Now, I’m not under the impression that this bill is all that damned draconian. At best (or worst, if you’re afraid of equal rights for people you don’t understand), it makes it clear you can’t discriminate against someone who identifies, say, female, from using the women’s bathroom, nor could you fire someone who has nontraditional gender identity.
Conservatives want to claim that this bill will force unisex bathrooms and locker rooms. Oh noes! First, unisex bathrooms are no big deal (for gawd’s sake people). But that’s not what this bill does anyway, and to state otherwise is to grossly misrepresent the legislation for a political reason.
And as a political move, it’s pretty dumb. Since knocking off Mihos from the primary ballot, Baker should be spending the rest of the race tacking into the middle, instead of pandering to the far right. In fact, Cahill seems to be sewing the social conservatives up anyway, so, Baker’d be better served trying to wedge moderate voters away from Patrick instead of making them disgusted. Maybe he thinks tacking to the far right on trans issues won’t piss off moderates, who maybe don’t feel strongly (for or against, I imagine) on this issue, but the general tactic of shifting social-right in a state like MA – where, if people are conservative at all, it’s fiscally and anti-incumbent – when he is, essentially, already running in a general election, and he already has someone trying to run from his right, just seems suicidal. It sure looks like Baker has the embarrassing potential to come in third, doesn’t it?
Not that I want to give Baker any good advice, but I’m not impressed with his campaign brain trust.
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In other news, Baker and Cahill are going after the same conservative voters. I’m shocked, shocked I tell you.
The Democrats seem to be sitting it out these days – might make sense to juice up the base.
he’s running an issues campaign. This was at the convention.
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p>After that Baker’s team then tried to smear Mihos saying his staff was working the floor of the convention with talking about Baker’s support of the nondiscrimination policy. When that didn’t work he went on to say it was Cahill’s staff.
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p>After smearing the other campaigns fell flat he put out a press release and made Tisei stand next to him playing the good spouse role after a poll is caught in an extramarital affair.
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p>Tisei did not speak, he just stood there with an uneasy smile on his face listening to Baker speak.
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p>Just completely awful top to bottom.
One doesn’t have to run an issues campaign anymore in order to be able to claim to run one. It’s kind of like asserting one is honest, genuine, a good spouse, and a willing listener. None of those things have to be true; they merely need to be play-acted in a convincing manner.
…you need to get out more!
My recollection is that turnout by those who tend to vote Democratic was down a lot from the 2008 election. I know that in my case, it took quite a bit of effort to get my butt out the door to vote… there definitely wasn’t a tail wind.
Yes, some Democrats sat out that election, but the results thereof sent a clear message that they continue that habit at their peril, and I think most get that.
I’m dreading November as much as I dreaded the Coakley/Brown fiasco. I don’t want a Republican to win, but I don’t feel that today’s “Democrats” have my interests at heart either.
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p>We now have two parties in the US: on the one hand is the party that helps the rich and powerful at every turn, and on the other hand we have the Crazy Party. Nobody is representing me and the other 99% of Americans who aren’t bankers and such.
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p>I can’t think of anyone I know who’ll push hard to cast a vote for Deval Patrick. I’m sure those people exist, certainly they do on this site, but not among my friends and acquaintances.
…Democratic activists are determined to not have a repeat of the Brown election. My basis is the enthusiasm and determination I see at Democratic events and meetings I attend. There are plenty of us pushing hard for the Governor, and I take exception to your description of the Democratic Party.
Therefore I must say that Charlie Baker is a pandering d**chebag.
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p>My only fear is that if he gets anymore stupid, his voters will leave en masse for Cahill, who is a VERY smart tactician. Shades of Joe Lieberman versus Ned Lamont are a real possibility.
The Guardian ran an interesting piece on how David Cameron made the tactical mistake of moving to the center at the beginning of his leadership of the Tories and is now moving rightward just before the election out of fear the BNP might take away votes in a few important ridings. Similarly, Baker made the mistake of coming out front and center as a Weld republican early on and taking prominent socially liberal positions, nominating Tisei was also a mistake from this perspective. And since Mihos self-destructed his campaign, Baker never had to face the consequences of his tack to the middle. But now Cahill is siphoning a lot of the right wing and conservative votes in MA, and while I would argue its a temporary phenomenon (most indy candidates are), we could see Baker start the general, the time when he is supposed to move to the middle, moving rightward which a real primary would have forced him to do to consolidate his base.
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p>I have to say I was certainly intrigued by Baker at the start of his campaign, but so far he has shown himself to be even more inept than the Governor. And when you make Tim Cahill look smart, that is a whole ‘nother level of stupid. At this point I’m leaning Stein or maybe even Mickey Mouse on my governors form.