I have crossed paths with Boston mayoral candidate Charlotte Golar Richie at various times over the last few decades, but without getting a real sense of her as an individual. Certainly, I knew her from her bio: Peace Corps volunteer in Kenya; two master's degrees; two-term member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, where she chaired the Housing …
Continue reading Charlotte Golar Richie: the next mayor of Boston?
My family's return from a glorious week in London shows how salutary it is for a political junkie to purge herself- albeit temporarily - of politics. So before I get sucked back into the nearly unspeakable frustration of focusing on the ongoing national political dysfunction, I want to reflect on the pleasures that lie between the covers of a …
There was a time when former Congressman Barney Frank said you couldn't pay him enough for sitting on a panel with Karl Rove. As it turns out, he mused, "you can." Frank is doing well on the speaking circuit but returned to his roots on Friday, speaking to the New England Council. The long-time Congressman …
Shootings, muggings, fires, crashes, sports and weather-- all the stuff of local television. Then there are the Kirby Perkins A+ scholarship segments. Kirby was a Channel 5 reporter who especially loved politics and sports. The station's "High Five" series had for years celebrated high school athletes. But he thought that academic performance should also be honored. …
Continue reading Kirby Perkins A+ scholarships distinguish WCVB-TV5
Former State Senate President Billy Bulger used to joke that, when he died, he wanted to be buried at St. Augustine's because he could still remain politically active. Now, thanks to State Auditor Suzanne Bump and Tuesday's report on fraud and abuse in the state's welfare system, we know that there are other forms of life after …
Continue reading Welfare audit feeds anti-government hostility
When the Boston marathon was bombed, we all shared the grief and noted that "We are Boston." So, too, when the capital city selects a new mayor, the people of Greater Boston, not just its voting residents, have a stake in who succeeds 20-year incumbent Tom Menino. As John Nucci observed in the Boston Herald, what the …
Continue reading Media need to do heavy lifting in Boston mayoral race
Lieutenant Tim Murray is one lucky dude. You might say he has escaped with his life. The affable former three-term mayor of Worcester has never been able to elude the bad karma surrounding his mysterious early morning car accident in 2011 and his unsavory connection with felon Chelsea Housing Authority Michael McLaughlin, who also did (possibly …
Today's Globe story that a deal is near for developer John Rosenthal's Fenway Center is good news for all concerned. The idea that this project would have a 99-year lease on air rights over the Turnpike between Beacon Street and Brookline Avenue near Kenmore must have Red Sox owners lusting even more to lock in the current low …
Continue reading At the heart of the Red Sox – a real estate play?
The House has passed a budget. The Senate has passed a budget. But we're not likely to get a budget, Congressman Michael Capuano told Monday's New England Council breakfast meeting, because Congress is still kicking the can down the road, drifting toward the next crisis, probably this fall. The only difference between the majority party …
Continue reading Corner office may be way out of D.C. for Capuano
A civic or social welfare organization is not allowed to support political candidates of any stripe. Partisan activities are a no-no if a non-profit wants to preserve its federal tax exemption. But the law has to be applied evenly. The Internal Revenue Service has apparently targeted the Tea Party and other right-wing groups to make sure that they …
Marjorie Arons-Barron 