Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

“Matinee Mitt”

By

WSJ reporter Deborah Solomon speculates that Republicans may have difficulty holding on to some statehouses next year. Willard, she notes, has given his party a particularly uphill task in Massachusetts. So much for the conservative … [Read more...]

Our Christmas History

By

BackgroundLike other Massachusetts Puritans, Increase Mather considered Christmas a "profane and superstitious custom." The Boston minister wrote in 1687 that December 25th was observed as the birth date of Christ not because "Christ was … [Read more...]

The Bitter Strike at NYU

By

"The roots of the NYU conflict, which now seems stalemated, go back to 2000, when the National Labor Relations Board ruled, in a historic decision, that graduate assistants at private universities were "employees" and thus entitled to union … [Read more...]

Change of management in Iraq

By

The article continues:Steven Aftergood, who heads the Project on Government Secrecy for the Federation of American Scientists, told us, "It's a belated recognition that existing policy on reconstruction and stabilization has been woefully … [Read more...]

Reason in NYC

By

Third, the illegal strike disproportionately hurt the poorest and least well off. Transit workers are reasonably paid relative to most people in New York, and well off compared to many, including for example police, especially when job … [Read more...]

What Are We Doing Here

By

Some of our esteemed contributors appear to disagree. They feel online political communities should provide marching orders and rally the base. I think this vision is too limited and will not be effective. Worse, it is unnecessary: there is … [Read more...]

My Trip to the Blogosphere

By

Since I am incensed by the illegal transit strike against the people of New York City, I decided to cross-post the comment I wrote yesterday at DailyKos and MyDD.  Here are a few observations from my little expedition to two of the … [Read more...]

Outrage in New York

By

The transit strike against the people of New York City is illegal, immoral and outrageous. The MTA should start hiring new workers immediately. The state and city should consider privatizing the transit system and allowing multiple … [Read more...]

Bush to Constitution: Drop Dead

By

Still reeling from the rejection by the people's representatives of his plea to continue torturing suspects, Bush admitted today that he approved eavesdropping without warrants on U.S. citizens. Seems to me I remember another Republican … [Read more...]

Bush to Constitution: Drop Dead

By

Still reeling from the rejection by the people's representatives of his plea to continue torturing suspects, Bush admitted today that he approved eavesdropping without warrants on U.S. citizens. Seems to me I remember another Republican … [Read more...]

Archives