Politics
Coast Guard escorting an LNG tanker last summer.
Dan Hill, who lives near Boston Harbor and is running for state senate in a district that includes Chelsea and Everett, says the state should do everything it can to try to keep LNG tankers out of Boston Harbor - especially Yemeni ones - and phase out the Distrigas natural-gas terminal in Everett in favor of a new facility in Naragansett Bay:
Hill noted that for new LNG ports the Coast Guard requires "security zones" restricting
movement within 1,000 yards on either side of an LNG tanker, a standard that could not possibly be met
in Boston Harbor. "I find it disturbing that safety requirements for new facilities apparently do not need
to be met for existing facilities."
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Now, for the first time, you can see Jon Stewart's appearance on The O'Reilly Factor in its entirety without any cuts or edits. Super-fans will take note that in this version, it finally becomes clear beyond a doubt that Greedo did indeed shoot first.
Bizarre Foods guy Andrew Zimmern endorses Michael Albano in the special state-senate election:
My childhood pal Michael Albano is running for State Senator in Massachusetts, and in heady times like these I think it is crucial that we support progressive democrats like Michael. ...
Via Wicked Local Cambridge.
Hokay. She got 2% of the vote as a Green last time around, but apparently Jill Stein already has that nomination sewn up.
Wicked Local Roslindale reports Councilor Steve Murphy is definitely running for state treasurer. This time around, he'd first have to defeat Steve Grossman to take on a Republican for the right to succeed Tim Cahill, who is himself trying to move up.
I know you're not supposed to say that the American people are stupid, so I won't. but can we at least say they have been brainwashed to the point of being intellectually crippled?
Half of Americans (50%) believe government should do less to regulate business. The rest are divided between saying things are about right (23%) and that the government should regulate more (24%). The majority (57%) are worried that there will be too much government regulation of business.
That is an epic failure of liberal politics. You can't blame them, if nobody ever told them otherwise.
The majority that elected Sen. Scott Brown was comprised of his Republican base and in smaller numbers unaffiliated independents and Democrats. It did not take too many independents and Democrats to vote Republican in this bluest of blue states to elect a Republican as our junior senator. Who are these republicans and what do they believe? A poll came out today that questioned Republicans about their beliefs on a why variety of fact and opinion. The results are quite shocking. Read more
Democrat Paul Sullivan of West Roxbury said today he is running for the 10th Suffolk seat being vacated by state-Senate hopeful Mike Rush:
As an ADA, I have fought day after day on behalf of victims of violent crime, parents seeking child support and those battling drug addictions. I have served the people of the Commonwealth with the utmost passion and tended to each individual with the proper focus and effort they deserved. I look forward to utilizing my work ethic and hard working attitude that was required of me at the DA's Office into advocating on behalf of the residents here in the Tenth Suffolk District.
Also declared: Kelly Tynan and Matt Benedetti.
The district includes West Roxbury, South Brookline and a small part of Roslindale.
Lance dissects a Red Mass. Group post.
Tallies up how much casino operators bet on Massachusetts in 2009. Let's put it this way: If you spent that much on casinos, you'd be heading for your daily Gamblers Anonymous meeting right now.
Steve Poftak wonders: Is Steve Grossman that intimidating? On the Democratic side so far it's Democratic moneyman Grossman and, maybe, Steve Murphy, who seems unable to leave the confines of the Boston City Council. In contrast, the Republicans have three candidates for one of those jobs that makes you wonder why it's still elected.
Wicked Local Cambridge reports city councilors remain deadlocked after six rounds of voting over who should be the city's next mayor (unlike across the river or on the other side of Porter Square, the mayor is a largely ceremonial job filled by a city councilor voted on by all the rest).
In addition to West Roxbury state Rep. Mike Rush, state Reps. Paul McMurtry of Dedham and John Rogers of Norwood are looking at possible runs, the Herald reports. Wicked Local West Roxbury, though, says McMurtry has already scratched himself from the race.
Republican Brad Williams is also running.
The Globe reports on a Baker/Tisei rally at Faneuil Hall today.
Maybe his campaign song could be Lien on Me.
Via Jay Fitzgerald:
I like Christy Mihos. He's Massachusetts' very own loose cannon, in the most positive sense, keeping establishment pols on their toes, especially when he served on the old Turnpike board. But this isn't good. We all have our own financial problems. But he's running for governor. ...
Maybe Charlie Baker could lend him some money from that pile of cash he's raised from chums in the health-care industry.
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