The disgraceful practice of sending women who have been civilly committed for substance abuse disorders to the state prison in Framingham rather than a treatment facility is finally coming to an end. “I’m sorry it took so long to make this happen,” said Gov. Charlie Baker at the State House bill signing on Monday. Civil […]
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Posted inPolitics, The Download
Bloomberg news
There apparently can never be too many New York billionaires in the race for president. Or, at a minimum, one may not be enough. The weekend brought news that former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has instructed underlings to begin drawing up plans for a potential independent run for president. Medford Mike is said to […]
Posted inState House News Service, The Download
Patching together blanket coverage on Baker’s speech
There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the State of the Commonwealth speech received blanket coverage and analysis in print and on television. But that was then and this is now. With the depletion of resources and the presence of instant analysis on social media, those who want anything beyond the static recitations of […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Milton senator claims victory even as clouds swirl
Embattled state Sen. Brian Joyce went before a television audience Wednesday night and stated at least one thing everyone can agree upon. “The optics looked bad,” the Milton Democrat told Greater Boston‘s Jim Braude in his first lengthy defense of his myriad of alleged ethical and campaign finance missteps. While Joyce, who also granted an interview to […]
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GE coming because of our brains, not brilliant pols
With all the excitement and high-fiving among state and city and leaders starting to wind down, now comes the annoying reality check on the General Electric news that ruins all the fun. It turns out Charlie Baker and Marty Walsh don’t walk on water. Their bipartisan rowing in the same direction was surely helpful (there […]
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Trump and The Surprise Doctrine
The Boston Globe’s Ideas section on Sunday offered a look at Donald Trump’s America. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot to it because Trump is so adept at talking in an entertaining way without saying much of substance. The Globe’s Alex Kingsbury, in a letter to his editor, said he had been unable to complete […]
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Local media matters
When the masthead changes at major newspapers, it’s a seismic shift that causes ripple effects in all corners of the profession and often gets the attention of readers. But there’s probably no position that can have more of an effect on people’s daily lives, whether they know it or not, than the editor of the […]
Posted inEconomy, The Download
Come to Boston for the sights, stay for the tax credits
Boston and the entire state is puffing out its collective chest just a little bit more this morning with the announcement that General Electric is moving its worldwide headquarters to the Seaport District this summer. And all it took was money. Lots and lots of money. Potentially as much as $145 million in tax credits, grants, and infrastructure […]
Posted inPolitics, State House News Service, The Download
Cruz in for a legal bruising
If money is the mother’s milk of politics, hypocrisy is what journalism runs on. That makes the speculation that Ted Cruz might not be eligible to serve as president under the the narrow “originialist” view of the Constitution that he holds so dear an irresistible storyline . The Republican presidential hopeful was born in Canada, […]
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ACLU sends Worcester, Lowell big legal bills
The lawyers who successfully challenged anti-panhandling ordinances in Worcester and Lowell are now demanding more than $1.7 million from the two cities in court costs and fees. The American Civil Liberties Union and the Goodwin Procter law firm are seeking a total of $1.02 million from Worcester and $736,436 from Lowell. Officials from both communities […]