First, President Trump is wrong on the facts. The Paris Accords did not treat the United States unfairly. Under the agreement, targets for greenhouses gases are voluntary, and every country can change how it will alter its plans for controlling carbon emissions. And, if its articulated goals are not met, there are no penalties for …
Tag: John Kerry
Moving off ambivalence on Syria
Like so many, I have been struggling with the Syrian dilemma of strike/no strike, reflected in my previous blog . Congressman John Tierney, speaking to the New England Council yesterday morning, spoke of his own struggle to "do the right thing." Sen. Ed Markey struggled, voted present in committee, and only today released a statement of opposition to …
Kerry shares world view with editorialists
"Our credibility in one place affects our credibility in another,” Secretary of State John Kerry told about 20 members of the Association of Opinion Journalists in a briefing Monday at the State Department. Syria's use of sarin gas “is a red line for the President,” but we’re “not talking about boots on the ground.” We …
Boston Olympic bid a silly diversion
Score Boston Mayor Tom Menino:1; Boston Globe:0 on the proposal to bring the Olympics to Boston in 2024. Opined an editorial, a chance to host the Olympics is "too rare to pass up without further consideration." Really? As the Mayor restated Thursday on WGBH's Greater Boston, the city has too many other, higher priority needs - …
Frankly, Barney’s best for interim senator
Wanted: Smart, courageous, savvy individual for temporary posting. Location: United States Senate. Experience: track record of experience in complicated political settings with record of success in achieving goals. Education: longtime immersion in complicated policy challenges with particular expertise in military budgeting and entitlements. Skill sets must include ability to work collaboratively with people across the …
Kerry’s the man, at least for State
I don't doubt it. Senator John Kerry could be a close to perfect Secretary of State. All aspects of his life have prepared him for the job, save for running a large bureaucracy. UN Ambassador Susan Rice has been touted as the President's first choice. They have been close allies since she started advising him on foreign policy …
Will Obama’s different world view win him another term?
They say a candidate campaigns with poetry but, if elected, governs with prose. Last night's speech by Barack Obama, despite some soaring moments, reflected the gravitas he has developed in nearly four years in office. The idea that our path "may be harder, but it leads to a better place" is a sober reminder that, …
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Niki Tsongas builds bipartisanship, one small step at a time
Three-term 5th district Congresswoman Niki Tsongas marches to a slightly different drummer than her colleague Mike Capuano, the subject of yesterday's blog posting. Her rhythm is not a march exactly, more a step-by-step piecing together of small scale bipartisan initiatives in an environment in which bipartisanship is an unnatural act. Tsongas knows that, as one individual, she …
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Setti Warren leaps into the U.S. Senate race
Newton Mayor Setti Warren announced yesterday he was running for Scott Brown’s seat in the U.S. Senate. If you look at his video announcement , he comes across as just the kind of person who should represent the Commonwealth in D.C. He certainly reflects more of Ted Kennedy’s values than does Scott Brown. And, if you …
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Obama’s energy speech: time to walk the walk
President Obama this week laid out a plan to cut dependence on foreign oil by 2025. Forty years ago, Richard Nixon also promised to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. At the time about 34 percent of our oil was imported. A decade later it was 45 percent, and Jimmy Carter was making the same …
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Marjorie Arons-Barron 