Democratic Party Chair urges focus on Spreading Message and Raising Money

by Ciatlyn Kelleher                                                                                                                                

Response to November Losses  

Massachusetts Democratic Chairman Thomas McGee said the Democratic Party needs to figure out why areas of the state are turning towards the Republican Party and how to compete against outside money in the next election.

McGee, a state senator from Lynn, addressed the Lexington Democratic Town Committee about the state of the party on Saturday February 7th.  He encouraged local members to become recurring donors, to encourage young members to join and begin to focus on the mid-term election in 2016.

"We're really under assault as Democrats for what we believe in,"McGee said.  "It's critical to build at the grassroots level, at the town committee level."

This winter the state party is kicking off two initiatives.  The first is to build recurring donors at $10 a month to compete with money being used in the Republican campaign efforts.  The second is to have everyone register 1,965 people to vote in commemoration of the 1965 Voting Rights Act, which turns fifty in August.

"I think it's important for us to reflect on where the nation is going and where the state is going: McGee said.

McGee said the state party is trying to analyze the results of the November election in which Charlie Baker beat Martha Coakley for Governor while the Democratic Party candidates won the other state constitutional races.

"We put together a pretty good grassroots campaign," said McGee of the governor's race in November.  "We were less than 40,000 voters from winning that [governors] race.  I don't think we need to hang our head on anything."

McGee said one of the focuses of the state party is to look at areas, like Central Massachusetts, where voters choose Republican candidates more often.

:"Why are some areas turning more red? I don't understand that because there are people that really should be what we stand for," he said.  "It doesn't make sense when your looking at some areas that used to be Democratic and are trending the other way."

As party chairman, McGee said one of the efforts the party leaders need to focus on is to simplify the message of what the Democratic Party stands for and what issues are key in this state.

"It'd not a simple answer to a question," he said.  "The other side has a simple message: less government, less taxes and more money in your pocket is a simple message."

McGee reminded the members of the Town Committee to remember the importance of mid-term, county and municipal elections.  He believes the 2016 congressional races and the local state representative races will have a favorable effect overall.

Higher Taxes for the MBTA

MBTA Spends Above the National Average

The tax-and-spend liberals are out in force demanding higher taxes for the MBTA.  They are blaming the lack of resources as the reason for the MBTA's failures.

Money is not the problem.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, the MBTA's bus maintenance department spends 94% above the national average.  A Pioneer Institute report shows $250 million being wasted just within the bus maintenance department.

The T spent millions of dollars on a scheme to connect it with Connecticut before that state committed to the project.

The MBTA pension system is keep secret despite the taxpayers bailing it out.  Most of the other quasi-independent authorities do disclose their pension payouts.

On the road and bridge side of transportation, the Commonwealth spends $675,000 per mile on road and bridge maintenance.  That's four times the national average.  Our state spends $78,000 per mile on administration costs yearly.  That is eight times the national average.

All these facts seem to be missing from news story after news story on our transportation failures.

The Bonds assigned to the MBTA to finance billions in "Big Dig" costs by diverting ridership income only serves to make additional shortages larger.

Making the ability to operate the T far worse are proposals to enlarge to MBTA by expanding the trolley lines and stations and connecting them to the ancient 'core' facilities that were never designed to provide the patronage envisioned by proponents.  Legacy expansions of rail and trolley lines and stations may fulfill the fantasy of institutions, unions and advocates but they ignore the flexibility needed in the local Metro area which is better served by buses.

The Green-Line expansion which is expected to deliver patrons attending events connected to the proposed 2024 Olympics to sites on the Tufts campus will never meet the income needed to meet costs over the long-term by increasing ridership anywhere near the 20%  needed to operate trolley and commuter-rail side-by-side from West Medford to North Station.

Proposals quietly being considered to increase income to the T are additional charges on the 'Cherry Sheets'  to the local communities being served by the MBTA.

Republicans More Informed Than Democrats According to Pew Research Center

Few traits better characterize contemporary liberals than their false sense of intellectual superiority..... There's only one problem.  The actual, objective sociological evidence continues to demonstrate that the opposite is true.

Republicans routinely prove themselves more knowledgeable than Democrats.  The left-leaning Pew Research Center provides the latest examples.

Read more now.

4 Sentences = 10,535 Pages

Really Clever and Succinct

Here are the 10,535 pages of Obama Care condensed to four sentences.   As humorous as this sounds.....every last word is TRUE!

1. In order to insure the uninsured, we first have to uninsure the insured.

2. Next, we require the newly uninsured to be re-insured.

3. To re-insure the newly uninsured, they will be required to pay extra charges to be re-insured.

4. The extra charges are required so that the original insured, who became uninsured, and then became re-insured, can pay enough extra so that the original uninsured, will be insured free of charge to them.

This ladies and gentlemen, is called "redistribution of wealth".....or, by its more common name, SOCIALISM.

Should Students Learn Cursive?

The swirling lines from Linden Bateman's pen have been conscripted into a national fight to keep cursive writing in American classrooms.  Cursive.  Penmanship.  Handwriting.  In years gone by, it helped distinguish the literate from the illiterate.

But now, in the digital age, people are increasingly communicating by computer and smartphone.  No handwritten signature necessary.  Call it a sign of the times.  When the new Common Core educational standards were crafted, penmanship classes were dropped.  But at least seven of the 45 states that adopted the standards are fighting to restore the cursive instruction.

THE ARGUEMENT FOR CURSIVE

Bateman, a 72-year old state representative from Idaho, says cursive conveys intelligence and grace, engages creativity and builds brain cells.  "Modern research indicates that more areas of the human brain are engaged when children use cursive handwriting than when they keyboard" said Bateman, who handwrites 125 ornate letters each year.  "We're not thinking this through.  It's beyond belief to me that states have allowed cursive to slip from the standards."

WHY WAS IT DROPPED

State leaders who developed Common Core -- a set of preferred K-12 course offerings for public schools -- omitted cursice for a host of reasons, including an increasing need for children in a digital-heavy age to master computer keyboarding and evidence that even most adults use some hybrid of classic cursive and print in every day life.   "If you just stop and think for a second about what are the skills that people are likely to be using in the future, it's much more likely that keyboarding will help students in careers and in schools than it is that cursive will," said Morgan Polikoff, an assistant professor of K-12 policy and leadership at the University of Southern California.

THE MOVEMENT TO HAVE TEACHING CURSIVE RESTORED

States that adopted Common Core aren't precluded from deviating from the standards.  But in the world of education, where classroom time is limited and performance stakes are high, optional offerings tend to get sidelined in favor of what's required.

That's why at least seven states -- California, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, North Carolina and Utah -- have moved to keep the cursive requirement.  Legislation passed in North Carolina and elsewhere couples cursive with memorization of multiplication tables as twin "back to basics" mandates.

Cursive advocates cite recent brain science that indicates the fluid motion employed when writing script enhances hand-eye coordination and develops fine motor skills, in turn prompting reading, writing and cognition skills.   They further argue that scholars of the future will lose the ability to interpret valuable cultural resources -- historical documents, ancestor's letters and journals, handwritten scholarship -- if they can't read cursive.  If they can't write it, how will they communicate from unwired settings like summer camp or the battlefield?  "The Constitution of the United States is written in cursive.  Think about that," Bateman said.

WHAT DO TEACHERS AND STUDENTS THINK?

All the fuss seems a bit loopy to certain members of Gen X, Y and Z -- which have diverged increasingly from handwriting to computers.   The volume of first class mail at the U.S. Postal Service fell in 2010 to its lowest level in a quarter-century, just as computer use -- and the keyboarding it involves -- was surging.  Some 95 percent of teens use the internet, and the percentage using smartphones to go online has grown from 23 percent in 2011 to 37 percent today, according to the Pew Research Center.  A 2012 Pew report found the volume of text messages among teens rose from 50 a day on average in 2008 to 60 a day on average two years later.

Pew research has also shown that educators don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.  A survey

Thank Our Veterans

The Land of the Free because of the Brave

By Charlie Baker

For the past few years, a friend of mine who spent four years in the Marine Corps has invited me to the Maine Corps birthday celebration at the South Boston Convention Center.   It's quite a scene - 2,000 men, a handful of women, a boatload of beer, and a ton of pomp and circumstance.

Amidst the 'hoorah' there are moments that stay with me for months: stories of profound heroism and gargantuan courage under extraordinary situations, spellbinding speeches that powerfully express what it means to be part of one the world's finest military organizations, and ritual that has its origins in the founding of this great nation.

But the moments that I never forget are the ones that come when the Corps honors the mothers and fathers among them who have lost their sons and daughters on the field of battle.   As their names, along with the names of their fallen children, are read, they stand and turn towards the crowd.   The applause starts loud and then explodes, as 2,000 men and women of all ages stand and honor those who have paid the highest price a parent can pay in defense of their country.   It is beyond moving.   It tugs at the heart and sears the soul, and it speaks volumes about how high the stakes are every time a parent sends a son or daughter off to war.

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said, "The land of the free because of the brave."   True enough.   The men and women who choose to serve in our military are, indeed, very special, and so are their families.   Please take the time this Veteran's Day to honor their commitment to us, their love for the country, and their unflinching willingness to put themselves in harm's way.

Thanks - and God Bless America.

Business Lobby Seeks a More "Governable" GOP

By Geoffrey Lysaught

Even before Democrat Terry McAuliffe narrowly defeated Republican Ken Cuccinelli in the governor's race, lobbyists representing the business community were rethinking their relationship with the GOP and planning to challenge conservative incumbents in next year's primaries.

Their goal: to replace principled conservatives with candidates who will be more protective of Big Business interests.   As U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Tom Donohue put it, his group will get involved in primary races to produce a "more governable Republican party."

Which is why the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which says it's strictly in "the wins business," is threatening more electoral intervention.   "There's no rules," NRSC executive director Rob Collins said.   "The path to getting a general election candidate who can win is the only thing we care about."

This shift will certainly surprise those who naively believed that the grassroots Tea Party movement was a creation of big business.   But "Tea Party as a Wall Street front group" has been a popular belief among the left for years.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

CNN Places Blame on Democrats

Holy Crap. CNN is Correctly Placing Blame On Democrats

Someone Pinch Me.  It's Like a Christmas Miracle

According to CNN, Senate Democrats are to blame for all of these insurance companies cancelling policies all over the country.   They voted unanimously, you see, to support the very Obamacare rule which is responsible for this happening.   And here's the Kicker.   This was THREE YEARS AGO, when Republicans brought a resolution to the floor to PREVENT policies from being cancelled.  

At the time, Republican Senator Grassley said, "The District of Columbia is an island surrounded by reality.   Only in the District of Columbia could you get away with telling the people that if you like what you have you can keep it, and then pass regulations six months later that do just the opposite and figure that people are going to ignore it.   But common sense is eventually going to prevail in this town and common sense is going to prevail on this piece of legislation as well.   The administration's own regulations prove this is not the case.   Under the grandfathering regulation, according to the White House's own economic impact analysis, as many as 69 percent of businesses will lose their grandfathered status by 2013 and be forced to buy government-approved plans."

It's almost as if everything that Republicans have been warning people about for the past three years is all coming true, right in front of our very eyes.

Justice Scalia: "That's Democracy Baby"

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was the featured speaker at Tufts University's seventeenth annual Richard E. Snyder President's Lecture series on Wednesday afternoon October 2nd. 

A great speech at which remarked that he was a Constutionalist, interpreting the intentions off the framer's and the citizens who voted to radify it.

against courts making law - a power of the Congress.  A democracy allows states right's, it is often innaprriate for congress to legislate when the states should be enacting law.  The framers intended that each soverin state could make theire own laws different from others.

'Strawman' Returns Again

Mr.Thomas Tierney, a resident of Framingham, who has a long-time history of "running" in both Democratic and Republican primaries for Representative in Congress "against" Edward Markey has again filed sufficient signatures in order to have his name appear on the Republican Ballot in the Special Election Primary for the 5th Congressional District to be held on October 15th.

In 2010, Tierney claimed in press releases that he was being ignored by several GOP City and Town Committees, and when it was shown that neither he or anyone representing him had made any efforts to reach out, the claim was withdrawn.   Dr. Gerry Dembrowski of Woburn defeated Tierney in the 2010 GOP Primary and went on to lose the General Election to Markey.

In 2012, Tierney ran again as a Republican and while ignored as a 'Strawman' for Ed Markey by many GOP groups he bested Frank Addivinola and Jeff Semon in the Republican Primary.  Shortly thereafter Tierney was no where to be seen allowing Markey to coast to victory.

Again this year three names will appear on the 2013 Special Election Republican Primary Ballot.  Observers and some local Chairs fear that Frank Addivinola and Mike Stopa, who are known Republicans, will be defeated by Tierney again taking advantage of a last-minute advertising and phone banking blitz supported by deep-pocketed Democratic groups.  The goal again appears to allow the winner of the Democrat Primary to coast to victory in December.

When asked recently to describe his political views, Tierney described himself as a Progressive who agrees with the views held by most of the Democrat contenders.  

Opinion: Karl Rowe is the Hypocrite on the Right

By Trey Mays

Karl Rowe, "the architect" of George W. Bush's two presidential campaigns, loves to write in his columns and in his appearances on Fox News about President Barack Obama's "politics of demonization."   He constantly makes the argument that President Obama uses dishonest and ad hominem attacks against his Republican opponents.   Mr. Rowe's latest Wall Street Journal column is just another example of his primary attack on President Obama.

Mr. Rowe is not wrong about President Obama's deeply personal and severely dishonest attacks. However, ...

Click here to read the rest of the opinion piece.

Opinion: The American Dream is Dying

By a Retired Marine    

The American dream (of greatness and opportunity faded) on November 6, 2012.   The second term of Barack Obama (in my opinion is the) final nail in the coffin for the legacy of the white Christian males who discovered, explored, pioneered, settled and developed the greatest Republic in the history of mankind.

A coalition of (under-educated and working-poor minorities), feminists, gays, government workers, union members, environmental extremists, the media, Hollywood, uninformed young people, the "forever needy," the chronically unemployed, illegal aliens and other "fellow travelers" have ended Normal Rockwell's America.   The Cocker Spaniel is off the front porch...the Pit Bull is in the back yard.

The American Constitution has been replaced with Saul Alinsky's "Rules for Radicals" and Chicago shyster, David Axelrod, along with international socialist George Soros will be pulling the strings on their beige puppet to bring us Act 2 of the New World Order.

Our side ran two candidates who couldn't even win their own states, and the circus fatty Chris Christie helped Obama over the top with a glowing "post Sandy" tribute that elevated the "Commander-in-Chief" to Mother Teresa status. 

People like me are politically irrelevant, and I will never again comment on or concern myself with the aforementioned coalition which surrendered our culture, our heritage and our traditions without a shot being fired.

You will never again out vote these people.   It will take individual acts of defiance and massive displays of civil disobedience to get back the rights we have allowed them to take away.   It will take Zealots, not Moderates, nor reach-across-the-aisle RINOS to right this ship and restore our beloved country.

Those who come after us will have to risk their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor to bring back the Republic that this generation has frittered away due to "white guilt" and political correctness...

Dear Patriots:  At least in "our" time, we knew and understood "Valor!" 


Editors Comments:
"A MARINES SHORT, ACCURATE, AND...SAD MESSAGE" was modified and edited (in areas) as noted for clarity.

Links to Original Events Purged

Links attached to two events reported in this Blog (and other blogs) were deleted and removed within days of beginning to become 'viral' because, in the opinion of many, of the sensitive nature of the subject matter and the persons connected to the report.

The video linked to the "IRISH LAWMAKER TEARS OBAMA APART" was terminated by U-Tube because of alleged 'copy-right infringements.'   The link to the published report "OBITUARIES FOR GOP PREMATURE" was removed according to Yahoo because it was no longer available.

Irish Lawmaker tears Obama apart

A member of the Parliament in Ireland calls Obama a 'hypocrite' and 'a war criminal' for his export of arms to the Middle East in the name of peace keeping.

Commentators have expressed that "The Saints should bless her and the 'wee people' spread gold at her feet."   Others suggest that "we need a few like her in Congress."

A video of the remarks which lasts about six minutes is attached. 

To view the video, click here.
                    

                                                   

Obituaries for GOP Premature

Political pundits and commentators as well as some Party leaders have been stressing for some time that the Republican Party across the nation as well as here in Massachusetts must reconnect with our 'base' and move away from far-right elements.   Those same pundits and leaders urge campaign workers and volunteers to re-establish themselves as part of a broad-based political party.

Right-of-center moderates and conservatives who make up the majority of the 'voter base' that supports smaller government and lower taxes across the nation are not expected to readily give up many of their stands on important "social issues."   Finding candidates and leaders to support right-of-center views that include most of the issues they will respond to and vote for, is the dilemma facing the Party when progressives and their minions in the media hammer home their message that the GOP will die if it does not change.

Far-right as well as far-left advocates will continue to seek and elect officials who will advance their views; for that is what is expected to take place when all are allowed to exercise their first amendment right of free speech.

(Attached is an article which appeared in the press a few weeks ago which is included for your consideration.)

To read the attached article, click here.

Background Checks Mandated

 A bill that was passed by the legislature in January of this year, mandates that full fingerprinting and a federal FBI background be done for teachers and other individuals that work with children.   In addition to teachers and teaching assistants, the law also covers individuals who provide family child care, after-school programming for children and bus drivers.

Unlike most other states in the country, until now, Massachusetts only required state background checks.  The new law will allow employers to check the federal data base for crimes committed in other states.  The law, passed by the legislature, includes a provision that the fees associated with the fingerprint checks are the responsibility of the persons being fingerprinted.  Depending on the employment category, the cost of the fees will range from thirty-five to fifty-five dollars.

Unlike Lawyers, Plumbers and other professionals who are required to attend seminars and training
updates at their own expense and also pay licensing fees imposed by state and local municipalities, the teachers are seeking to impose the cost of their background checks on the taxpayers. 

Addivinola for House and Council

Interviews published in yesterday's Boston Globe revealed that Frank Addivinola making his second attempt in two years to win a Republican primary nomination to run for the US House of Representatives from the 5th Congressional District is also running for an At-Large seat on the Boston City Council.

The Boston Magazine also reported that Angelica Addivinola is a first-time candidate for the District Eight seat on the Boston City Council.   While the couple appear to be informed about the important issues related to the positions they seek, the revelations raise questions about their ability to raise sufficient funds and find the time to reach out to the voters over a large geographical area.

To read the Article, click here.

Gun Smuggling 'Cover Up' in Benghazi Revealed

by Michael Mosca

WRKO talk-show host Jeff Kuhner during a recent segment of his morning radio program revealed that an illegal gun smuggling operation was being run in Benghazi.  Kuhner suggested that in order to fully understand the serious issues and implications of the "Cover Up" it may require waking up and learning that a plane has gone down in the Middle East or North Africa because one of 400 of America's most sophisticated Surface to Air Missiles [SAMS], manufactured in the USA and lost on September 11, 2012 took it down.

Mr. Kuhner suggested that it may be time to impeach Barrack Hussein Obama and to bring Hillary Clinton and Susan Rice to justice for war crimes for running a Gun Smuggling operation in Benghazi that resulted in thousands of civilians being killed with our stolen weapons and for creating a crisis of monumental proportions with the loss of 400 of our SAMS to Jihadists who stole them by force in Benghazi.

The missiles were part of an illegal gun running operation by our government and destined for our mortal enemies, Al-Qaeda and Jihadists in Syria.  Former US Attorney Joseph DiGenova who has been representing Whistle Blowers in Benghazi, including those in the State Department and now increasingly those who were witnesses on the ground who worked on the compound have come out and said in interview after interview that during the deadly attack on September 11th of last year, 400 Surface to Air Missiles were taken from Libya during that terrorist attack.

Kuhner said that according to people in the intelligence community, these Surface to Air Missiles not only have fallen into the hands of Al-Qaeda, but one of the principle reasons why the Obama Administration decided to close down nineteen of the embassies and consulates in the Middle East and North Africa. They are very concerned that now these Jihadists armed with missiles that they stole from our compound in Benghazi, are going to be used to shoot down American planes. 

Reports now being made public according to Kuhner, reveal that "the CIA had a Military Annex in which they were using as a transit point to illegally and criminally ship arms and weapons to Al-Qaeda, to Jihadists and to radical Islamists in Syria through Turkey."  "Our Government was running an illegal gun smuggling operation"  "We were selling weapons to our mortal enemies."  "Is it time that people like Hillary Clinton face the music for having lied and misled the American people." " Mr. President, you're fired, you're fired!"

WRCW Holds Annual Meeting - Elects Officers

The Women's Republican Club of Winchester held it's Annual Meeting at Lucia's Ristorente in Winchester on Saturday May 4th.  After registration a delicious buffet consisting of rigatoni in marinara sauce, chicken cutlets, and a tossed salad and rolls was served.

A presentation by actress Judy Bernstein of clever and humorous remarks made by former Presidents, members of Congress, and other political leaders followed the meal. 

Former State Committeewoman Ann Blackham, a founding member of the National Women's Republican Federation inducted the newly elected officers   The gavel was passed to the incoming President Deborah Melkonian who then presented outgoing Club President Marie Baratta with a plaque and a small rememberance from the board of directors.

Also elected for the 2013-2014 term were Judy Myra-Tonello as First Vice-President, Angela Petrone as Second Vice-President, Cindy Kelly as Recording Secretary, Ann Paladino as Coresponding Secretary, Margaret Green as Treasurer, and Jennifer Gurrisi as Dues Treasurer.

Activists Standout in Medford Square

Five activists from the area held signs in Medford Square supporting Mike Sullivan one of the three candidates for US Senate seeking the Republican Party nomination at the primary election on Tuesday April 30.

David Funnell

"Saturday, April 27th, a group of five people bearing 'I LIKE MIKE' signs stood outside Ed Markey's district office in Medford Square and waved and smiled.  While traffic was thin, of course, given the time of day on the weekend, this observer thinks that a significant number of thumbs up, waves and cheery honks from Forest Street, High Street and Salem Street were indicative of a strong  consternation that is likely to be felt more and more in the Markey office as the Special Election draws nearer!"