Now for a couple of random thoughts:
The First Lady’s schedule, which I know will be busy, needs to be coordinated through the Governor’s office. Massachusetts taxpayers, you need to come up with, and pay for, a qualified person (hint – approved by the First Lady), another desk, computer, phone, and chair. It is really that simple.
The Governor needs to be protected when traveling. There is a very short list of passenger vehicles that can meet the current standard of security. In the future, hand the list to the Governor, and tell him he can have the least expensive ride on the list (the Chrysler 300M?), fully compensated by the taxpayers. If he wants to upgrade, the difference is on him or her.
The Commonwealth must maintain the Governor’s office. At a minimum, this office deserves decent quality furnishings supplied by the taxpayers. I don’t know what state office/agency is responsible to keep the Governor’s office in proper order, but they need to quit slacking off. Drapes cost real money.
*Damn you Colbert, I still can’t make up a word: Google Results… 1 – 7 of about 9 for sensationalities
Why is it our problem to defend the indefensible? The Governor has done some good things since the election and some bad. We should feel comfortable saying so since it is only 60 days from the innauguration. How will he and his team do better if everything is justified? Too many people are determined to make this some kind of cult. It is not. This is serious government about serious problems.
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I know Deval Patrick will do better. Part of the problem here is the solutions so far involve more taxes…local option meals, corporate loopholes, telecom infrastructure and not many cost saving ideas. It makes him look “tax and spend” in the worst out of touch way with the Cadillac, drapes, administrator, helicopter, balls, etc… I can only imagine the level of disappointment that will be felt when the budget comes out. He needs to be sending the right message at that point. By being defensive we are not helping and it concerns me when I hear people say things that make me think they are forgetting that the campaign is over.
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Was, largely, manu-fracking-factured. It’s them being bored and vengeful, as I have said before, because Patrick refuses to be beholden to them as gatekeepers. They love access, AND on top that that, scandal and outrage, even fake scandal and outrage, sells papers. So would some comprehensive coverage on the ACTUAL controversial stuff coming from Patrick (corporate taxes, property tax relief, and more) but they’re too – excuse the language here but I’m angry – fucking lazy to make that stuff come off interesting, and after all, it takes research.
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I’m sorry, but I am just as angry as the poster here, because as Jon Stewart says, the media is hurting America.
is that Democrats have consistently refused to apply the same professional, private-sector techniques to their communications that the Republicans employ.
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Republicans have very finely-honed communications strategies; they test messages through professionals like Frank Luntz; and they deploy a network of coordinated allies to amplify the noise machine and provide fake credibility to their sources. This is much the way toothpaste is sold, with great success.
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A lot of powerful Democrats, however, like to feel “above it all”; preferring to masturbate their personal virtue rather than accomplish any concrete good.
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While the newest crop of activists and elected officials holds out hope for change, many traditionalists still prefer to backbite their allies while rolling over for their enemies. I have long regarded that particular breed of liberal (not all, obviously) as the mirror image of the Marines: No worse friend, no better enemy.
You will hear a lot of Democrats — and many on this blog — tell you that you just need to “tell the truth” or “have good positions”. This presumes we live in a world of rational actors and decision makers.
proves that’s not true.
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Look at the number of posts about Deval’s drapes. Compare that to the interest shown in repealing the Magna Carta.
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Rationally speaking, which of the following represents the greater danger:
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1) Unchecked government power to indefinitely imprison any citizen at whim without hearing or trial, or
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2) Brocade?
I am your host Dieter. This week we have a very special guest, Ernst Staub, the interior decorator who is setting the design community on its schtump. Welcome, Ernst. You are both artiste and art, with your hollow-cheeked angularity and your ephemeral essence. Your scent is so….virile, so organic. Tell us…are puddles of velvet on varnished tigereye maple passe? And what about the use of tulle….?
I doubt it. Why do you think readership in print journals has been declining? The internet? My own guess is that it has a lot to do with the overwhelmingly negative stories that are printed. Who wants to pay fifty cents (or whatever) to read a 42-page obituary section? How depressing!
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Maybe scandal and outrage sells advertising, I don’t know, but I can tell you I have lots of friends who tell me they stopped reading the Pittsfield and Springfield papers because those rags’ coverage of local and state events is so inane.
and now I know why the Unenrolled are gaining in strength. If you think that these gaffes are merely media manufactured, then you are more out of touch with the voting public than even I realized. Working class men and women do not give a rats heiny about phony agendas; they are working too damn hard to put a roof over their heads and food on the table. There isn’t much left over to worry about Escalades, furniture and drapes….until a populist governor goes upscale. It’s not only symbolic…it’s cash on the barrel head that these people understand, particularly when their property taxes have been climbing through the roof.
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Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
The First Lady’s schedule, which I know will be busy, needs to be coordinated through the Governor’s office.
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Why?
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Massachusetts taxpayers, you need to come up with, and pay for, a qualified person (hint – approved by the First Lady), another desk, computer, phone, and chair. It is really that simple.
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Do they? Is it? What does the First Lady do exactly that has to do with governing?
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I really have no idea what her official role is.
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I will say that it seems to me – that’s seems, Steverino, so back in your cage for now – that the only necessary reason for a politician to involve a spouse in politics itself is as a sidekick on the campaign trail – for those voters who, in the course of assessing candidates, actually care what Spouse-of-Candidate does/says/looks like – or as a bona fide staffer. And if he/she is going to stay on as a staffer after the campaign ends, then sure, give her an office budget.
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But in this case, after the campaign, the First Lady’s only role appears to be, um, wife. Right? If she needs an office and an assistant to manage her wifing – well, then I’d suggest (a) that she’s taking the role a little too seriously and (b) that she pay for it herself.
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Unless someone can tell me what governing role she plays.
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Jeremy
You guys still don’t get it…
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Your head should hurt thinking that we should waste our breath and credibility justifying the Governor’s wife hiring an administrator. Instead why not talk about something important. How about the fact that Deval Patrick has money left over from the innauguration and is going to let citizens decide how to allocate the money. It won’t go to buy him votes, or to pay for drapes, but actually help the people. What is better than that?
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Besides here is what one Republican…Brad Jones does with left over campaign money…
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03/16/06 A Touch of Elegance 18 Del Carmine Street Wakefield, MA 01880 $82.50 Car Service To Logan For Washington Trip
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03/22/06 ABC Limo Services Alexandria, VA 22202 $80.76 Car Service To Dulles Airport
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03/18/06 Filomena Ristorante 1063 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC $128.15 Washington Caucus Trip Dinner
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03/16/06 Ritz Carlton 1250 South Hayes Street Arlington, VA 22202 $58.72 Washington Caucus Trip Luncheon
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03/17/06 Ritz Carlton 1250 South Hayes Street Arlington, VA 22202 $209.21 Washington Caucus Trip Dinner
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03/19/06 Ritz Carlton 1250 South Hayes Street Arlington, VA 22202 $1,118.35 Washington Caucus Trip Accomodations
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03/19/06 Ritz Carlton 1250 South Hayes Street Arlington, VA 22202 $988.95 Washington Caucus Trip Staff Accomodation
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01/22/05 St. Regis Hotel 16th and K Streets, N.W. Washington, DC 20006 $1,483.81 Inaugural Accomodations
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01/27/05 Boston Coach 69 Norman Street Everett, MA 02149 $77.41 Inaugural Travel to Airport
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01/27/05 Boston Coach 69 Norman Street Everett, MA 02149 $99.42 Inaugural Travel from Airport
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01/21/05 St. Regis Hotel 16th and K Streets, N.W. Washington, DC 20006 $250.08 Caucus Inaugural Brunch Reception
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Personally we take cabs to the airport and pay alot less than this paragon of modesty. Let them have it on this and similar behavior. I am sure he gives some amount to charity too, but I would bet that it pales in comparison to the Ritz Carlton, St. Regis and Boston Coach.