Words fail to capture adequately the shock and aching sadness at yesterday’s slaughter of 11 and wounding of others Saturday morning at the Tree of Life Synagogue in the Squirrel Hill section of Pittsburgh. The randomness of the target selected - it could easily have been a synagogue in Newton, MA, Shaker Heights, OH, Highland …
Category: Politics
Can young voters beat back climate change deniers?
We love our iPhones; they're the result of science. We fly on planes, relying on the underlying science. Our modern society is shaped by science. So why, when 97 percent of scientists concur that the planet is threatened by climate change, and that human beings contribute to the problem, has President Trump called global warming …
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Gube race: Baker less visionary, more realistic
Candidate A once held the position of Secretary of Administration and Finance, nicknamed the deputy governor of the Commonwealth. He was also an executive in a health care company, a sector that is vital to everyone in the state and a driver of the economy. He is a really good guy. Candidate B, well, he …
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Question 1: Sounds good but isn’t
On its surface, referendum question #1 sounds terrific. Require minimum number of registered nurses per patient in Massachusetts hospitals. Why wouldn't that be better for patients? Well, not so fast. Here are some things to think about. Rigid ratios do not take into consideration the ongoing assessment of a patient’s needs, which may change not …
Kavanaugh nomination taps primordial feelings
The U.S. Supreme Court cafeteria on Friday was surprisingly quiet, as if noontime eaters were subdued by the Brett Kavanaugh nomination drama playing out at the Senate Judiciary Committee. Outside on the steps of the august building, hundreds of protesters listened to speeches by women senators urging Kavanaugh be rejected. The peaceful but passionate demonstrators …
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Nancy Pelosi is not the problem
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is a lightning rod for antipathy to the Democratic Party. And she's a great fundraising opportunity for Republicans, who are using her possible restoration as Speaker to rally the GOP to keep the House, just as they used Ted Kennedy as a fundraising bogeyman years ago. But Republicans aren't the …
Focus on tippable districts
On a recent sultry summer evening, well over 100 people crushed into a suburban Newton garden to hear Jared Golden, candidate for Congress. Haven't heard of him? That may be because he is from Maine's second Congressional district, currently represented in Washington by Republican Bruce Poliquin. That night's attendees understand the need not to be …
“Maverick” McCain’s death leaves huge void
John McCain died on August 25th, the same day Ted Kennedy died nine years ago, from the same lethal disease. Two old warriors, who disagreed on much but fought for their principles in the national interest and became good friends in the process. But I wonder whether our celebration of him and his life would …
Seventh CD a battle between good and better
Whoever wins the Massachusetts 7th Congressional district Democratic primary on September 4th will be uncontested in November and serve in the next Congress. It will be a Democrat, but what kind and what difference will that make for us? In the intergenerational struggle for control of the Democratic Party, Ayanna Pressley, 44, hopes to unseat long-term incumbent Michael Capuano,66, from the …
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News media are not “enemies of the people”
I ask you: do I look like an enemy of the people? Given my 30+ years in journalism (including Boston Phoenix, WGBH-TV, WCVB-TV) and nearly a decade more as a blogger, Donald Trump would probably say yes. Journalism is certainly in my DNA. Which is why I’m so proud of what my local newspaper is …
Marjorie Arons-Barron 