THE REPUBLICANS WHO CONTROL CONGRESS Congress have had all the time in the world to do something about gun violence in America. I mean that. If the GOP spent a teeny, tiny fraction of the time they waste voting again and again to repeal the Affordable Care Act or defund Planned Parenthood on sensible gun […]
National Politics
Posted inThe Download
Trump jumps the shark
Has Donald Trump finally gone too far? In calling for a complete ban on all Muslims entering the United States, the bombastic businessman appears to have jumped the shark. Most, but not all, of his Republican presidential rivals condemned him and major media outlets portrayed Trump’s proposal as unworkable, unconstitutional, and another bid to boost […]
Posted inOpinion
How to deal with the complexities of terrorism
I RETURNED FROM a recent business/pleasure trip to Europe to observe a nation nearly unhinged by the recent terrorist attacks in Paris. The reaction to the Paris events, based in part upon misinformation (the attacks were not perpetrated by Syrian refugees, but rather were homegrown in nature), and accentuated by the ongoing presidential campaign, has […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Warren: We can’t abandon Syrian refugees
OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS, millions of people have fled their homes in Syria, running for their lives. In recent months, the steady stream of refugees has been a flood that has swept across Europe. Every day, refugees set out on a journey hundreds of miles, from Syria to the Turkish coast. When they arrive, […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
States must do right thing, accept Syrian refugees
FRIDAY’S ATTACK ON PARIS felt like an attack that happened in our backyard despite it having taken place an ocean away. The reason for that is the attackers didn’t target governmental or economic symbols, instead they went after concert venues, sports events, and cafes. They declared war on civilians. They declared war on public gatherings. […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Social Security recipients deserve more
What follows is a slightly edited version of a message Sen. Elizabeth Warren sent out on Thursday to supporters via email. Three weeks ago, the Social Security Administration made a quiet announcement. Next year, for just the third time since 1975, seniors who receive Social Security won’t be getting an annual cost of living increase. […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Was the Trump wave a polling mirage?
DONALD TRUMP’S poll numbers are slipping in Iowa, and a new national poll is the first in a while to show him trailing. But a closer look at the polling suggests that the Trump wave may have been overstated from the beginning. His sizeable lead has been based largely on the influence of Internet polls. […]
Posted inEconomy
The politics of patents
THE WAY BOSTON UNIVERSITY President Bob Brown sees it, the Massachusetts economy is fueled by a pipeline of innovation running from the state’s great research universities to start-up companies. University professors discover something and patent it. They then license their idea to firms that can bring it to market. Even if no one gets rich, […]
Posted inOpinion, Politics
Say it ain’t so, CNN
CNN’S CRITERIA for deciding who makes the grown-ups table for the GOP debate next month doesn’t make sense. It’s the sports equivalent of declaring the Red Sox losers in the iconic, come-from-behind Game 4 of the 2004 American League Championship Series against the Yankees because they scored their runs too late. The Red Sox won […]
Posted inPolitics, The Download
Biden his time. Will Joe run?
Hillary Clinton is surely muttering the same thing over and over today: Say it ain’t so, Joe. After months of monotony about how the former First Lady, US senator, and secretary of state was marching toward the most certain party nomination in recent history for an open-seat presidential election, the wild speculation that Joe Biden […]