Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was way out of line in her scathing criticism of Donald Trump. Three times in the last week, she let it be known she can't imagine this country under a president Trump, She called him "a faker," said he "has no consistency about him," and added that he says whatever comes into …
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Race across America
Philando Castile. Alton Sterling. Lorne Ahrens. Michael Krol. Michael Smith. Brent Thompson. Patrick Zamarripa. Seven men shot and killed last week. Seven senseless deaths, all speaking in one way or another to the racism laced through relations between African-Americans and the police. We have to be blind not to see it. Stone-hearted not to feel …
Bill Clinton: stop the sabotage
Bill Clinton makes me want to tear my hair out. He often makes me want to take a shower. Hillary can't fire him, but can someone put him under adult supervision? For many, the choice in 2008 between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton was determined by not wanting Bill Clinton back in the White House. In …
SCOTUS abortion decision absolutely right
It's hard not to be elated by the Supreme Court's five-to-three ruling today on the Texas abortion law H.B.2. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said it all in her one paragraph concurring opinion. The law dictated that an abortion clinic needed the buildings, equipment and staffing for a hospital-style ambulatory surgery center and required doctors to have …
UK vote sends chills down US spines
Fasten your seatbelts. The ride's going to get even bumpier. A word that few on this side of the pond had heard six months ago may portend greater troubles in the United States. Brexit, shorthand for the United Kingdom's vote to exit the European Union, drives home the anti-globalization rise of nationalism, a nativistic fear of …
Mickey Edwards: a thoughtful conservative faults Ryan on Trump
No one has better conservative creds than former eight-term Congressman Mickey Edwards, who represented Oklahoma in the House from 1977-1993. A member of the Republican leadership, he chaired the Republican Policy Committee, and was a founding member of the Heritage Foundation and president of the American Conservative Union. He has taught at Harvard, Princeton and Georgetown and …
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Homophobia, ISIS, insanity and weaponry
It's hard to get one's mind around the horror of the worst mass shooting in the nation's history. There seems to have been a perfect storm, with multiple factors coming together to carry out this unspeakable tragedy. How many more before elected officials take action? The shooter, an American citizen born to Afghani parents, had a …
Charlie Baker: Massachusetts infrastructure champion?
Tom Menino, the self-styled urban mechanic, held the office of Boston Mayor an historic 21 years by making the city work for people, at least for most people. Charlie Baker, whose favorability ratings as governor of Massachusetts reach easily into the 70's, wants to make state government work. Transportation will be a key test of whether …
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Hillary: a moving milestone
It took more than two centuries for the United States to have its first woman representing a major party as its presumptive presidential nominee. Last night, when it happened, when history was made, it was deeply affecting. To Hillary Clinton's many detractors, I concede her flaws, but I will not let you spoil the significance of …
Barbara Anderson memorialized
Supporters and opponents of the late anti-tax advocate Barbara Anderson gathered Sunday in Randolph to remember her good natured individualism, civic activism, political savvy, professionalism and not insignificant success in lowering the tax burden for the people of Massachusetts. She and I were often - make that, usually - on opposite sides of issues. (The video …