It’s not my intention to make this blog Jon Keller Watch, but this week’s interview with Marty Meehan was just too rich. On the Alito hearings, he asks:
Yet again, Democrats wound up taking legitimate policy differences…and kind of squandering the argument in overheated rhetoric that tried to paint the other side as extreme — a […]
The Modern American takes exception to my post on T expansion, accusing me of, variously, of not realizing the budgetary crisis of the MBTA, of being undemocratic in wanting to go against the popular will, and of quixotically wanting T expansion in a low-density city like Boston. Now, part of our differences are difference may […]
Mark Jurkowitz, on Oprah:
[P]erhaps, she really is a feelgood force for positive things in this world. But I had to choke back the gag reflex watching clips of her carefully choreographed performance yesterday. To me, it felt like the secular version of some kind of overwrought televangelism morality play. I think Oprah’s amassed too much […]
Andy at Mass Revolution Now!, riffing off a Fred Salvucci op-ed, makes a passionate call for more public transportation spending:
Massachusetts needs to get serious and now. Population declines are real in our state. People can’t afford to live in the city but can’t deal with wicked traffic and HOURS of daily commuting either, especially when […]
Is it really possible that we’re already to Final Destination 3, but only at Big Momma’s House 2?
sco of .08 Acres has another post up on Massachusetts independent voters. Those who aren’t already reading his blog should go read his thoughts on the topic. In short, his argument goes like this:
A new Gallup poll on voters’ party identification gives a good indication of how Bay Staters are identifying, including independent voters, who […]
In response to a Globe article on Massachusetts independent voters and the chances of Christy Mihos, .08 Acres has an excellent analysis on indepedent affiliation and voter behavior:
Now, I pointed out last year that Massachusetts was purple in gubernatorial elections, but I’m not sure if the results of those contests prove much about the temperament […]
I’m not the only one with gripes about political analysis in the local press. Tim at K-Marx wonders why the Globe can get through an entire article on the Canadian elections without once mentioning the New Democratic Party (NDP), the third most popular and the party with the fourth most seats.
Today’s AP story does […]
There was an interesting piece in Sunday’s Boston Globe Magazine arguing against expansion of the commuter rail system. I don’t know if I fully buy the argument, but the article laid out some interesting reasons. This, however, was not one of them:
You’d think that the officials who want to expand the system would have a […]
If I may continue with the media criticism vein, a recent Jon Keller feature on Romney’s State of the Commonwealth address was both a valorous attempt to dig deeper to explore the main policy issues facing the Legislature and a sign of what’s lacking in local news’ political beat. In his interview with Craig Sandler […]
Since Brad DeLong always has smart things to say, it’s no surprise that he’s on a roll lately in his criticism of the print media, particularly the Washington Post…. on Joe Klein’s shifting of conventional wisdom when it suits his bashing of "liberal Democrats"…. on a lack of knowledge about foreign affairs… on the silly […]
Well, not literally. But this Wednesday we’ll be reading Edward
Jay Epstein’s The Big Picture: Money and Power in Hollywood.
I’ve just finished reading it - I’ll have plenty more to say after
book club discussion, I’m sure, but I’ll say now, it’s a fascinating,
engaging read, a tapestry of the major changes involved with the “New
Hollywood” and the […]
I know: sports are a foreign language to me, and I particularly don’t comprehend sports journalism. But Mark Jurkowitz, in responding to irate local sports bloggers calling for the head of Globe writer Ron Borges, brings up an interesting point only to stop halfway there.
In some ways, this episode is being framed as a […]
In the comments, Jason claims I’m too sanguine about Beacon Hill classism. Probably. On one hand, the architectural value and historical significance of the neighborhood will mean, given class divisions, that Beacon Hill will remain an exclusive neighborhood for the foreseeable future. On the other hand, a quick look at the Boston blogosphere will suggest […]
I don’t live in Middlesex County, so I don’t have a horse in this race, so I can enjoy the battle for Middlesex District Attorney as sheer spectator sport. It’s only January and already knives are out. Go read Blue Mass Group for a whiff of the vox populi. There’s a larger issue of what […]