As readers of MassPoliticsProfs have known for eight years now, Massachusetts voters are not what the rest of the country thinks they are. They are not the tip of the progressive spear in America. They are not politics-hating Puritanical moralists ready and willing to punish corrupt politicians at a moments notice. They are highly individualistic…
Category: political parties
Police Reform: Cooler heads need 20/20 vision to prevail
Former state police detective Robert Long’s Boston Globe op-ed is clearly intended to be a call for cooler heads to prevail in the effort to advance meaningful reform of policing in America. While this is certainly a laudable sentiment, Mr. Long’s presumably sincere effort is marred by an outdated and inaccurate understanding of partisan politics…
Systemic Racism, Trumpism, & Dishonest Expertise
In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, more forcefully than after the scores of other highly publicized murders of black people by police in the recent past, Average Americans are stepping up and out to say “enough is enough.” Even a pandemic couldn’t stop thousands of able-minded Americans in all 50 states from registering their…
“You ain’t black” should become 2020 speak for “you ain’t bright.”
The effort of those on the right (and the left) to make an issue of Joe Biden’s penchant for awkward comments is a product of political desperation, not discernment. He told a black radio talk show host who was giving him a hard time that if he was having trouble deciding between Trump and himself…
Joe Biden, Tara Reade, & Morality “Rightly” Understood
Sexual assault allegations against Joe Biden will undoubtedly be exploited by the Republicans as a way to reduce progressive voter turnout. Interestingly, their own candidate’s far worse sins will not dampen right wing exploitation of this allegation against Biden, which will succeed in helping convince some progressives to stay home or to cast a “protest…
Twitter’s Suggestions: Evidence of Right Wing Social Media Superiority
Last summer I read an interview with Sociologist Jen Schradie about her book, The Revolution That Wasn’t. Schradie’s surprising thesis was that conservatives, not progressives, have become the dominant political activists on the internet. With far greater financial resources and a base much more focused on political power than policy specifics, conservative activists have been…
Joe Kennedy’s Case is Thin but Probably Sufficient
Last night Senator Markey and Congressman Kennedy faced off in their first televised debate. Three highlights that made this morning’s papers were Kennedy’s criticisms of Markey’s Iraq War vote, his “present” committee vote as a new member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2013 on a resolution to authorize the Obama Administration to use…
The American Electoral System
Have you ever thought about how insane the way we elect our President is? Consider the following: it has been 2 and a half years since the first democratic hopeful—John Delaney—officially announced his candidacy. Since then we have had 18 candidates announce and drop out all before a single vote was cast. We will now…
It’s Time For Warren to Lead Democrats Away from Bernie’s Rhetoric & Revolution
The ongoing spat between the two most progressive Democratic candidates for president is likely a pre-view of things to come. Bernie Sanders’ campaign playbook is not a “who dun it.” Everyone knows that he will rely on attacking his Democratic opponents with rhetoric that is virtually indistinguishable to that he levels at Republicans. Senator Warren…
Mass Pols for President Have the Right Training & Temperament
Deval Patrick’s decision to join the race late looks to me like an expression of determination that I share. Patrick, a two-term governor of Massachusetts, understands American politics, which is to say, he understands the necessity of practical, non-ideological, political leadership. I think Governor Patrick, Senator Warren, and even Governor Weld are determined to take…