Political Parties

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Brown's Mark Blyth on austerity, virtue, and why the Democrats are like your mom

Cutting back
On the heels of this fall's Tea Party tempest, austerity is all the rage in Washington. Witness President Obama's call for a five-year freeze in domestic spending in his the State of the Union speech this week and the GOP's push, in response, for a far fuller gutting of the federal government.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | January 26, 2011

The circus came to town

Tea Party
In the days leading up to November 2, voters here and across the country heard a lot about the Tea Party — what various wins and losses would mean for the staying power of this relatively new political phenomenon, which candidates represented real Tea Party values, how much credit the Tea Partiers were to be given for conservative victories in Congress and in statewide races.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | November 04, 2010

Same Old Faces

It's an outsider's year for candidates, but the consultants are old Beacon Hill mainstays. Plus, who spent what at the conventions, and Baker goes on TV first.
If you're wondering who the geniuses are behind the political campaigns in Massachusetts this year — the strategists, media firms, ad teams, and fundraisers — well, it's a lot of the same folks who have been behind Massachusetts campaigns for a long time. Candidates may win or lose, but consultants are forever.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | June 24, 2010

Two sides to Guy

Boston Phoenix letters, June 25, 2010
I’m a delegate at the state Democratic convention and I didn’t vote for Guy Glodis for auditor.
By BOSTON PHOENIX LETTERS | June 24, 2010

Setting the stage for November

Post-primary musings
It's been more than a week since the June 8 primary election, which saw Republican PAUL LEPAGE (Waterville mayor and Marden's exec) beat a large field of better-financed competitors, and LIBBY MITCHELL (state senate president) pull out ahead of the Democratic pack, poised to become Maine's first-ever female governor.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | June 16, 2010

Plan B

Post-primary predictions
With the end of the long primary campaign, Mainers are facing an ugly reality.
By AL DIAMON | June 09, 2010

Mickey Mouse Multiculturalism

Governor Patrick's problematic Mosque visit. Plus, Bush — and the GOP — vote yes for torture
Massachusetts treasurer and independent candidate for governor Tim Cahill was off base when he accused incumbent governor Deval Patrick of "playing politics with terrorism" in the wake of Patrick's visit to the controversial Roxbury mosque maintained by the Islamic Society of Boston.
By EDITORIAL | June 14, 2010

Secret desires

Who's going to win the election?
Everywhere I go, people keep asking me, “Who’s going to win the election?” Often, my answer depends on my mood (which ranges from bad to horrendous).
By AL DIAMON | June 02, 2010

Heck of a Guy

Despite a history of illiberal views and a boorish reputation, Guy Glodis enters the Democratic state convention unscathed
Scott Brown’s stunning victory in January’s special US Senate election continues to reverberate through Massachusetts politics.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | May 26, 2010

Foolish dreams

Maine Democratic Party offers a lot of freebies, beer is not one of them
There’s nothing in the Maine Democratic Party’s platform about free beer.
By AL DIAMON | May 26, 2010

Can the Netroots triumph in Rhode island?

On the Hustings
Stories of State Representative David Segal’s nascent, underdog run for Congress invariably make a nod to the Progressive Change Campaign Committee. And rightly so.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | May 19, 2010

Wrote a song for everyone

Name that tune
Political experts know the most important factor in a successful race for governor is the campaign song.
By AL DIAMON | May 05, 2010

Library woes

Plus, Arizona declares war on immigrants
In an attempt to save four Boston Public Library branches that are slated to close due to budget shortfalls, some state legislators from Boston have threatened to block all state funding the library receives if it shutters any of its 26 branches.
By EDITORIAL | April 28, 2010

Tea Party Progressives?

Outsiders are trying to crash the gates of the state’s Democratic establishment — and are starting to succeed
When Democrat Peter Smulowitz celebrated his victory in the special-election primary for State Senate earlier this month in the back room of Masala Art restaurant in Needham, no bigwigs from his party were in attendance.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | May 03, 2010

Brown-nosing and flip-flopping

Scott Brown heeds his boss’s orders; Charlie Baker sides with homophobic party base
Two months ago, when Senator Scott Brown crossed party lines to help pass a jobs bill, the Phoenix noted the political convenience of that supposed show of independence — since other Republican senators were also voting with Democrats, Brown’s vote was unnecessary.
By EDITORIAL | April 23, 2010

GOP’s state convention delivers the bland brand

Dull and Duller Dept.
Massachusetts Republican candidates for office this November might be well-advised to legally change their names and appear on the ballot as “Someone Else,” “Another Option,” or “Available Alternative.”
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | April 23, 2010

Fed up and low down

For once, the beleaguered taxpayers of Maine can’t lose
Just kidding. Of course they’ll lose.
By AL DIAMON | April 21, 2010

The first Latino mayor?

Angel Taveras’s moment suddenly arrives
Until recently, to talk about Angel Taveras was to talk about the future.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | April 15, 2010

Gonna change directions

Jesus didn’t help Bill Beardsley.
That’s not intended as a negative reflection on the Son of God, who can’t be held responsible for the deficiencies in Beardsley’s early campaign style.
By AL DIAMON | April 15, 2010

Joe Paolino weighs a different kind of mayoral run

The Independent
It had been rumored for some time.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | April 14, 2010

'Tea' is for terrorism

When even the most ‘legitimate’ voices of the right validate dangerously unhinged anti-government rhetoric — DUCK!
A year ago, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) produced a memo outlining the growing threat posed to this country from right-wing extremists. It compared the situation to that of the early 1990s — which culminated in the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City, killing 168.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | April 12, 2010

Lynch’s left flank

The Southie Congressman may have pushed progressives too far this time.
US Representative Stephen Lynch has held Massachusetts’s ninth congressional district since 2001 — a fact that has irritated the state’s liberals ever since.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | April 02, 2010

What the health-care bill really means

Reforming the System
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama signed the new health-care bill into law.
By DEIRDRE FULTON | March 24, 2010

Boston Turkish Film Festival 2010

Divine madness rules the ninth annual Turkish Film Festival
In a scene in Çagan Irmak's IN DARKNESS (2009; April 3 at 3 pm), one of several provocative films in this year's Boston Turkish Film Festival at the Museum of Fine Arts, a woman explains to a TV interviewer that her political party is neither for Shari'a — extremist Islamic rule — nor for right-wing military coups. Well, good luck to her.
By PETER KEOUGH | March 17, 2010

The Curse of the Big Dig

Tthe mere mention of the Central Artery Project can derail one's hopes for higher office. Charlie Baker is finding that out now.
Call it the Curse of the Big Dig: virtually every politician with statewide significance who has over the years become intertwined with the Central Artery Project (as it is officially known) has seen his or her dreams of higher office dashed.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | March 17, 2010

Down ballot drama

Important races to watch in '10
The race for governor and the scramble to replace retiring Representative Patrick J. Kennedy have obsessed Rhode Island's chattering class. But all the talk has obscured an intriguing set of "down ballot" races for lieutenant governor, attorney general, treasurer, and secretary of state.
By DAVID SCHARFENBERG | March 10, 2010

Filibustered Fluffernutters?

Idiot Box
The GOP's wrath, extra-crunchy
By MATT BORS | March 03, 2010

Workin' man blues

Blue-collar luxury resorts, and other GOP oxymorons
Election years are always times of high anxiety for politicians. That may explain why they say and do so many stupid things.
By AL DIAMON | March 08, 2010

Brown, baby, Brown

The Senator masters the art of playing it safe. Plus, Deval vs. the Legislature.
Senator Scott Brown is getting a lot of praise from the left and abuse from the right for crossing party lines to help pass a jobs bill earlier this week.
By EDITORIAL | February 25, 2010

The crying game

House Speaker Robert DeLeo tolerates dissent. Then why do some call him a bully?
If you are wondering why Democrats in Washington can't get anything done, even though they control both houses of Congress, take a look at the glacial pace we often see closer to home on Beacon Hill.
By DAVID S. BERNSTEIN | March 01, 2010