Readers,
My name is Paul Craney and I am the Executive Director of Massachusetts Fiscal Alliance (MassFiscal). MassFiscal tries to offer a right of center perspective to some of the issues facing our state.
In the past, I have not posted on BMG (this is my first) and have on RMG and would like to explore the possibility of posting some content on BMG in an effort to encourage readers to consider the ‘other’ side. The other side of course is often playing devil’s advocate on public policy questions.
While I know we may not always see eye to eye on every issue, I hope there is some common ground that all sides can agree on. Like many of you, I admire people I have policy differences with when they articulate their point of view and show passion for what they believe in.
Hopefully the next few posts will bring about this type of dialog. Thank you.
–Paul
do you endorse the view of your founder and chairman, Rick Green, that Democratic success in recent elections is due to “union thugs”? Because if we can’t get past that kind of nonsense, it’s going to be hard to find the “common ground” that you seek.
David,
Regardless of the topic, I don’t think it would be appropriate for me to comment on Mr. Green’s interview unless it pertains to his work with MassFiscal. –Paul
I understand your position. However, Green remains your chairman, and he now wants to chair one of the state’s political parties. To my knowledge, he has not resigned from Mass. Fiscal, so the two are now intertwined. When Bob Maginn was Mass. GOP chair, the goings-on at Jenzabar inevitably got entangled with state politics. Don’t imagine the same won’t happen for your organization.
List of US states by income. But you write that the Commonwealth’s policies have made us “become less economically competitive.” Doesn’t any reality-based analysis suggest that the policies here are making MA pull ahead of the rest of the country, not fall behind. And insofar as the US as a whole is influenced far more by Republicans than MA, that also suggests that the policies of the GOP, like those you advocate, are what are dragging people down.
…that your follow-up posts include some math.
I suspect that some of your group’s ideas about “Good Government” (despite your ridiculous touting of the Rule 28 Coalition as a “bi-partisan” effort) would recieve some support on this site.
But your ideas on “Economic Policies” seem like pretty standard GOP nonsense with little to no math backing them up. No new taxes! Cut current taxes! Full stop.
I, for one, welcome a reality-based dialog on your group’s seemingly unsustainable positions on state economic policies.
Your organization claims that “taxes and regulation” are strangling Massachusetts businesses, yet your chairman Rick Green has built a $70M, 100+ employee business “from scratch”. If these taxes and regulations were so inhospitable to small business in Massachusetts, how did Mr. Green become so successful?
Also, if you are going to run an organization pushing for “transparency and good governance”, shouldn’t you disclose your funding sources and follow applicable state lobbying law?
Mass Fiscal took over the corporate charter of Empower Massachusetts. Empower Massachusetts put these signs up in Latino areas in partnership with Show ID to Vote. Why not start a new corporation? Why take over a group with a past of voter suppression? Surely it wasn’t worth the couple hundred dollars you saved – unless you endorse your corporate past?
MassFiscal doesn’t disclose it’s donors, is Chaired by a Republican State Committee member running for MA GOP chair, the executive director is the former chair of the Washington, DC GOP, they spent the 2012 election season pumping out anti-Democrat mailers, and before they changed their name they were suppressing the vote.
So yes, Paul – please post here. Just know we’re not stupid and know exactly what you’re shoveling when you post here.
p.s. – Kind of curious to see Mass Fiscal getting active up on RMG and BMG right before the Chairman election. Will RIck Green resign as head of Mass Fiscal if elected? Are you doing this to support his candidacy?
Background info from our friend HesterPrynne here.
Very awkward for “MassFiscal.”
n/t
That was quite the nasty welcome some of you gave him. Even one of the editors jumped right into interrogation mode. Speaking for myself, I say post away, but do expect BMGers to be probing and passionate.