IT COULDN’T COMPETE with the drama of the Astros-Sox game, but Wednesday night’s debate between Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez packed a lot of punch. Baker […]
News Analysis
Posted inThe Download
Baker goes turtle while Gonzalez gets carried away
It couldn’t compete with the drama of the Astros-Sox game, but Wednesday night’s debate between Republican Gov. Charlie Baker and Democratic challenger Jay Gonzalez packed a lot of punch. Baker […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Surprise! Mass. Dems don’t want to abolish ICE
FOLLOW TWITTER TRENDS and cable news discussion, and you’d think the Democratic base was all-in on the idea of abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE. Indeed, even national polling […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Can Ocasio-Cortez return the favor for Ayanna Pressley?
GOING INTO THE 7th Congressional District debate this week, Boston City Councillor Ayanna Pressley trailed the incumbent, Rep. Michael Capuano, by 13 points, according to the latest WBUR poll. The debate […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Boston considers non-citizen voting
Voting is the core of democracy. But who gets to vote has been fraught with political disagreement since America’s earliest days. Recently, a series of decisions from the Supreme Court […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Whole lot of lying going on
A STATE SENATOR and the outgoing Boston police commissioner demonstrated that they are not above lying when it comes to getting what they want. State Sen. Barbara L’Italien showed what […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Late Registration
Massachusetts is home to more than one hundred colleges and universities and is the birthplace of American democracy. (Yes, that’s right, Eagles fans.) Nonetheless, the State Supreme Judicial Court recently […]
Posted inPolitics
Are you there, Massachusetts? It’s me, the primaries
Ahhh, the Fourth of July. When we come together to commemorate the beginning of the grand experiment that is America, celebrating government for and by the people. And in Massachusetts […]
Posted inNews Analysis
‘A surprisingly good idea’ from the T
THE MBTA may finally be starting to get it. After years and years of running weekend commuter rail trains that very few people ride, the T this week decided to […]
Posted inNews Analysis
Do Healey, Baker have a truce?
ATTORNEY GENERAL MAURA HEALEY and the Baker administration engaged in an interesting political dance on Tuesday at a legislative hearing on what to do about companies that sell electricity to […]
Posted inGun ownership
Voters give green light on “red flag” gun law
Massachusetts House Speaker Robert DeLeo announced this week the House would take up the so-called “red flag” gun safety bill. The move ended months of speculation and growing pressure from […]
Posted inPolitics
Governor, Senate challengers struggle mightily in quest for attention
A half dozen would-be opponents to Senator Elizabeth Warren and Governor Charlie Baker are building their campaigns, crisscrossing Massachusetts, issuing press releases, hiring staff, making ads, and doing all the […]
Posted inPolitics
State follows voters’ lead on criminal justice
The Senate and House sent a sweeping criminal justice reform bill to Governor Charlie Baker’s desk this week. The Governor has not said how he will proceed. Details matter, and […]
Posted inPolitics
Chaos in the Senate?
THE AWKWARD TRANSITION from Senate President Harriette Chandler to Senate president-elect Karen Spilka makes for great copy, but it doesn’t seem to be having a huge impact on the chamber’s […]
Posted inGambling
Mohegan, Wynn casinos rumble in the background
AS THE MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION tries to decide whether Wynn Resorts remains suitable to retain its casino license, the two antagonists in the original battle for the license are sparring […]
Posted inPolitics
Gomez leaves GOP, eyes independent bid against Warren
GABRIEL GOMEZ, who ran unsuccessfully for the US Senate as a Republican in 2013, has switched his party affiliation to independent and is not ruling out a run against Sen. […]
Posted inPolitics
Lowell’s single-issue election
ELECTIONS, as they say, have consequences. This is certainly the case in Lowell, where voters on Tuesday delivered a stunning rebuke to their elected officials and their decision to relocate […]
Posted inPolitics
Democracy isn’t working in Massachusetts
ON SEPTEMBER 15, 1998, David Nangle, then a State House aide, was effectively elected to the Massachusetts Legislature even though 76 percent of the voters in the district where he […]
Posted inNews Analysis, Politics
Dissecting Baker’s stance on millionaire’s tax
GOV. CHARLIE BAKER hasn’t formally said he’s against the so-called “Fair Share” ballot question, which would create a surtax on incomes over $1 million and earmark the proceeds for education […]
