The Globe has endorsed Tim Flaherty as the right candidate to serve the eclectic needs of the sprawling M, S, & E Senate District. Here's the link.
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Globe Endorses Tim Flaherty
Reality-based commentary on politics.
I think Galluccio or Norwicki. They have base to work from. Nobody knows about this race and most that do don't care.
Last I heard Flaherty was tooling around in a 1970's red convertable with his shirt off. he is also “not worried” about getting his vote out. I was gonna give him a chance but now i thin k he is doomed. Thank God.
It doesn't even mention the other candidates or why Flaherty is the best for the district. It simply restates his issue positions on his website, vaguely asserts he'd work with the Patrick administration, and then trolls out a vote for him line at the end. My support for Galluccio aside Id be disappointed in the quality of this endorsement if I was a Flaherty supporter since its not a particular convincing piece of work. Ditto for the Tsongas endorsement. The Globe needs to get its act together unless they assume none of us actually read endorsements and the phrase “endorsed by the Globe” carries more weight than the actual quality of the endorsement itself.
A lot of GLBT activists are enthused about Tim Flaherty because he will continue the tradition of leadership on GLBT concerns started by Jarret Barrios. There are two pressing legislative priorities, among others, for the GLBT community. First, we need to repeal that infamous 1913 law that gives effect to discriminatory marriage laws in other states. Second, we need to amend the hate crimes and anti-discrimination statutes to include “gender identity or expression”. Other states are way ahead of Massachusetts in extending explicit legal protection to trans people.
I have discussed the issues surrounding the trans inclusion legislation with Tim Flaherty one on one, and I came away thinking this was a guy who instinctively understood where we were coming from. He will take the initiative for the trans inclusion bill in the Senate, in cooperation with lead sponsor Carl Sciortino in the House. I would say he acquired solid progressive values from an early age. His father former Speaker Charles Flaherty was an early supporter of the gay and lesbian civil rights law, and was instrumental in ensuring that the House went along with what we could get through Billy Bulger's Senate in 1989. Charles Flaherty made the connection between anti-gay discrimination and the anti-Irish discrimination which prevailed in nineteenth and early twentieth century Massachusetts.
Tim has stature, he knows how the State House works, and he's consistently progressive on the issues. While the issues have been a bit fuzzy throughout this low-key race, I think Tim's personal qualities are what merited the Globe endorsement. I think the Globe said enough to make its point.
I heard you were on a locked floor without access to a computer. Something very “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” is going on here.
I agree with Tudor 586. Tim Flaherty may have entered the race late but in the short time he has been out campaigning he has demonstrated to a wide variety of people that he is the better candidate in this race. Had the Globe endorsed Galluccio you would not be criticizing the editorial staff.
I certainly don't think Flaherty is evil, but after seeing him in debates I don't get the impression he's all that… well,… that he's all that!
I've seen lots of people giving him credit for his father's work, and I just don't understand that. The same way I will not hold him responsible for his father's actions I cannot give him credit for them either.
That said Flaherty has extensive ties with the 'political machine,' something people here and beyond have legitimate concerns about. Ross has no ties to the machine (meaning he is beholden to noone) and has already written/passed legislation and successfully sued the Governor on human rights issues. Given the role a State Senator needs to play these differences add up to a Ross vote.