Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

The convention approacheth — need your input!

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Furthermore, MA is unlikely to be an electoral battleground, which can actually lead to a sense of complacency and even powerlessness. I'm interested in finding out what we can do to help battleground states — even beyond NH. Can we share experiences of strategic success or failure, on issues or candidates? What can we learn?

We're likely to have very good access to our state's delegation. Whom should we talk to? What do you want to know from them? What would you want to tell them? What can they do for us? What can they do to help achieve victory nationwide — on elections and issues?

What do you think?

Please share widely!
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  2. folks who are working for human rights, the environment, social and economic justice.

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    p>It’s kind of a counter-story to the main story, in that national parties naturally want to impose one-message discipline during presidential campaigns, and the energy of the campaign tends to eclipse everything else.

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    p>But these are the folks whose success at explaining and organizing around their issues will basically set the terms of the debate on key issues for the next administration. So I hope you will find some issues activists and tell us what is in store.

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    p>(Don’t be afraid to go outside the convention, either, assuming its not all just rainbow-gathering wannabees out there.)

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    p>Bon voyage and have a blast!

  3. If this election is about the platforms and the policies of the two parties, the Democrats win.  If the Repubs succeed in making the election a sporting event between the two personalities (CNN: “ballot bowl”), I think the outcome is considerably more in doubt.  Despite Obama’s rock stardom, there’s a sizable part of the electorate that isn’t feeling the inspiration.  They need to be brought along on the policies – even if Obama doesn’t personally thrill them, he represents the party offering a change in direction.  Remember that argument of the Governor’s – Democrats need to spend less time arguing about how to win, and much more on making the case for why they should.

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    p>I think your list of four key issues is spot on.  

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    p>A few axes for you to grind if you’re so inclined:

    • Ask John Kerry to support Cape Wind and marriage equality.
    • Ask members of the platform committee to put together a report discussing how they used or didn’t use the feedback they received from community platform meetings. Those who turned out for the meetings should get to hear what was done with their input.
    • Commend the Governor for signing Senate Bill 65, the 1913 law repeal and the recent environmental legislation.
    • To members of Congress – it’s time to repeal DADT and DOMA.  Discrimination just ain’t American. And don’t cave on offshore drilling – everyone is sick of Democrats rolling over on important stuff because of Republican framing.

     
    Thanks for going & keeping us all updated back here in the Commonwealth.  Have fun!

  5. I know Punditry, Inc. doesn’t give a crap about education so they never ask about it, even though some polls list it as issue #6, #4, or #2 for American voters.  Mark Begich came out against No Child Left Behind this week…what do the rank and file think?

    • rank, but file my opinion under “ditch NCLB.” We need less testing, not more, and in Massachusetts, where we have one of the more difficult tests in the country, we’re held to a idea of proficiency than Mississippi.

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      p>Mark

  6. Most importantly please make sure that any universal health care plan/platform contains a provision for a true public plan, which is a public insurance plan administered by the government like medicare A and B.Based on Obama’s website it seems that his “public plan” is just a purchasing pool that helps people buy private insurance. Heath care reform should give Americans a real choice between private insurance and true public insurance. A public insurance plan is absolutely essential in controlling cost by competing with private plans. Significant action is required because we have a Health care crisis that is hurting all American’s health and economic security.If we do not solve this health care crisis we will face a sluggish economy and huge budget deficits or tax increases.

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    p>P.S
    Also I still think it is mistake to shy away from mandates enforced via wage garnishment or loss of tax exemption of which the later is politically more palatable. Some kind of mandate will someday be necessary if we want to achieve true universality.

    • Actually, the Obama plan does have such a thing:

      Obama’s Plan to Cover Uninsured Americans: Obama will make available a new national health plan to all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to members of Congress.

      …Subsidies. Individuals and families who do not qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP but still need financial assistance will receive an income-related federal subsidy to buy into the new public plan or purchase a private health care plan.

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      p>[my emphasis]

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      p>That’s not the same thing as this:

      National Health Insurance Exchange: The Obama plan will create a National Health Insurance Exchange to help individuals who wish to purchase a private insurance plan.

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      p>I agree with you: The public alternative is hugely important. It’s one of the reasons why I think it’s basically decent. We’ll get into the necessity (or lack thereof) of the personal mandate sooner or later. But influential health care economist (and mandate supporter) Jacob Hacker thinks we need not get into the weeds of the mandate at this point anyway.

  7. On Saturday, August 16, there was a pre-convention  Issues Meeting held in Peabody.  The event was attended by Governor’s Councilor Mary Ellen Manning, Middleton selectman and Governor’s Council candidate Timothy Houten, Lynn School Committee member Maria Carrasco, Peabody mayoral chief of staff Sean Fitzgerald, Peabody Democratic City Committee chairman and economist Dr. Russell Eckel, former State Department staffer and diplomat Josef Leary, and other concerned individuals.

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    p>This event provided an opportunity for those gathered to discuss issues of concern to all Americans.  Participants in the roundtable discussion appreciated the opportunity to vigorously share their ideas about issues ranging from the war on terrorism, the economy, health care, education, the environment, the referendum on the state income tax, and many other matters.  Former diplomat Josef Leary indicated that news was just in last night that Mashpee native and U.S. Marine Private First Class  Daniel McGuire was killed in Iraq.

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    p>Leary said that since the last gathering Lynn School Committee member Maria Carrasco had attended the mass in Lawrence for Army Sgt. Alex Jimenez.  Leary noted that everyone has been affected by this war and we owe a great debt to those who serve our country!  

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    p>Leary went on to say that Democrats are strong on national security, even though Republicans falsely claim we are not.

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    p>The ideas from this event will be shared with the delegates going to Denver from Essex County and the co-chairs of the Massachusetts delegation, Governor Deval Patrick and Senate President Therese Murray.

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    p>The Democratic National Convention is truly a people’s convention.  Much as the Democratic Party is a people’s party.

  8. now that the terms “lesbian and gay” have been expunged from the platform, i’d life to know if the issue of civil equality for lgbt people is also being expunged from the national agenda.  no, let me rephrase that: i’d like to know if progress on the issue of civil equality for lgbt people is also being expunged from the national agenda.

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    p>common wisdom is that obama has explicit references to lgbt people removed so as to help make certain really really really stupid voters think that he’s not going to be “the gay president”.  i’d like to know what delegates and other attendees think of this silly attempt at fakery – if indeed they think  it is fakery and not a real reflection of obama’s jim crow view of lgbt people.

    • The positions taken on glbt issues don’t seem bad:

      • Support for the repeal of DADT and for “allowing qualified men and women to serve openly regardless of sexual orientation”
      • Ending discrimination based on the usual suspects, including sexual orientation
      • Statement of support for “full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation” including support for “equal responsibility, benefits and protections” – not marriage equality, but that wasn’t going to happen this year regardless of who the nominee was
      • Call to enact a “comprehensive bipartisan employment non-discrimination act”
      • Explicit statement of opposition to “the Defense of Marriage Act and all attempts to use this issue to divide us”
      • Pledge to fight HIV here and abroad

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      p>I would have liked to see something on allowing sponsorship for citizenship of same sex partners, but don’t see anything along those lines.

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      p>I haven’t read the whole thing yet – it’s posted here.

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