It couldn’t be termed a constitutional crisis but the decision by the new Republican-controlled House to read the Constitution into the Congressional Record was as much hysterical as historical. In […]
Gubernatorial politics
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Crazy like a fox? Christy Mihos’s big RMV idea
By Gabrielle Gurley With all eyes on the big dogs in the governor’s race, the underdog can afford to go out on a limb. Christy Mihos, who is challenging Charles […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Will Jill join the anti-tax brigade?
The announcement that Jill Stein will run for governor on the Green Party ticket is generally seen as another headache for Deval Patrick, who can't afford to lose any votes […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Politics not his strong suit?
The Globe's Adrian Walker thinks he knows exactly when things started to go downhill for Gov. Deval Patrick:It isn’t hard to pinpoint the day Patrick lost control of his image. […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Bay State’s bridge to nowhere
Tuesday, December 8, 2009 On the state's sudden reversal and decision not to spend $9 million in federal stimulus money for a footbridge over Route 1 that would connect an […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
A Corzine warning to Patrick?
According to State House News Service (subscription required), Gov. Deval Patrick was on the radio this morning saying there is "no comparison" between yesterday's New Jersey/Virginia gubernatorial elections (both won […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
No treats at Deval’s Milton house
A state trooper turned away trick or treaters outside Gov. Deval Patrick's home in Milton on Halloween night even though no one appeared to be home. The governor's home is […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Patrick gets the ultimate insult on Martha’s Vineyard
The Vineyard Gazette reports that a delegation from the island is miffed at how difficult it is to meet with the governor to discuss their concerns about the Cape Wind […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Where is Deval’s Valerie Jarrett?
Last Sunday's New York Times Magazine offers a fascinating glimpse into the Obama administration in the form of a profile of Valerie Jarrett, whose official title is senior adviser and […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Charlie Baker and the Green Party are on the same page
Republican gubernatorial candidate Charlie Baker wants to roll back the state's recently increased sales tax. More surprisingly, the state's Green-Rainbow Party is making the same pitch. The party's state committee […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Surprising talk from Charlie Baker about taxes (in 2001)
In 2001, in recognition of CommonWealth's fifth anniversary, we rolled out an issue of the magazine that featured lists of 5's. Heading up our "5 People Who Made A Difference" […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Don’t bet on a three-way race, Deval
I side with Wayne Woodlief over Howie Carr on the question of whether a independent gubernatorial campaign by Tim Cahill helps or hurts incumbent Deval Patrick in next year's general […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Will Cahill emulate Schwarzenegger or Finneran?
Independence Day weekend saw Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin skip out on her job, state Sen. Stanley Rosenberg come out of the closet, and state Treasurer Tim Cahill drop out of […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Punting on pension reform
Lots of sizzle, but not much steak. That's the best way to describe the narrow focus by legislative leaders and Gov. Deval Patrick on a pension perk that has been […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Patrick “boxed in” on his 2010 re-election strategy?
State House News Service's Jim O'Sullivan has a succinct forecast of gubernatorial politics over the next 18 months (subscription required for full story): Gov. Deval Patrick's sharp words last week […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, The Download
Patrick’s low ratings part of national trend
Before anyone writes Deval Patrick's political obituary over the 7News/Suffolk University poll released yesterday, it's worth noting that Patrick has plenty of bad-ratings company among his fellow governors. Judging by the range […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Walshing to and fro
Wednesday, March 25, 2009 It seems citizens are now supposed to be about one-third less disgusted by the patronage appointment of state Sen. Marian Walsh to a high-paying post that […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Just words
Deval Patrick famously dressed down a group of Massachusetts newspaper publishers in a speech delivered days after his election, telling the news honchos that many of their reporters just didn't get […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
An increasingly ordinary leader
From "No Ordinary Leader" to "Business as Usual." It's hard not to see that as the trajectory Gov. Deval Patrick is on after the latest slap in the face to those expecting […]
Posted inEnvironment, Politics, The Download, Transportation
Patrick finally embraces gas tax increase
Gov. Deval Patrick made a very persuasive case for raising the state gasoline tax immediately by 19 cents and having it rise in the future in tandem with the Consumer Price Index. My […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, The Download
Deval, help us put down our cynicism: send stimulus czar packing
Let's get this straight: The guy Deval Patrick has hired for $150,000 a year to help the state spend the federal stimulus money intended to help halt an economic slide set in motion […]
Posted inEconomy, Politics, State House News Service, The Download
“Starting Line 2009” tackles DeLeo, State House scandals, and the bleak economy
Is new House Speaker Robert DeLeo really just "a hamburger guy", and are other members of the House no more than "sheep"? Do voters pay more attention to public pension […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Stateline.org calls Gov. Patrick “safe” for re-election in 2010
In a very early — if not premature — forecast of next year's gubernatorial races, Stateline.org lists Massachusetts as one of nine states considered "safe" for the incumbent party. (New […]
