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Six for the seat

After a tumultuous week, these half dozen are still in the mix for Kennedy's seat.
Over the next few months, as candidates for the US Senate travel the state, you're likely to hear them say again and again that nobody can ever truly replace Ted Kennedy. That's the truth. But what does the state want next, after such a legendary, larger-than-life figure?
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  September 16, 2009

Sins and promises

Keeping tabs on the tweets of gubernatorial twits
Let's suppose you wanted Maine's next governor to be somebody who'd create jobs.
By AL DIAMON  |  September 09, 2009
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Giant shadow

Though he won't be on the ballot, Ted Kennedy's influence will be keenly felt in the special election to replace him.
One striking aspect of the Kennedy tributes was the focus on the help he and his office provided for ordinary individuals in Massachusetts — all those things that fall under the category of "constituent services."
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  September 02, 2009
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Choosing Kennedy’s successor

The state needs to name a replacement — and soon
Massachusetts should have a temporary US senator until voters elect a replacement to serve out the remaining three years of Ted Kennedy’s term.
By EDITORIAL  |  September 02, 2009

Rhode Island weighs a succesions drama of its own

Political Watch
The death of Senator Edward M. Kennedy has Massachusetts' political class speculating, in not-so-hushed tones, about the odds of a next-generation Kennedy running for and winning the seat.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG  |  September 03, 2009
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Tormenting Teddy

Republicans threaten Kennedy reign
After 32 years in the US Senate, Ted Kennedy remains a force to be reckoned with, both for his legendary family history and his considerable accomplishments.
By BOSTON PHOENIX STAFF  |  August 26, 2009

Where was everybody on St. Patrick's Day?

Where's the (political) party?  
We piled into a car, we three intrepid journalists, and set out from the Back Bay Sunday morning to find our way to Royal Bolling’s party. “Roxbury’s Salute to St. Patrick’s Day,” as Bolling called it, should be easy to find, we reasoned. After all, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge. A.F. & M., was located at 18 Washington Street. All we had to do was follow Washington Street, right?
By MICHAEL RYAN  |  August 31, 2009
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After Ted

Kennedy’s death came amid renewed speculation about his succession, his family, and potential candidates for his job
The death of Senator Edward M. Kennedy early Wednesday morning brings to a close the life and legendary career of one of Massachusetts's greatest political figures.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  August 26, 2009
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Flaherty's fix for the BRA

Letters to the Boston editor, August 21, 2009
Your recent article regarding the upcoming preliminary election for mayor of Boston, inaccurately portrays my proposal for the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA), the city’s planning and development agency.
By BOSTON PHOENIX LETTERS  |  August 19, 2009
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State House status

In a purportedly liberal state, the Rhode Island General Assembly has a stubbornly conservative bent. But can progressive politics make a dent in 2010?
Rhode Island voters, for all their supposed insularity, are an increasingly progressive bunch.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG  |  August 12, 2009

Escape from the chicken coop

Politics and other mistakes
In olden times, before unlimited numbers of free-range office-seekers were allowed to be-fowl — er, befoul — the airwaves with messages less clever than that poultry — er, paltry — pun, the general rule of politics was that one dumb cluck per election season was plenty.
By AL DIAMON  |  August 12, 2009
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Patrick's latest train wreck

Plus, an Israeli diplomat does the right thing
There is no doubt that Governor Deval Patrick had — and has — much better ideas about reforming and restructuring the state's transportation infrastructure — including the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority — than the legislature.
By EDITORIAL  |  August 12, 2009
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Granite grind

Same-sex marriage ignites partisan battle in New Hampshire
Much of New England joined the march toward marriage equality this year, but in the comparably conservative Granite State, its legalization has heated up a partisan battle for control of the governorship in 2010, promising that this political war isn't quite over.
By ASHLEY RIGAZIO  |  August 04, 2009

Off the track

Politics and other mistakes
I've been thinking about what makes a first-rate kook.
By AL DIAMON  |  August 05, 2009

Gubernatorial agonistes

Caprio makes a big move. Plus, reasons to block the LNG terminal
On Tuesday, WRNI political reporter and former Phoenix news editor and master of the Casa Diablo elbow bend, Ian Donnis, broke the news that veteran political communications specialist, Bill Fischer, head ramrod at True North Communications, had signed on as spokesman for the State Treasurer Frank Caprio's gubernatorial campaign committee.
By PHILLIPE & JORGE  |  August 05, 2009

Budget cuts

Prison staffing crisis hits perilous level
“Things are as tough at the prison right now as I’ve seen them in a long time,” state Corrections commissioner Martin Magnusson told the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee on July 29. He spoke about the consequences of the staff cuts that the 915-inmate, 410-employee Maine State Prison in Warren has had to endure.
By LANCE TAPLEY  |  August 05, 2009
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Greens see red, must seek more green

Campaign planning
In a move Maine Green Independent Party leaders say unfairly targets them, but that Maine Democrats say is simply protecting taxpayer money, the Legislature last month passed a law requiring gubernatorial candidates to raise tens of thousands of dollars from private donors before qualifying for public support.
By JEFF INGLIS  |  July 29, 2009
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Patrick's opponents

A meaningful debate about Massachusetts will take intelligence and courage
Charlie Baker, former head of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and onetime finance chief for governors William Weld and Paul Cellucci, was scheduled to file papers this week to officially open his gubernatorial campaign. With that, he also unofficially kicks off the 2010 Massachusetts election season.
By EDITORIAL  |  July 29, 2009

Happy together

Politics and other mistakes
There's an easy way to make everyone happy.
By AL DIAMON  |  July 29, 2009

Federal investigation requested

More prison turmoil
Stirred into action by the murder of a wheelchair-bound prisoner, human-rights activists have asked the federal Department of Justice to investigate the treatment of Maine State Prison inmates.
By LANCE TAPLEY  |  July 22, 2009
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The 12th Annual Muzzle Awards

A look at the dishonorable enemies of free speech and personal liberty in New England.
With the era of repression and secrecy fostered by George W. Bush and Dick Cheney finally over, this should be the best of times for freedom of expression, open government, and civil liberties. Yet change comes slowly.
By DAN KENNEDY  |  July 10, 2009

Going Green: July 10, 2009

Smart solar
Maine will never be a leader in wind-energy development, says Richard Silkman, co-founder and -manager of a firm that could revolutionize the way we address energy issues in this state and throughout the region. "We missed our chance," he stated flatly during a presentation at the Maine Audubon Society in June.
By DEIRDRE FULTON  |  July 08, 2009

Can't be wrong

Talking Politics
I don't care if my state representative is sneaking off to Argentina to romance some exotic mystery woman. Given my rep's track record at the State House, he's unlikely to be any less effective in pursuing a clandestine international affair than in passing legislation.
By AL DIAMON  |  July 08, 2009

Low expectations

Talking Politics
There are some important qualities I'd like to see in the next governor of Maine. But they're all pretty boring. So let's get to what I wouldn't like to see.
By AL DIAMON  |  July 01, 2009
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Patrick's patchwork

Plus, Massachusetts needs a DNA-testing law
The folks on Beacon Hill deserve credit for crafting a budget in this extraordinarily challenging fiscal climate that will hopefully sustain services at a level just short of disastrous.  
By EDITORIAL  |  July 02, 2009

My aim is true

Talking Politics
I believe in having clear and achievable goals.
By AL DIAMON  |  June 24, 2009
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Massholes

A timeline of modern-day state house corruption
Scandal and accusations of corruption are nothing new to Massachusetts state government. Hutchinson was accused of enforcing the much-despised Stamp Act and Tea Act in part because his brother-in-law was stamp master, and two of his sons were designated tea consignees.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  June 17, 2009

Some kind of salvation

Politics and other mistakes  
In 2008, Sean Faircloth, then a state representative from Bangor, lost his bid to become Maine's attorney general, mostly because lots of legislators questioned his credibility. When your credibility is so shaky that even politicians notice, you have a serious problem. It's sort of like if atheists complained about your ungodliness.
By AL DIAMON  |  June 17, 2009
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Mass betrayal

How House progressives have let you down — and why they'll do it again
Is the Massachusetts House of Representatives beyond all hope? Under Democratic leadership, the song has pretty much remained the same for the last decade and a half: an insular and out-of-touch legislature is lost in its own constricted and often petty perspectives.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN  |  June 19, 2009

Under attack

Civil liberties' limits grow
Recent decisions by President Barack Obama and Maine Governor John Baldacci have dampened progressive hopes that the Republican-inspired war on civil liberties might be winding down.
By JEFF INGLIS  |  June 10, 2009

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