Democracy is now going forth on a crusade against imperialism. --Irving Babbitt I'm not an activist or a protester. Aside from working on a few campaigns, I've never stood somewhere and held a sign for or against something. I've never … [Read more...]

One by one the GOP's primary candidates are biting the dust in a pattern as simple as it is repetitious. The media latches onto a candidate, pumps them up with attention, and then eats them as scrutiny exposes their politically notable … [Read more...]

After all, the best part of a holiday is perhaps not so much to be resting yourself, as to see all the other fellows busy working. --Kenneth Grahame While we're on the subject of revolving doors, Bloomberg has an article about the push … [Read more...]

One of the creepier aspects of our country: protesting is being outlawed. Maybe not made illegal, but controlled in such a way that law enforcement---ordered or abetted by the governments that employ them---can control what protesters say … [Read more...]

When I was in high school 30 years ago, I was taught that the Federal Reserve Board was supposed to be above politics. Members of the Board of Governors serve 14-year terms, which allows them to transcend at least some of the day-to-day … [Read more...]

If former head of probation John O'Brien is indicted in a quid pro quo scheme to get his wife and daughter a job in the Treasurer's Office, certainly Tim Cahill, who provided the job for campaign donations, can't be far behind? The Globe … [Read more...]

With a on a 24-10 vote, the state senate passed a pension reform bill in a hurry today. The contents of the bill were not released to the public until Tuesday--while casino gambling sucked up attention in the news--leaving a total of one … [Read more...]

On Thursday, the state senate will vote on a bill that substantially changes benefits for new teachers in by reducing the amount of their pensions and increasing their retirement age. It's a high-speed, low-publicity bill. It was published … [Read more...]

Voter ID laws seem to make so much sense. For most of us, presenting up-to-date identification is no problem, but for the poor, such laws can present extraordinary obstacles. The other problem is that more requirements for voting … [Read more...]

"It's very difficult to get into a hypothetical that's not there." --Sen. Scott Brown Call it a chink in the armor of the Republican shining knight of the Massachusetts Miracle, but the immensely popular Senator Scott Brown is slipping … [Read more...]