt Romney regaled a Michigan audience this week with childhood memories of a landmark moment in Detroit history, it was a rare instance of emotional candour. And, perhaps, an even rarer example of time travel. Romney recalled he was “probably 4 or something like that” the day of the Golden Jubilee, when three-quarters of a million people gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the American automobile. … And it took place June 1, 1946 — fully nine months before Romney was born. Money from his parents Mr. Romney likes to sound as if he is just like everyone else — only more successful. This is how he could tell this to a debate in January: [W]e need to send to Washington someone who has not lived in Washington, but someone who’s lived in the real streets of America…. We need to have someone outside Washington go to Washington. During the debate in Charleston, S.C., Mitt Romney asserted that he did not [...]

The filibuster is a tool that both parties have used against the majority, but in the recent congress it has been abuse excessively. So, soon to be retired Senator, Olympia Snowe (R-ME) may be focusing on filibuster reform. “In her final months in office, Snowe is now talking to some of her Senate colleagues — Democrats, she says — about what, if any, procedural reforms could deter the chamber from turning routine votes into weapons of mass political destruction. She explained her rationale Monday at a Bloomberg panel for soon-departing politicians.” according to the Washington Post “Snowe didn’t go so far as to suggest that she’d introduce legislation for filibuster reform. But among the soon-to-be-departed, she has some company. Conrad heartily agreed with Snowe that the filibuster would be the one thing he would change about Washington. “The process just breaks down of its own weight and can’t get to a conclusion,” he said. At this point, however, the most Snowe may be able to do is hand off a filibuster reform proposal to a colleague willing to forge ahead.” the Post continued. So Senator Scott Brown, here is your chance. Senator Snowe wants to hand this off to someone, [...]

No comment is necessary on this.  The frothing-at-the-mouth hysteria tells you all you need to know about how scared they are over there. From: Scott Brown <Scott@scottbrown.com> Subject: THE LEFT’s NEW STAR Date: June 20, 2012 2:40:00 PM EDT Blue, There are two very different visions in this race for U.S. Senate. There’s my vision of economic growth and prosperity fueled by low taxes, less spending, lower debt, and American ingenuity… …and then there’s Professor Elizabeth Warren’s vision of big government where success is punished and the wet blanket of high taxation and overregulation smothers everything that has made America the greatest country in the history of mankind. Although I know you share my positive vision for the future, Professor Warren’s supporters are putting their money where their mouth is, and they have made her victory – and my defeat – their top priority. Just take it from Daily Kos founder Markos Moulitsas who said recently that: “Elizabeth Warren is probably the Number One project of the progressive movement this November.” Or the New York Times whose headline recently called Warren: “The Left’s New Star” Or Progressive activist Van Jones who says that if Warren beats me: “…she’s going to [...]

The Attleboro Democracy Magazine is a seasonal magazine created by the Attleboro Democratic City Committee and one devoted to exploring the issues most important to our state. The recently released issue on health care features quite a cast of contributors: Congressman Barney Frank wrote this issue’s “View from Washington Column” A State Senator Richard Moore piece details how the Massachusetts health care system has been a success – despite the claims of critics! A column by State Rep. Tom Conroy on the MA General Court’s efforts at reducing health care costs A column by State Rep. candidate Paul Heroux on Prescription Drug Addiction Articles by Attleboro community leaders, students, and others who help shed light on the issues of health and health care in our state and area To view our latest edition click the link:http://www.scribd.com/AttleboroDemocracy/d/97684538-Attleboro-Democracy-Magazine-Health-Issue Our motto is “Striving for a better public debate.” With contributions from our most respected and devoted leaders and citizens, we hope to help solve the great issues of the day through our ideas and words. The Attleboro Democracy, although made by Democrats, is a magazine for everybody. As I’m fond of saying, I don’t care if you’re a Democrat, Republican, Independent, or Yankees [...]

At long last, and after being repeatedly prodded by Elizabeth Warren’s campaign, Scott Brown has magnanimously agreed to participate in a televised debate sponsored by the Globe and several Boston TV stations.  Why this took so long is entirely beyond me, but whatever – there will now be at least three televised debates, and that’s a good thing. Here’s a possible next step in this increasingly tiresome debate-gate: Warren should reject the Dan Rea radio debate, since Rea is someone “who espouses conservative views and openly describes himself as Brown’s friend.”  It was too much for Brown to show up at Vicki Kennedy’s institute, even though Kennedy herself would have had no role in the debate; obviously, then, it is too much for the moderator to be an open supporter of one of the candidates. A fourth TV debate would be nice; another option would be for Warren to agree to the Margery Eagan/Jim Braude radio debate.  Of course, nobody listens to radio debates, but at least Eagan and Braude as a team don’t obviously favor either candidate.

[Cross-posted from the ProgressMass blog.  Like ProgressMass on Facebook and follow on Twitter.] Republican Scott Brown is ducking the highest-profile TV debates.  It’s a perfectly valid question to ask why he won’t defend his record to the people of Massachusetts in these high-profile forums. Click on the graphic to Share it with your Facebook friends, and also re-Tweet the graphic if you’re on Twitter.

I think most of us here at BMG realize that birth control is basic health care for women, but some politicians disagree and want to roll back key protections for essential preventive care that were provided by health care reform.  That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for affordable birth control. Get creative and take a photo of yourself with a sign that says why birth control matters to you and send it to us. We began the month of June celebrating the 47th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s historic decision to legalize birth control in the Griswold vs. Connecticut case.  And before this month is over, the Supreme Court will make another important decision – this time on the Affordable Care Act, which would make birth control more accessible to the women who need it most by requiring insurers to cover prescription birth control with no out-of-pocket costs. At the same time, politicians seek to restrict women’s access to contraception and are intensely committed to undoing key provisions of the Affordable Care Act, a landmark for health care access in the United States. The birth control that’s best for you will depend on your health concerns, education and career goals, [...]

The Bell Tolls for the Government Unions By: Patrick J. Buchanan 6/8/2012 06:04 AM The public-employee unions first capitulated to the governor’s demand that they contribute more to their pensions and health care benefits. But they drew the line at Walker’s determination to curtail collective bargaining and to cease deducting union dues from the paychecks of state workers. Collect your dues yourself, the governor was telling the unions. With their union dues no longer taken out of their paychecks, tens of thousands of Wisconsin public employees refused to pony up those dues and quit their union, instead. What does this tell us? Many union members do not believe they get their money’s worth from unions that claim to represent them, and would prefer to get out of the union and keep the dues money themselves. This desertion by their members represents a massive vote of no confidence in unions like the America Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, the Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of Teachers. AFSCME in Wisconsin lost 34,000 of its 62,000 members last year alone. From the Wisconsin experience, if right-to-work laws were enacted in every state, giving employees freedom to join or [...]