In the summer of 1864, during the crisis of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln was facing a reelection campaign. The political and military conditions of the Union were dire. Lincoln did not think he would win reelection. He wrote out the following and sealed it in an envelope, asking his Cabinet members to sign…
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#MaPoli Endorsements: the definitive list
Forget silly season or the dog days of August. With just over a month before our primary election and a few months before the general election, campaigns and candidates are in the midst of Endorsement Season. Every election year in Massachusetts, I re-up my piece on political endorsements in the Commonwealth. Note that the categories…
Abraham Lincoln: “We can not have free government without elections”
This morning the president of the United States threatened to delay (cancel) an election he is obviously losing. I’m not going to comment, but Abraham Lincoln already has, in his post-election Response to a Serenade of November 10, 1964: It has long been a grave question whether any government, not too strong…
Why Lt. Gov. Polito Should Add Workers to the Reopen Mass. Advisory Panel: It’s in Her Own Best Interest
In Baker’s Reopen Advisory Panel: No Place for Heroes I called for workers to be added to the advisory panel on reopening the state, headed by Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito. That call went nowhere. Let me try again. Lt. Gov. Polito, putting workers on the panel is in your own best interest. Apparently the absence…
Our Lack of Preparedness is Killing Us
From inadequate testing to a widespread shortage of personal protective equipment, the United States government’s response to COVID-19 has been plagued by a series of critical missteps. And while it is premature to pinpoint the exact cause of all of these failures, one thing is abundantly clear: Chronic underinvestment in emergency preparedness has undermined the…
Coronavirus Could Spell Disaster for President Trump in November
With more than 600 cases in the United States alone, the media has begun to speculate about the potential impact of the coronavirus outbreak (COVID-19) on the 2020 presidential election. President Trump recently called his response “terrific,” adding that his management of the crisis will “help, not hurt” him in November. History, however, suggests otherwise….
National Parents Union, the Anti-union Union
The National Parents Union front for the Walton family’s dive into the Democratic Party’s primaries decided to adopt the name union, though it is not only not a union but is virulently anti-union—a posture that surely satisfies the WalMart heirs. A union is “An organization of workers, formed for the purpose of negotiating with employers…
Michael Bloomberg Can Save His Money
Today’s guest post is from Christopher J. Galdieri, Associate Professor of Saint Anselm College in New Hampshire. Professor Galdieri is not only an expert on the television show VEEP, but on the New Hampshire primary and presidential nominating systems. His books include Stranger in a Strange State: The Politics of Carpetbagging from Robert Kennedy to Scott…
The Waltons: From Dark Money to Dark Store Theory, It’s All About Taxes
The Walton Family of Arkansas has been funding a robust Massachusetts Political Team—over $3.3 million worth in 2017 and 2018, and all tax deductible! Will their Arkansas retail giant WalMart also bring its dark store tax dodge to Massachusetts soon? WalMart and other big box corporations have been appealing local tax assessments in over twenty…
On Lt. Col. Vindman’s Brand of Patriotism
Unlike some of you, dear readers, I chose to become an American. Unlike Lt. Col. Vindman, I did not come to the United States as a toddler. By the time I did, I was well-aware of borders and nations–I had already embraced my country of birth’s national myth and my place in it. It is,…