Getting it Right - January 22, 2009
Mother Teresa and the Inauguration
By Matt Kinnaman
http://mattkinnaman.blogspot.com/
Thirty-six years ago today, on January 22, 1973, Lyndon Johnson died. Only ten years earlier, President Lyndon Johnson had employed all his political muscle to move civil rights legislation through Congress, but was stonewalled by Representative Howard W. Smith, Democrat of Virginia, and Chairman of the House Rules Committee. Rep. Smith was adamant in his refusal to give the legislation a hearing in his committee.
According to materials published by the National Archives, Johnson pressured the Washington Post to run articles and editorials “every day, front page” to build a public case against Smith and other recalcitrant congressmen, forcing them to agree to a hearing. “We ought to say, ‘Here is the party of Lincoln. Here is the image of Lincoln, and whoever it is that is against a hearing and against a vote in the House of Representatives, is not a man who believes in giving humanity a fair shake…’” By January, 1964, Harold Smith allowed hearings in the Rules Committee, and on July 2, President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Having placed his hand on Lincoln’s Bible, Barack Obama, in his first moments as president, affirmed “the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.” Barack Obama’s inauguration put an exclamation point on Thomas Jefferson’s articulation of the unalienable civil rights of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” in the Declaration of Independence, rights which Jefferson assured the people originated in “their Creator,” and on which Lyndon Johnson depended to shepherd his landmark legislative guarantee of America’s civil rights legacy forty-five years before.
On the day Johnson died, the Supreme Court handed down its 7-2 decision in Roe v. Wade, holding that state laws prohibiting abortion violated an implied constitutional right to privacy protected by the provisions of the Fourteenth Amendment.
One wonders what one of humanity’s greatest champions of civil rights, Mother Teresa, might say today, on the thirty-sixth anniversary of Roe v. Wade, if asked to comment on the high themes and promises of President Obama’s inaugural, including his admonition that “America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman, and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity.”
In February of 1994, speaking before Barack Obama’s Democratic presidential predecessor Bill Clinton, she addressed the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington DC. “I feel that the greatest destroyer of peace today is abortion,” said Mother Teresa. “Any country that accepts abortion is not teaching the people to love, but to use any violence to get what they want. That is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion.”
The rhetoric of civil rights has grown more inclusive since abortion was declared an inviolate legal guarantee in all fifty states thirty-six years ago today, but the practice of civil rights has quantitatively decreased, measured by more than 40 million abortions performed in the intervening years.
Many will say that the complexities are too difficult and the costs are too high to change this. In his own words on Tuesday, President Obama, speaking of great American commitments, seemed to disagree. “Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.”
Citing the words of Scripture, Obama encouraged America to “choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation.” In spirit, he was echoing the words spoken by Mother Teresa near that same spot fifteen years earlier: “From here, a sign of care for the weakest of the weak— the unborn child—must go out to the world. If you become a burning light of justice and peace in the world, then really you will be true to what the founders of this country stood for.”
Today, how can those facing the uncertainties of unwanted childbirth confidently provide their unborn with “a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness?” President Obama provided an answer: “This is the source of our confidence,” he said, “the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.”
In this week of new beginnings celebrated alongside sad commemorations, few words speak more loudly.
Matt Kinnaman’s Getting it Right column appears every week in the Transcript www.thetranscript.com
Thursday, January 22, 2009
New Matt Kinnaman Column
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Foxborough RTC Hosts Michael Graham to Kickoff 2009!
Some news from Foxborough RTC Chair Angela Davis...
The Foxborough Republican Town Committee hit the New Year with a smashing fundraiser on Thursday January 8th 2009 at the Lafayette House in Foxborough. Headlining the event and guest of honor was conservative comic and WTKK 96.9 FM Talk Radio Host and Boston Herald Columnist Michael Graham.
Michael signs copies of his book...
There was a full house at the Lafayette Restaurant in Foxborough. Angela F. F. Davis, Chair of the Foxborough Republican Town Committee welcomed the room and the officials that attended from Beacon Hill. Among those in attendance included State Rep. Betty Poirier (R) and State Rep. George Ross (R), former State Rep. Kevin Poirier (R) and former State Rep. Ginny Coppola (R). Republican Town Committee Chairs and members from Walpole, Sharon, Attleboro and Mansfield all were in attendance as well.
Graham worked the room and went from table to table prior to his remarks. He kicked off the event with his signature radio high-pitch intro voice, and the crowd roared.
He joked about his early days in campaign management when he fell into spearheading a campaign in New Hampshire. He laughed as he spoke about knowing nothing about politics until he took the job and realized he could make a living off off of his full time involvement. Then he went on to speak about the tax and spend liberals on Beacon Hill and how the future of politics depends on how Republicans decide to run for office.
He finished off the evening with a book signing, and was very gracious with his time.
It was an amazing event and Graham knows his Foxborough fans are anxious for his next visit! He is a good friend to Foxborough!
Be sure to tune in to his show weekdays on 96.9FM, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
(graham signing book for Foxborough Republican Town Committee member, January 8, 2009. photo courtesy of Michael Davis)
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Who's In Charge?
So, who's in charge? State House News Service reports:
Senate President Therese Murray questioned Tuesday whether Transportation Secretary James Aloisi was speaking for Gov. Deval Patrick when he unveiled a proposal to sell or lease the 11 service area plazas on the Mass. Turnpike. “Did that come from the governor? I thought that came from Jim Aloisi,” Murray said when asked about the privatization move. “When I talked to Jim when he was going to take the job, he told me he’d be his own person and he had been told that he’d be his own person, so I assume it just came from Jim.”
I thought Aloisi was just supposed to be the "fixer" with the legislature?
Thursday, January 8, 2009
MRPFDDDPR
Our Press Release Today...
Boston, MA - The Massachusetts Republican Party today announced the creation of a formula to calculate what the actual size of the pay raise for the DiMasi Democrats should be.
MassGOP Communications Director
The
- The amount of State Senators forced to resign in 2008 = 2
- Multiply by the amount Governor Patrick pays Massachusetts for the Cadillac: 2 x 543 = 1086
- Add the increase in the unemployed under the Democrats failed economic agenda: 1086 + 42,297 = 43,383
- Divide by the number of counts in the indictment against DiMasi friend Richard Vitale: 43,383 / 7 = 6198
- Take Transportation Secretary Jim “Big Dig” Aloisi’s salary, and divide it by the result of Step 4: 150,000 / 6198 = 24
- Add the amount of money raised by State Treasurer Tim Cahill for his potential primary challenge against Governor Patrick: 24 + 145,000 = 145,024
- Multiply that by the amount of money Governor Patrick made as a member of the board of Subprime lender Ameriquest: 145,024 x 360,000 = 52,208,640,000
- Divide by the amount of Governor Patrick’s book deal: 52,208,640,000 / 1,350,000 = 38673
- Add $657,000,000 in new taxes last year: 657,000,000 + 38673 = 657,038,673
- Multiply that number by the amount of property tax relief given to the people of
Final Suggested MRPFDDDPR Pay Raise = $0.00
*"I believe a rational revenue structure, sensible tax policy and fair distribution of state resources to cities and towns – so that property taxes can be lowered and kept low – are essential elements of a true partnership between state and local government" (Deval Patrick – ‘Moving Massachusetts Forward’ p. 36)
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Friday, January 2, 2009
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
It's Because We Actually Care
http://www.enterprisenews.com/homepage/x1142647769/GOP-Pay-raise-No-thanks
GOP: Pay raise? No thanks
Some lawmakers don’t want it
By Nancy Reardon
GateHouse News Service
Dec 26, 2008
BOSTON — State lawmakers may be the only employees in this fiscal crisis actually required to take a pay raise – and some of them don’t want it.
The state Senate’s Republican caucus called for a one-year salary freeze this week for state workers and legislators, the latter of whom receive a constitutionally guaranteed raise every two years.
The governor has some discretion over the raise amount, which must take into consideration the state’s median household income over the two previous years, according to a 1998 amendment to the state constitution.
That means it’s also possible that legislators’ pay could go down.
A spokeswoman for Gov. Deval Patrick said the office is still determining what the raise would be. A recommendation is not due until next week.
According to a statement from the GOP, no state employee should get a pay raise as long as Patrick delays scheduled salary increases for some workers, most notably 30,000 human service providers awaiting a 3 percent raise.
Sen. Robert Hedlund said foregoing the raise would make an even wider statement.
“Unless you’re a Wall Street banker that’s getting bailed out, there aren’t a lot of people in the private sector getting raises this year,” the Weymouth Republican said. “We’re seeing a decline in wages in the U.S., and we’re seeing a shrinkage of the middle class, and public officials’ compensation should reflect what’s going on in the marketplace.”
But some say turning down a raise written into the constitution may be easier said than done.
“What sounds like a good sound byte is actually going to take some work,” said Sen. Michael Morrissey, a Quincy Democrat.
He said lawmakers should consider other alternatives that don’t “single out” legislators or possibly affect other state workers’ retirement plans.
He also noted that some legislators have lucrative jobs and businesses in addition to their congressional work, and others do not.
“I don’t think we should be focusing on the Legislature,” Morrissey said. “We should be looking at the entire problem and a wide array of solutions to the fiscal crisis.”
A spokeswoman for Senate President Therese Murray said the Plymouth Democrat didn’t have any comment on the issue yet.
This year, lawmakers earned $58,237 in base pay. Committee chairmen and vice chairmen earned between $7,500 and $15,000 on top of that, and the House speaker and Senate president receive $35,000 stipends on top of their base pay.
In 2005 and 2007, former Gov. Mitt Romney boosted legislative pay between 4 and 5 percent.
“In the old days, people complained about us voting for our own pay raise,” Morrissey said. “There’s no good way to figure out what a legislative pay raise should be.”
Monday, December 22, 2008
Take It Easy, Bob.
The following was sent to members of the
As you may have heard this weekend, Rob Willington has resigned as Executive Director of the Massachusetts Republican Party.
Rob has been a terrific E.D. this cycle, and is easily one of the most technologically sophisticated ED's anywhere in the country, in any political party. When you look at the advances that the MassGOP made in using technology this cycle, you should think of and thank Rob Willington.
Here is just one example: Rob's plan to make people sign up for a McCain bumper sticker on line led to identifying hundreds of McCain supporters in Massachusetts, many of whom had never worked on a campaign before. With their online contact information, the McCain campaign in
To say this should be a model for future campaigns for President, Governor, and
Rob will be working on bringing Republicans across the country up to speed on the uses of technology to organize and communicate with voters, and elect more Republicans. Given what he was able to do in
Please join me in thanking Rob Willington, and wishing him all the best as he continues to help the Republican Party.
Sincerely,
Peter
PETER G. TORKILDSEN
Chair
Friday, December 19, 2008
BlogsForJoy
This holiday season, don't forget those that are less fortunate. It takes so little to create joy and happiness. By giving a little of your money, or a little of your time you can make a big difference.www.BlogsForJoy.com was just launched and it's a network of bogs across the political spectrum. From BlueMassGroup to HubPolitics, we all agree that the world can use more joy.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Make Joy This Christmas
So here is a way to do more.
You can help and I am asking you to do so.
The MassGOP currently has a lot of toys that the Marines will soon be picking up, but more should be done and you can help.
The Mass Toys For Tots has a list of their drop-off locations. However, we put this list in google maps to help you visualize where you can go to help.
View Larger Map
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Welcome New Members
Last night the First Suffolk Senate District had a caucus in Dorchester (Boston) to elect two new members of the Massachusetts Republican State Committee.
Joseph Ureneck
jureneck[AT]comcast[DOT]net
Karen MacNutt
KLMacnutt[AT]aol[DOT]com
Give them a warm welcome as they are working to build the GOP in Boston.
Monday, December 8, 2008
RTC Links
As you scroll down, you will notice on the right hand side a series of links for Republican Town Committees in Massachusetts.
We must be missing some.
Can you help us identify which Republican Town Committees are active online and email them links to us at FarmTeam[AT]massgop[DOT]com ? Thanks, we appreciate it.
Also, if you notice some sites that are from 1993, can you please let them know that we (the MassGOP) are willing to bring them into the 21st century for free? (be nice of course in your suggestion for an upgrade).
GOP Farm Team Update
GOPFarmTeam.com has been updated with a new post giving you election dates for municipalities across the Commonwealth.
Go check it out, and don't forget to ASK!
Berkshire GOP Christmas party
Join the Berkshire GOP to celebrate Christmas on Tuesday, December 16, from 5:30 - 7 PM in Pittsfield with State Senator Scott Brown.
Directions
Sunday, December 7, 2008
COME TWEET WITH US
You are invited to micro-blog with the MassGOP.
What's Micro Blogging?
It's twitter.
What in the world is twitter?
Christmas Party $50?
The MassGOP is going to have a wonderful Christmas party in Boston on December 10th.
You have 2 options.
1) pay $50 at the door.
2) print out your facebook RSVP and get in for $20.
We really value your personal connection to the MassGOP - you need to RSVP and then print out the invite. Also, bring a unwrapped toy (under $10) to support the Boston Toys For Tots program.
If you are not familiar with facebook, click here to learn a bit and then click on our icon to join.
Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 4, 2008
MassRoots Goes DC
I'm in Washington DC today for a conference at ATR (Americans for Tax Reform) headed by our very own Grover Norquist.
Monday, December 1, 2008
YOU are needed NOW.
"More than a quarter million toys are needed to avert a blue Christmas for needy children this year, as the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program in Boston tries to stave off a crisis of soaring requests for help amid plummeting donations."
The cost is $50 payable to the Massachusetts Republican Party to attend.
If you are already out shopping, pick up this toy to bring joy to a child in need this Christmas; you have the ability to warm the heart of a little kid.
If you can not attend the MassGOP Christmas Party, please support the Toys for Tots by visiting this link.
Friday, November 28, 2008
Winning Hearts & Minds
I just received this email from a State Committee member:
"The Uxbridge Republican Town Committee provides our high school library with subscriptions to "Human Events". the weekly edition of "Washington Times", and "National Review" as well as assorted books with conservative content after we've read them ourselves. We also try to select one or two recently graduated HS students to send to the National Conservative Student Conference held in Washington, DC each August. I personally contribute to the scholarship fund that subsidizes student attendance at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, DC and to Morton Blackwell's Leadership Institute campus program particularly here in the northeast."I like to think of myself as a product of Morton Blackwell's fantastic Leadership Institute. The summer after High School I attended the Candidate Development Program (8 days), then I attended the Youth Leadership School (campus activism) and a Global Warming school before being shipped over to Bonn, Germany to protest the Kyoto Protocol (greenpeace was stunned to find protesters protesting protesters).
The Uxbridge Republican Town Committee is doing great things to help win the battle of ideas and to promote our ideals with young students (before heading into the notorious college classroom).
We would love to see other Republican Town Committees do similar projects. Currently, the MassGOP staff consists of only a few people working hard on our top priorities of recruiting candidates and targeting towns to resurrect Republican Town Committees.
However, part of our strategy in the past 2 years has been to decentralize the MassGOP to empower activists to self-organize - this is evident in our online approach with MassRootsAction, a private training site which gives you, our activists, a tremendous amount of information and tools that have never been available before.
In this spirit, I want to offer one of you to spearhead this project of replicating what Uxbridge is doing across the Commonwealth. I know how valuable this can be. In the late 90's I used to read National Review magazine in my High School library.
Finally, to parallel my offer to spearhead this project, I recommend a very wise and important speech that Morton Blackwell gave in 1993 titled, "How To Be The Life Of The Party."
Morton has a lot of other great articles on this link. I especially like the "People, Parties, and Power" and "Power and Influence."
If you can help with this effort to expand the Uxbridge model, please email us at info[AT]massgop[DOT]com and I will then coordinate all that respond to form the team.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Christmas Party
I would love to see you at our Christmas Party! You can RSVP to ljones (AT) massgop (DOT) com or RSVP to our Facebook Event page.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Join Us
Over at RebuildTheParty.com they have just done a fantastic update and really expanded the tools and options.
A few state parties have created individual groups and I just launched "Massachusetts Rebuild The Party" group - will you join it?
Saturday, November 22, 2008
RebuildTheParty.com
The world have politics has also seen an enormous change from the internet.
The first time I noticed the internet influencing politics was when John McCain was the first candidate in history to raise more than $1 million in 2000. Once Howard Dean's campaign made history in 2004, I was hooked - the internet, if used right, can do massive things. I read Joe Trippi's book, "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and saw how the web took a small campaign in Burlington VT. to the national stage with millions of dollars.
I no longer thought of the internet as a top-down medium where a website informs the visitor. The web empowers everyone to be active and to participate; it was engaging.
The Democrats cleaned our clocks in 2008 both locally and nationally and the internet gave them a lot of ammunition.
There are a few reasons why Democrats are better with new media than Republicans:
1) Demographic - younger people are much savvier online and participatory, they are more likely to engage and not be casual readers. In this current Republican climate, younger people are more likely to be Democrat.
2) Geography - do you remember seeing the red/blue map based by county? Well, if one were to take that map and overlay it on a different map noting the counties that have dial-up internet and hi-speed internet, you will find that virtually all of the blue counties have access to hi-speed internet.
3) Power - it's natural for the party out of power to be innovative and advance new techniques and technologies. During the late 1990's after 8 years of Bill Clinton, it was the conservatives with FreeRepublic (and McCain's $1 million dollars in 2000) that were the online innovators.
"Great Rob, a bunch of new internet toys while we lost 3 seats in the legislature."
Correct - we got beat this year and those lost 3 seats are what you see. However, you don't see what we have acquired internally - the thousands of McCain supporters via the free sticker offer on our webpage, the thousands came to one of our offices or signed up via one of our web initiatives and petitions. This data on our harddrives at the MassGOP HQ is exactly what we needed to Grow Our Party. New blood.
These people are connected (obviously, since we captured them online) and they will be the engagers to move the Massachustts Republican Party forward and they will be invited to attend future trainings in their region.
Now we have the tools and workers to build the Massachusetts Republican Party. We will soon launch a few party building projects and provide a very special opportunity for you to communicate directly with me and the interns over lunch; stay tuned!
I was fortunate enough to be invited to help craft RebuildTheParty.com, a new national initiative to push the GOP toward what I have just written about. You can submit your idea and I encourage you to support this effort, spread it far and wide and endorse the plan today.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Farm Team
MassachusettsRobert Willingham has a tough job. How do you promote the GOP in a state with an almost uninterrupted history of electing “Massachusetts liberals”?“In Massachusetts, the Republican Party is surely in a peculiar position next to other parties,” says Willington, executive director of the Massachusetts Republican Party. “We don’t even hold a statewide office, we don’t have anything.”Aside from a recent red hiccup with former Gov. Mitt Romney, the Bay State has nearly always been straight blue. Even the state house tilts blue: only five of the 40 state senators and 19 of the 160 state representatives are Republican.So about two years ago, Willington started working on what he calls the GOP’s “farm team.” He’s training candidates in smaller municipal races like school committee and mayor, even candidates who usually don’t get party support because they’re officially running as nonpartisans. Willington teaches his candidates how to use tools—like his party’s Voter Vault—usually reserved for bigger elections. “A lot of Republicans have been winning [these nonpartisan races],” he says. “It’s just been under the radar.”One of the success stories is Adam Lamontagne, Ward 1 representative in Chicopee, the second largest city in Western Massachusetts. Elected at only 21, he’s part of a wave of young officeholders that Willington hopes will claim bigger offices down the road.“We’re building the bench,” he says, “so we have a stronger minor league team to take to the big leagues.”
—Abigail Shaha
Thursday, November 6, 2008
the building has begun.
Just north of us in New Hampshire, we had Republican incumbent John Sununu lose his senate seat and to the south of us we lost incumbent Congressman Chris Shays in Connecticut, the last Republican Congressman of New England is now gone. Typically, around 98% of incumbents get reelected. If Senator Sununu and Congressman Shays could not hold on in this climate, it would be very difficult for non-incumbent Republicans to win in Massachusetts.
Some of you want to give up and go into hibernation and I can understand, although I don't agree. The number of GOP activists is not finite. Yesterday morning I arrived to the MassGOP headquarters, and as you can expect, in a pretty low mood.
Then the phone started ringing.
An Unenrolled (independent) voter called from Tewksbury to ask how he could switch to become a Republican. After I told him how to register as a Republican, he asked how he could fight for the party and be active in building it.
Then, a Republican in Brighton called who has never been involved before but asked how he could run for office to carry the GOP banner.
A Democrat from Watertown called and is switching to Republican and is looking to get involved.
The phone continued to ring with similar stories. There are new people that have never been involved before but now they want to fight. These people are now awake.
There were 1,104,086 people in Massachusetts that voted for John McCain. There are 15,696 people that moved to Massachusetts this year that were registered as Republicans in their previous state. As crazy as this sounds, there are Republicans moving to Massachusetts. This is just the beginning of a massive effort to grow the Republican Party from the bottom up and reach out to these people with welcoming arms.
This Party will not grow if we keep looking to others, or to "Merrimac Street" (State Party headquarters). This effort is to empower you to self-organize and to become more independent with the tools that you need. The Party is here to be your ally and assist you with technology, trainings, and lists of names, numbers, and emails but it is you that has to work.
If you want to join the Democrat from Watertown, the Unenrolled from Tewksbury, the Republican from Brighton along with the others that called our headquarters to be part of this effort, you can do so right now.
Sign up and let us know what you are interested in. And most importantly, if we are to expand our party we need to share this blog post. For us to Grow Our Party, this opportunity must go viral so share this with your email list and post it on blogs.
In only a few weeks we will begin to have municipal elections and in 729 days we will have a state election; your active involvement today will mean a brighter future for tomorrow.
The building has begun and we can do big things.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
The Phoenix's Ultra, HardCore, Radical, Rabid Article
David Bernstein from the Boston Phoenix loves modifiers. Bernstein's recent article is full of political-speak resembling a DNC press release.
radical right wing creatures
radical kooks
ultra-right wing (Steve Pearce)
ultra-right wing (American Conservative Union)
ultra-conservative (Newt Gingrich)
ultra-conservative (John Kyl)
rabid conservatives
rabid right
rabid ideologues
radical right wing creatures
hard right conservatives
ultra right wing (2)
hard-core conservatives.
know-nothing, scary conservatives.
zombies.
The term "conservative" won't do for David. He wants to show you how very, super-duper, very, very, very, majorly, "extreme" some of these Republicans are. The article should cause you to zoom out a little bit and ask; what is the difference between conservative and "ultra," "radical" conservative? David's answer is that Newt Gingrich is not simply a conservative. What this article really reveals, if anything, is David's worldview and where he is on the political spectrum.
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
NY POST: DEMS' CAMPAIGN-FINANCE HYPOCRISY
By BOB KERREY
Last updated: 5:42 am
October 28, 2008
Posted: 3:42 am
October 28, 2008
ON the question of public funding of presidential campaigns, we Democrats who strongly support Sen. Barack Obama's candidacy and who previously supported limits on campaign spending and who haven't objected to Obama's opting out of the presidential funding system face an awkward fact: Either we are hypocrites, or we were wrong to support such limitations in the first place.
The next time we speak of the virtue of level playing fields or state our strong belief that democracy can't survive in the modern age unless big money is taken out of campaigns, we'll be counting on our audience's forgetting our silence this year, when the free market was flowing in our direction.
A hypocrite is a person who puts on a false appearance of virtue - who acts in contradiction to his or her stated beliefs or feelings. And that, it seems to me, is what we're doing now.
Former Sen. Wendell Ford once gave me good advice about public issues and votes: "If it takes you more than 10 minutes to explain why you voted a particular way, you probably voted wrong." It would take me a lot longer than those 10 minutes to explain why I'm not outraged by Obama's decision to opt out of funding - which has given him a decisive spending advantage over Sen. John McCain.
Actually, I could keep my answer under 10 minutes if I were willing to answer that it's now to my advantage to act in contradiction to my previously stated beliefs. All I would need to say is that, on the issue of public funding in 2008, I was a hyprocrite.
Of course, there's another option: Admit I was wrong on such limitations in the first place. And that's exactly what I'm likely to do.
For the facts in evidence seem to make the case that this presidential campaign is the most exciting, most closely watched and most expensive in my lifetime. That is, there seems to be no correlation between the amount of money spent and disillusionment among the voters. Indeed, the contrary appears to be true.
The argument that money is corrupting our democratic system is as old as our first election. And it is an argument usually made by liberals, who have proposed various interventions in the marketplace of political ideas.
The bedrock federal law here was enacted in 1971 and has been challenged time and again by individuals and groups who view such limits as a violation of the First Amendment. On each of the several occasions when the Supreme Court has ruled against the law, Congress came back with further modifications to the statute.
The most recent effort was in 2002, when Sen. McCain led a bipartisan effort to "clean up the system." Last year, the high court overturned the key provision of that law, which restricted individuals and groups from engaging in issue campaigns.
There is great irony here, since the key vote in that 5-4 decision was Justice Sam Alito - just the kind of "nonactivist" judge that Sen. McCain has promised to nominate.
So maybe I was simply wrong about placing limits on spending and providing public monies in exchange for adhering to these limits. Of course, it's possible that I'm making a virtue out of a necessity - since my candidate is now winning in part because, by opting out of the system, he has more money to spend.
In the short term, I'm sad to report that hypocrite is a more accurate label. In the long term, perhaps this will be the moment that causes me to change my views. It certainly feels better than remaining a hypocrite forever.
Bob Kerrey, president of the New School, served as a US senator and governor of Nebraska.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
15 Years Is 15 Dollars
You heard the news of Dianne Wilkerson. You shook your head, but you were probably not in disbelief. Why?
Because you sort of expect Beacon Hill Democrats to be shady and unethical.
Typically, we continue on with our day without trying to do something about Beacon Hill. In memory of Senator Dianne Wilkerson, you can donate $15 right now to represent the 15 years that Dianne Wilkerson has been on Beacon Hill.
15 for $15.
You Can Make History
If we work hard, we can put Republicans to work once they are elected. Please give your time over the next few days to help our Massachusetts Republicans.
Did you know that it has been 18 years since the GOP has gained seats in the Massachusetts legislature? You can make history this year.
Wedensday, October 29
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Thursday , October 30
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Friday, October 31
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Saturday, November 1
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Monday, October 27, 2008
Suffolk College Republicans
I have to say, the Suffolk College Republicans rule. They are here at the MassGOP right now at 7:59 and they have been making calls for hours.
They are dedicated.
The Suffolk CR's remind me of how I was when I was a proud member of the Massachusetts Alliance of College Republicans.
You don't have to be left out. You can join the College Republicans in their effort by donating right now to help the GOP farm team to send Republicans to Beacon Hill.
Obama Redistribution Of Wealth
Here is a 2001 interview of Obama talking as a State Senator. He wants to fundamentally change our constitutional system.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Obama In The Real World
This was an email sent to Robert Bluey:
"In a local restaurant my server had on a “Obama 08″ tie, again I laughed as he had given away his political preference–just imagine the coincidence.
When the bill came I decided not to tip the server and explained to him that I was exploring the Obama redistribution of wealth concept. He stood there in disbelief while I told him that I was going to redistribute his tip to someone who I deemed more in need–the homeless guy outside. The server angrily stormed from my sight.
I went outside, gave the homeless guy $10 and told him to thank the server inside as I’ve decided he could use the money more. The homeless guy was grateful.
At the end of my rather unscientific redistribution experiment I realized the homeless guy was grateful for the money he did not earn, but the waiter was pretty angry that I gave away the money he did earn even though the actual recipient deserved money more.
I guess redistribution of wealth is an easier thing to swallow in concept than in practical application."
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Just $10
I just donated $10.
I'm asking you to do the same to support the local Republicans running in the State Legislature. They are carrying the GOP banner and your $10 contribution can be a big help.
Please expand your $10 donation by emailing your friends and ask them for $10 to help the GOP Farm Team. Click here to give your $10.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Launched: Scaling The Hill Blog
The 5 Republican State Senators have launched Scaling The Hill.
Be sure to visit often to see what's really going on under the dome of Beacon Hill.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Donate To Farm Team Today!
We just launched www.GOPFarmTeam.com as way for you to directly support our local candidates that are carrying the GOP banner to Beacon Hill.
The legislature is 88% Democrat and you can help advance Republican candidates by going to www.GOPFarmTeam.com and donating right now. We only have 20 days left and your contribution will help tremendously!
You can water the grassroots; this is party building. There are only 20 days left.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Palin's Coming to New Hampshire!!!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Kuros: 40 Votes In 40 Days
Kevin Kuros, who is running against Rep. Paul Kujawski in the 8th Worcester District, has a great site up called "40 Votes in 40 Days." Check it out!
Monday, October 6, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
Palin Power
Frank Luntz had a focus group on the debate last night and you can watch the results below.
It's clear that Sarah Palin won the debate last night - but don't take our word for it. Check out these two videos.
"She Killed" says Peggy Noonan.
Joe Biden? He was simply not telling the truth, but then again, it's "just words."
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Palin Update
Check out the John McCain store for the new Palin Power materials. 
Also, there is a new site called Palin Truth Files which you can check out by clicking the graphic below.
