The announcement yesterday that the Boston Phoenix is ceasing publication marks the end of an era, an era of substantive, long-form journalism. Jim Barron and I wrote for the paper back in the 1970's. It was the place to be, along with The Village Voice, the best of alternative journalism. Back in 1975, Jim Barron and …
Category: Politics
Grossman, DeLeo speak reality to Patrick’s dreams
Governor Patrick's hopes for Massachusetts, delivered in his state-of-the-state address in January were big-picture, visionary, limitless in their possibilities - especially in transportation, education and tax reform. They were so big, in fact, they took your breath away. His proposals focused on increasing income and gas taxes to pay for transportation improvements, more early childhood education and extended middle school hours, all the while …
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Sequester brings crisis fatigue
Scream! Make that, primal scream!! Washington's failure to deal with the sequester before it kicked in is just the latest in a series of failed attempts to deal responsibly with federal deficit and budget issues. So bad are the constant failures and so great the frustrations with Republicans, Democrats and the White House that I …
Menino v. Connolly an intergenerational competition
One need look no further than Joe Fitzgerald's column in today's Boston Herald to know why City Councillor John Connolly's mayoral bid is such an uphill race. Fitzgerald looks at Menino through his wife Angela's eyes. Angela is much loved and, wherever Tom Menino goes, she is there. She talks about how far he has …
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Elizabeth Warren still a breath of fresh air
Senator Elizabeth Warren, in office for less than two months, remains a breath of fresh air. She comes to the body with experience, intellect and relative sophistication for a newcomer to the club. She has been there before but is now calibrating her new role at the table. She is frustrated by the impending sequestration cuts, and decries the "mindless across-the-board …
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A liberal manifesto with a centrist tinge
President Barack Obama's state-of-the-union speech was as much a liberal manifesto as I've heard in decades. Not surprising then that so many of the talking heads take the speech as evidence that Obama is trying to move the American center to the left in much the way Ronald Reagan moved it decades ago to the …
Proposed pre-Broadway production tax credit a no-no
I can remember the day when many, if not most, major Broadway shows opened in Boston for a test run. West Side Story and South Pacific are just two that spring immediately to mind. (Others opened in Philadelphia or New Haven.) Now some legislators want to offer $3 million in tax credits for plays and musicals that …
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Brown decision could be good for state GOP
A Senate run by Scott Brown would have been a little like Ground Hog Day, and I'm sure his decision not to run for John Kerry's Senate seat was a relief for his ever cheerful, ever campaigning family. If he wants to cash in on his past success, the time to do it is now, not …
Tom Menino reborn – or so it seems
Mea culpa. On December 4, this very blog expressed the sense that Boston Mayor Tom Menino should hang it up. Quit while he was ahead. Yield to diminished physical capacity and rest on his laurels. Accept congratulations for all he has done for Boston and ride off, if not in the sunset, at least to …
Joe Kennedy takes measured approach to government
The scion of a multi-generational political dynasty, Massachusetts' new fourth district congressman is youthful, charming, and unpretentious. He reflects an honest humility appropriate to someone who has been in Congress for just three weeks. Speaking to this morning's meeting of The New England Council, Joe Kennedy also avoided liberal generalizations, emphasized the importance of public/private partnerships and showed a tendency to be …
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