Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

BMG reunion at the MA State Democratic Party Convention?

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I’m a delegate representing Maynard, and this will be my first convention!  Just curious whether any other BMGers are planning on attending.  Hope to see some of you in Lowell this Saturday!

~Betsey Gardstein

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  4. 1) what the dress code is?
    2) whether I need to bring my own lunch?
    3) what time the convention usually ends?

    • Dress comfortably. Most pols wear more formal clothes. Convention-goers often wear jeans and a tee shirt.

      You can buy stuff from concession stands, if you like that kind of stuff.

      I haven’t looked at the program because I’m not going, but conventions usually end long after you want them to. Don’t be afraid to disappear when it makes sense to do so.

    • …unless you like the sort of food that you find at these places: Pretzels, hot dogs, chips. I’d recommend bringing a box lunch if you can. It ends mid-afternoon.

      I’ll be there. I’m in the Franklin Massachusetts group. Jeans, green polo. 5’10”, twelve stone, wire rim glasses, 61 year old guy.

    • 1) what the dress code is?

      No speedos. I’m pretty sure that’s in the State Constitution also.

      2) whether I need to bring my own lunch?

      Yes! There will be a number of people claiming to have enough loaves and fishes and to spare… but don’t believe them.

      3) what time the convention usually ends?

      All good conventions end unusually…

      ;-}

      • are part of the bald, middle-aged guy caucus’s platform. (We’ve overturned the Constitution before).

    • The formal session is supposed to end noon-ish or not too very much thereafter. The breakout sessions are scheduled to run from 1-3 pm, in two one-hour blocs, all at the Campus Recreation Center, about 4 blocks west of the Tsongas.

      As to lunch, bringing in snack-y items that can fit in pocket or purse is usually OK; anything as obvious as a “box lunch” may well be subject to confiscation, although whether this is for security or simply to cut down on competition to the vendors is debatable. (If memory serves, the CRC had better food options than the Tsongas itself.)

      Bringing in any kind of liquids is, of course, a major security no-no.

  5. Lowell is wonderful, and there are so many opportunities for a great lunch within a reasonable walk of the Tsongas Center. Lowell Beer Works (203 Cabot St, Lowell, MA 01854) is a block west of the arena, which is strategically located between the Tsongas Center and the afternoon venue at UMass Lowell.

    Slightly more upscale and formal, and in the other direction, is Cobblestones ( 91 Dutton Street, Lowell, MA 01852) which you will pass about a block before arriving at the Tsongas Center. Venturing further into downtown you have many good choices, including vegan-vegetarian at Life Alive (194 Middle Street, Lowell, MA 01852), pizza at TreMonte (44 Palmer Street, Lowell, MA 01852), Mexican at El Potro (124 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852) and a plethora of Asian including Viet-Thai, across from City Hall (368 Merrimack Street, Lowell, MA 01852) and Blue Taleh (15 Kearney Square, Lowell, MA 01852). I work in Lowell, and have first-hand experience with all of these restaurants (with the exception of Life Alive).

    That’s just within walking distance of the Arena. Turn on YELP and you will find many more opportunities for a late lunch or early dinner after the sessions.

    Lowell is a wonderful city, and this is the best convention city to linger in after the convention ends. Enjoy!

  6. ….Not much to say about it. Not a lot going on. I’d call it 1/3 capacity. A few standard speeches. Good Lord I am growing weary of the talk about so many things that we are doing so little about. Yeah, I know, it’s gridlock and it’s those rascally republicans that stop us from doing anything.

    The one bright spot, and I do mean bright enough to light up the entire day and make the trip back home a time to reflect on the positives rather than rationalize the negatives was the “workshop” hosted by Senator Elizabeth Warren.

    I arrived early to get a good seat and I got one, front row.

    It was more than a workshop, it was a primer of who we are (or ought to be) and what we need to ask (more like demand) of our next wave of elected leaders. The senator pointed to a few bright spots where the minimum wage was being raised in states with Republican governors and while not naming names, called attention to the reality that some Democrats in office are not in line with these following principles.

    We need to ask anyone running for office where they stand on four basic principles.

    1. Do you support removing the power that money has on politics?
    2. Do you support more cops on Wall Street?
    3. Do you support higher taxes on the wealthy?
    4. Do you support a greater safety net for workers?

    As Senator Warren explained, these are all principles have strong support from most Americans. While progressive, they are more than that, they are American values.

    Thanks Senator, I needed this revival.

    And to my friends on BMG, know this, I will throw all of my support behind the candidate that Senator Warren eventually endorses.

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